|
|
Learning Community Workgroups
Background/History
Selection Process
State Team Leads were asked to rank the four Learning Community Workgroup
topics in order of priority and need for technical assistance. Each State/Territory
was offered participation in two Learning Community Workgroups and was
invited to send one to two participants for each of those Learning Community
Workgroups.
Format
Over a 2-day period, each Learning Community Workgroup meeting convenes
a small group of 30–35 participants, with one to two representatives per
State/Territory. Participants are asked to complete premeeting assignments
to prepare for active, onsite participation and ensure that each participant
shares a familiarity with statewide homelessness efforts, in addition
to any system-specific perspective that the participant already has. On
site, participants benefit from:
- Full-group presentations and discussions with local, State, and Federal
representatives and consultants to address broad-level issues, highlight
and explore promising practices, and identify opportunities to sustain
peer-to-peer learning
- Smaller breakout sessions to exchange promising practices, brainstorm
about solutions to current challenges and barriers in addressing and
preventing homelessness, and begin developing and adapting strategies
for use within their own State context.
Target Audience
Learning Community Workgroup participant composition varies across the
four Workgroups. Some participants have attended at least one Homeless
Policy Academy. Participants are State and local policymakers, statewide
and community-level public and private provider organization administrators,
and program coordinators. States/Territories in each Workgroup, having
similar needs and often disparate characteristics, are encouraged to work
together across regions and systems. For the most part, participants self-identify
their State level of proficiency or knowledge based on the content outlined
in each Learning Community Workgroup description. This information is
applied in the Learning Community Workgroup planning process. Participants
strategize in small groups within and across the identified proficiency
level, in addition to meeting in larger groups. In support of the Workgroups’
peer focus, participants are viewed as the hands-on experts and Workgroup
resources. As available, Federal and national resource persons join Workgroup
members on site to supplement participants’ knowledge.
|
