Partners: Forging Strong Relationships
By Sarah E. Torian

The America Reads Challenge asks each of us to identify what we can do “to help all of our children to read independently and well by the end of third grade.” As tutors, program staff, and educators, we have accepted that challenge. But we can’t meet that goal alone. By building strong relationships and partnerships with the people and organizations in our communities and by enlisting their support, knowledge, and resources, we can nurture strong, independent readers and bolster our communities.

Sound, effective relationships in which diverse groups of people and organizations—including businesses, colleges, schools, and community organizations—work together toward a common goal are the basis of the collaborative efforts that can effect change.

Collaborations, according to Suzanne Morse, of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change, are the “processes allowing a multitude of stakeholders to work together toward a common purpose, building on the community’s resources, talents, and assets” in which “all parties contribute to and have a stake in the outcomes.”

Partners in the Schools
In Muskegon, Michigan, Project Director Sue Wierengo and the Volunteer Muskegon tutors learned valuable lessons about building relationships within schools. They initiated their America Reads project last fall in two schools and got off to a rocky start. One of the principals had a bad experience with a volunteer group that had made promises it did not keep. Six months after the new project started, their relationship was still strained. “I finally went to see her one afternoon,” explains Wierengo. “I said, ‘We got off on the wrong foot, but we really care about these kids and want to help.’ I took all the blame for the relationship starting off rough and she really came through; we got a fresh start!”

That experience taught Volunteer Muskegon an important lesson: patience. Taking the time to fully explain your project, your background, your goals, and what you expect from a partner sets the foundation for a successful relationship. “You need to help all involved understand the project and get their buy-in,” Wierengo says. “It’s easy when you are excited about the potential of your project to want to charge ahead. You need to give people time to see that potential themselves.”

Teaming up with teachers posed a different challenge to the volunteers and staff of Volunteer Muskegon. They were all receptive to the project after meeting the volunteers, but their busy schedules were a problem. The solution was to fit meetings with the teachers into the small time slots teachers have available. “We served them breakfast!” says Wierengo. Tutors, teachers, and project staff met regularly in the mornings for discussions of the students’ progress.

The extra effort to adjust to the teachers’ schedules paid off. “The teachers and tutors really became partners,” Wierengo explains. “The tutors were encouraged to hear improvements that the teachers had noticed and the teachers had some wonderful ideas for the tutors.”

Partners in the Community
Melissa Range and the staff of Georgia Mutual Assistance Association Consortium (GMAAC) have learned to identify the community organizations that can strengthen their tutoring efforts. GMAAC, located 15 miles northeast of Atlanta in Clarkston, Georgia, provides resources, including citizenship classes, legal assistance, and tutoring, to refugees. During its first year, GMAAC’s America Reads project served more than 40 children from Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, Rwanda, and more. To effectively serve such a diverse population, GMAAC draws upon a network of local organizations. “We partner with many of the refugee organizations in the area,” explains Range, coordinator of GMAAC’s youth program. “Several are resettlement agencies. They help the families get settled and refer them to us.”

These organizations do not simply refer families to GMAAC; they offer specialized experience and knowledge to each other. Range, who began her service at GMAAC last December, explains, “For me, it’s a question of who has been doing this longer than I have and how can they help me?” Once she decides who to draw on, she determines what she can offer them. “Keep the phone lines open and let people know you are willing to help,” advises Range.

GMAAC has also forged strong relationships with several professors at a local college. This support enabled them to recruit a large number of volunteers. One professor arranged for GMAAC to speak to his classes about volunteering. He even agreed to offer students extra credit if they volunteered regularly. The idea caught on and six other professors are now helping GMAAC recruit volunteers. “They were some of our best volunteers last year,” Range says. “This step gets them in the door, but after connecting with the children, they keep coming—even after their classes are over.”