A Skills Institute for Title V Teams and Their Partners
Are you interested in a more strategic approach to partnership? Learn how to build stronger, more aligned collaborations that advance your Title V priorities.
Join us! Title V teams and their partners are invited to apply for an upcoming Skills Institute to be held on August 4-6 in Tempe, Arizona!
How do we apply?
The application is brief. It asks your Title V program to:
- Identify the “partnership opportunity” that your team intends to focus on at the Skills Institute.
- Identify the members of the team you intend to send and provide their contact information.
One member of your team should submit an online application using the button below. To prepare your answers, you may download a Word document version of the application.
Applications are due Friday, May 1. For any questions, please contact Rebecca Greenleaf at rebecca_greenleaf@unc.edu.
Why apply for the Skills Institute?
Teams at the Skills Institute will learn essential strategic partnership skills from peers and workforce experts. A team from your Title V program might be a good fit if you are interested in these questions:
- How do we intentionally build or strengthen partnerships to advance our state’s Title V Action Plan?
- What information, resources, and supports do our partners need from us to be successful?
- How can we provide clear expectations and accountability for partners?
- How can we make strategic decisions about partnerships based on our Title V program’s capacity?
- How do we transition away from legacy partnerships that no longer advance Title V priorities?
- How can we make collaboration processes intentional and transparent?
- How can we measure the strength of our partnerships and partner satisfaction with us as conveners or funders?
- How can we measure the effectiveness and impact of our partnerships?
What should we expect at the Skills Institute?
There are two goals for the Skills Institute. Your team will:
- Begin to make progress around the “partnership opportunity” you’ve identified and leave with positive momentum and clear next steps.
- Develop essential skills for strategic partnerships, which you will be able to apply to your future work.
The format of the Skills Institute is highly participatory, and all attendees should expect to actively engage in each session’s learning activities. Each session will briefly teach a tool or skill, provide a Title V example, and then ask participants to work within their teams to apply the skill or tool to their unique “partnership opportunity” and context.
The MCH Workforce Center will provide a coach for each team who will help guide participants through the team conversations and application of the skills and tools.
The Skills Institute will provide an adult-learning environment, where teams make decisions about how to apply their learning and take breaks as needed. Ample snacks are also provided to ensure energy levels remain steady! Participants will also have opportunities to network with MCH professionals from other states.
Who should we include on our team, and how should we select a “partnership opportunity” to focus on?
Your team should include three to five individuals from your state or jurisdiction. Your team must be led by Title V/CYSHCN staff (who should comprise at least 50% of your team). You also have the option to include representatives from one or more partner organizations (local health departments, community-based organizations, family advocacy groups, or academia).
Your “partnership opportunity” should be focused on a specific stream of work (for example, a priority area in your State Action Plan, a project, a funding opportunity, etc.) Within that stream of work:
- If you do not have existing partnerships, or you think the current moment is a good opportunity to reevaluate who you are partnering with, you might wish to send a team composed of only Title V/CYSHCN members. The Skills Institute will help your team consider which partnerships would be most strategic for advancing your work and how you can develop mutual support and accountability with partners. If your work stream is related to program or service delivery you might consider including a family leader or an individual with related personal experience on your team.
- If you would like to strengthen one or more existing partnerships, or you would like to launch a new partnership, you may wish to include 1-2 representatives from partner organizations. If family leaders are critical to the success of your work stream, you should include at least one family leader or individual with related personal experience on your team. The Skills Institute will help you work together with your partners to consider how your partnership can best function strategically and how you can work together to develop mutual support and accountability.
Regardless of whether your team includes partners, you should select individuals who can contribute to planning and implementation around partnerships in your chosen stream of work.
What are the dates, times, and location for the Skills Institute?
The Skills Institute will be held at the Tempe Mission Palms hotel in Tempe, Arizona.
Teams will arrive on the morning of Tuesday, August 4 and depart the afternoon of Thursday, August 6. There will be afternoon sessions on Tuesday, a full day on Wednesday, and morning sessions on Thursday. Learning sessions and the application of what you are learning to your “partnership opportunity” will build over the course of the Skills Institute, so all team members should plan to attend all sessions.
How much does attendance cost?
There is no cost to attend the Skills Institute. Our staff will work with your team to make flight arrangements, reserve hotel accommodations, and secure reimbursement for expenses.
Covered expenses include:
- Transportation to and from your home airport, airfare to and from Phoenix, and transportation between Phoenix International Airport and the Tempe Mission Palms via the hotel shuttle.
- Overnight accommodation for two nights (Tuesday, August 4 and Wednesday, August 5).
- Some provided meals (dinner on August 4, breakfast and lunch on August 5 and 6).
- Reimbursement (at current Federal per diem rates) for meals purchased by travelers during travel time and meals not provided during the Institute.
If you need a letter detailing the covered expenses or further information to share with your agency, please contact Rebecca Greenleaf at rebecca_greenleaf@unc.edu.
Questions?
Please also don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We would be happy to answer any questions, help you identify an appropriate “partnership opportunity,” or help you identify who is most appropriate to include on your team. Contact Rebecca Greenleaf at rebecca_greenleaf@unc.edu.
Additional Frequently Asked Questions
How many teams will attend the Skills Institute?
We anticipate inviting up to 20 teams to participate! The total will likely depend on the cost of airfare and other event costs at the time when we select teams.
Can more than one team from a state apply?
Your state or jurisdiction is welcome to submit more than one application. Unfortunately, we can only accept one application per state or jurisdiction. We recommend that you coordinate internally with your colleagues before applying to submit a single application.
When will we hear back about whether our application has been accepted?
We plan to notify teams about application decisions by Friday, May 8. We hope to finalize travel arrangements for accepted teams by Friday, June 19.
What kind of coaching support should we expect, and will there be any coaching support after the event?
Teams at the Skills Institute will work with a small group of state teams throughout the week, and each group will have a coach. Most sessions will teach at least one skill or a tool and provide a Title V example. After the session, your coach will be able to assist the teams in your group with applying what you learned in the session to your partnership opportunity.
Unlike our 10-month Learning Journey program, the Skills Institute is planned as a one-time event. Unfortunately, we will not be able to offer additional coaching support beyond the event. However, one of the goals of the Skills Institute is for your team to leave with positive momentum and clear next steps.
Can we pay to send extra members of our team if we want to bring more than five people?
Due to high interest in this event, we will not be able to accommodate more than five members per team. As described in the application guidance, your team can include all Title V members or a combination of Title V and partners.
Which participant expenses will be paid for by the Center, and which will we be reimbursed for?
We will coordinate with you to make arrangements for your flight and hotel, and those expenses will be paid for directly by the Center.
We will reimburse you for these expenses:
- Mileage for driving between your home and your home airport
- Parking at your home airport
- Per diem expenses
A free hotel shuttle is available for transportation between the Phoenix airport and the hotel in Tempe, Arizona.
Can someone offer us feedback on the partnership opportunity we have in mind for the application?
Yes, we would be more than happy to discuss this with you! Please contact Rebecca Greenleaf at rebecca_greenleaf@unc.edu if you would like to have a conversation about what kind of opportunity would be most strategic for your team to focus on or who to include as members of your team.