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Simon Solutions is excited to partner with aha! Process for their webinar: When people work together, great things happen!

Learn new and exciting ways to maximize the effectiveness of the Bridges movement in your community. Discover how innovative technology and collective impact strategies are advancing a more comprehensive and holistic approach to transforming people’s lives.

Featured speakers are: Mike Simon, Community Impact Specialist and Co-Founder of Simon Solutions and Christina Fulsom, Founder and Network Weaver of East Texas Human Needs Network

February 21, 2019, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Central

Register with aha!Process here

Visit simonsolutions.com to learn more and register.

It's time to take our Bridges Out of Poverty and Getting Ahead knowledge and practices to the next level. In our November Webinar, Phil DeVol and Gene Krebs will discuss their new book, Bridges Across Every Divide- Policy and Practices to Reduce Poverty and Build Communities. This new book offers up both a common language and an accurate understanding of poverty, and the process for policy solutions in a harsh political environment. They will also give insights on why politics is so divisive.

Philip DeVol, author of Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin-By' World and Bridges to Sustainable Communities, has been addressing poverty issues since 1997. Programs derived from his published works are in use in the U.S. and around the world. Eugene Krebs served eight years in the Ohio House of Representatives. Since leaving public office, he has focused on practical, nonpartisan solutions to major issues confronting our nation.

Can't make the live presentation? Register anyway and receive a link to the recording and handouts! Visit simonsolutions.com to learn more and register.

You will not want to miss the October webinar and the chance to hear from CharityTracker Champion, Christina Fulsom. Christina serves as the founder and director of the East Texas Human Needs Network, a dynamic collaboration of 90 organizations bringing about collective impact, poverty education and an innovative online service directory.

What is the East Texas Human Needs Network?

ETHNN brings human service agencies and organizations together for solutions where client voices are heard and the community at-large is educated through poverty simulations and workshops. ETHNN also administrates a comprehensive online community service directory.

What's special about their online Service Directory?

A LOT! Called 903Help, it places assistance information at people's fingertips. 903Help, developed in partnership with CharityTracker, includes a self-help form used by individuals in need of services, helping them make a comprehensive assessment and connect to services. Take a test drive of the directory at www.903help.org and register for the webinar to learn how this is being used to serve clients and case managers in Texas every day.

Can't make the live presentation? Register anyway and receive a link to the recording and handouts! Visit simonsolutions.com to learn more and register.

Improving the Social Determinants of Health & Community Collaboration Parts 1 & 2
Part 1, Tuesday, September 18, 1-2 pm CST
Part 2, Tuesday, September 25, 1-2 pm CST

About Part 1:

Hospitals and healthcare systems are moving into the community to collaborate with other organizations and churches for the benefit of their patients and overall community health, as well as their bottom line. CHI St. Joseph Health in Bryan, Texas is one such health system doing that and they are utilizing CharityTracker technology to meet their goals. Learn from Mary Clare Carden, Hospital Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Care, how to better serve people living in poverty; improve communication and move beyond just helping people cope with poverty but to move toward genuine opportunities for them to achieve and be valued. Learn how this Charity Tracker network shares resources and information in order to reduce re-admissions and expand the allocation of resources to those who need it the most in a timely manner.

About Part 2:

In Part 2 of the webinar series on health collaboratives, learn about the Brazos Health Resource Center, created by CLARE Ministries and CHI St. Joseph Health. Meet Pat Schoenemann, center director, and hear about the major demographic factors of health uncovered in the Brazos Valley community health assessment (2016) and how this community is prioritizing their collaborative work. Also learn how they are working toward improving community health using CharityTracker and improving the resource networking capability of their community.

Registration for Part 1 & 2 is open now. Webinars are free.

Can't make the live presentation? Register anyway and receive a link to the recording and handouts! Visit simonsolutions.com to learn more and register.

By Krista Petty, Community Connector

This might seem strange for a technology company specializing in collaborative software solutions to post, but it’s true. What Simon Solutions and our CharityTracker and Oasis Insight tech solutions provide is a helpful tool, but the tool is only as good and useful as the attitudes and actions of those who use it and lead the charge for collaboration in the local community. I like what Carol Kinsey Goman writes in her 2014 Forbes article “8 Tips for Collaborative Leadership.”

"...collaboration is more than the technology that supports it, and even more than a business strategy aimed at optimizing an organization's experience and expertise. Collaboration is, first and foremost, a change in attitude and behavior of people throughout an organization. Successful collaboration is a human issue." - Carol Kinsey Goman 

In the rest of her article, she outlines those 8 tips simply and beautifully and if you substitute the word “community” for business and organization, you have the recipe for the collective impact leadership many of us are striving to achieve in our cities.

