Continuous Improvement in Action
|
|
Our partnership with the Kenosha Fire Department was showcased at the INSPIRE conference in October 2024. This is the power of cross-sector partnerships in action, and we're proud to support efforts to build a stronger, more inclusive talent pipeline in Kenosha.
Check out this video to learn more about how collaboration is making a difference right here in our community! |
Continuous Improvement Cohorts
Building Our Future’s Continuous Improvement Cohorts support local organizations in strengthening their impact through data-driven decision-making and collaborative learning. Launched in 2020, these cohorts bring together youth- and family-serving teams from across Kenosha County to clarify their goals, test new strategies, and improve outcomes for children and families.
Grounded in the Results Count™ leadership framework from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, our approach helps leaders zoom out, focus on measurable results, and apply practical tools to drive systems-level change.
Grounded in the Results Count™ leadership framework from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, our approach helps leaders zoom out, focus on measurable results, and apply practical tools to drive systems-level change.
How the Cohorts Work
|
Each cohort runs over several months and includes:
|
“It was so important for me to be able to be in that space with my team. It’s something that when you get into the day-to-day grind of what you do, spending the time really focusing on results and strategy unfortunately sometimes goes by the wayside, so it was such a fantastic experience for me to be able to take time out with everybody. I wasn’t hearing it secondhand, I was experiencing it first hand with our team. "-Tara Panasewicz, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha I was blown away from the learning and growth that happened for my team, and we're now using this as a model moving forward. All three early childhood programs are new on the same page. Managers saw this as a 'a-ha' moment, and there's greater buy-in from frontline staff." - Chris Weyker, CEO, KAC |
Cohort Highlights
The 2024 Continuous Improvement Cohort included teams from the Kenosha Fire Department and the Shalom Center in Kenosha County.
2020–2021 (First Cohort): Our first cohort brought together teams from KAC and United Way of Kenosha County to focus on early childhood outcomes. Participants learned to align on results and implement new tools that improve services for young children and families.
2022 (Second Cohort): Our second round welcomed teams from Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club, and Kenosha Human Development Services. With seven group sessions and personalized coaching, teams built confidence in using data and systems thinking. Each participant also received a copy of Upstream by Dan Heath to support their learning on proactive problem-solving.
2024 (Third Cohort): The most recent cohort brought together teams from the Shalom Center and the Kenosha Fire Department’s Diversity and Recruitment Committee. The Shalom Center team worked to expand outreach to Hispanic residents by producing bilingual materials, forming community partnerships, and integrating outreach goals into staff evaluations. Meanwhile, the Fire Department team developed a plan to increase female applicants by 50% through career fairs, community events, and a targeted social media campaign promoting firefighting as an inclusive career path.
2024 (Fourth Cohort): In August 2024, Building Our Future partnered with leaders from Kenosha Unified School District’s African American Youth Initiative (AAYI) for a two-day strategic planning session. Focused on continuous improvement, the cohort centered on analyzing past data to uncover key factors influencing college and career readiness for African American students. The team reflected on engagement strategies, identified opportunities for growth, and created a strategic plan for the 2024–25 school year. The plan emphasizes increased enrollment in AP courses, dual-enrollment options, and youth apprenticeship programs—supported by targeted workshops, informational sessions, and student gatherings.
2022 (Second Cohort): Our second round welcomed teams from Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club, and Kenosha Human Development Services. With seven group sessions and personalized coaching, teams built confidence in using data and systems thinking. Each participant also received a copy of Upstream by Dan Heath to support their learning on proactive problem-solving.
2024 (Third Cohort): The most recent cohort brought together teams from the Shalom Center and the Kenosha Fire Department’s Diversity and Recruitment Committee. The Shalom Center team worked to expand outreach to Hispanic residents by producing bilingual materials, forming community partnerships, and integrating outreach goals into staff evaluations. Meanwhile, the Fire Department team developed a plan to increase female applicants by 50% through career fairs, community events, and a targeted social media campaign promoting firefighting as an inclusive career path.
2024 (Fourth Cohort): In August 2024, Building Our Future partnered with leaders from Kenosha Unified School District’s African American Youth Initiative (AAYI) for a two-day strategic planning session. Focused on continuous improvement, the cohort centered on analyzing past data to uncover key factors influencing college and career readiness for African American students. The team reflected on engagement strategies, identified opportunities for growth, and created a strategic plan for the 2024–25 school year. The plan emphasizes increased enrollment in AP courses, dual-enrollment options, and youth apprenticeship programs—supported by targeted workshops, informational sessions, and student gatherings.
Data & Continuous Improvement
Data and continuous improvement are key pillars to Building Our Future's approach. We support partners in their use, collection, and analysis of data. BOF is working on a series of data handouts that partners can use to guide their work. Those handouts include:
- What to Consider for Surveys will help you determine if, and when, a survey is the best method to collecting information.
- Best Practices in Survey Design provides recommendations and suggestions to help you design your survey and get the best results possible.
- How to Engage Parents for Surveys shares best practices around parent engagement when conducting a survey.
- What to Consider for Focus Groups will help you determine if, and when, a focus group is the best method to collecting information.
