Activity 2-5: Everyone Contributes to the Mission

Purpose:Participants will work individually and as a group to identify their roles in achieving the program's mission. They will also describe the parts of a Head Start organizational system so they can gain a comprehensive perspective of service delivery.

Materials:
Handout 14: Social Systems Model of a Head Start Program (Note:

(Handout 14 can also be used as a transparency).

Clear tape

White foam board/chart paper, X-acto knife/scissors

Large marker

Large children's puzzle (approximately 11 x 17 inches) that contains approximately the same number of pieces as the number of participants that will be used to make a puzzle

Sets of colored markers

Copy of the program mission statement (If the program does not have one, use the Head Start Mission Statement in Handout 13: Head Start Mission Statement.)

Trainer Preparation Notes:

To prepare the program puzzle, follow these steps:

Place the children's puzzle on the foam board. Trace the outside border of the puzzle on one side of the foam board. Cut out the shape of the border and discard the excess foam board. (An X-acto knife works best.) Using a thick marker, write the program mission in the center of the foam board shape. Turn the foam board over. Take each piece from the puzzle, place it on the foam board, and trace around it. After all the pieces have been traced, cut the foam board puzzle apart. (Construct two puzzles if more than twenty participants are attending the workshop. Alternatives: The puzzle can also be traced on pages of chart paper that have been taped together to form one large sheet. This activity can also be completed using a pie created from a paper plate or a circle cut out from a large piece of paper. Cut the pie into several triangular slices and have each participant write his or her job task on one slice of the pie. Put the pieces back together so participants will see how all the job tasks complete the pie. You can further explain that no matter how you slice the pie, each individual's section or job task is critical for the whole pie to have value. The mission of a program can be completed only when all program areas and all members are contributing to the program, each filling a space or a specific responsibility in serving children and families. Again, the mission can be written on the other side of the pie so members can see how all job tasks contribute to the mission.

Introduce Activity

1. Begin this activity by saying that people often have difficulty recognizing the contributions of their work. They view their days as going to work, getting their jobs done, and going home. However, they play a much larger role. Ask the following question:

What are the most important job tasks that you perform each day?

Distribute Puzzle Pieces

2. Distribute the puzzle pieces and ask each participant to write one key job task on his or her puzzle piece. When all participants are finished, tell them to gather, around a table and use their pieces to assemble the puzzle.

After the puzzle has been built, have the participants tape the pieces together where they interlock. If there are not enough puzzle pieces for each person, have participants share pieces by writing more than one job task on one puzzle piece.

Read the Puzzle

3. When the puzzle is assembled, ask each participant to read his or her job task. Instruct participants to turn the puzzle over and read the other side—the mission statement for the program. Ask the following questions:

• How does each job task affect the total mission?

• What would happen if we eliminated any of the puzzle pieces?

Emphasize that the mission, or puzzle, is not complete and is ineffective without the contributions of everyone. It holds together only when everyone works together as a part of the process or system.

Trainer Preparation Notes:

The purpose of Steps 4 and 5 is to compare the way a group operates (Step 4) with the way an organizational system (Head Start program) operates (Step 5).

Discuss Puzzle Activity

4.Ask participants what they did to complete the puzzle. Discuss the following questions:

• What was the purpose of the group assignment? Was it clear?

• Did someone take a leadership role? What other roles were fulfilled?

• What steps (processes) did you follow to complete the puzzle?

• How did individuals assume different roles (structure)? How was the work divided?

Explain Social Systems Concept

5. Ask participants to consider the big picture of a Head Start program. Explain that they will consider all the interrelated parts that are involved in operating the program.

Distribute Handout 14: Social Systems Model of a Head Start Program. Explain the basic concepts of a dynamic social system, using the handout and background information. Emphasize the following points:

• The way you worked as a group can be compared to the way an organization works.

• All parts work together as a whole or as a system to accomplish the group mission.
  
  
• A dynamic social system is a group of interdependent parts. Effective organizations work in parts.
  
  
• The circles in Handout 14 represent the parts of an organizational system. The name of each part is written in bold.
  
  
• Examples of each part are also written on each circle.
  
  
• Referring to the Background Information, give an example from your program to explain each circle on Handout 14. Emphasize that by using this framework, participants can focus on how their individual tasks are involved in achieving the purpose of Head Start. Lead a discussion to help participants relate their contributions to achieving the program's mission (purpose). Ask them the following questions about each specific circle on Handout 14:
  

--Purpose (program's mission and goals). What is your program's mission? What roles do you play in achieving it?

--Structure (how work is divided).How do your roles and responsibilities contribute to achieving the mission? How do you develop new skills and competencies?

--External environment(Head Start regional office and community organizations). With whom do you communicate in your external environment? How do these contacts contribute to achieving the mission?

--Leadership(Head Start director, executive director, policy council, board of directors, and management team). What roles do your leaders have in achieving the mission? How do they help you perform your jobs?

--Processes(steps followed to do the work). What steps do you follow to do your work? Do you collaborate with others to do your work?

--Culture(shared values, organizational climate, and environment). What are the core values of this program? How do you support everyone's unique developmental, ethnic, and linguistic experiences and heritage?

--People(all staff members, children, parents, and volunteers). How do you support relationships with people in your program? Why must everyone work together to achieve the mission?

Summarize

6. Conclude by asking the following questions to emphasize the key concepts in systems theory:

• How does a systems approach affect your work with families and each other?

• What are the most important skills needed by everyone working in the program?

  
  Emphasize the following points:
  
  

• Everyone's efforts and contributions are important to the whole picture and in achieving the program's mission.

  
  

• For the entire system to operate and meet ongoing challenges, all parts must work together to produce a quality effort.

  
  

• Examining the roles and responsibilities of each member of the program allows everyone to see the interrelationships among staff, parents, the executive director, the director, and the governing bodies.

  
  

• Understanding how the program operates shows how problems are interconnected. Problems cannot be solved and improvements cannot be made if solutions are created in a vacuum. Everyone must be included to work on the solutions.

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