Enhancing your Program through

Developing Shared Vision and Mission

Why does a shared vision and mission enhance a program?

They can:guide program planningguide resource deploymenthelp find common ground among

staffhelp potential students or partners

know if you are a fit for them

How does your program determine vision and mission?

Determine stakeholder goals and valuesStudentsStaffPartners

How do you determine stakeholder goals and values?

Ask them! Listen!SurveysDiscussionsInterviews

Start with core values and goalsDon’t worry about coming to consensus

--yet!

What are Core Values? For staff ask: “What do you believe about

teaching adult learners”? Sample responses from other ABE programs:

We believe that adult learners should be treated with respect and we should value the knowledge and experienced that they bring to the program

We believe that every adult learner can learn

We believe that all staff should model lifelong learning through continually pursuing their own professional growth

We believe that our learners need a sense of community within our classrooms so we should provide activities to help foster that

We believe that our students have needs in addition to education and we need to partner with other groups to address those needs

Why determine Core Values?

Core Values can help build a basis for a shared vision and mission

Helps get to the commonalities between us

Helps ground individuals and remind them of why they are doing what they do

Determining Core Program Values

One approach we will do together:

Review National Urban Alliance Core Value chart and select your values

Narrow it down to your top 5 core values

Discuss in small groups why you chose these

Take one away – how does that feel? Discuss with small group

Discuss what steps you might take in your program to determine program core values:

With staff

With students

With partners

Adult Academic Program Core Values Academic achievement

Cognition

Confidence

Competence

Engagement

Education/Learning

Equity

Independence

Opportunity and transformation

Perseverance

Respect for others

What is a Vision statement

It describes the ideal situation if the organization could fulfill its strongest wish for the future

Why develop one? Pursuit of this image of success motivates

people to work togetherIt helps direct efforts and expenditures

Determining your Vision statement

Describe outcomes that are 5-10 years awayAnswers the question ”What will success look like? It should be:

Clear --Simple and understandableBrief and to the pointEasy to rememberCompelling -- passionate and inspiringAchievement orientationMeaningfulChallenging but realistic

Adult Academic Program Vision

We empower all students to achieve their goals.

What is Mission Statement? A definition of fundamental purpose

Answers the basic question of why the organization exists

Clearly

thoughtfully

succinctly

Describes what is expected to be achieved and how it can be done

Incorporates meaningful and measurable criteria related to:

the mission,

public image,

target population,

products/services, and

expectations of growth and viability.

Why have a Mission Statement?

Provides general guidance Brings the vision to life and explains

why and how it should be achievedGuides program prioritization

Adult Academic Program Mission

A welcoming community offering high quality academic instruction to our adult learners to help them achieve their life, employment and post-secondary goals.

Process to develop Vision and Mission Statements

Gather input on goals and values

Select a key subgroup to review input, discuss, recommend statements Sample discussion questions: “In 5-10 years:

How do you want our community to be different?

What role do you want your program to play in your community?

What will success look like?”

Possible right brain approach for subgroup:

Come up with a metaphor for your program

Draw a picture of success

Share result(s) with stakeholders for comments/reaction Possibly vote on them if no consensus reached

Putting the statements to use

Now that you have the statements use them!

When making plans, refer to themWhen allocating resources, refer to

themDetermine how, when, where to share

them with others

Planning Map

One approach to focus planningTakes values into actionCan be completed by staff in small

groups and compiledPost and distribute to remind and focus

staff later

How might this be useful?

Discuss in small groups: How might this process be useful to you and your

program? How might you implement this process in your program? How/when should the program communicate statements

with others? Students Potential students Partners and community members

Report back to larger group your key points