February 16 (today!) marks my official one year work anniversary at Innovate Springfield. It has been an amazing year filled with tremendous challenges and opportunities. Starting something from the ground up needs vision, commitment, and passion from everyone involved. I have been so fortunate to have a team of staff, iSPI members, volunteers, and engaged community leaders dedicated to the success of this organization. It has made this year incredibly rewarding!

We are working on a few exciting initiatives launching in May and I can't wait to tell you more about them - next newsletter, I promise! For now, make sure to check out all of the great activities happening at iSPI.

We are accepting applications for the new class of Sangamon CEO students until March 15. If you know a High School Junior in Sangamon County who you think would be a good fit for the program, please encourage them to apply!

Katie Davison

Innovate Springfield Executive Director

Announcements

Innovate Springfield featured in Chamber Gala Video

The Greater Chamber of Commerce hosted its 148th Annual Gala on February 3rd, and Innovate Springfield was honored to be featured in their gala video.  Check it out below!

Sangamon CEO & iSPI Social Innovation partner for 

Mentor Mondays

Beginning in February, the Sangamon CEO students and their mentors will participate in Mentor Mondays here at Innovate Springfield.  This once-monthly session will provide opportunities to participate in trainings and activities that support the program’s mentors, mentees, and the development of their mentoring relationship.  The sessions are designed through a collaboration between the Sangamon CEO instructors and Innovate Springfield’s Social Innovation Program, which is working through “Sangamon Success” to support youth mentoring programs throughout Sangamon County in using research-informed practices like those recommended by the National Mentoring Partnership.  Innovate Springfield is excited to align Sangamon CEO’s mentoring component with our Social Innovation work and provide evidence-informed training, monitoring, and support for the CEO program’s mentors and mentees.

Do you know about or volunteer for a great mentoring program in Sangamon County?  We want to hear about it!  Email mentoring program info to nadia@innovatespringfield.org or leave us a comment on Facebook.

Events at iSPI

February Workshop 2: Feasibility, Viability, and Feedback Loops

Thursday, February 23rd, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

March Workshop: Business Models

Thursday, March 9th, 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

Forefront Workshop: Building a Great Board

Wednesday, February 22nd, 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Building a Great Board explains the strategies to make a good (or underperforming) board a great board. The course outlines how to recruit, train and engage new board members into the life of your organization. It explains how to use policies and procedures to strengthen the governance structure of the organization. The interface between the board and the chief executive is clarified so agency business is executed in a healthy and efficient manner.

Visit the Forefront website to learn more and to register.

Feature Articles

2 Ways You Can Help Sangamon County Become a Certified

'Work Ready Community'

Nadia Gronkowski

iSPI Social Innovation Program Coordinator

The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce -- one of Innovate Springfield’s Social Innovation partners through the Continuum of Learning and “Sangamon Success” -- is working to certify Sangamon County as the first "Work Ready Community" in Illinois. In a Work Ready community, emerging (i.e. high schoolers), unemployed, and currently employed individuals are encouraged to take a series of tests to obtain a National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC). Their score (bronze, silver, gold, or platinum) on the online tests administered in Springfield by Lincoln Land Community College reflects their readiness to demonstrate common workplace skills, including applied math, reading for information, and locating information. In a Work Ready Community, employers pledge to recognize the National Career Readiness Certificate when a job-seeker presents it.

To summarize: CERTIFIED JOB-SEEKERS + EMPLOYERS WHO RECOGNIZE THEIR CERTIFICATION = WIN-WIN-WIN. Job-seekers have a credential that reflects marketable and in-demand skills, employers see a score for job candidates that is a quality predictor of workplace readiness, and Sangamon County demonstrates its commitment to workforce development. Continue reading to learn how you can help make it happen.

For more information on the Work Ready Communities initiative or the National Career Readiness Certificate, please contact Sarah Graham (SGraham@GSCC.org) at the Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce.  

Member News