1. Realize that silos can kill your business.

2. Build your collaboration strategy around the "human element."

3. Use collaboration as an organizational change strategy. 

4. Make visioning a team sport. 

5. Utilize diversity in problem solving. 

6. Help people develop relationships.

7. Focus on building trust.

8. Watch your body language.

Read Carol’s entire post here:forbes.com

At Simon Solutions, we love technology. We are geeky that way, BUT we are inspired and driven by the human element. The stories of life-change and creative problem-solving fuel our innovation. Three years ago, Simon Solutions launched our Community Connector initiative, intentionally collecting stories of our network champions across the country. We have been so inspired by our learning, that we launched capacity-building webinars and case studies so everyone could share in the best practices, innovation, and problem-solving together.

As we move into our third year of our community connector initiative, we are excited to bring you more practical ideas, inspirational stories, and education from a variety of experts. We are always looking for way to mix technology with strategy while keeping the human element in clear focus.

Watch for fall 2018 webinar registration coming soon. If you are not on the webinar email list, contact krista@simonsolutions.com. This fall we will explore topics like Policy Change, Social Determinants of Health and Improving Outcomes, and more. You are sure to meet some inspiring leaders with innovative solutions. In the meantime, check out any webinars you missed or watch them again, paying close attention to the human element. simonsolutions.com

Simonsolutions.com now contains all case studies, webinars and articles in one place! You'll also find some great articles about the big picture of collaboration and transformation, such as our writing on Transformational Roadmaps.

We have also created a new Help Center for CharityTracker & Oasis Insight users! This site is full of tips, training, and troubleshooting. There are FAQs, Video Tutorials, Training Videos, User Guides and more. You can easily get to the help center from CharityTracker.com or Oasisinsight.com by clicking on Help. Check them out and share the links with your whole network!

Registration Now Open! Click Here!
What would it look like to launch 2,000 people on the path to self-sufficiency in 2,000 days in your community? United Way of the Piedmont realized that through the Community Investment Process nearly 75% of the resources earmarked for Financial Stability were allocated to the Safety Net services, leaving only 25% to invest in programs that help families acquire and manage resources at the self-sufficient level. Understanding the importance of equally investing in programs on both ends of the spectrum, the Board of the United Way decided to launch the Financial Stability Initiative.

The initiative is led by 25 leaders from all sectors of the community. And yes, their mission is to move 2,000 families on to the path to self-sufficiency. In this webinar, we will explore the keys to self-sufficiency they identified for their community, and how they are overcoming obstacles and innovating new solutions. We will also discuss the partnerships and tools being used to collaborate as a community and see forward movement towards their goals. This includes creating more opportunities for:

--Affordable Housing
--Transportation
--Child Care
--Job Training
--Financial Literacy
--Care Coordination

In this webinar, we will also look at how this community is using CharityTracker Plus and the Outcomes Module for Case Management and collective reporting.

Our featured guest is Hannah Jarrett, Community Impact Associate, of United Way of the Piedmont in South Carolina. Born and raised in Chapin, South Carolina, Hannah attended Wofford College and graduated with a degree in English and History. Hannah served three years as an AmeriCorps VISTA at United Way of the Piedmont, working with United Way’s Young Leaders, Nonprofit Fellows, and Behavioral Health Task Force. In August 2015, she was hired as a Community Impact Associate to lead the Financial Stability Initiative. She is a graduate of the 2015 Grassroots Leadership Development Institute and the 2017 Leadership Spartanburg class.

Registration Now Open! Click Here!
April 10, 2018, from 1-2 pm CST. Always free!

Registration Now Open! Click Here!

For several years, Stephen MacDonald was a part of fighting poverty in his community of Toledo, Ohio when a new issue came to light. “I was informed of issues faced by businesses that provide services to individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). These employers hire Direct Support Professionals to work with individuals with DD so they can lead increasingly independent, productive and integrated lives. However, in these lower-wage, entry-level positions, the turnover rate was high---nearly 51%. They were hemorrhaging staff,” says MacDonald.

It was found that the top three reasons for high turnover were lack of transportation, lack of child care and disagreements with supervisors. While investigating possible solutions, MacDonald learned about ERN-USA Employer Resource Networks (ERN). To “stop the bleeding” of employees leaving and to build a better employment future for people, MacDonald brought employers together and the first ERN in Ohio was born. “It is an employer-based consortium formed to provide job retention services, work support, and training for employees,” says MacDonald, Bridges Out of Poverty Coordinator and President of Emerge Solutions. As a part of the network, employers bought “shares” depending on the size of their company, and together they hired a success coach. This coach works for the employers and is hired with their input. The job of the success coach is to keep ERN employees on the job.

