Sustainability 101

Dave Odom's Handout Workshop: Sustainability 101: A Workshop on the Basics of Sustainability for YTN Programs

Awaken What's Possible.

2022 Youth Theology Network Gathering

Sustainability 101: Youth Theology Network January 2022

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Welcome to Sustainability 101 • Please use your name, school (or institution) as your “Zoom name” • In the chat, please share the location from which you are joining this seminar – For example – Dave is in Durham, NC

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Introductions in chat • Your school name • Your roles in the school (program director, faculty and more) • Number of years you have been affiliated with the youth institute that is part of YTN

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Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

UN World Commission on Environment and Development 4

How will the conditions created (the impact) by your program continue into the future?

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For program sustainability • Sustainability is defined as the capacity to endure and is an orientation not a destination.

• Sustainability includes both financial sustainability (ability to generate resources) and programmatic sustainability (the ability to design, implement, and improve program’s responsiveness to the needs of the audience).

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Impact or “Why” “The Difference being made” • Program • Participants • Institution • You 7

Who cares about the program’s impact?

Make a list!

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Small groups for 15 minutes – 5 minutes each • Introduce yourself – how long in position and role • Tell a story or share information about your program’s impact.

• Who cares about the program’s impact? Name names

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In chat please share • How many people could you name that care about your program’s impact? (A number)

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Sustainability – A Big Picture • • • • • • • •

Environmental Support (industry, denomination, region) Funding Stability Partnerships Organizational Capacity Program Evaluation Program Adaptation Communications Strategic Planning 11

Review • Sustainability is about the future • What is the impact?

• Cannot make a step without articulating impact

• Who cares?

• Where will you focus?

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What is the history?

Read grant proposals and reports • • • •

Highlight any reference to sustainability Who wrote report?

Who is identified as responsible?

What actions are identified and what results are articulated?

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What about the money?

• What is the income and what are the sources?

– How stable is each income source? Low, medium, high – How can you influence increasing revenue?

• What are the expenses?

– How do you influence the expenses?

• What are the plans you inherited about money?

– Who is responsible for what?

– Who knows the plan?

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Keys to effective sustainability plan • Expectations are clear and when adjusted are made clear again.

• People in charge of the various parts have the authority, time and resources to execute their part of the plan.

• Progress can be measured

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Reality check • Sustainability conversations often result in someone being unhappy and disappointed.

– Why are they disappointed and what does that disappointment mean?

• Sustainability challenges raise vocational questions

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Ask questions!

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www.faithandleadership.com

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