1. ARE YOU IN?

2. Orientation

3. Description The Intermediary Network is a national association of leading education and workforce development organizations working in local communities to ensure the success of youth.

4. Description Network members connect schools, communities and employers to improve education and build a future workforce. Members also convene local organizations doing similar work to maximize resources and effort.

5. “ Somehow, we need to reconnect the schools to the workplace so that educators and employers are working together toward mutual goals. The solution lies in greater, more organized collaboration.” Danny Rowland Charleston Marine Manufacturing Corporation Charleston, SC

6. Mission National peer network of intermediary organizations Connect with each other to: Share best practices; Provide learning opportunities; Promote staff development; and Ensure long term sustainability.

7. Key Dates and Decisions History

8. Four Broad Phases STW Intermediary Project Transition Independent Network Planning Independent Network

9. Project Phase October 1998 - March 2000 Central component of the School-to- Work Intermediary Project Functions defined, tools developed Sites apply and are selected for membership Technical assistance, training and support Local strategic planning Project research

10. Transition Phase March 2000 – June 2001 Network members take an active role in shaping priorities and activities Work groups inform policy development, data and evaluation Plan gatherings of the Network Partners provide guidance, technical assistance and management support.

11. Network Planning Phase June 2001 – April 2002 Network ownership of strategic agenda to ensure Network sustainability Network Leadership committee develops draft business plan Network members contribute dollars to support the plan’s development Network members help plan events New Ways and JFF provide support

12. Independent Network Phase April 2002 - Present Network launched with the support of 26 members Business Plan, Budget, Marketing Plan adopted Workgroups formalized Annual Work plan adopted New Ways provides support as facilitating partner

13. Network Activities Network Gatherings Spring Institute, April 2002, Cincinnati Leadership Meeting, July 2002, Palm Springs Leadership Forum, October 2002, Chicago Annual Spring Institute, April 2003, New Orleans Annual Leadership Forum, October 2003, Atlanta Annual Spring Institute, April 2004, Las Vegas

14. Why? What Workplace Partners Schools and CBO’s

15. Why? What Workplace Partners Schools and CBO’s

16. Why? What Confusing and Competing Connections

17. Why? What Coordinated System Through an Intermediary Structure

18. Strategic Intermediary Functions Convene local leadership to take collective action Connect classroom and workplace experiences that lead to college and career, and broker services to schools and workplace partners Measure results to improve the quality of local efforts Sustain successful practices through supportive public policy

19. Operational Intermediary Functions Employers and Workplace Partners Create demand Provide services to address needs Schools and Youth Organizations Build awareness and buy-in Provide services to support involvement

20. Operational Intermediary Functions Youth Connect to appropriate quality experiences Promote and improve the quality of work-based learning All Partners Provide the communications link Create a system focused on quality and continuous improvement

21. Continuous Improvement Network members engage in a continuous improvement process to deliver high quality services to youth, schools and workplace partners.

22. The Network in Action Promotes the importance of intermediary organizations on the public policy agenda. Establishes and maintains quality standards for intermediaries and their staff.

23. The Network in Action Provides state-of-the-art professional and leadership development opportunities through a facilitated network of the top practitioners in the country. Represents the collective voice of organizations and individuals performing intermediary functions.

24. Benefits Participation in a self-governed community of leaders in your field Collective policy voice Leadership and staff development opportunities Technical assistance, timely information and proven tools New funding and project opportunities

25. Value Much of the value of participation in the network comes from the interchange of ideas, and the sharing of challenges and solutions among members.

26. Who are Members? School-to-Work Partnerships Youth Councils Workforce Investment Boards Chambers of Commerce Local Education Foundations Non-Profit Organizations Business-Education Partnerships Industry Associations Other organizations performing intermediary functions

27. Where are Members?

28. Current Members Achieve! Minneapolis (Minneapolis, MN)* Boston Private Industry Council (Boston, MA)* Capital Area Training Foundation (Austin,TX)* Career Builders (Baton Rouge, LA)* Community Education Coalition, Inc. (Connersville, IN)* Consortium for Education, Research & Technology of North Louisiana (CERT) (Shreveport, LA) The Education Foundation (Charleston, SC)* The EdVenture Group (Morgantown, WV) KentuckianaWorks (Louisville, KY)* LEED-Sacramento (Sacramento, CA)* * Founding Member

29. Current Members Linking Learning to Life (Burlington, VT)* Merced County School-to-Career Partnership (Merced, CA) MY TURN, Inc. (Brockton, MA)* New York Citywide STW Alliance (New York, NY)* Northeast Indiana WIB/Youth Council (Fort Wayne, IN)* Philadelphia Youth Network (Philadelphia, PA)* San Diego Workforce Partnership (San Diego, CA)* School-to-Career, Inc. (New Orleans, LA)* The Workplace Learning Connection (Cedar Rapids, IA)* UNITE-LA (Los Angeles, CA)* * Founding Member

30. Affiliate Members National Academy Foundation Louisiana Office of the Governor Pennsylvania Dept. of Education

31. Membership Process Prospective members complete an application describing their organization, its structure and staffing and the Intermediary Functions they perform. Current members conduct a peer review process of the application. Acceptance is based on meeting and demonstrating a commitment to meeting member responsibilities. ARE YOU IN?

32. Management Structure Leadership Committee Workgroups (Data & Evaluation, Marketing & Membership, Resource & Policy) Chair and fiscal agent: Boston PIC Facilitating partner: New Ways to Work Research and policy support: JFF & Keep the Change, Inc.

33. Member Responsibilities Annual dues/investments Participation in annual Intermediary Institutes Participation in team leader meetings Common data collection Active participation in network work groups Sharing tools, materials, strategies and peer advice

34. Member Activities Annual Spring Institute Fall Leadership Forum Topical Workgroup Calls Content Calls (cross network) Resource Updates Email dialogues Ad Hoc site visits Connections at other events

35. Products Intermediary Guidebook Intermediary Frameworks Issue Briefs Assessment and planning tools Fact sheets and case studies Network member tools and best practices

36. Website www.intermediarynetwork.org Products Tools and frameworks Resource Links Workgroup call schedules Calendar Member listings and contact information Meeting notes and materials

37. “ The Intermediary Network and its Institutes have catapulted our partnership into the future. Our participation has helped us define ourselves as an effective intermediary and refine our strategies for linking business and education to benefit our students.” Susan Burge School-to-Career, Inc. New Orleans, LA

38. YOU ARE IN!