Despite a significant shift toward primary prevention, funding for health promotion activities continues to be limited. Nationwide, funders, both public and private, frequently demand that requests demonstrate collaboration among agencies. This emphasis insures a minimum of duplication while it can maximize resources. However, too often when organizations attempt to develop joint programs the planning—or worse, the implementation—breaks down and little gets accomplished. There are a myriad of reasons for this to occur including unclear objectives, poor planning, turf issues and personality differences.
Formed in 1993, the South Jersey Lead Consortium has thrived. With strong network of consumers as well as health and environmental professionals, the Consortium’s mission is to “develop strategies for reducing lead poisoning in South Jersey, …and to share information about lead issues.” The accomplishments of this unfunded groups include conferences, print materials, legislative briefings and, most recently, a mobile “Exploratorium” to raise the awareness of pre-schoolers and their parents.
The roundtable discussion proposed will examine a model based on the work of the Amherse H. Wilder Foundation’s "Collaborating: What Makes it Work" and the authors’ experiences with the South Jersey Lead Consortium. The format will encourage dialogue among participants while they consider successful strategies including assessing the environment, developing policy guidelines and clarifying a unique purpose. Various leadership structures will be examined, as will some barriers to success. Lessons learned from the Consortium will be used to illustrate specific recommendations.
Learning Objectives: Following this session, participants will be able to: 1. Discuss essetial principles of collaboration 2. Outline a process to develop a coalition 3. Identify opportunites to initiate collaborative projects
Keywords: Challenges and Opportunities, Community Collaboration
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: South Jersey Lead Consortium
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.