Enhancing your Program through Developing Shared Vision and Mission

Why does a shared vision and mission enhance a program?  They can:  guide program planning  guide resource deployment  help find common ground among staff  help potential students or partners know if you are a fit for them

How does your program determine vision and mission?  Determine stakeholder goals and values  Students  Staff  Partners

How do you determine stakeholder goals and values?  Ask them! Listen!  Surveys  Discussions  Interviews  Start with core values and goals  Don’t worry about coming to consensus -- yet!

What are Core Values?  For staff ask: “What do you believe about teaching adult learners”?  Sample responses from other ABE programs:  We believe that adult learners should be treated with respect and we should value the knowledge and experienced that they bring to the program  We believe that every adult learner can learn  We believe that all staff should model lifelong learning through continually pursuing their own professional growth  We believe that our learners need a sense of community within our classrooms so we should provide activities to help foster that  We believe that our students have needs in addition to education and we need to partner with other groups to address those needs

Why determine Core Values?  Core Values can help build a basis for a shared vision and mission  Helps get to the commonalities between us  Helps ground individuals and remind them of why they are doing what they do

Determining Core Program Values  One approach we will do together:  Review National Urban Alliance Core Value chart and select your values  Narrow it down to your top 5 core values  Discuss in small groups why you chose these  Take one away – how does that feel? Discuss with small group  Discuss what steps you might take in your program to determine program core values:  With staff  With students  With partners

Adult Academic Program Core Values  Academic achievement  Cognition  Confidence  Competence  Engagement  Education/Learning  Equity  Independence  Opportunity and transformation  Perseverance  Respect for others

What is a Vision statement  It describes the ideal situation if the organization could fulfill its strongest wish for the future  Why develop one?  Pursuit of this image of success motivates people to work together  It helps direct efforts and expenditures

Determining your Vision statement  Describe outcomes that are 5-10 years away  Answers the question ”What will success look like?  It should be:  Clear --Simple and understandable  Brief and to the point  Easy to remember  Compelling -- passionate and inspiring  Achievement orientation  Meaningful  Challenging but realistic

Adult Academic Program Vision  We empower all students to achieve their goals.

What is Mission Statement?  A definition of fundamental purpose  Answers the basic question of why the organization exists  Clearly  thoughtfully  succinctly  Describes what is expected to be achieved and how it can be done  Incorporates meaningful and measurable criteria related to:  the mission,  public image,  target population,  products/services, and  expectations of growth and viability.

Why have a Mission Statement?  Provides general guidance  Brings the vision to life and explains why and how it should be achieved  Guides program prioritization

Adult Academic Program Mission  A welcoming community offering high quality academic instruction to our adult learners to help them achieve their life, employment and post-secondary goals.

Process to develop Vision and Mission Statements  Gather input on goals and values  Select a key subgroup to review input, discuss, recommend statements  Sample discussion questions: “In 5-10 years:  How do you want our community to be different?  What role do you want your program to play in your community?  What will success look like?”  Possible right brain approach for subgroup:  Come up with a metaphor for your program  Draw a picture of success  Share result(s) with stakeholders for comments/reaction  Possibly vote on them if no consensus reached

Putting the statements to use  Now that you have the statements use them!  When making plans, refer to them  When allocating resources, refer to them  Determine how, when, where to share them with others

Planning Map  One approach to focus planning  Takes values into action  Can be completed by staff in small groups and compiled  Post and distribute to remind and focus staff later

How might this be useful? Discuss in small groups:  How might this process be useful to you and your program?  How might you implement this process in your program?  How/when should the program communicate statements with others?  Students  Potential students  Partners and community members Report back to larger group your key points