Building Effective Community Collaborations: Community Support for Children of Prisoners

Building effective collaborations and community partnerships takes time and commitment. Community partnerships utilize the expertise of different organizations to provide stronger programs and services to community members in need. This Technical Assistance Clinic will address the unique issues faced by community collaborations and partnerships as they work together to improve the outcomes for children of prisoners. The TA Clinic will provide a framework for developing successful collaborations and identify the “pitfalls” that can occur in collaborations and community partnerships.
Sponsoring Agency: BBBS of Greater Flint.
Presenter: Maggie Allen, MCP Support Center

At this training, participants have a choice of topics. Please choose one topic to follow over both days.

Working with Children and Families
During the first day of training, participants will actively be involved in looking at the most effective ways to work with children and families in their MCP programs. The first day of training will consist of discussions about the culture of poverty, coupled with the typical attributes that are present in working with MCP families. Also, the first day will discuss typical feelings of MCP children, needs they may have, and specific topics that can be discussed when working with them in the program. The participants will learn about positive case management techniques specifically to be used with the MCP matches.
Presented by Amanda Tate, Program Director, IMPACT Family Counseling

A Practical Approach to Establishing an MCP Coalition in Your Area
This workshop will provide you with the strategies and tools to leverage your resources more effectively by collaborating with other MCP grantees in your area to establish a local MCP Coalition. Participants will learn the benefits to forming coalitions and how it can be used to meet some of your agency’s goals and objectives.
Presented by Mike Daniels, Executive Director, Youth Connections, Inc.

Overnight accommodations at the Hyatt Regency Phoenix can be reserved by calling (602) 252-1234. Be sure to reference "Mentoring Children of Prisoners Group Rate" to get our March 3, 2010.

REGISTRATION for the National Conference has now been opened.

The MCP Support Center is proud to announce that the next MCP National Conference will be held on April 7th-9th, 2010, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The conference will take place in the legendary JW Marriott Hotel in the French Quarter. Centrally located on historic Canal Street, this newly renovated French Quarter hotel is only steps from acclaimed entertainment and renowned attractions, such as the Aquarium of the Americas, Cabildo - Lousiana's Flagship Museum, and the New Orleans African American Museum.

The MCP Support Center will host a variety of sessions focusing on information that will inform and inspire you. Sessions will be on topics that highlight new ideas, present fascinating case examples, and help you plan for new and improved outcomes. You will leave this conference with concrete ideas to implement in your program and feeling refreshed and excited. Mark your calendars now and be sure to budget for you, and/or your staff's, attendance at the conference!

Hotel Information: The conference rate for overnight accommodations at the JW Marriott is $129/night. In order to receive this special rate, please reference the Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP) National Conference when making your reservations. To reserve rooms, call (800) 771-9067. Reservations must be made by Friday, March 12, 2010, in order to receive the negotiated conference rate.

Keep watching - more information about the National Conference will be released in the coming months!

MCP Programs: Doing Business in Rural & Urban Communities
Whether you are in a big city or a small town, doing business as a MCP program means you are juggling
many things at once. For the most part, one idea to make your program more effective can easily
translate from one organization to another. However, certain approaches work better depending on
whether you reside in an urban versus a rural community. Join us for a 2-hour discussion where we talk about doing business as an MCP program and, more importantly, take a closer look at effective rural and urban strategies to do business better. Guest speakers include Doris Long from Little Dixie Community Action Agency, Inc and David Sherman from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas.
Presented by Carley Frohling, Consultant

Working with the Faith Community
This is an interactive workshop designed to provide social service and community based agencies and organizations with a framework from which to design and implement effective strategies for recruiting, engaging and collaborating with the Faith Community in critical community endeavors. The workshop focuses on educating the participants regarding the general purpose, objectives, philosophies, and motivations for local church leadership and their congregants as both socio-political organizations and grass roots community action groups. The workshop further identifies methodologies for researching potential church partners, establishing a collaborative foundation based in organizational mission, vision and values, and building internal organizational teams and structures to maximize collaborative effectiveness.
Presented by William Edward Anderson, CEO, Vision Catalyst Group, and Executive Director, Prison Fellowship Ministry

Match Support
This training is an intensive, interactive workshop in issues related to supporting Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP) matches. The latest research and best practice guidelines in supporting mentors will be discussed including information on the stages, developmental processes, and types of mentoring relationships. In addition, the training will explore how to translate the latest research into practice with MCP matches and address needs that are specific to ongoing match support of MCP relationships. Presented by; Rebecca Stelter, Research Specialist at Innovation, Research, and Training, Inc.

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided the first day and breakfast and snacks will be provided the second day.

