Strong Foundations This Tuesday, I had the privilege of attending a performance of Hamilton in Chicago. Of course, it was fabulous, and in the context of the current presidential election, particularly thought-provoking. But, what I found most moving was a quiet song near the end of the first act, as Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr sing to their newly born children in "Dear Theodosia." They put this very personal moment in the context of the new Nation that is being built by the Revolution and the promise it holds for future generations. The song emphasizes the need for a strong foundation, while recognizing that the turbulence ahead requires continuing attention and intervention:
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If we lay a strong enough foundation We'll pass it on to you We'll give the world to you And, you'll blow us all away
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I was struck with how similar the creation of our nation is to the lives of all of those individuals it includes. We, too, need strong foundations, and we require consistent attention over our lifetimes to be able to fulfill our potential. Fortunately, just as our nation has its systems to keep it strong, our communities and their members have our human service sector to keep them strong. The birth of the United States came in tough times. We have shown amazing resilience to thrive as a nation for 240 years. With the leadership and support of our members and their affiliates, we can grow only stronger and all of our children will "blow us all away." Lee Sherman, President & CEO
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Make Better Use of Your Data
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There is a new interactive resource to help professionals across the sector measure, evaluate and share the impact of their work, in addition to using data more effectively. From survey design to advanced analysis to expert strategies for data visualization, the Data Playbook speaks to professionals of all knowledge levels. The Data Playbook, released by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, is designed to fill these gaps and offer organizations of all sizes the tools they need to create a sustainable data strategy.
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Two-Generation Policy Developments
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The Department of Health & Human Services released a policy statement to assist state and local human service providers leverage the Two-Generation approach "to provide safe, stable, and nurturing environments." The report cites several federally-supported programs, including Head Start, child nutrition programs, and the Child Care Development Fund, which can be aligned to increase the opportunity for both generations of families to reach their full potential.
Before Congress recessed for the election, Senators Collins (R-ME) and Heinrich (D-NM) introduced the Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act of 2016. The bill would establish a federal interagency council to develop policy recommendations aimed at reducing multi-generational poverty, increasing the ability to transfer federal appropriations between programs, and encouraging greater use of evidence-based strategies to support children and parents simultaneously. Two-Gen stakeholders, NHSA included, agree that this effort would be “a positive and concrete step forward to ensuring that the American Dream of opportunity can pass from one generation to the next.”
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You'll Want to Watch These Webinars
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In case you missed them, here are links to recordings from three recent webinars geared toward strengthening your organization, your community, and the human service sector, at large:
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Opportunities and Resources
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Events
- IAVE World Volunteer Conference in Mexico City November 7-10 »
- *Washington Policy Council in D.C November 2016 - TBD
- *Volunteer Development Council Meeting in D.C. December 6 »
- *Washington Policy Council in D.C. December 13 »
- Alliance Management Institute in Denver January 3-5 »
- The Forum for Youth Investment - Ready by 21 National Meeting in Austin March 29-31 »
- Generations Remixed - 2017 Global Intergenerational Conference in Milwaukee June 13-16 »
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Human services relies heavily on episodic stories in its communications. These stories often highlight individuals whose participation in a program helps them overcome challenges or an individual who has tremendous success despite significant barriers. We use these stories for a variety of reasons, assuming that they engage the public, make the issue at hand easier to understand, and help us to demonstrate the efficacy of our programs and services. And they might do some of these things – but FrameWorks points to social science research that suggests they have hidden, undesirable effects as well. Focusing on individual successes or challenges actually undercuts our efforts to engage the public in broader systemic solutions.
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| MEMBER SPOTLIGHT If you're an NHSA member and have news, awards, accomplishments or more you want to share in a Member Highlights section, please email Michelle Sims. If you're not a member or partner, consider joining our great group of human service nonprofits.
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