January 2019 – FAB Meeting #9

January 10, 2018, 1-3pm

Attendance

UB backbone staff present: David Harrington, Kassa Belay, Dionne Grayman, Jason Ludwig

Number of FAB members present: 20

Presentation/Agenda

Notes

Introductions:

• Updates to website: can find survey results and other info from past meetings posted and more to come
  • FAB members asked if it was possible to include some sort of anonymous online forum through which they can provide feedback. This has now been incorporated into the contact form our our website.
• Mindfulness Moment

Revisiting Expectations:

• Reviewed expectations from 2018 and 2019 and discussed whether they had been met or not. Also discussed which 2018 expectations should remain in 2019 and whether there were other expectations for the year that we would like to add to this list.
  • Reviewing 2018 Expectations:
    • Several FAB members thought that their expectation “That UB would operate differently from other projects in Brownsville, by incorporating the community in decision making” had been met and should remain an expectation for 2019
    • “Working with children, and promoting learning outside of schools” should continue in 2019
    • The expectation “To learn more about nonprofits” had been met. One FAB member shared anecdote about connecting with Darah Sipe to learn more about MOMS following her presentation at FAB meeting 8.
    • “Growing new partnerships”–should continue in 2019
    • Expectation “To meet other parents” had been met
    • Expectation “To be part of a dynamic group” had been met and should continue in 2019
    • Expectation “To change the narrative” had been met.
  • Reviewing 2019 Expectations
    • Instead of seeking to maintain our momentum, we should seek to increase our momentum in 2019
    • In 2019 we should seek to not only “pass on information about UB to other families in the neighborhood,” but to other neighborhoods as well. Aspire to become “United for Brooklyn.”
    • In 2019 we should seek to not just “change the narrative” about Brownsville, but to be the narrative.
    • In 2019, we should seek to continue bringing in dynamic people to join the FAB

Group Activity: How Will We Know It When We See It?

• Aim: Continue group conversations from FAB meeting 8 to refine outcomes to be more measurable so that we can identify metrics to use to track our progress towards these outcomes.
  • This is how UB can rely on community input to define success so that we’re accountable to local residents, not just our funders, and another way to align our actions with community priorities
  • Goal is to be collaborative–These responses will be used in PAT meetings to allow FAB priorities to influence which metrics and forms of data providers pay attention to

• Prompt: How Will We Know It When We See It?
  • Answering this question should help to flesh out the aspirations/outcomes the FAB identified in meeting 8, to ensure that we can measure whether we’re accomplishing these goals
    • • Outcomes are specific, measurable statements that let you know when you have reached your goals. Outcome statements describe specific changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors you expect to occur as a result of your actions.
      • Good outcome statements are specific, measurable, and realistic.
  • Let’s dig deeper to:
    • Identify measurable changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills, and behaviors that result from our actions.
      • e.g. BEHAVIOR: We will know we have achieved accountability when all children who are referred to EI receive EI services.
    • Make sure we are identifying milestones/achievements for children in addition to those for families and providers.
      • e.g. SKILL: We will know we have achieved high expectations when children are on track for school readiness.

Group Activity Results: Aspirations to Measurable Outcomes

Each group received  a packet containing the Lift Off aspirations and outcomes they identified at the December meeting and were asked to drill down on those to identify in as much specificity and detail as possible how we will know that an outcome has been achieved when we see it? Moreover, FAB members were asked to identify outcomes for children themselves as well as families and service providers.

• Group 1
• Group 2
• Group 3
• Group 4

A distilled, organized list of the identified outcomes follows:

Equity

• Outcomes for children in Brownsville are comparable to those in other neighborhoods
• Opportunities for children in Brownsville are comparable to those in other neighborhoods
• The way that families receive services in Brownsville looks the same as in other neighborhoods

Child outcomes

• Children are meeting and/or exceeding social-emotional and language developmental milestones
• Children who are not meeting developmental milestones show improvement
• Children who are not meeting developmental milestones regularly receive the interventions and services they need
• Children treat each other with respect, consideration, and empathy at school, home, and in public places like parks.
• Families report improved interactions with their children.

Access to and usage of services

• Services are accessible to families in Brownsville in terms of: language, ability, time, location, affordability, family size, etc.
• Families become return/repeat clients to services
• Families refer other families to services
• Families feel respected by the service providers they interact with
• Providers report an increase in utilization of parent support services.
• There is an increased number of families participating in UB DTB programs
• There is an increased number of families signing up for and using Brooklyn Public Library cards
• There will be an increase in EI referral and utilization for children aged 0-3 and a decrease in the number of children with IEPs in later years

Communication/Information

• Parents receive regular reports on their children’s language and social-emotional developmental progress from early childhood educators and other service providers.
• Parents report satisfaction with the amount and clarity of communication they get about their children’s developmental progress.

Introducing FAB Welcome Committee

We requested FAB volunteers to form a Welcome Committee that can establish guidelines and values UB adheres to in its work, both internally and externally

• What guidelines should we provide to individuals and organizations who would like to work with United for Brownsville for the first time?
• What background information should we give them about UB, the FAB, Brownsville, etc.?
• What values should we ask them to come in with?
• What considerations and concerns should they take when approaching us?
• What questions should they ask?
• What should they not do?

Survey results

FAB members responded strongly to the detailed group work we engaged in identifying measurable outcomes. There were many comments about conversing, speaking, thoughts, hearing, data, and the specific outcomes we discussed. There were some requests to have clearer guidance about data tools and measuring outcomes prior to doing work like this, which UB will try to do in the future.