The 3 founding partners are:
Together our aim is to:
The Collaborative is a network of networks
What makes networks unique and powerful?
● Less structured and more fluid than traditional organizations
● Members contribute their time and expertise in different ways and at different times
● Members contribute to the network and benefit from the connections (people, resources, other networks, etc) they encounter during their involvement.
2004: AKE – received initial funding to build network
2005: SHRTN – negotiated funding and officially launched
2005: AKE – launched Resource Centre and Knowledge Brokering services
2005: SHRTN – initiated Library services, 7 Communities of Practice
2006: SHRTN – hosted First Annual Assembly with AKE and started Knowledge Brokering services
2007: AKE – kicked-off Knowledge Dissemination Series
2007: ORC – held first Steering Committee Meeting
2008: ORC – funded 5 Early Researchers and started first collaborative research initiative
2009: ORC – supported 15 Early Researchers, 3 Senior Researchers and 3 Collaborative initiatives
2010: 3 Partners: hosted Annual Assembly
2010 and 2011: 3 Partners – facilitated strategic planning process
To access the full history, please click HERE
Current SHRTN Collaborative Board has representatives from key stakeholder groups. The Executive Team (a working group of the Board) includes representatives from all 3 partner networks.
Funding comes from the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care. Securing stable funding is one of the Collaborative’s challenges.
Evaluations of the Collaborative’s activities, impacts and member experiences are regularly conducted by evaluation specialists.
The members of this collaborative are passionate about positively influencing seniors health at all levels – research, care, aging well strategies, education and policy. The need for health system change, informed by evidence and lived experience, will continue to expand. The collaborative partners have individually and jointly contributed to building communities, promoting research and advancing knowledge exchange. Now is it is time for us to get clear about our future direction and answer important questions such as: How can make the best use of resources? What services are most helpful to our members in all sectors of the system?
Measuring the impact of the network
The strategic conversations meeting on July 7 was an opportunity to build on previous conversations and start to create a common vision.
Overall approach
We will continue to improve the network by focusing our efforts on the following six building blocks:
● Connections
● Leadership
● Innovation
● Collaborative leverage
● Supportive infrastructure
● Better practices (for networks, care and policy)
The outcomes of the collaborative strategic planning process will be:
● A framework to guide decision making about strategic and operational planning
● New name
● One-page strategic plan – vision, mission, values, strategic directions, success measures
● Operational plan – priorities, action plans, budgets, governance structure, staffing model, etc. Please click HERE
Catherine Brookman and Josie D’Avernas, SHRTN Collaborative Co-Chairs, described the objectives:
● Continue conversations about the strategy and move to decisions on strategic plan
● Provide feedback into foundational documents developed to guide the strategic planning process
● Share ideas that will be used to create common vision, mission, values and strategic directions.
Process & Outcomes
At the workshop questions about the Collaborative and the strategic planning process were generated. The SHRTN Collaborative team is working on answers to these questions as these will be posted on the website once completed.
Framework for Effective *"Partnerships":http://beta.shrtn.on.ca/resources/437
● The facilitator and planning group created this framework to guide strategic planning and decision -making. It is a compilation of conversations held 209 – 2011 in preparation for the strategic planning process.
● Based on feedback from workshop participants wording was simplified and clarified.
Planning the Structure
● Over that past 24 months numerous questions about how the partner networks will collaborate
● The additional questions suggested by workshop participants were added to the document.
Input into Strategic Plan Elements
● During the afternoon, participants engaged in a series of interactive sessions to gather their creative ideas about vision, mission and values.
● The facilitator used this input to create the options that will appear in the strategic planning survey.
Evaluation & Feedback
Workshop participants said that it was very helpful to learn more about the history of the SHRTN Collaborative’s founding partners; and the interactive exercises were both fun and productive.
Aug 26/11 Distribution of information to stakeholders to update and inform of opportunities of input
Aug 26 – Sep 22/11 Survey to gather input on vision, mission, values and name through survey
Sep – Nov/11 Consultation with SHRTN Collaborative Board, AKE Steering Committee and ORC Steering Committee
Nov 22/11 Strategic Planning Session as part of Annual Assembly
Jan 2012 Finalize strategic plan and begin operational planning