Strengthening Communities Through Mentorship: The Big Brothers Big Sisters and Medical College of Wisconsin Partnership
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin is embarking on a transformative collaboration with Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC), supported by a substantial $239,000 grant. This initiative is designed to bolster youth mental health and expose young individuals to the possibilities of postsecondary education. The funding was secured through the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health’s Wisconsin Partnership Program, underpinning a three-year project titled "Learning and Inspiring Futures Together."
A Collaborative Vision for Youth Development
The partnership will integrate Big Brothers Big Sisters adult mentors and youth participants into CVTC's campus for hands-on, educational experiences. Travis Austad, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin, traces the partnership's origins to discussions with CVTC leadership, highlighting its evolution over an extended period. The grant acquisition process spanned nearly two years, involving a letter of intent, a comprehensive grant proposal, and a compelling project video.
"Through the process of elimination, we were one of a few selected organizations within the whole state of Wisconsin that received this grant,” Austad said.
The program is slated to launch within the initial year of the three-year grant cycle, with plans to extend its reach to additional counties served by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin, encompassing Eau Claire, Chippewa, Pierce, St. Croix, and Dunn counties.
“We're working on year one here in hopes of replicating in other areas throughout our service area,” he said.
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Integrating Mental Health and Education
Activities will primarily take place at CVTC in Eau Claire and are expected to begin mid-year or during the fall semester. While the exact structure is still being finalized, Austad said the program will likely offer opportunities about six times a year for participants to engage in hands-on activities planned in collaboration with CVTC programs.
Katie Steffes, Early Childhood Education program director and instructor at CVTC, said the Early Childhood Education program and the Foundations of Teacher Education program will help design activities for participating youth. Additionally, the Educators United student club will help facilitate lessons focused on social-emotional learning and mental health.
“They will be working on kind of facilitating and planning some lessons that are more based on social, emotional well-being and mental health,” Steffes said. “It's just a really important piece that we're going to be teaching these kids.”
The program is designed for youth ages 6 through 18, with activities adapted to different age groups. Steffes said the goal is to create experiences that are engaging for both the youth participants and their adult mentors.
“We will be making sure that it's differentiated for the age levels,” she said, “but we want to also make it really fun and make sure the learning applies to whatever is happening with our activity.”
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Addressing Health Disparities and Community Needs
The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is also actively involved in addressing health disparities through collaborative efforts. MCW is collaborating with the St. Ann Center Medical Clinic-Bucyrus Campus on plans to develop research programs on minorities and health disparities to benefit the community.
Lovett explains that a lack of access to healthy and unprocessed foods and poor exercise and diet are some of the main culprits. “The Medical College of Wisconsin has a very integrative approach in attacking different diseases,” Lovett says.
MCW's integrative approach and research focus align with the broader goals of improving health outcomes and addressing disparities within communities.
St. Ann Center: A Hub for Collaboration and Community Development
St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care stands as a testament to the power of collaboration and community-focused initiatives. The center was recognized in the category of Nonprofit Collaboration of the Year for the construction and opening of its new Bucyrus Campus.
“From the beginning, the goal of St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus has been to build the community from within,” said Sr. Edna Lonergan, OSF, president of St. Ann Center, talking about its collaboration with neighborhood residents, churches, government officials and other local nonprofits.
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The Bucyrus Campus opened to serve residents of specific ZIP codes, emphasizing its commitment to local communities.
Casey Rozanski, vice president of Fund Development and Marketing at St. Ann Center said, “We would like to thank all of the partners and collaborators who have helped to make St. Ann Center a success. This award is not only for St. Ann Center, but for all of our partners who are working together to make Milwaukee a better place.”
The Bucyrus Campus exemplifies a holistic approach to community development, integrating various services and programs to address diverse needs.
Key Partnerships and Initiatives at St. Ann Center's Bucyrus Campus
- Parklawn Assembly of God: Spearheading fundraising for a 350-seat band shell on the Bucyrus Campus.
- North Avenue/Fond du Lac Marketplace Business Improvement District 32 (BID 32): Collaborating with St. Ann Center.
- North Side Business Incubator: Hosting a business incubator to help jumpstart locally owned businesses.
- Buddy Program: An intergenerational community-service learning program engaging youth with seniors and adults with disabilities.
- Nehemiah Project Literacy Program: Providing tutoring for teens lacking basic literacy skills.
- ACTS Housing: Opened a new north side office at St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus in 2016 to better serve north side residents.
- Milwaukee Fatherhood Initiative: Partnering with St. Ann Center.
- Vision Forward Association: Providing services to people with visual impairments.
- Milwaukee Job Corps: Trainees have found full-time positions in St. Ann Center.
- One Hope Made Strong (OHMS): Providing young people with training and work ethic for employment in the trade industries.
