Veteran Experience Office Community Engagement Veteran Experience Office Community Veterans Engagement Boards (CVEBs) Overview Brief

VEO Organization Dr. Lynda Davis, Ph.D Chief Veterans Experience Officer Barbara Morton Deputy, Veterans Experience Officer Lee Becker Chief of Staff Directors: Jim Wartski, Community Engagement Joy White, PMO Curtis Carie, Insight and Analytics Jennifer Purdy, PX Portfolio Denise Kitts, Multi-Channel Tech Mike Galloucis, Benefits Portfolio

MISSION To enable VA to be the leading customer service organization in government so Veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors choose VA.

OBJECTIVE VEO implements forward engagement strategies to align VA services with the Secretary’s 5 priorities

HUMAN CENTERED DESIGN: WHAT WE LEARNED First, from Human Centered Design Started by listening to our Veterans Our view vs. the Veteran view Have to change to see ourselves as our customers do - Veterans, their families, and their supporters

CX (Customer Experience) An employee’s experience “back stage” affects a Veteran’s experience on the “front stage.” Measuring success for the Veteran: Was your problem solved? Are we easy to work with? Did you feel respected and valued during the experience you just had? Measuring success for the Employee: Did you solve the problem? Was it easy to access the tools and resources you needed to solve the problem? Did you feel proud to represent VA in the interaction?

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: To address VA’s priorities and initiatives, VEO is partnering with local communities and CVEBs for outreach, navigation support, brainstorming local solutions, and enabling two-way communication to improve outcomes for transitioning Service members, Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors. CVEBs are VA’s “ground game” partner to foster the creation of Veteran-friendly Communities. Challenge Approach Anticipated Outcomes Some Veterans, families, caregivers, and survivors may not have access to a coordinated support system of local Veteran service providers, advocates, and community leaders. VA must partner with local communities to foster community-based partnerships to bridge gaps in services and improve access to resources to better meet the needs of Veterans locally. Coordinate with key partners at the state/county VA level and VSOs/MSOs to build momentum and show appreciation for local communities and CVEBs in fostering ‘Veteran-friendly Communities’. Increase community engagement opportunities and enable outreach, navigation, communication, info sharing on VA priorities, and networking across 132+ CVEBs reaching more than 12.5M Veterans and over 50M families, caregivers, and survivors who reside in their catchment areas. Establish strategic partnerships to collaborate on best practices, success metrics, community engagement strategies, family/caregiver support, transition, outreach, and share support tools/resources. Support Federal Advisory Committees to meet legal requirements in providing advice to SECVA on policy improvements. Foster a coordinated support system where Veterans live, work, and raise their families. Encourage 2-way communication and hear the voice of the Veteran. Conduct forward engagement strategies to improve outreach and navigational support for local communities. Share best practices and lessons learned across CVEBs and local communities on successful methods for building community-based partnerships to address gaps in service. Re-build trust in local communities by VA showing local communities that we support and appreciate their work in partnership with us.

Communities without a localized coordinated support system CVEB Model ‘Veteran-friendly Community’

Community Engagement In new VEO organizational structure, the VEO Community Engagement Directorate aligned support staff to State DVA Offices with a point of contact assigned to each jurisdiction. Contact Mailbox: Vet-friendlyCommunities@va.gov Website with Toolkits and CVEB Contact info: https://www.va.gov/ve/communityEngagement.asp

Community Veterans Engagement Board If you know of an existing group or wish to spark a new CVEB in a local community that will follow the framework outlined in the basic principles of a CVEB and adhere to the success factors of collective impact, please let me know so we can start recognizing those efforts and the great work local communities are doing! CE Team Member’s Name Contact Information VA’s intent is not to create redundant or duplicate efforts, but rather complement existing efforts or where one does not exist, foster the creation of a community collaborative effort to support the local community.

Thank you! Q&A