“The Connection” Community Consultant Group Mindi B. Levin, MS, CHES Director, SOURCE (Student Outreach Resource Center) Lainie Rutkow, JD, MPH Connection Program Manager

Overview of “The Connection” In 2005, the Connection, a community consultant group, was launched in response to student requests for more short-term service opportunities in Baltimore.

Overview of “The Connection” Working in teams, the Connection’s consultants partner with local community-based organizations (CBOs) to carry out finite projects that usually last from 3 – 5 weeks.

Developing Our Name Connecting: Students with the Community Learning with Experience JHU with Baltimore

Small Working Teams Focus On: Strategic Consulting Fundraising Strategy and Grants Performance Measurement Communications Consulting

Sample Connection Projects Caroline Street Clinic for the Uninsured Goal: To improve community outreach and address residual community needs (such as HIV testing) The Connection team developed an intake questionnaire for the clinic. The questionnaire will be administered to people seeking HIV testing by trained counselors.

Sample Connection Projects Dr. Rayner Browne Elementary School Goal: To develop a nutrition curriculum for the school The Connection team developed a nutrition curriculum (four food groups, portion control, smoking education, hygiene, and heart and GI tract functioning).  Received donations from Whole Foods for taste-testing healthy foods.  Received a $1,000 grant from the Johns Hopkins Alumni Association, which will allow the educational program to continue.

Sample Connection Projects Environmental Justice Partnership Goal: Assist with EJP’s 501c3 application The Connection team drafted a set of bylaws for EJP. The bylaws, which provide a comprehensive overview of EJP’s operations, contain information about EJP’s objectives, membership, board of directors, officers, meetings, fundraising and development, and conflict resolution system.

Sample Connection Projects The Men’s Center Goal: Write a grant for the Men’s Center The Connection team wrote a grant requesting funds to upgrade the Men’s Center’s facilities. In addition, the team developed materials to help the Men’s Center apply for a grant to enhance Lifeskills, the Center’s main program. Created grant template for future use.

Sample Connection Projects Greater Homewood Community Corporation Goal: Assist GHCC with evaluating their programs The Connection team developed basic monitoring and evaluation tools for GHCC’s Youth Development Initiative. Conducted an “Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation” session for GHCC staff; Facilitated a ½ day workshop to further define processes and objectives; Identified a comprehensive set of indicators to be used for monitoring and evaluation of program processes and outcomes; Constructed a set of tools and strategies for data collection that related to the indicators.

Sample Connection Projects International Rescue Committee Goal: Create a needs assessment survey for clientele. The Connection team developed a survey for refugees who were resettled in the Baltimore area through the IRC. The survey will be used to determine their clients’ satisfaction with the IRC’s services and will help the IRC to determine what additional services it should offer.

Sample Connection Projects The Men’s Center Goal: Quality assurance project The Connection team worked to improve the Men’s Center’s database management to better enable staff to run progress reports on each of its clients. The team delivered an improved database and plans to train the Men’s Center staff in its use.

Connection Support  SOURCE  Community-based organizations  JHU Alumni Association  Faculty and staff  YOU!

How to Connect  Fill out a Consultant Profile Form  Submit your resume to SOURCE  Projects will be announced on an on- going basis beginning in September  Connection consultants self-select projects of interest  Diverse Connection teams are organized  Group leaders are assigned  Connect with your CBO and you’re off!  SOURCE support, Evaluations

How to Connect Check us out on the web: Want to see what we did last year? Our year-end report is online.

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