bACKGROUND
The Gwinnett Village Financial Services Center (Center) is managed by the Gwinnett Village Community Alliance (GVCA), a nonprofit organiza- tion that works to improve the quality of life of those who live, work, play, and stay in the Gwinnett Village area.
In partnership with United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta and several key funders, the Center is designed to help the residents, employees, and small business owners in the Gwinnett Village area improve their economic health and promote financial stability in the community
PURPOSE OF THE GWINNETT VILLAGE FINANCIAL SERVICES CENTER
The overriding goal of the Financial Services Center is to increase lower to moderate income families' economic well-being. The objectives focus on financial stability and connections to meaningful employment at livable wages. Services at the Center will help customers in reducing family debt and growing family savings, increase opportunities to gain assets such as affordable home ownership and small business owner- ship, expanding the use of Earned Income Tax Credits, and improving their ability to earn higher wages.
The Center is a collaborative of several organizations, each with a specialized expertise that meets the mission of the Center. The full-time Center staff serves as Financial Navigators; they assist customers with identifying their needs and interests and directing them to the appro- priate resources provided by its partners – either on–site at the Center, through web-based services, or with warm referrals to the provider’s primary place of operation (i.e., Gwinnett Technical College).
CULTURE OF THE CENTER
The Center promotes a professional, friendly, customer-focused atmo- sphere. Rather than greet customers with a stack of forms to complete, the customer is engaged in a conversation to better understand her/his needs and interests. From the conversation, the Financial Navigator will iden- tify the appropriate services and see if those meet with the customer’s partner forMation
Establishing the scope and terms of partner- ships are essential to success. The Gwinnett Valley Financial Services Center’s partnership agreement emphasizes service delivery stan- dards and includes a detailed scope of work for each partner, including a delineation of the resources needed to complete it. The agreement also includes a schedule of evaluation activi- ties, required financial education topics, and a timeline for core deliverables.
United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta meets with partners regularly to check progress, address issues, and discuss the most effective approaches to implementing both short and long term plans.
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Integrated Service DeliveryUnited Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia — Partner Formation
approval. From that point, general information is gathered to facilitate a smooth referral (whether registering for a class or scheduling a meeting with a housing, financial, or academic counselor).
SERVICES AT THE CENTER
Workshops & Classes: Partner agencies will provide classes and workshops at the FSC. Sessions will include 1-hour, 4-hour, and 8-hour programs.
Services: Seasonal Tax Preparation (free) through the VITA program; Work-Ready Testing through the Georgia Work Ready mobile unit.
Financial Internet Café: Since many resources to accomplish our objectives are available through the internet, we will have an area for internet use. Customers will be able to log-on to the websites of our partner agencies to access services, set appointments, and research options. This area will be supervised by staff who can assist the customers with locating the appropriate on-line resources. Registration and Warm Referrals: The Center staff will assist clients to register for classes offered on-site as well as with partner organizations. Warm referrals will also be made to streamline the connection between the customer and the resource.
languages: Marketing and service delivery will be provided in languages of the local residents (primarily English and Spanish).
GWINNETT VILLAGE FINANCIAL SERVICES CENTER (“CENTER”)
Managed by the GVCA, the Center will provide the following to its programmatic partners at the Center: 1. Office space for professional services (such as guidance/counseling on employment, education,
credit, finances, homeownership, and foreclosures) to Program Partner personnel.
2. Office equipment required to perform professional functions at the Center (i.e., internet access, computers, printers, copier, fax machine, projector for workshops, break room)
3. Secure storage for client or other confidential information.
4. Classroom space with projector equipment and supplies for workshops.
5. Registration and scheduling system for workshops and counseling appointments. 6. Marketing of Partner’s services to the community.
PROGRAM PARTNERS
Each Program Partner will provide services at the Center consistent with a specific scope of services attached to this MOU. Generally, each Program Partner will:
1. Provide appropriate personnel to deliver agreed-to services at the Center according to the schedule determined in the attached scope of services. This may include workshops, classes, individual assessments, and guidance/counseling within their scope of expertise.
2. Share specified reporting data on clients served at the Center for program evaluation and donor reporting purposes on a monthly / quarterly basis.
3. Ensure that staff assigned to the Center commits to coordinate with other professionals at the Center to maximize the positive impact on the customers.
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United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia — Partner FormationSERVICE INTEGRATION
All personnel working at the Center function as a team with regard to customer service. Regular team meetings will be scheduled to ensure all professionals are aware of the services available at the Center. Trends observed will also be discussed, which will inform planning and scheduling of events at the Center.
TIMELINE
Program Partners are asked to commit resources through December, 2010.
Some staff training and coordination will be required the first week of October, 2009. Services are expected to be available to the community beginning October 16, 2009.
EVALUATION
It is expected that this collaboration will include ongoing communications with the spirit of continuous improvement. The Center will convene all program partners for a quarterly review of progress made in several areas:
• Effectiveness of outreach to the community • New customers served
• Results for customers • Customer satisfaction
• Effectiveness of inter-agency staff coordination
COMPENSATION
The Center does not charge a fee for use of its facilities. Partner organizations provide the services at the Center at no cost to the Center unless specified in the attached Scope of Services.
SCOPE OF SERVICES
Will include:
• What services will be provided, when (daily, weekly, monthly…), and at what cost (if any). • What staff person(s) will be designated to work from the Center