[Step 3: Link to Business and School Objectives]
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[Step 5. Plan, Implement and Evaluate]
PURPOSE
To identify champions and internal stakeholders, their educational priorities, and the approaches that reflect their educational priorities. Identify internal/company stakeholder groups which may include champions, company departments or functions, individual employees, employee groups and their families, business customers, investors or stockholders, trustees or advisory boards. Determine the educational priorities and needs of champions and internal stakeholders. Indicate whether these priorities are incorporated into current approaches or might reflect future plans. Consider action steps which can strengthen relationships between internal company stakeholders with an investment in the success of educational initiatives. For example, you could develop an Educational Advisory Committee or Internal Advisory Board that meets quarterly to coordinate efforts and to discuss how current initiatives address employee/employer vision, goals and needs.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Worksheet 9: Identify Champions/Internal Stakeholders and Their Educational Priorities
| Champions/Internal Stakeholders | Educational Priorities and Needs | Current Employer Approaches | Future Employer Approaches |
| parent employees | want to be more active participants in their children's education | flexible schedules | educational leave policy, supervisor training, focus on culture |
| 1. | |||
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Upon completion of this worksheet, you will have identified educational approaches that reflect the priorities of champions/internal stakeholders.
The support of key leaders is critical for achieving long-term success. Can you enlist your president or other individuals who can make things happen? What is their vision of the future? How could your educational efforts better reflect the vision of your champions? What steps could achieve the desired goal? What would it take to accomplish these goals?
Internal stakeholders must be committed to educational approaches. In order to get their buy in, first you must determine which internal players have a stake in your educational initiatives. Once you have determined your internal stakeholders, find out their perceptions and priorities about existing and future educational approaches. Last, develop strategies to strengthen relationships between stakeholder groups and coordinate activities between departments. An effective educational approach does not emanate from one department. Rather, it builds on the strengths of all departments that are committed to educational concerns and ready to collaborate to achieve mutual goals.
You can determine the educational priorities and needs of these internal stakeholders using various methods. Phone calls, written materials, focus groups or surveys are possibilities for gathering information. For example, employees are a key stakeholder group with much to contribute to educational initiatives. One way to determine their priorities and needs would be to distribute a survey that asks questions about:
Kodak has an internal education board which is responsible for determining internal and external priorities as well as for reviewing all new program requests. |
PURPOSE
To identify external stakeholders (in addition to schools), their educational priorities, and the approaches that reflect their educational priorities. Identify external stakeholder groups which may include parents and families, religious organizations, community groups and agencies, higher education, social service and mental health agencies, local government, civic associations and other local businesses. Determine their educational priorities and needs. Indicate whether these priorities are incorporated into current approaches or might reflect future plans. Consider action steps that can strengthen relationships between external stakeholders with an investment in the success of educational initiatives. For example, plan a community "Back to School" event that focuses on the needs of working parents.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
Worksheet 10: Identify External Stakeholders and Their Educational Priorities
| External Stakeholders | Educational Priorities and Needs |
Current Approaches | Future Approaches |
| religious organizations | want parents to be more involved with their children's education | evening seminars on how to support school and children | ESL and parent "buddy" system to support parent involvement |
| 1. | |||
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| 4. | |||
| 5. |
Upon completion of this worksheet, you will have identified educational approaches that reflect the priorities of your external stakeholders. (Please see "Investing in Partnerships for Student Success" for more information about recruiting and organizing community stakeholders.)
It is crucial to involve external stakeholders (in addition to schools) in educational approaches. In order to do so, first you must determine which community players have a stake in the success of your educational initiatives. Once you have determined who your external/community stakeholders are, find out their perceptions and priorities with regard to existing and future educational initiatives. There are numerous ways to assess the educational priorities and needs of external stakeholders. These include phone calls, written materials, focus groups or surveys. For example, attend a community group meeting such as one held by the Chamber of Commerce. Make Chamber members aware of your commitment to educational concerns and see if anyone else shares your priorities. Last, develop strategies to strengthen relationships between stakeholder groups and coordinate their efforts. The core of successful strategic educational approaches is dynamic, committed relationships which can be sustained over time.
Think nationally. Numerous resources are available from the U.S. Department of Education at 1-800-USA-LEARN or www.ed.gov.
[Step 3: Link to Business and School Objectives] |
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[Step 5. Plan, Implement and Evaluate] |