Page 35 - NatureStart Network

Try This When Building Institutional Buy-In FOR PRACTICE

“Because our CEO is on board, our team Develop an action plan. Include activities for your
knows we don’t have to wait for official own ongoing skill development as an early childhood
approval to try a new idea.” professional creating nature-based and play-based
learning experiences and environments. Include
“When Board members are invited and activities and programs that can be piloted within your
see the enthusiasm of our staff, volunteers, own organization. Whom will you involve from your
and participants, it spurs immediate Board organization? How and why? Whom will you involve
engagement.” from outside of your organization? How and why?
Include specific timelines and benchmarks. What will
“Our Board always wants to see a finished you accomplish in the next 3 months, next 6 months,
product, so always think of the next step and be next year? What steps will you take to make this
prepared to share that with Board members.” programming part of the institutional culture? What
steps will you take to sustain programs and partnerships
“We spend a lot of time and effort to educate over time?
parents, get materials for participating safely.
When families feel comfortable and confident
in you, they are more relaxed and willing to
move out of their comfort zone. If providing
rain hats and boots helps them feel better about
kids playing in puddles, we’ll find someone to
provide them!”

“Attitude is contagious. Challenge staff to try
something new. Assure them that failure is ok.
It may not always work the first time. Then,
share successes and lessons learned.”

CHAPTER RECAP AT-A-GLANCE
• To ensure that partnerships are capable of succeeding

over time, collaboration must be an institution-wide
priority.
• The power of partnerships is limitless. The whole
truly is greater than the sum of individual parts,
but partnerships are challenging. Staffing changes,
lean budgets, space limitations all work to thwart
collaboration. A steadfast focus on the young
learners served and a commitment to purpose help
partnerships thrive.
• Partnerships flourish when staff are empowered to
take risks and make mistakes, when ideas and best
practices are shared, and when board members are
invited to share in enthusiasm and engagement.

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