Keeping people safe & well

 

NCLB Implementation Guide

Phase - 1: Organizing Steering Committee

 

Overview

The Steering Committee is required to maximize the chance of No Community Left Behind strategy’s success. A step-by-step process for organizing the Steering Committee starts with an overall vision for a well-functioning and successful Steering Committee. The extent to which the given steps could be followed depends on the environment. Circumstances vary from one CHRC’s area (NCLB site) to another, and the stakeholders need to take the most suitable path according to the situation they face.

Vision

The NCLB is a collaborative effort among organizations, agencies and community members that care about the designated neighbourhood. This collaboration is reflected in the Steering Committee, which provides a structure for building a commitment to the No Community Left Behind process, identifying areas of greatest community need, coordinating programs and services for local community members and ensuring everyone’s involvement in working toward the same goals. 

The most basic objective is to avoid duplication of resources in undertaking isolated projects which, despite good intentions, are not sustainable because they are not integrated with other initiatives for maximum impact and return on long-term investment.

The membership of the Steering Committee is large and diverse. Individuals from the following key stakeholder groups should ideally be part of the committee.

• Local CHRC (coordinating the NCLB program in different neighbourhoods the area);
• Ottawa Community Housing or other corporate housing owners;
• Local City councillor/s;
• Ottawa Police Service;
• Boys and Girls Club;
• Youth Service Bureau;
• Children’s Aid Society;
• Grassroots representative: community members of the designated neighbourhood;
• City services representatives;
• Additional committee members may include representatives of the legal aid office, social/community/health service agencies, recreation and employment agencies, schools, nonprofit and community organizations and businesses;
• Potential donors to the community development projects (such as the United Way).

The list is not exhaustive indeed because membership will mostly depend on agencies and organizations catering to the identified community needs and prioritized issues.

Ideally, the Chair is selected from amongst the partners for his/her skills and experience in facilitation, consensus building, and demonstrated support for community development.   A co-chair, such as a resident or a private-sector representative, may be appointed. The Steering Committee members bring several qualities and skills to the NCLB effort, including leadership, guidance, vision, direction, funding and management. Members possess decision-making ability within the organizations they represent (e.g., managers in government agencies, community leaders, nonprofit directors), enabling them to commit and deliver resources required to effect real change in the designated area.

The Steering Committee is the governing body for No Community Left Behind. It serves as the highest authority within a structure including subcommittees for the various component areas of No Community Left Behind, a NCLB Coordinator and/or other staff and links to local programs or initiatives that complement a site’s goals and objectives.

Initially, the Steering Committee meets frequently to establish the organizational structure, develop a vision for the neighbourhood and oversee development of the No Community Left Behind strategy. As the process moves to strategy implementation, the Steering Committee may meet less frequently only to focus on key areas of responsibility such as developing policies, coordinating subcommittee activities, approving changes to the strategic plan, monitoring progress on goals and objectives and providing leadership and advocacy for the No Community Left Behind strategy.

Implementation Process

Step 1:         Meeting stakeholders to ensure commitment

While meetings between the concerned stakeholders predictably occur in the beginning stages, it is necessary to widen the participation level and confirm support up front from key local officials such as the Councilor, OPS senior management, and appropriate city staff. The results of these discussions establish the direction, character and framework for the entire initiative. The following important issues, however, need to be emphasized:

• The NCLB approach requires coordinated efforts to revitalize the designated neighbourhoods;
• The NCLB approach requires coordination among different levels of law enforcement efforts. An atmosphere of commitment, cooperation and trust must exist if the initiative is going to operate successfully. It must be presented as a long-term activity.
• Successful coordination and management of the No Community Left Behind strategy require continuing staff resources. There could be several ways for resource management and effective coordination.

Step 2:         Creating a Core Group to provide leadership

To avoid slowing down the process in the initial phase, the focus needs to be on establishing a core group of frontline staff and community representatives to:

• Meet with local community members to get their support;
• Conduct an initial needs assessment of the designated neighbourhood;
• Select individuals to serve on the Steering Committee.

Selection of staff and other members need to be based on their skills and ability to complete a specific task rather than their organizational roles/affiliations. Each participant agrees to help develop and implement the No Community Left Behind strategy and is considered a member in the business of the Steering Committee.