Employer administrators, supervisors and HR personnel received Bridges Out of Poverty training. Under-resourced employees became “investigators” in Getting Ahead in the Workplace classes. With a new common language and understanding between economic classes, all the employees got to work solving problems that affected the businesses. Six of the original eight employers are continuing in the ERN in 2018. “ERN employers report that 69 fewer staff needed to be hired in 2017 relative to 2016. Based on their reported turnover costs, these six companies saved a combined total of $288,000,” says MacDonald.

Workplace stability is key to preventing and alleviating poverty and key to success in business. Enhancing stability is a win-win for all.

“Employers do a lot to stabilize us,” says Ruth Weirich, author of Workplace Stability and Engagement Specialist with Aha! Process “Employers offer us vacation, 401(k), paid time off, holidays, maternity leave, and all of those things stabilize us. Not everybody gets those benefits, though, and so we’re looking at ways to talk with employers about stability that will stabilize our employees and improve retention and profits.”

Are you partnering with employers in your community to help employees gain stability and businesses succeed?

This is the focus of the next Simon Solutions Transform Tuesday webinar. Low-wage workers can experience personal instability that leads to absenteeism, health problems and violations of work expectations, all of which decrease morale, attention to work, job performance and employee retention.  Weirich and Phil DeVol, author of Getting Ahead in a Just-Getting By World, will explore the range of factors that create instability for employees that impact business success. They will also discuss effective techniques and tactics for increasing stability in the workplace and explore how employers and the community can partner together for success and sustainability.

Workplace Stability: Improving Retention & Productivity for Greater Profitability
March 6, 1 PM - 2 PM CST
with Phil DeVol & Ruth Weirich, Aha!Process

Registration Now Open! Click Here!

Can’t make the live webinar? We are recording it! Register and you will receive a link to recording and handouts the next day.

Registration Now Open! Click Here!

Volunteers! Our community benefit organizations and churches often depend on them to help us meet our missions and expand our impact. In this webinar, Krista will discuss best practices in working with volunteers, including:

- inviting people to serve & writing position descriptions

- training & offering feedback

- affirming & recognizing volunteers

- evaluating & reflecting on experiences

- lots of downloadable resources

Krista Petty serves as Community Connector for Simon Solutions Inc, writing case studies and facilitating capacity-building webinars for community benefit organizations and churches. She is also a speaker, trainer and writer with a background in domestic missions, equipping volunteers and community collaboration. She resides in Spirit Lake, Iowa with her husband, Steve.

Registration Now Open! Click Here!

Assessing & Coordinating Care with the Homeless
January 16, 2018, 1 -2 PM Central Time
Hosted by Krista Petty, Community Connector, Simon Solutions
Featured Guest, David Tweedie, Associate, OrgCode Consulting
Registration Now Open! Click Here!

The first webinar on 2018 is going to be a great and challenging one! We will be talking about homelessness and the tools and methods used to effectively help communities succeed in housing people and families. One of the most essential tools in the human services sector is a valid, reliable, and consistent tool that allows for a definitive assessment of the needs of clients. Without a proper assessment of clients, chances are very good that resources will be allocated inefficiently – perhaps through a first come, first served system or serving the squeakiest wheel first. OrgCode has developed the SPDAT (Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool). Now in its fourth year, the SPDAT is available in multiple versions and is even integrated with many HMIS programs including CharityTracker.

Yes, Simon Solutions now offers CharityTracker HMIS- All the proven benefits of CT with additional coverage for those in a community with Homeless Management Information System needs.

Our webinar will feature David Tweedie from OrgCode interviewed by our webinar host, Krista Petty, Community Connector at Simons Solutions. David is a fast, intense and tireless problem solving optimist, underdog ally and HMIS programmer. He has been working to end homelessness for more than 10 years, using data to improve service delivery, accessibility and transparency to increase housing outcomes for his vulnerable neighbors experiencing decades of homelessness. Before coming to OrgCode, David led the implementation of Coordinated Entry for individuals experiencing homelessness within the District. David brings more than 10 years' experience as the System Administrator for Homeless Management Information Systems across multiple Continua of Care, designing the technological platform to better target street outreach to people not yet served or difficult to locate. Combining that technology's complex programming, OrgCode's assessment tools, and in-person case conferencing resulted in more than 1,000 of D.C.'s most vulnerable neighbors sleeping outside or in shelter moving into permanent supportive housing over 3 years, as part of more than 3,300 people who were permanently housed during that time.

Unable to make it to live webinar January 16? Go ahead and register! All registrants receive a link to the recording and notes/handouts after the webinar whether you can attend live or not.

Registration Now Open! Click Here!