U.S. Department of Education Office of Vocational and Adult Education MPR Associates, Inc. Business and Literacy Partners: Community Partnerships for Adult Learning National Coalition for Literacy May 10,

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Agenda C-PAL Overview C-PAL Overview Guide for Businesses Guide for Businesses Background Background Business Advisory Group Business Advisory Group Key Findings Key Findings Dissemination Dissemination Next Steps Next Steps

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. C-PAL Overview Explore how partnerships can enhance adult education programs and reach more learners Explore how partnerships can enhance adult education programs and reach more learners Share resources that support community-based adult education Share resources that support community-based adult education

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. C-PAL Partnerships

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. C-PAL Guide for Businesses C-PAL Guide for Businesses Rationale Rationale Response to needs of providers and businesses Response to needs of providers and businesses Interagency AE Coordinating Group Interagency AE Coordinating Group Purpose Purpose Assist businesses that would like to be more involved in AE and workforce development Assist businesses that would like to be more involved in AE and workforce development Content informed by: Content informed by: Literature scan Literature scan Business advisory group Business advisory group Study of business-driven partnerships Study of business-driven partnerships

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Business Advisory Group Dollar General Dollar General Half Price Books Half Price Books IBM IBM Johns Hopkins Hospital & Health Systems Johns Hopkins Hospital & Health Systems National Association of Manufacturers/CWS National Association of Manufacturers/CWS Pitney Bowes Pitney Bowes United Way of the Midlands United Way of the Midlands Indiana Chamber of Commerce Indiana Chamber of Commerce U.S. Chamber of Commerce U.S. Chamber of Commerce UPS UPS

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Findings: Business Involvement Businesses play an active role in community partnerships Businesses play an active role in community partnerships Many are adopting corporate responsibility plans Many are adopting corporate responsibility plans Education is one of top social issues businesses support Education is one of top social issues businesses support Businesses see connection between education and workforce development Businesses see connection between education and workforce development Some businesses would like to be more involved in adult education/workforce development but dont know where to start Some businesses would like to be more involved in adult education/workforce development but dont know where to start Number 1 priority of providers: find more ways to engage businesses in adult education and workforce development programs Number 1 priority of providers: find more ways to engage businesses in adult education and workforce development programs

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Findings: Reasons for Partnering Business objectives Business objectives Addressing employers needs for highly skilled workers Addressing employers needs for highly skilled workers Reducing costs of employee turnover Reducing costs of employee turnover Ensuring employees have required English language skills Ensuring employees have required English language skills Improving safety performance Improving safety performance Increasing sales by creating/maintaining customer base Increasing sales by creating/maintaining customer base Corporate responsibility Corporate responsibility Addressing altruistic concerns Addressing altruistic concerns Recognizing the connections between literacy and economic development and a strong community, and lack of literacy and social ills Recognizing the connections between literacy and economic development and a strong community, and lack of literacy and social ills

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Offering workplace literacy and skills training to prospective and current employees Offering workplace literacy and skills training to prospective and current employees Serving on advisory groups Serving on advisory groups Collaborating with providers on curriculum Collaborating with providers on curriculum Advocating for adult literacy Advocating for adult literacy Hiring graduates of partner programs Hiring graduates of partner programs Providing funding and in-kind support to national organizations, coalitions, and adult education/workforce development programs Providing funding and in-kind support to national organizations, coalitions, and adult education/workforce development programs Volunteering as tutors Volunteering as tutors Developing technical tools, e.g., hardware and software for adult learners, instructors Developing technical tools, e.g., hardware and software for adult learners, instructors Findings: Business Partner Roles

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Training and upgrading skills of future and incumbent workers Training and upgrading skills of future and incumbent workers Improved corporate culture and morale Improved corporate culture and morale Increased employee retention; improved worker satisfaction Increased employee retention; improved worker satisfaction Fewer problems for managers Fewer problems for managers Better understanding of worker skill needs Better understanding of worker skill needs Strengthened reputation and image Strengthened reputation and image Findings: Benefits to Businesses

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Increases capacity; reach more adults with literacy and skill needs Increases capacity; reach more adults with literacy and skill needs Leverages public dollars with private dollars Leverages public dollars with private dollars Increases visibility in community; makes it possible to compete with other causes Increases visibility in community; makes it possible to compete with other causes Broad coalition of voices have a greater impact on policy makers and public Broad coalition of voices have a greater impact on policy makers and public Addresses community problems, e.g., need for qualified entry-level employees Addresses community problems, e.g., need for qualified entry-level employees Helps parents support childrens learning Helps parents support childrens learning Findings: Benefits to Community

