Visualizing Collaboration: San Diego YMCA Navigator Program

Transcription

1 Visualizing Collaboration: San Diego YMCA Navigator Program

2 About Harder+Company Community-based research and evaluation consulting firm Founded in sites with over 50 full-time staff We provide research and analysis to regional and national clients Our work helps our clients plan programs, allocate resources, and operate more effectively

3 Overview of the San Diego YMCA Kinship Navigator Program 3-year federally funded demonstration program designed to: Improve access to services Increase placement stability and prevent children s (re)entry into the foster care system Enhance regional collaborative kinship service networks Demonstrate program effectiveness

4 YMCA s Navigator Service Model Caregivers Access caregiver level of need Provide case management, advocacy, and education Service Providers System of Social Service Supports Outreach providers who may serve kinship families Increase capacity of providers to serve kinship families Build regional collaboratives of kinship providers to strengthen referral and case management processes.

5 Social Network Analysis Overview

6 Understanding the SNA approach What does SNA do? Assesses effectiveness and composition of: - Relationships (e.g., silos and knowledge bottlenecks) -Level of involvement (key players) Tracks evolution of a contained social service system (e.g., kinship services)

7 Understanding the SNA approach Why use SNA? Visualize relationship -Identify targets to improve network -Raise awareness Provide feedback to program staff -Strategically work to improve collaboration Improve effectiveness of collaboration -Informal and formal networks -Accelerate the flow of knowledge

8 Yarn Activity TOSS the ball of yarn to someone you have said a word to or had a conversation with in the past three days 8

9 How did YMCA Approach the SNA? Defined purpose of the SNA and its interconnection with other evaluation elements Administered tool Mapped results Interpreted and shared results 9

10 How are Navigators Affecting Provider Networks and Collaboratives? We asked: What is your level of interaction with others that serve kinship families? LEVELS OF COLLABORATION SCALE 0. No Interaction 1. Networking - loosely defined roles, little communication, no shared decision making 2. Cooperation- provide information, somewhat defined roles, formal communication 3. Coordination- share information, defined roles, frequent communication, some shared decision making 4. Collaboration- share ideas, share resources, frequent and prioritized communication, decisions are made collaboratively

11 Mapping Software NetDraw: Free download from internet: Prepared data in Excel/SPSS and opened in NetDraw Used for Map interpretation Filtering maps Year to year comparisons

12 Interpreting the Maps Interaction/ Reciprocity Full Network map Density Placement Closeness KEY: = agency = YMCA program = Relationship direction = Greatest to fewest interactions:

13 Networking Map Almost half of all reported interactions are at Networking level Red squares have the most Networking level interactions YMCA ( ) is not at the center - not as many Networking-level interactions

14 Cooperation Map Fewer ties between the agencies on outskirts YMCA at center, but is still not red. Star pattern begins to emerge (multiple ties from one agency) indicates inefficient flow of resources generally not desirable for collaborative networks

15 Coordination Map Less dense and a few isolated agencies YMCA one of the central hubs Increasingly lower reciprocity

16 Collaboration Map Less dense and a few isolated agencies Zero reciprocal ties 16

17 How was the SNA used to inform change? At program level Engage and strategize with staff Amongst key partners Visualize how they interact with others With funders Proposal Reports

18 Contact Jennifer James Sophia Lee Cristina Magaña