The core group organizes public meetings and attends meetings of existing community organizations in the designated neighbourhood to fully explain the NCLB approach and obtain grassroots support. This is best accomplished by including key neighbourhood community members at the start of the planning process. Without their support, the No Community Left Behind process will not have the opportunity to succeed.

Step 3:         Ensuring Stakeholders’ Commitment

Many organizations and individuals from various disciplines are considered for Steering Committee membership as described in detail above.

Leadership, guidance, vision, direction and management are required of the Steering Committee members to create and implement an effective No Community Left Behind strategy. Consider these skills and other issues when deciding who best represent the stakeholder organizations on the Steering Committee. First, it is good to have representatives with decision-making abilities so that decisions and commitments made at Steering Committee meetings are meaningful and timely. Second, representatives commit to attending Steering Committee meetings without relying too much on sending alternates (alternates can impede the ability to make decisions). And finally, representatives are knowledgeable about the designated neighbourhood.

Step 4:         Determining the Roles and Responsibilities

The core group drafts the roles and responsibilities of the Steering Committee. This information is important during the initial process of looking for suitable members and when asking the selected individuals to commit to serving on the Steering Committee.

Once the Steering Committee is formed, members revisit and finalize roles and responsibilities. It is clear from the outset that Steering Committee members are responsible for more than strategic planning, policy, and management — they ensure that the organization they represent makes a long term commitment to making the approach a success.

These commitments may take the form of a partner organization re-programming staff for service provision in the designated neighbourhood or a community organization providing resident volunteers for some activities. Whatever the commitments, they are made public so that each Steering Committee member and the organization he/she represents are aware of them and follow through can be monitored.

The initial responsibilities of the Steering Committee differ from their permanent responsibilities during implementation of strategies, programs and activities. The following are some general roles and responsibilities for consideration during refining and finalizing the strategy described in this document:

• Developing a future vision of the designated neighbourhood;
• Conducting an in-depth community needs assessment;
• Establishing subcommittee for strategy development;
• Overseeing development of the strategic plans and giving final approval;
• Approving selection of the NCLB Coordinator and other staff (if needed);
• Identifying resource commitments from each member.

Once the neighbourhood level communityaction plans are developed and implementation is under way, the roles and responsibilities of the Steering Committee focus on policy, management and advocacy. More specifically, the roles and responsibilities include:

• Oversight and management of goals and objectives;
• Guidance on and resolution of implementation issues;
• Coordination of subcommittee activities;
• Development and integration of activities in all four core areas; social, physical, service and economic;
• Approval of changes to the strategic plan;
• Development/Approval of grant applications and adjustments;
• Monitoring of progress on evaluation and effectiveness of the No Community Left Behind strategy;
• Provision of leadership.

Step 5:         Developing the Decision-making Processes

Steering Committee members also develop the decision-making processes that enable the committee to govern the NCLB process effectively. The decision-making processes could be defined through agendas, and policies and procedures, or suggesting bylaws.

The Steering Committee develops terms of reference with written policies and procedures to address questions such as: How often will the Steering Committee meet? How will meeting agendas be established? Will decisions be made through consensus or majority rule? How and when will vote taking occur?

Step 6:         Creating an Organizational Structure for Implementation

It the responsibility of the implementing CHRC to establish a blueprint for the No Community Left Behind process organization and how people will be grouped to accomplish its mission and work. The structure includes the Steering Committee as the governing body for the NCLB process. The Steering committee is responsible for proposing subcommittees, identifying potential membership, and providing direction/support to ad hoc and permanent sub-committees. Staff-related issues are the responsibility of the respective CHRC.

The subcommittees are task-oriented and include people who work on the front lines of service agencies. Primarily, subcommittee members are individuals who can contribute skills, knowledge, resources and time to developing and implementing the No Community Left Behind strategy. Managers and frontline staff from stakeholder organizations and community members are considered for the subcommittees and workgroups.

These resources may be in the form of funding, staff, volunteers or in-kind services.

 

 

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Centre de Sante Communautaire du Sud Est D'Ottawa

Contact: Abid Jan Tel./ Tél: (613) 737-5115 Ext. 2403  Fax/Télé: (613) 739-8199

NCLB matters because neighbourhoods matter