Our Framework
CBYF aims to achieve our goal by using the Collective Impact framework. Collective Impact is a framework used to achieve social change on complex issues such as poverty, homelessness, climate change, or, in our case, graduation rates and youth outcomes.
Collective Impact works by recognizing these complex issues need a variety of groups working together on them, as no one organization or one sector can effectively address them. It also recognizes that involving the voice of context experts (i.e. youth), is just as important to finding solutions as involving the voices of content experts (i.e. adults working in the field).
Collective Impact
Collective Impact consists of five key elements:
Building a common agenda
Everyone involved in the work has the same understanding of what the problem is we are trying to address and the community approach to solving it.
Establishing shared measurement practices
Collecting data and measuring the results of our work in the same way across all organizations allows us to track our progress, and ensures the work we’re doing is in line with the goals we created in our common agenda.
Fostering mutually reinforcing activities
Activities and projects taken on by the initiative and individual members should be coordinated, but there should be a clear difference between them. This is done through having a plan of action in which the different activities all support one other in working toward the shared vision.
Encouraging continuous communication
Consistent and open communication is needed across the many members to build trust, show the shared goals are being worked toward, and keep motivation high.
Having a strong backbone team dedicated to orchestrating the work of the group
Creating and managing collective impact efforts requires a dedicated staff and a specific set of skills to coordinate the participating organizations and agencies, and support the ongoing work of the initiative.
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