- Legacy Redevelopment Corporation: Focused on housing and commercial real estate in Milwaukee’s inner city.
- Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Awarded a grant to St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus to start work on soil remediation.
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services (WDHS): Advised and financially supported the construction of a unique dental clinic at the Bucyrus Campus.
- Aurora Healthcare’s Better Together Fund: Awarded money needed to complete the St. Ann Center.
- Walnut Way Conservation Corp.: Provided landscaping services during Bucyrus Campus development.
- Victory Garden Initiative: Awarded St. Ann Center an orchard of fruit and nut trees.
- Milwaukee Water Commons: Working with St. Ann Center on water policy issues.
- Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin: Working with St. Ann Center to address food insecurity.
- Generations United: Collaborating on the planning of the biennial Global Intergenerational Conference.
- St. Matthew Christian Methodist Episcopal Church: Serving on an integration task force for St. Ann Center.
- Dominican Center for Women (DCW): Supported St. Ann Center.
- Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board (MAWIB): Helping St. Ann Center to recruit workers.
- Seaway Bank and Trust Company: Helping minority professionals and entrepreneurs obtain financial assistance.
- Next Door Foundation: Collaborates with St. Ann Center by providing both Head Start and Early Head Start programs to a capacity of 140 children.
- SER Jobs for Progress: Clients volunteer in the Bucyrus Campus adult day care program, as a first step to employment.
- Social Development Commission (SDC): Companions provide friendship and one-on-one attention to Adult Day Care clients at the Bucyrus Campus.
- Bader Philanthropies and Zilber Foundation: Collaborated with St. Ann Center and the Zilber Foundation to host Generations United Executive Director Donna Butts as an expert speaker.
- Bucyrus Campus Board of Directors: Includes representatives from the Bucyrus Campus area who share St. Ann Center’s vision.
- LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation): St. Ann Center is also working with LISC.
These collaborations demonstrate the comprehensive and integrated approach that St. Ann Center takes to address community needs and foster development.
Addressing Mental Health and Well-being in the Chippewa Valley
Multiple organizations in the Chippewa Valley are dedicated to addressing mental health and well-being through various programs and initiatives.
Key Programs and Initiatives in the Chippewa Valley
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin: Offers 1-to-1 Youth Mentoring, focusing on long and sustaining relationships to impact children positively.
- Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley: Provides advanced mental health care for uninsured, low-income individuals through the Triple Play program.
- Family Support Center: Runs a Domestic Violence Program to promote the well-being and safety of adult and youth survivors.
- Girl Scouts: The Girl Scout Leadership Experience empowers girls to lead with confidence and purpose through hands-on activities.
- Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan: Offers Contingency Management, a supportive behavioral intervention that uses evidence-based techniques to help individuals change harmful behaviors and advance toward recovery.
- Chippewa Valley Free Clinic: Provides comprehensive health care, including mental health services, to impoverished and low-income families.
- Roundtable Revival: Supports formerly incarcerated individuals through a Mentoring Program, providing guidance and encouragement as they transition back into their communities.
- YMCA of the Chippewa Valley: Administers the YMCA Healthy Living Program, addressing the community’s mental and physical health needs through various sub-programs.
- Eau Claire City-County Health Department (ECCCHD): Implements the Western Wisconsin Nurse-Family Partnership Consortium, providing home-visiting services to low-income pregnant mothers.
- Family Support Center: Runs the River Source Family Center Program, promoting health, development, and parenting knowledge for families with young children.
- Chippewa Valley Technical College Foundation: Offers the United Way Microgrant Program, supporting students in locally in-demand degree programs at CVTC.
- Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Northwest Region: Provides financial literacy and work and career readiness education, engaging at-risk young people in the construction of a new house.
- Agnes Table and Community Center: Addresses hunger and food insecurity with dignity and compassion, providing nutritious meals and advocacy.
- Bolton Refuge House, Inc: Offers Crisis Intervention Services, providing confidential personal advocacy and emergency shelter to victims in need.
- Hope Gospel Mission: Provides programs to help the homeless, offering holistic guidance and training in every area of life.
- Hope Village - Tiny Housing Alternatives Inc: Runs the Tiny House Shelter Program, providing temporary housing and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
- L.E. Phillips Career Development Center: Operates the Chippewa Outreach Office, assessing the needs of individuals facing homelessness and helping to meet their basic needs.
- Valley Vineyard Family Services Food Pantry: Offers essential food assistance to individuals and families facing food insecurity in the Chippewa Valley.
These programs collectively work to address various aspects of mental health, well-being, and support for individuals and families in the Chippewa Valley.
Additional Initiatives and Programs
- Roots and Wings Restorative Resilience Initiative: Led by Mental Health America, this project aims to strengthen emotional wellness, peer connection, and resilience among middle school students. Courtney Barry, PsyD, associate professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, serves as the academic partner.
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