Get an Early “Win”
Soon after launching its initial job training program, the Partnership led a campaign to create a “one-stop shop” where residents could receive food assistance, clothing, and sign up for government-based aid. “Once people got a job, they needed clothing to wear to work,” explained Bridgewater. They also needed food, as families struggled to catch up on lost wages from years of unemployment. The campaign culminated in a “old-fashioned barn raising.” In less than 24 hours, community members built a free-standing food pantry and clothing depot that would be staffed by volunteers from multiple Scott County churches (churches that had, until that that time, provided these services independently). “That building was evidence of what we could do when we worked together,” says Bridgewater. “It energized the community.” Bridgewater draws on this lesson often in her role as Director of the Partnership, and points to PFS work as another area where an early win can build partnership momentum and set the stage for success.
Choose Strategic Partners
Bridgewater, like many talented coalition leaders, understands the importance of tapping the wide range of skills that community members possess. “We are lucky in that we always have a lot of folks who want to help. Part of my job is making sure we get the right people on the right projects,” she explains. To accomplish this goal, she is strategic about creating sub-committees that are well-matched to members’ interests and areas of expertise. For example, to drive its PFS work, the Partnership is working closely with the Coalition to End Abuse of Substances in Scott County (CEASe), the county’s local coordinating council and a long-standing Partnership collaborator. Dedicated exclusively to addressing substance abuse issues, CEASe produces an annual Comprehensive Community Plan that the Partnership will use to assess community needs and capacity to address prescription drug misuse.
Tap Community Strengths
Scott County is a tight-knit community that is deeply committed to helping one another. “I’ve never worked anywhere like this,” says Bridgewater, who moved to the area from Kansas City in 2001. “Anything you want to do, there are people lined up to help.” Bridgewater channels this energy into Partnership subgroups that operate with a good deal of autonomy. She has also worked hard to engage leaders from the county’s active faith community, which has traditionally played a large role in addressing substance misuse issues in the county. “We are all willing to lay down turf to work together,” she explains. “Every contribution is important.”
Make Meetings Count
When asked why the Partnership has been thriving for almost 20 years, Bridgewater pointed immediately to the group’s philosophy about meetings: “We’re very aware of not asking folks to waste their time with meetings that don’t matter.” To this end, open meetings of the entire Partnership are limited to every other month, the 11-menber executive board meets monthly, and only those subcommittees that are working on active projects are expected to meet more frequently. “No one wants to sit in a meeting that has no purpose,” says Bridgewater. “We’re always working to make sure that our meetings are called for a reason.”
Celebrate Successes
Since its first successful “barn-raising” in 1998, the Scott County Partnership has always celebrated its successes. “We are acutely aware of the problems that our county faces—but we’re also proud of the work we do. Our successes are the community’s successes.” To increase awareness of Partnership activities, member organizations publicize their program successes, participate widely in community-wide events, and “make sure that everyone knows we are working toward our goals,” explains Bridgewater. “We don’t want to sugarcoat the situation here in Scott County but we are proud of the work we do and we celebrate our successes as they happen.”