Brooklyn Community Services MEDIA KIT 285 Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 | 718.310.5600 | WeAreBCS.org BROOKLYN COMMUNITY SERVICES Strategic Plan 2014-2017 WeAreBCS.org LOOKING TOWARD 2017 Joining together to strengthen and empower those who live in poverty has defined the work of Brooklyn Community Services (BCS) since 1866. It was after the civil war when concerned residents first came together to address the poverty and suffering of their Brooklyn neighbors. Now for nearly 150 years, BCS has remained committed to serving those whose needs are the most complex in Brooklyn. Today 25% of Brooklyn’s residents still live below the poverty line. Through our unique and comprehensive programs, we strive to address the individual needs and goals of over 13,000 clients each year. Our program locations span diverse communities from Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene, through all of Central Brooklyn to East New York, and most recently to the borough’s southern-most reaches in Coney Island. Our services reach children, youth, families and adults from every zip code in Brooklyn. 1 OUR VISION BCS envisions ONE Brooklyn Community, where all members of our community can access an excellent education, job opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and quality and affordable health care and wellness programs. OUR MISSION BCS celebrates the strength of the human spirit. Our mission is to empower at- risk children, youth and families, and adults with mental illness or developmental disabilities to overcome the obstacles they face, as we strive to ensure opportunity for all to learn, grow and contribute to ONE Brooklyn Community. To achieve this mission, we offer comprehensive and holistic services, including - Early childhood education - Youth development services, a transfer high school program and educationally-rich after-school programs - Counseling for at-risk families - Treatment, recovery and job training programs to support the life goals of adults living with mental illness - Person-centered rehabilitation and community living supports for adults with developmental disabilities - Disaster recovery case management and relief services. BCS seeks to increase public awareness of the impacts of poverty on individuals and the community at-large. In concert with our consumers and the neighborhoods we serve, we advocate their cause toward our shared vision of ONE Brooklyn Community. 3 ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY BCS WILL pursue new and innovative service models and will deepen our roots in Brooklyn communities. BCS WILL conduct grassroots outreach efforts and seek community partners, to bring greater attention to the ongoing impact of poverty in Brooklyn. BCS WILL create new ways to involve more of our neighbors in our effort to ensure opportunity for children, young people, families and adults to learn, grow and contribute ONE Brooklyn Community. BCS WILL invest in BCS itself, to improve our financial and operational strength, and to reach even greater success in our performance. OUR CORE VALUES COMPASSION EXCELLENCE Our compassion and belief in the strength We strive to deliver innovative services of the human spirit lie at the core of of the highest quality. We join with everything we do. We believe everyone consumers to continuously evaluate the has the right to a life of dignity and has results of our work, and to identify more the ability to contribute productively effective ways to meet their needs and to society. those of the community. DIVERSITY INTEGRITY We reflect the richness of Brooklyn and We hold ourselves to the highest embrace its diverse people, culture and professional and ethical standards. We neighborhoods. We seek equitable access use resources wisely, we learn from our for all to share in the resources and tools mistakes, and we are transparent with that promote success in life. our supporters, consumers, communities and the public. EMPOWERMENT We strengthen our consumers to overcome their challenges and reach their life goals. We believe our collective strengths can help make Brooklyn a place where everyone can thrive. 5 2014–2017 STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS GOAL 1: WE WILL DEVELOP AND PILOT NEW GOAL 2: WE WILL POSITION BCS AS A KEY SERVICE-DELIVERY MODELS. “HOMETOWN” RESOURCE AND PARTNER WITH BROOKLYN COMMUNITIES. Innovative Approaches to Meet the Needs of Core Constituencies for our Programs Leverage Our 150th Anniversary Milestone We will enhance our comprehensive services In 1866 our founders saw injured Civil War model. By providing holistic, evidence-driven veterans and homeless young orphans, and were services, we will sustain strong and resilient moved to action against these injustices. We are families. We’ll promote school-readiness by proud that for 150 years our dedicated staff and offering children – from infancy through high supporters have joined in common purpose with school and into young adulthood – stimulating our resilient clients and consumers, to continue curricula and student-centered supportive services to build a just, compassionate and sustainable to foster educational success. In consultation with ONE Brooklyn Community. As we approach 2016, our consumers living with mental illness and we will leverage our 150th Anniversary celebration physical and developmental disabilities, we will to attract targeted investments in our programs strengthen and emphasize person-centered and multi-service facilities. supportive programming that is rooted in Increase Our Reach and the Effectiveness integrated, community-based service models. of Our Marketing With the ongoing transition to managed care, We will reenergize and redouble our effort we will educate ourselves and our consumers to to promote a greater public awareness and increase their ability to access effective and understanding of the lives of the thousands of compassionate care. children, youth, families and adults who live in Deepen and Unify Services in poverty within our ONE Brooklyn Community. Targeted Communities We will promote BCS as a leader in high-quality, We will reinforce our connections and roots innovative and effective services that provide in neighborhoods like Coney Island, East individuals and families the tools they need for self- New York and Central Brooklyn for which the sufficiency and support their efforts to overcome challenges of entrenched poverty are the greatest. the devastating impacts of poverty. We will build Collaborating with community residents and and strengthen partnerships with businesses and partner organizations, we will develop a more community organizations to support enhanced and comprehensive understanding of the needs and expanded programs, particularly those to educate aspirations of all stakeholders. We will develop and train Brooklyn’s future workforce. new programs and enhance our existing array of services, to increase opportunities for all of the children, youth, families and adults we serve, and with the goal of establishing multi-service centers in our target communities, to meet the full range of community needs. 7 GOAL 3: WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD A HIGH- PERFORMING AND FINANCIALLY SOUND ORGANIZATION. Enhance Capacity for Performance Management and Outcome Measurement We are committed to infuse evidence-driven practice models throughout our work. We will build our internal capacity for program evaluation and analysis, and will partner with outside research providers to further enhance our ability to measure our impact. We will upgrade our technology platform and we will provide training to ensure that our staff can effectively employ program data to improve our services. Improve Financial Sustainability We will leverage our major assets, particularly our headquarters, to secure our long-term stability and capacity for growth. We will preserve our roots in Downtown Brooklyn, while also ensuring that the value of our capital assets can better serve our mission and help to support sustainable growth. With an active and energized Board, supported by a strong staff team, we will look to secure new and increased investments to strengthen and enhance our programs. We will also continue to improve our real-time financial management capacity. Invest in Internal Operations, Human Capital and Infrastructure We will engage our dedicated BCS staff and organizational leadership at all levels, by fostering strong and effective internal communication and collaboration. We will build a culture of career-long learning, with opportunity for professional development. We will also reinforce our commitment to personal and organizational accountability. We will develop a well-managed, modern and efficient physical infrastructure for all of our programs, and will invest in improvements to ensure that our community- VISION: BCS IN 2017 based locations meet the needs of clients and staff. Today, as we chart our course for the next four years, we’re resolved to build an even broader commitment to this cause, as we bring more of our neighbors together to create opportunities for all to succeed in this place we all love so much. We will deepen our understanding of the challenge of poverty, and we’ll challenge ourselves to find innovative and effective tools to remedy its impacts. To do that, we will draw upon our community’s most valuable and inspiring asset – the creative energy and hard work of the people of Brooklyn, and of people throughout the world who look to Brooklyn as a symbol of all that is possible in a world of dynamic change. We hope this plan gives you a greater understanding of BCS, our historic achievements,