Overnight accommodations can be had at the Mariott Charlotte City Center for the rate of $138/night. To reserve, please call (800) 228-9290 or (704) 333-9000 and be sure to reference Mentoring Children of Prisoners Conference to receive our negotiated rate, or reserve online - use link below - and under "Special Rates & Awards," group code: MCPMCPA.. Reservations must be made by April 28,2010.

Working with the Faith Community
This is an interactive workshop designed to provide social service and community based agencies and organizations with a framework from which to design and implement effective strategies for recruiting, engaging and collaborating with the Faith Community in critical community endeavors. The workshop focuses on educating the participants regarding the general purpose, objectives, philosophies, and motivations for local church leadership and their congregants as both socio-political organizations and grass roots community action groups. The workshop further identifies methodologies for researching potential church partners, establishing a collaborative foundation based in organizational mission, vision and values, and building internal organizational teams and structures to maximize collaborative effectiveness.
Presented by William Edward Anderson, CEO, Vision Catalyst Group, and Executive Director, Prison Fellowship Ministry

Match Support
This training is an intensive, interactive workshop in issues related to supporting Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP) matches. The latest research and best practice guidelines in supporting mentors will be discussed including information on the stages, developmental processes, and types of mentoring relationships. In addition, the training will explore how to translate the latest research into practice with MCP matches and address needs that are specific to ongoing match support of MCP relationships. Presented by; Rebecca Stelter, Research Specialist Innovation, Research, and Training, Inc.

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided the first day and breakfast and snacks will be provided the second day.

Overnight accommodations can be had at the Hotel Allegro (a Kimpton Hotel) for the rate of $179/night. To reserve, please call (800) 643-1500 and be sure to reference Mentoring Children of Prisoners to receive our negotiated rate. Reservations must be made by May 19,2010.

Expanding Your Organization's Profile on a Limited Budget
Myth: “We don’t have a budget to market or brand our organization.”
Reality: If you effectively leverage your current resources —namely your staff and the internet — you won’t need much of a budget to raise the visibility and value of your organization in the communities you serve.
This lively and interactive session will help you turn everyone affiliated with your organization into knowledgeable Brand Ambassadors and empower them to promote who you are, what you do, how you do it, andwhy anyone should care enough to support you. It also will familiarize you with the power of internet social networking technologies.
Presented by Larry Checco, President, Checco Communications

Generations at Work: What You Need to Know to Lead in a Multigenerational Workplace
Meet the newest generation coming into the workforce and explore what work will be like over the next 10 years as we face a labor shortage and the Matures stay at work on flexible schedules, the Boomers “rewire” and the Xers and Millennials make their imprint on work values, work/life, career preferences and management style.

Learn about the different values of four generations, and what you can do to (1) create a culture to attract a generation who “lease” their talents to the organization, and at the same time (2) retain a generation who grew up with loyalty and now seek a different contract.
Presented by Donna Billings, Reach the Top coaching

Overnight accommodations are available at Hyatt Place for the rate of $99/night. Please call 913-451-2553 to make reservations. Make sure to reference MANY to receive our negotiated rate. Reservations must be made by July 29, 2010.

At this MCP Support Center training attendees have a choice of topics: Expanding Your Organization’s Profile on a Limited Budget, or Generations at Work: What You Need to Know to Lead in Multigenerational Workplace.

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided the first day and breakfast and snacks will be provided the second day.


Expanding Your Organization's Profile on a Limited Budget
Myth: “We don’t have a budget to market or brand our organization.”
Reality: If you effectively leverage your current resources —namely your staff and the internet — you won’t need much of a budget to raise the visibility and value of your organization in the communities you serve.
This lively and interactive session will help you turn everyone affiliated with your organization into knowledgeable Brand Ambassadors and empower them to promote who you are, what you do, how you do it, andwhy anyone should care enough to support you. It also will familiarize you with the power of internet social networking technologies.
Presented by Larry Checco, President, Checco Communications

Generations at Work: What You Need to Know to Lead in a Multigenerational Workplace
Meet the newest generation coming into the workforce and explore what work will be like over the next 10 years as we face a labor shortage and the Matures stay at work on flexible schedules, the Boomers “rewire” and the Xers and Millennials make their imprint on work values, work/life, career preferences and management style.

Learn about the different values of four generations, and what you can do to (1) create a culture to attract a generation who “lease” their talents to the organization, and at the same time (2) retain a generation who grew up with loyalty and now seek a different contract.
Presented by Donna Billings, Reach the Top coaching

Overnight accommodations are available at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis for the rate of $109/night. Please call 800-233-1234 to make reservations. Make sure to reference Mentoring Children of Prisoners Meeting to receive our negotiated rate. Reservations must be made by August 18, 2010