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Bigger Goals
Establishing a common, “big picture,” action-oriented vision that conveys compelling goals for children and youth is a critical step towards aligning efforts. Why? Because common definitions and shared goals challenge leaders to work together more effectively to make a difference.
We recommend you start by looking over the Bigger Goals toolkit, then move on to the four standards under the Bigger Goals Building Block:
- Establish a balanced set of goals and indicators for all children, youth and young adults that includes preparation and problem-reduction in all areas of development.
- Define supports that the full community must provide and specify high-quality standards across all systems and settings where young people spend time.
- Create a big picture, goal-oriented action plan that establishes action strategies, stakeholder commitments and ongoing accountability mechanisms.
- Define common terms and communicate core messages to improve communications among joint efforts and to the general public.
August 5, 2011
Toby Keith earned his fame in country music, but he sure showed great insight into leadership when he sang, “If you don’t know where you’re goin’, you might end up somewhere else.”
– that includes preparation and problem-reduction in all areas of development.
August 9, 2011
Conceiving goals and indicators is easy. The challenge is getting community leaders to agree on goals and indicators that cover all young people of all age groups, in all aspects of their lives – from education and health to interpersonal skills and job readiness.
- and specify high-quality standards across all systems and settings where young people spend time.
August 26, 2011
While it’s true that “it takes a village to raise a child,” this is also true: The world is full of villages where many young people are not doing well.
- that establishes action strategies, stakeholder commitments and ongoing accountability mechanisms.
July 1, 2011
You’ve come a long way: Leaders in your community understand each other’s language, agree on goals for young people and have defined the supports that youth need to reach those goals. Now, what does everyone actually do?
– to improve communications among joint efforts and to the general public.
August 5, 2011
Ambitious leaders with big plans sometimes give people TMI: Too Much Information. Hand out a list of indicators about child and youth outcomes, or a list of goals to develop community supports for youth, and you risk creating communications overload. Everyone stalls because they’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to focus.