Our Story
In October of 2011, realizing that the challenges facing students and families were too significant for any single school district to handle on its own, a group of approximately twenty people convened to have a frank and open conversation about the state of families in Wayne County. Participants in that conversation were representatives from County agencies, Non-profit agencies, School districts, Faith-based communities, and Concerned Wayne County parents.
The group identified several obstacles preventing families from thriving: poverty, lack of access to reliable transportation, substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence, to name a few.
But what was to be done?
Immediately
Money was made available from an Extended School Day/School Violence Prevention grant, and the group was able to secure the services of a consultant. The consultant guided them through a Strategic Prevention Planning Process, which consisted of three steps:
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Surveying all agencies and school districts in Wayne County in order to determine what services already existed and to determine gaps in those services.
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Identifying and examining primary problems as indicated through surveys and other methods of data collection.
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Reviewing the consultant’s Gap Analysis and determining areas to focus on as a committee.
The Following Month
The group agreed on the name of the committee as The Wayne County Partnership for Strengthening Families (WCPSF). The WCPSF decided to focus on three areas. The following areas were identified:
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Academic performance
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Behavioral Health
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Support systems for families
Spring 2013,
The Partnership developed objectives and strategies to address areas that were a concern as a result of the needs assessment. The WCPSF realized that the goals needed to be narrowed down to a manageable number. The following goals were set:
▪ Increase academic performance
▪ Improve behavioral health
▪ Improve support systems for families
As of August 2019,
The Partnership had a membership of 43 agencies, organizations, and school districts - including all eleven school districts in Wayne County.
October 2021
The full Partnership convened to examine existing structures, strategies, and practices for relevance and efficacy.
In May of 2012
The group’s Planning Committee began to develop goals that included establishing a countywide committee that would eventually coordinate, consolidate, and strategize all grants serving families within Wayne County. In addition, the Committee would be able to provide all agencies the necessary data to apply for grants.
Then,
The WCPSF started gathering data that included information related to:
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Graduation rates
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School attendance
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Literacy rates
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Kindergarten readiness
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Domestic violence
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Child abuse
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Sexual abuse
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Substance abuse
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Mental health concerns
Fall 2017,
The Co-Chairs of the WCPSF asked County Department Heads, School Superintendents, and Directors of non- profit organizations to update the Partnership’s Strategic Plan. The plan was completed in March of 2018.
Early 2021
The focus of the Behavioral Health workgroup shifted to include physical health as well as mental health. The name was changed to “Wayne Wellness” to reflect this expanded focus.
January 2022
Recognizing a lack of community attachment to be a critical factor in the struggles of families and youth in particular, the focus of the Family Resources workgroup shifted to help communities and families come together. The name was changed to "Family & Community" to reflect this new purpose.
Recognizing the Community Schools strategy as the most effective way forward, the focus of the Education workgroup shifted to the building and strengthening of partnerships between school districts and community service providers. The workgroup's name was changed to "Community Schools" to formally recognize this strategy.
Since 2014, the efforts and accomplishments of the Wayne County Partnership include:
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Receiving a total of $150,000 in grant funding from 2017 – 2018 to enhance services for families.
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Developing a countywide questionnaire and an activity book for parents and guardians to better prepare children for Kindergarten.
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Increased mental health awareness through Adult and Youth Mental Health First Aid trainings.
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All 11 school districts participated in Risk & Protective Factor surveys for grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 every other year since 2013
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Developing an Annual Career Carnival for 8th-grade students
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Offering a Youth Leadership Forum for high-school-aged youth twice a year
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Creating Wayne MOST (Maximizing Out of School Time) to make families more aware of recreational opportunities in their community
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Developing the Wayne County Connection to Learning (WCCL) to enhance adult learning opportunities throughout the county
Sponsorship Opportunities
Help us continue our efforts and become a sponsor! Opportunities are always available for you or your company to sponsor Partnership events or activities. Your financial contribution can be used to defray the cost of one of our signature events, or for something practical like printing next year’s batch of “It Takes You” books.
