VISTA Project: Family Resource Center

VISTA Member Name: Alyssa Lindsay

Site Name: District II Drug and Alcohol

  Date: 7/13/07

  What step in the Community Building Process is your project:  Strategic Community Planning

  What is the overall goal of the Project:Support the development of a sustainable community building process that combines all aspects of health and economic development to improve quality of life in eastern Montana.

Please review the VAD Guidance on the previous page and sign this document when it has been completed and as it is updated.

  Site Supervisor Signature:

  VISTA Member Signature:

VISTA Member Activities and Steps Checklist

Planned Period of Work

Goal (from VISTA Project Plan):  Address community poverty-related needs by strengthening the community and the development of infrastructure through a community building process. The process will engage individual citizens, citizen groups, and agencies to address community needs and will enable the community to develop and implement a strategic plan resulting in sustainable activities to meet community needs.

Activity 1:  Assist Richland County Library in established a physical Family Resource Center
Step 1:  Assess community resources
Step 2:  Organize topic binders for FRC
Step 3:  Develop a media campaign to promote the FRC including the creation of          
a website

Activity 1 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 1 Completed (date): _________

Activity 2: Provide 2- 15 week session of the Nurturing Program for Richland County parents
Step 1:  Complete recruitment of Nurturing Program facilitators
Step 2:  Plan, hold, and attend a training for facilitators
Step 3: Plan volunteers for meals at the Nurturing Program
Step 4: Plan and advertise each Nurturing Program session
Step 5: Hold Nurturing Program classes

Activity 2 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 2 Completed (date): _________

Activity 3: Increase awareness of classes and resources available to Richland County families and encourage a minimum of 10 parents to complete the Parenting Wisely program.
Step 1:  Network with other agencies and concerned individuals to inform them of the services offered by the Family Resource Center
Step 2:  Advertise the Family Resource Center
Step 3:  Make Parenting Wisely easily accessible to families by placing it at the Richland County Library

Activity 3 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 3 Completed (date): _________

Activity 4: Advertise the Nurturing Program, Parenting Wisely and other programs to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect
Step 1: Advertise through many different avenues including referral, newspaper, and posters
Step 2:  Promote the Montana Children’s Trust fund on all advertisements

Activity 4 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 4 Completed (date): _________

Activity 5: Hold community-wide Child Abuse Prevention Month activities
Step 1:  Plan prevention month activities for Richland County
Step 2:  Advertise activities
Step 3: Feature the Montana Children’s Trust Fund on all handouts, advertisements, etc.
Step 4: Execute Child Abuse Prevention Month activities

Activity 5 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity5 Completed (date): _________

Activity 6: Create and disperse Parent Resource Manual
Step 1:  Catalog all services and family activities available to parents in Richland County
Step 2:  Compile into a book format
Step 3:  Have book printed and bound
Step 4:  Distribute manual to as many parents as possible through numerous avenues

Activity 6 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 6 Completed (date): _________

Activity 7: Hold kick-off event for the additions of materials and Parenting Wisely in the Richland County Library
Step 1: Plan kick-off event
Step 2:  Advertise to interested community individuals as well as organizations who might refer parents to the Family Resource Center
Step 3: Hold the event

Activity 7 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 7 Completed (date): _________

Activity 8: Network with community organizations for referrals.
Step 1:  Contact other community leaders in child well-being and learn about their programs
Step 2:  Create a list of organizations (either e-mail addresses or snail mail)
Step 3: Update community organizations on any Family Resource Center updates. (new materials, upcoming classes, facilitator recruitment…)

Activity 8 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 8 Completed (date): _________

Activity 9: Attend facilitator training and ensure sustainability of parenting classes through trained facilitators
Step 1:  Finish planning facilitator training
Step 2:  Attend the training
Step 3:  Keep close contact with facilitators to make sure they aren’t having problems in class or getting burned out.
Step 4:  Rotate facilitators each session so that no one does 2 sessions in one year. 

Activity 9 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 9 Completed (date): _________

Activity 10:  Attend and support monthly Richland County Partnership for Promise Coalition Meetings and assist in areas and projects as needed.
Step 1: Attend monthly meeting and bring Family Resource Center project updates to the meetings.
Step 2:  Assist in P4P projects as needed including Jobs for Montana Graduates, Friday Night Lights, and Reduced Lunch Program participation.

Activity 10 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 10 Completed (date): _________

Activity 11: Locate funding opportunities
Step 1:  Research various opportunities to fund future VISTAs and Family Resource Center projects for project sustainability

Activity 11 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 11 Completed (date): _________

Activity 12: Attend Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Training (SAPST), QPR Training and Media Literacy trainings when available.
Step 1: Attend the trainings

Activity 12 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 12 Completed (date): _________

Activity 13: Richland County is a VISTA Hub Site; therefore, District II Alcohol and Drug Program and the Richland County Library encourage and fully support collaboration and coordination of VISTA services and volunteerism with other community agencies and projects.  These agencies include but are not limited to the Boys and Girls Club, MonDak Heritage Center, and the Partnership for Promise Coalition
Step 1: Duties as needed

Activity 13 Comments/Summary of Accomplishments:

Activity 13 Completed (date): _________