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Selecting partners Selecting partners Providers dont know how to approach businesses Providers dont know how to approach businesses Businesses need help identifying good providers; often turn to intermediaries (employee associations, literacy coalitions) Businesses need help identifying good providers; often turn to intermediaries (employee associations, literacy coalitions) Language and cultural differences between business and adult education Language and cultural differences between business and adult education Gaining management support Gaining management support Creating staff buy-in Creating staff buy-in Lack of capacity of providers (waiting lists, unstable infrastructure) Lack of capacity of providers (waiting lists, unstable infrastructure) Partner accountability Partner accountability Findings: Partnering Challenges

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Do our findings resonate with your experiences working with businesses? Do our findings resonate with your experiences working with businesses? What are some similarities? What are some similarities? What are some differences? What are some differences? Key Findings

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Two strands Two strands Workforce - human resource needs Workforce - human resource needs Corporate philanthropy Corporate philanthropy Making the case Making the case Short vignettes describing ways businesses can partner for each strand Short vignettes describing ways businesses can partner for each strand Tools Tools Self-assessment tool to direct user to appropriate strand; may include asset mapping to identify business strengths that match community needs Self-assessment tool to direct user to appropriate strand; may include asset mapping to identify business strengths that match community needs MOU template, checklist of questions to ask partners, etc. MOU template, checklist of questions to ask partners, etc. Resources Resources Plans for the Business Guide

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Partnerships with adult education and workforce development are needed to address workforce shortages (e.g., Maryland) Partnerships with adult education and workforce development are needed to address workforce shortages (e.g., Maryland) Investment in adult education supports K-12 Investment in adult education supports K-12 Literacy impacts an employers bottom line Literacy impacts an employers bottom line ROI: small investment in adult education can bring large return ROI: small investment in adult education can bring large return Capture attention of businesses by… Capture attention of businesses by… Compelling statistics Compelling statistics Powerful stories about successful business-driven partnerships Powerful stories about successful business-driven partnerships Making the Case

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Structure around workforce problems that can be addressed through partnerships. Frame by probing questions… Structure around workforce problems that can be addressed through partnerships. Frame by probing questions… Are you having trouble hiring skilled workers? Are you having trouble hiring skilled workers? Need to convince businesses so they can help make the case to policy makers Need to convince businesses so they can help make the case to policy makers In Maryland, businesses were essential to educating lawmakers about the need for adult education In Maryland, businesses were essential to educating lawmakers about the need for adult education Impart a sense of urgency Impart a sense of urgency Making the Case (Contd)

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Dissemination Ideas Develop and disseminate marketing piece to inform businesses Develop and disseminate marketing piece to inform businesses Distribute to intermediaries, e.g., WIBs, community colleges, AE networks, Chambers, business associations Distribute to intermediaries, e.g., WIBs, community colleges, AE networks, Chambers, business associations Disseminate via the mayors and governors Disseminate via the mayors and governors Present at national conferences, e.g., associations of business marketing professionals/human resource professionals Present at national conferences, e.g., associations of business marketing professionals/human resource professionals Place articles in national business magazines and adult learner stories on YouTube, etc. Place articles in national business magazines and adult learner stories on YouTube, etc.

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Dissemination Questions While primary audience is businesses, would your members or affiliates use the Guide? If so, how? While primary audience is businesses, would your members or affiliates use the Guide? If so, how? What would make it more useful to adult educators? What would make it more useful to adult educators? How could it be disseminated to affiliates, members, businesses, and others who may be interested? How could it be disseminated to affiliates, members, businesses, and others who may be interested?

Community Partnerships OVAE/ MPR Associates, Inc. Next Steps Identifying more business-driven partnerships Identifying more business-driven partnerships Collecting information from these partnerships and 2003 business-driven partnerships (WAGE, CLCP, Midlands Literacy Initiative) for vignettes Collecting information from these partnerships and 2003 business-driven partnerships (WAGE, CLCP, Midlands Literacy Initiative) for vignettes Talk further with Business Advisory Group members Talk further with Business Advisory Group members Develop detailed outline of the Guide Develop detailed outline of the Guide Flesh out contents of the Guide Flesh out contents of the Guide Target completion date: September 2007 Target completion date: September 2007