Industry leaders share how partnerships and collaborations help diversify services in their community.
In 2015, five New Jersey YMCAs piloted a grassroots community mental health initiative. The program was designed to bring organizations and individuals together to educate the community and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
Tracy Crane, the associate executive director of Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, said her Y first realized they would be stronger by partnering with other Ys in the initiative since many of their resources and communities overlapped. The following year, the Ys began combining forces and subsequently launched the Here2Help Mental Health Coalition as partners.
“Our mission is to improve community awareness and understanding of mental health issues through education, basic skills, training and resource information, and to help break down barriers that prevent people from seeking care,” said Crane. “Currently, 30 individuals from school officials to township representatives, to psychologists and concerned neighbors are working together to support our communities.”
The coalition is just one showcase of how partnerships and collaborations can be extremely beneficial. In fact, a Stanford study reported employees working in a collaborative setting are 50% more effective at completing tasks than in a highly individualized one.
But for the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, Crane said the immediate benefits of the Here2Help Mental Health Coalition belong to the community at large.
“We have found simply sharing resources has been a huge help to local organizations and community members who don’t know where to look otherwise,” said Crane. “One of the most important aspects of this partnership is the organizations directly involved know what services and support other entities in the mental health space are providing.”
Specifically, Crane said Here2Help opened the doors for free educational workshops, access to training like Mental Health First Aid, participation in mental health fairs in communities and schools, a growing list of resources, and more. She said the surrounding area has been very supportive of the coalition since its creation.
“The school districts have connected with our local crisis call center on education around suicide awareness and prevention,” said Crane. “The town of Westfield, New Jersey, launched a mental health council and sought resources through Here2Help. These partnerships have helped us on our journey to normalize the conversations around mental health and help people know where to get the help they need.”
Collaborations with other entities can also lead to physical changes for community rec centers. This is exemplified by the Bender JCC of Greater Washington’s new Paul S. Berger Sportsplex.
The three-season sports and recreation pavilion is fully accessible by people of all abilities. It positions the Bender JCC as a premier athletic venue in the community for recreation, sports, wellness and summer camp programming.
Josh Bender, the chief executive officer of the Bender JCC, said the development was made possible partially due to the JCC partnering with the Potomac Soccer Association (PSA) who invested in the creation of the pavilion. The Sportsplex is being built by A.R. Marani, a construction company based in Baltimore, Maryland.
The JCC and PSA formed a five-year partnership. As such, the PSA will now host games and practices at the Sportsplex and will contribute its competitive club-centric model, year-round curriculum and holistic approach to player development.
“They came to us and were very interested in thinking through how they could partner with us in various ways such as activities, social projects, etc.,” said Bender. “Around 20% of our population of campers have disabilities. We are always looking at how we can enhance our facility and design it toward an eye to universal design. Inclusion was the focus of this project. We invested in the staff and resources to say yes.”
Bender said the JCC began leaning more into partnerships after the hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. The success of those collaborations helped Bender and his team better understand the role the JCC plays in the community and the potential of creating long-term partnerships due to similar organizational values.
“For us, it’s about leveraging those partners who will help deepen your mission through their engagement,” said Bender. “The PSA’s executive director said to me their goal was to create good human beings through soccer, and that was our goal as well. Players and their families can now find new connections to our JCC thanks to this partnership. Everything truly came together for this beautiful development.”
Finding an entity whose mission and values line up with your organization is essential to a successful partnership. This is why the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA’s relationship with Atlantic Health System, a nonprofit healthcare network based in New Jersey, continues to be beneficial.
Crane said the partnership resulted in grant funding to further the work of the Y’s LIVESTRONG program and led to the creation of the MD on Call initiative.
“Our partnership with Atlantic Health System helps our members, the community and physicians,” said Crane. “When a patient has completed cancer treatment, they need guidance on how to stay healthy. Doctors and nurses know this and understand how LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is filling the post-treatment gap. The MD on Call doctors who come to the Y educate members on health topics, provide our members with an opportunity to ask medical questions and discuss any personal health concerns in a relaxed, informal environment.”
Before beginning a partnership, Crane advised to keep an open mind and to think beyond the specific cause at hand which could lead to new, unforeseen opportunities. “Come together in person to experience the work your partners are doing,” she said. “Invite them to visit you and your programs to better understand the greater impact we can have by working together.”
While not all partnerships and collaborations will be without complications, it’s the increased, positive impact as seen at the Bender JCC and the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA that can help create a stronger community.
