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COMPASS NOW
COMPASS is a Needs Assessment / Community Building resource of Great Rivers United Way
COMPASS is "People helping people navigate toward better communities"
The Vision of COMPASS is COLLABORATION
The Purpose of COMPASS is to identify community strengths and priority issues that help guide and mobalize action to improve life in the communities in Houston, La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon Counties.
"The 2008 Community COMPASS NOW" Report is a report from the COMPASS Partnership for the Counties of Houston, Minnesota; La Crosse, Monroe, Trempealeau and Vernon, Wisconsin. The report is a "Snapshot" of LIFE in the Great Rivers Region, highlighting community strengths and challenges, and includes a summary of leading indicators for excellence in six key areas. To learn more or to download your free copy, click here.
Click here for:
County Reports for:
Vernon County WI
Thank you to the COMPASS 3 Partnership and COMPASS Donors, we couldn't have done it without you!
- If you would like to view the power point presentation from Saturday, January 12th, click here.
Overview of COMPASS 1.0 and 2.0
COMPASS
In 1994, the United Way of the La Crosse Area decided it wanted to be more than a distributor of resources – it wanted to “Be a catalyst for awareness, assessment and resolution of community health and human services needs.”
The following year, in working to reach that goal, a needs assessment study was conducted in seven area counties that included a household telephone survey and a mail survey of “key informants”– government officials, health care and social services professionals, business people and other community leaders. Followed by focus groups, COMPASS identified these general problem areas.
- Youth at risk, including teen pregnancy, child abuse, youth crime and shortage of facilities and programs.
- Substance abuse (drugs and alcohol)
- Domestic violence, with related issues of unemployment, housing, medical care, alcohol, drugs and poverty.
COMPASS fundamentally changed the way the United Way of the La Crosse Area allocated its resources toward programs with goals and outcomes in alignment with the three priority areas. In addition, many community organizations used the needs assessment study findings to reshape their own priorities and document funding requests.
COMPASS 2.0
Communities change in population, in their needs and strengths, challenges and assets. In order to continue in its role as a community problem solver, the United Way of the La Crosse area felt a need to update its needs assessment data.
- Compass 2.0 included the formation of working action committees for each of the priority community need areas and the development of community goals to address each of these. These committees continue to meet and coordinate activities to address the priority areas.
- A goal during the remainder of 2004 will be to revitalize committee membership and leadership
- During 2003 the Compass Steering Committee has proposed a Community Infrastructure Model designed to provide a supportive framework for sustaining and enhancing the communities efforts to successfully address Youth and Families-at-Risk, Substance Abuse, Financial Challenges and Diversity long term
- This model includes the development and coordination of several key components; Funding, Volunteers, Experts and Public/Private Partnership
- Work teams will be recruited and asked to build each of these components during 2004 for implementation in 2005
- Co-Chairs have been recruited for 3 or the 4 component areas to date. Expect to finalize recruitment for remaining area by end of April
- Rather than move to implementation of Compass 3.0, the steering committee proposes the implementation of Community Readiness Surveys for each of the priority areas to determine the levels of community and agency readiness to successfully address these issues. Knowing this information will prioritize the allocation of community resources and the timing of interventions.
- This work will require funds from the community and the United Way
- Professors Joe Heim and Matt Taylor have agreed to assist us with this work
Compass 2.0 Report
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Because of your Great Rivers United Way investment, Marquis is able to have a Big Brother.
To learn more about Marquis's Story Click here!.
United Way's Business of the Week is: La Crosse Fire Department
CAMPAIGN COORDINATORS CLICK HERE NOW FOR CAMPAIGN SUPPLIES
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