Response Guidelines

Read the posts of the other learners and respond to the initial post of at least one. Explore additional considerations for pursuing program sustainability. Support your recommendations with references to at least two additional resources.

Student post down below:

Those in the field of human services desire to help the community around them and perhaps beyond. It all starts with a spark of an idea that gets crafted into an organization. The crafting process takes some creativity and plans for sustainability. Sustainability for a human services organization is their well thought out plan to keep their doors open and continue to grow as an organization. The call for action inspired by Riverbend City is to create programming for youth who have dropped out of high school and/ or for youth who are on the verge of dropping out. Each school year, these students need support and hope that they can aspire to be high school graduates and for that reason alone, my human services organization needs tools that are effective to keep our doors open for business. As Program Director, I must consider benefits, institutionalization, and development when crafting my plan for sustainability. The program related advantages or benefits are what will make the program attractive to my stakeholders which will attract more clients and funding. Throughout the course of the program, I can make program evaluations and provide questionnaires to the clients and community to help with development. The feedback can aide in modifying the program to implement any necessary changes. Also from the feedback I will know what parts of the program are a success and apply institutionalization- a continuation of original program processes and structures. All three considerations will only strengthen the program and ensure that we are able to provide service to our community for years to come.