Public Allies Connecticut is Looking To Partner in 2015-2016!

[Emily Gallagher]

Have you been looking to boost capacity at your organization? Are you interested in becoming an Public Ally host site for the 2015-2016 year? Read on! 

Greetings! 

We have great news: Public Allies Connecticut is currently accepting partner applications for our 12th class of Allies.
  
As a partner, your organization will benefit from the talents, experiences, and energy of our thoughtfully recruited AmeriCorps members as they work to add value and build capacity for the important work you are doing.  Learn more at PublicAllies.org and begin the partnership process by contacting our Executive Director, Lindsey Tengatenga at [e-mail]. 

The Basics 
Public Allies is changing the face and practice of leadership by demonstrating the conviction that everyone can lead, and that lasting social change results when citizens of all backgrounds step up, take responsibility, and work together. Public Allies recruits talented and diverse young adults who have a passion to make a difference and helps them turn that passion into a career working for community and social change. Public Allies CT has partnered with over 130 non profit organizations across the state and has graduated more than 160 Allies from our program.  Through our signature leadership development program, Public Allies CT leverages the skills and talents of emerging leaders to address capacity needs in non-profit organizations across the state.  Allies work with partner organizations for 10 months, 4 days per week, on a capacity building objective.  Allies work with Public Allies CT staff and community trainers 1 day per week to develop their technical and adaptive leadership skills.  Allies apply this learning to enhance their effectiveness as apprentices and as professionals after their term of service is complete.

Member Profile
Public Allies CT receives over 100 applications annually for approximately 30 available positions.  The Allies we select are community oriented, have diverse experiences and skill sets, and are committed to developing themselves while adding value to your organization.  We believe that everyone leads, from the ivy league graduate to the GED holder.  Our class represents the diversity of our communities and is challenging common misconceptions about who can make a difference in our communities. 

Becoming a Partner
Our partner organizations are as diverse as our Allies.  From large, complex organizations with $30 million budgets, to lean and mean 2 person shops, our partners find value in working with Public Allies CT for several reasons.  First, partnering with Public Allies CT is a cost effective way to build lasting capacity at your organization.  For a cost of $14,300, our partner organizations benefit from over 34 hours per week of the energy, talent, and commitment of an Ally.  Second, partnering with Public Allies CT is a value statement.  Our partners believe as strongly as we do that developing the next generation of leaders is crucial to making sustained impact on the issues and challenges facing our communities today.  Developing leaders is not always easy, but it is an endeavor with far reaching consequences. And our partners believe that they, too, have a role in this endeavor.  Finally, our partners know that hosting an Ally translates to increased effectiveness, capacity, scale, or reach in their organization.  Partners are developing their own organizational capacity while developing the next generation of non profit leaders.

The Details
Partners are not blindly matched with Ally candidates.  Our partners select from our pool of finalists based on interviews that can take place as soon as your initial interest form is complete.

The process for becoming at partner organization looks like this:

1.) Contact our Executive Director, Lindsey Tengatenga at [e-mail] to begin this conversation. Then, please visit http://partner.publicallies.org and create a login.  Returning partners do not need to create a new log in.
2.) Fill out the interest form and articulate the nature of the partnership you wish to explore--most likely "host an Ally"
3.) Engage in a capacity needs assessment facilitated by our Program Manager
4.) Public Allies CT has adapted a Bridgespan Capacity Needs Assessment form to help facilitate a discussion amongst your organization's leadership about the best way to leverage the asset of an Ally apprentice for your organization.  The PACT program team is skilled at facilitating these conversations.
5.) Based on the outcome of the capacity needs assessment, prospective partners develop a position description outlining the objectives, outcomes, outputs, and measures that the Ally would potentially work on during their term of service.

6.) Meet with Ally finalists for interviews at your home office, then share feedback on the strength of the potential match. 

7.) Public Allies CT staff facilitate and finalize matches.
8.) You are now a partner!

Matches are made based upon excitement that is mutually shared between the partner organization, the Ally, and Public Allies CT.  We will not force a match that will not support the Ally's growth and learning or the partner organization's goals and objectives.

This is an exciting time as we look forward to continuing thriving partnerships, learning more about your organizations, and finding meaningful ways to partner and help CT communities reach their fullest potential.