April 2020

Collective Impact and COVID-19

-- Bringing Stakeholders Together Virtually

-- Adaptive Challenges and Changes

-- The “Real” Work Happens Between Meetings



Collective Impact and COVID-19
Responding to a pandemic isn’t a solo endeavor. It takes everyone working together to not only fight the disease, but to ensure that in any response our most vulnerable and marginalized populations are represented equitably. 

Collective Impact, the model under which Eastside Pathways is organized and operates, has been defined as “the commitment of a group of representatives from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem, using a structured form of collaboration.”

The value of this approach has been exemplified through the Eastside community’s participation and commitment to an ongoing series of virtual meetings facilitated by Eastside Pathways. 
Bringing Stakeholders Together Virtually
Realizing that Eastside Pathways was in a unique position with our expertise in convening, connecting, and facilitation, we invited our Partners and other community stakeholders for a virtual meeting on March 17. During this call, we began creating a space for stakeholders to come together and share needs and resources, all with the goal of equity-based solutions. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive as Partners got together to start co-designing equitable responses.

Since then we’ve been holding these virtual meetings twice per week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Participation continues to grow, and as of today 105 individuals representing 55 organizations have attended and contributed to a coordinated, compassionate response strategy in East King County.
“I really appreciated the format of the breakout sessions. I got to hear from different people representing organizations outside of education.”
- Masika Olumide , c ommunity leader focused on efforts within the Lake Washington School District
Early on, data on discussion topics were submitted by Partners via an online form.

Meetings typically begin with a Gracious Space reflection to bring people into the moment, and included presentations on data (who has attended, where are resources and where are there needs), a large group discussion, a readout from attendees of any progress or wins to celebrate. Another feature that was added included “breakout rooms” of smaller groups, where individual topics could be discussed in more depth, and which allowed those not comfortable using chat or participating in the large group discussion to have a chance to be heard. This format will continue to evolve to meet the changing goals of the group.
Adaptive Challenges and Changes
Meetings have now pivoted from “Phase One” of creating this space and sharing needs and resources to “Phase Two,” a more adaptive workspace where more sustainable and systemic solutions are being developed, while ensuring that the vulnerable communities served are centered in any discussion.

During this new phase, the focus will be on designing more equitable outcomes, including asking partners to consider who is missing in their work or practices in order to serve the community better.

Other expert voices Eastside Pathways is hoping to bring to these discussions include law enforcement, perspectives on effectively serving and partnering with families, and food and housing insecurity.
The “Real” Work Happens Between Meetings
Of course, these virtual meetings are only the beginning. They serve to prime the pump of the actual work, which consists of partners and stakeholders, who need to think not only about the what, but also how and who of their current efforts, as well their own roles within these efforts (see sidebar “Driving Toward More Equitable Outcomes”).

Collective Impact is a powerful methodology, and we look forward to continuing to see the positive outcomes it can bring.

By working together, we can work through this most challenging of times.
Driving Toward More Equitable Outcomes

Questions to consider:

o Who’s voice from the community is missing?

o Who are you serving?
Who are you not serving?
o   Age groups
o   Immigration status

o   What data do you have?
What do you need?
o   Housing instability data
o   Food insecurity data
Interested in Participating?

Visit our COVID-19 Response Video Conferences page .

You’ll find a schedule, login information, and links to past meeting materials and video recordings.
Giving every child the opportunity to thrive from cradle to career requires dedication and teamwork. That’s why Eastside Pathways helps individuals and organizations collaborate to focus their efforts, find efficiencies and increase their impact. Together, using a proven framework and data-driven strategies, we create better outcomes for our youth. 
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