Planning

for Effective Ministries

SisterMaryLouStubbs,DC ParishPartnershipProgram CatholicCharities DioceseofOgdensburg Ifyoudliketodevelopand/orrevitalizeministrieswithinyourparishtobemore effectivedotheCommunityPlanningWaltz:one,two,three;assess,develop, evaluateone,two,three;assess,develop,evaluate Keepingthesimpleone,two,threestepsinmindwillhelpanygroup,largeorsmall becomeincreasinglyinventiveandeffectiveintheprogramstheyofferintheir parishesandcommunities. Yourpredancepreparationincludesgatheringtogetherpersonsandgroupswhohaveinterestinor influenceonwhatitisyouaretryingtodoandcomingtoacommonunderstandingaboutwhatitisyou areconsidering.Inplanningtermsyouaregatheringyourconstituenciesanddefiningyourbasic mission.Usingthedanceanalogy,itmeansgettingthepeoplewhowillbeinvolvedinthepartytogether toagreethatyouregoingtohaveadanceforthecommunity,andestablishworkcommittees.

Thefirststepistoassess!Successfulprogramsarethosewhichareneeded,wanted,and
possible. Findoutthefactsabouttheneedsinyourgeographicareafromdatacollectionsourceslikethe U.S.CensusBureauQuickFactsi,CountyHealthRankingsii,KidsCountiiiorotherdemographic studies.Thissecondaryresearchinformationhasbeencollectedinascientificmanner.You cangetcold,hardfactsyoudonthavetobecomearesearchscientist,youjusthavetoaskthe computer! Becomeawareofwhatthepeopleyouhopetohelpactuallywantbyaskingtheminan organizedandunbiasedway.Collectinformationaboutwhattheyperceiveasimportant,who theywanttoreachoutto,whatoutcomestheywouldliketosee.Thisprimaryresearchcan bedoneininterviews,surveys,orfocusgroups.Tofindoutwhatpeopleseeasvaluableyou donthavetoguess,youjusthavetoaskthefolks! Seekouttheresources,systemsandgroupsthatarealreadyinplacetomakethingspossible. Thisisalsocalledassetsanalysisandisstewardshipatitshighest.Openyourawarenessto whatisaroundyoubuildings,communicationopportunities,services,peoplewithtalents,etc. Giftsarethereforthesharingyoudonthavetocryoveraglassthatishalfempty,youhavea glassthatishalffull,socheckthepantry! Takethethreeseparatelistsofneeded,wanted,andpossibleandseewheretheyhave commonelements,thatis,wheretheyoverlap.Wherethecentersectionofthethreecircles

overlap,listtheissuesthatarecommontoallthree.Thislistwillprovideinitialopportunitiesto considerforprogramsandprojectswhichcanbeeffectiveandsuccessful.
Wanted

Needed

Possible

Thesecondstepistodevelop!
Youwillnowhavealistofopportunitiessolinethemupinorderofpriority.Someofthemwill becloselyrelatedanddoingonewillcausetherelatedonestohappenasaresult,thisdomino effectcanbehelpfulinmeetingyourgoalsmoreefficiently. Nowyoumustclarifywhatoutcomesyouwanttoworktoward.Ofthoseopportunitiesyou havetomakeadifferenceinyourcommunity,whicharethemostvaluableorimportant changesyouwanttoworktowardatthistime.Pickoutonetothreepriorityopportunitiesand puttherestasideforanotherdayandanotherdance. Youalreadyknowalotaboutyourpriorityareasbecauseofyourresearch,butyoumayneedto gathersomemoreinformation,whichisdirectlyfocusedonyourchosenopportunities. Nowdevelopawrittenimageofwhatyourprogramwilllooklikewhenitisfully functionalafewyearsfromnow.ThisVisionStatementwillconciselydescribe thewho,forwhom,what,where,why,andhowelementssoclearlythat anyonecanreaditandseewhatyouaregoingtodo. Next,breaktheVisionStatementupintobigpartswhichcanbeworkedonbysubgroupseach ofthosethreeorfourpartswillbecomeaGoalwhenitisstatedinawaywhichwillallowyouto knowwhenyouvereachedit.Forexample,ifyourprogramrequirestransportationyourgoal mightbetoacquireavananddriversandyoullknowyouvereachedthegoalwhenyoucan climbintothevanandshakehandswiththedriver. Obviously,eachGoalisgoingtobereachedbymanysmallersteps,orObjectives,thesealso needtobeclearlystatedsoyoucantellifyoureheadedtherightwayorneedtofinda differentpathtoyourgoal. Itisonlynowwhenyoucanseeyourvision,knowitsvitalcomponents,andtakeappropriate stepstowarditthatyoucandevelopthetoolstomovetheprojecttowarditsdefined outcomes.Thesetoolsbecomeyourprograms.Butjustasinadanceyouneedtochoosethe rightpartner,taketherightsteps,andmoveincoordinationwithothersonthedancefloor,you alsoneedtoadjustyourmovementswhenwhatyouaredoingdoesntworkorthemusic changes.Thisflexibilitywillmakeyouabetterdancer.

Thethirdstepistoevaluate!
Itisasimportantinplanningasitisindancingnottotrip.Trippingisdistractingandcanbediscouraging ifitmakesyoufall.Preventmajortripupsthroughoutyourplanningandimplementationofprograms byusingEvaluation. Whenyoudanceyoukeepyoureyeonsimplemeasurements,whichindicatedistancetothe edgeofthedancefloor,thepeoplearoundyou,andyourpartnersfeetinordertodance successfully. Inplanningyoukeepyoureyeonsimplemeasurementwhichindicateyouregettingthe desiredoutcomes(results),outputs(vitalelements),andprocess(dailyactivities). Informationmustbecollectedasdemonstrationsofeffectivenessandas indicatorsofopportunitiestoimprovehowyouaredoingthings.Thequickeryou catchamisstep,theeasieritistoregainyourbalance. Asyouevaluate,youcanusetheinformationyougathertoadjustyourprogram,reportyour resultstoconstituentsandsupporters,andcelebrateyouraccomplishments!

Enjoythedance!

i

Quickfacts.census.gov Countyhealthrankings.org iii Datacenter.kidscount.org

ii