Join an EPIC Community Stakeholder Group

Posted by on March 25, 2005

Join an EPIC Community Stakeholder Group.

What are EPIC Community Stakeholder Groups?
Stakeholder groups consist of individuals who live in and/or utilize a community. They have a stake in what occurs and wish to become actively involved in the continued development of that community.

Who are EPIC community stakeholders?
Stakeholders may be members of the formal and informal networks of support that exist in every community. They include but are not limited to community residents, parents, school staff, family court, police, political leaders, community activists, storeowners, mental health providers, truancy workers and anyone else in the community who have a stake in the community.

How do stakeholder groups work?
There are ten stakeholder groups located throughout Philadelphia that are facilitated by truancy prevention provider agencies. The groups meet monthly and utilize a process called the “Equal Partnership In Change,” to develop and implement action plans that complement and enhance their assets and address their challenges utilizing school attendance as primary indicators of community well being. EPIC stakeholder groups nurture and mentor community residence to take a leadership role in their community. Each stakeholder group has the opportunity to receive community development funds, technical assistance and training to facilitate and support their groups in the development and implementation of action plans.

What do stakeholders do?
? Attend and support various community meetings and events
? Facilitate the development of pro-active relationships between the informal and formal support networks
? Develop grassroots leadership
? Actively advocate for school attendance
? Build partnerships between community residents, the family court, law enforcement and the school district
? Identify, organize, enhance and utilize community resources/assets.
? Identify and support the informal support network
? Develop programs that reduce and eradicate the challenges to school attendance
? Develop proposals for community development funds
? Attend trainings in team building, budget development and action planning

How can I become an EPIC community stakeholder?
To join a stakeholder group in your community, contact Shonda Allen at 215-683-4026, Michael Rice at 215-683-4027.

To read more and see a list of current groups, visit: http://dhs.phila.gov/intranet/pgintrahome_pub.nsf/content/66B01A7A36007A3085256DF300832882