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Growing Community Connections is open to<br />
anyone. Check out their Facebook livestream<br />
the first Thursday of each month at 10 a.m.<br />
As Growing Community Connections set strategic goals<br />
for positive community impact, it became obvious that<br />
data was needed not only to measure progress but also<br />
to determine the areas of need in the community.<br />
Gieselman said, “as the years have progressed, the<br />
stories of Growing Community Connections impact<br />
weren’t enough. Funders and participants began to<br />
need more than the feel-good impact stories – they<br />
wanted data to show working together was helping the<br />
community.”<br />
<strong>Siouxland</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong> | inspire/25<br />
At the same time, DeLeon explained, “Source for<br />
<strong>Siouxland</strong> was looking for a way to make the data more<br />
useful. We had a ton of data, but just publishing a book<br />
of data didn’t seem like enough anymore. We wanted to<br />
use it to drive change.”<br />
So, the conversation began two years ago, now five<br />
community focus groups have been established. “These<br />
five groups zero in on a specific social determinant<br />
of our community’s well-being. Using the data from<br />
Source for <strong>Siouxland</strong>, we can analyze what they think is<br />
happening and set strategic goals, then create action<br />
plans.” said Gieselman.<br />
“It is a circular process. A goal is set because of some<br />
data; then we look at what specific data can help us<br />
measure progress. We incorporate analysis of data now,<br />
not just reporting data,” added DeLeon.<br />
“The data comes from everywhere. Some of it is<br />
proprietary from <strong>Siouxland</strong> Cares surveys of middle/high<br />
schoolers since 1999. Some is from the US Census, state<br />
Departments of Education, Economic Development,<br />
Chambers of Commerce, Public Health, police chiefs ...<br />
basically anything tracked by a reputable source can be<br />
gathered and put together,” stated DeLeon.<br />
“Putting it together is extremely important in our Tri-<br />
State area,” Gieselman added “We need information<br />
from multiple sources to tell the whole story of our<br />
community. It helps to keep us accountable and to<br />
identify gaps we may not have expected to see or ask<br />
analysis questions we wouldn’t have thought about<br />
previously.”<br />
“The annual data showcase is designed to do just<br />
what JoAnn mentions,” DeLeon remarked. “We want<br />
people to look at the data book, and now we’ve started<br />
including some “did you know” data points at each<br />
month’s Growing Community Connections meeting too.<br />
The idea is to get people talking about data, thinking<br />
about it and using it to focus efforts.”<br />
JoAnn Gieselman receives an award on behalf of Growing<br />
Community Connections. Nebraska first-lady Suzanne<br />
Shore, presented the award recognizing the impact of the<br />
collaboration.<br />
The community-wide “0-3 Prime Age to Engage” initiative<br />
came out of a focused analysis of data regarding school<br />
readiness and health benchmarks. “People’s mouths<br />
literally dropped when they saw the trend,” said DeLeon.<br />
As a result, a focused multi-agency action team was<br />
assembled. In less than 3 years, more than 70 partners<br />
have engaged, and the community has won national<br />
recognition for the collaboration. While it’s just a little too<br />
early to see movement on the school readiness data; the<br />
impact is immense. You will find free books in scores of<br />
lounges and waiting rooms across the area – books kids<br />
are encouraged to take home with them. Billboards,<br />
commercials, and pediatricians are all promoting<br />
interactive play, talking, and reading to children age 0-3.<br />
This is the epitome of collective impact – together we<br />
achieve more than we do individually working in isolation.<br />
“Four states have a collective impact similar to this. In<br />
Nebraska, we meet as a state and a nation-wide group<br />
to look at what solutions are and what works. Data and<br />
collective impact work are important parts of it,” Gieselman<br />
added. Both echo – “we truly are stronger together.”<br />
Compilations of Tri-State data on everything<br />
from COVID-19 diagnoses to miles of trails<br />
and number of social clubs can be viewed at<br />
www.sourceforsiouxland.com<br />
Photos Contributed by Source for <strong>Siouxland</strong>.