Learning Agenda
As part of CTOP’s approach to capacity building, we create and facilitate opportunities for organizational learning across organizations that leverage the expertise that exists within the grantee cohort in furtherance of positive outcomes for severely off-track and disconnected young people. This past year, we hosted our annual grantee partner convening and piloted the Professional Development and Learning Community (PDLC).
Convening
Over 60 participants, from front-line staffers to the executive team across all seven grantee organizations, joined us at this year’s annual grantee partner convening for a full day of professional development. The CTOP team supported organization leaders in selecting and articulating a current challenge to share at the convening as a part of the highly valued Problem of Practice protocol. In small groups bringing together individuals across organizations, participants analyzed each organization’s defined challenge and collaboratively brainstormed potential solutions and next steps for the presenting organization to consider.
Participants also attended a panel bringing together key stakeholders in the work to reconnect our young people, including leaders from state agencies, including the Departments of Education, Housing, Children and Families, and Mental Health and Addition Services, as well as the Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division, the Governor’s Office, and community members who participated in the Community Advisory Group as a part of the Community Science research. The conversation explored how they all contribute to getting young people back on track and participants identified opportunities to build relationships and promote better coordination of efforts.
The convening concluded with grantee partner-led workshops that presented promising practices from their organizations, ranging from data collection to talent development to the design and implementation of various components of their programming, which they coached one another in considering how to implement in their own organizations.
Professional Development and Learning Community
The pilot cohort of the PDLC was designed to support recently promoted mid-level managers and emerging leaders working at our grantee partner organizations in developing the skills necessary to succeed in their new managerial roles. In this five-month cohort, 11 participants engaged in workshops with subsequent one-on-one coaching sessions on a monthly basis to develop and then deepen their understanding and application of the skills introduced in the workshops. This body of work, led by Portfolio Director Samantha Miller, covered the following leadership topics: shifting your mental model, building skills and systems of coaching, conducting crucial conversations, setting goals for supervisees, and supporting them to achieve expectations. As a result of this workshop series, participants began applying their learnings and shifting the culture of their organizations.
The CTOP team will continue to evolve our learning agenda in the year ahead as we continue to be responsive and strategic in supporting our grantees in becoming sustainable, outcomes-producing organizations. We look forward to developing even more opportunities for them to learn and grow alongside one another, with our support.