Action Planning Workshop(s):

An Example Outline Using Two Half-Day Working Sessions

Overall Process: An effective action planning session allows a diverse group of participants to:

• Clarify common purpose-Through listening, gathering and reviewing data, and building a shared vision and mission.
• Generate and critique options-Through consideration of risk and protective factors, broad and specific strategies, and the community's framework for action, it identifies particular changes in communities and systems (i.e., new or modified programs, policies, and practices) to be sought to achieve the mission.
• Obtain consensus about community and systems changes to be sought-Through ballot voting about the importance and feasibility of proposed changes, or by having participants use "dots" to register preferences for changes to be sought.
• Decide how to proceed as a group-Through open discussion, the group identifies action steps (i.e., who will do what by when) to bring about the identified changes.

Background Work Before the Session/Workshop:

• Read Chapter 8: Developing a Strategic Plan to ensure those developing the workshop have a good understanding of the VMOSA process.
• Hold listening sessions with a variety of people including those most affected.
• Document the issues or problems, including data on the challenges of the issue your organization is facing.

Session/Day One (1/2 Day)

8:30:Continental Breakfast
9:00:Welcome and Introductions
9:20:Overview of the Action Planning Process
9:30: VMOSA... What is VMOSA ( Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies, Action Plans)?
9:45:Vision: Promoting Neighborhood Development: Creating your own community's vision
10:15: Mission: What are we trying to accomplish and why?: Stating your mission.
10:45:Objectives: How much of what will we accomplish by when? Creating your objectives.
11:15: Strategies: How will we get there: Identifying a set of broad and specific strategies.
12:15: Questions/ Wrap Up: Group Summarizes Accomplishments of Session/Day One
12:30: Adjourn

Product of Session/Day One: A new (or renewed) statement of the group's Vision, Mission, Objectives, and Strategies. (These may require review or approval by a broader group.)

Day/Session Two (1/2 Day)

9:00:Review of Session/Day One and Overview of Session/Day Two
9:15:Identifying Targets and Agents of Changes: Who should benefit? Who can contribute?
9:30: Identifying Community and Systems Changes: By Strategy (work in small groups of 6-8 organized by strategy)
10:15: Small Group Reports
10:45: Identifying Community and Systems Changes: By Sector (work in small groups of 6-8 organized by sector)
11:15: Small Group Reports
11:45: Building consensus on community and systems changes to be sought (e.g., using dots, voting)
12:15: Next Steps:

• Building Consensus/Seeking Approval from the larger group (if appropriate)
• Identifying Action Steps for each change to be sought (who will do what by when)
• Plan for Documenting Progress and Promoting Celebration and Renewal

12:45:Questions/ Wrap Up: Group Summarizes Accomplishments of Session/Day Two
1:00: Adjourn

Product of Session/Day Two: A set of community and systems changes (i.e., new or modified programs, policies and practices to be sought in each relevant sector of the community (e.g., Community Organizations, Faith Communities, Government)).

Source: University of Kansas, Community Tool Box