OK before you read and say “what?” Really, I did start writing this when it was cold and it actually snowed. I guess winter is over but still hope you enjoy.

We have been lucky here in the mid-west to have had warm almost spring days pop-up throughout winter and snow coming late in the season. Winter may have been late, but he always comes.

So, winter is here after spring teasing us with warm days scattered throughout December and January. You know those days if you’ve lived in the mid-west – the kind when there is at least one crazy guy (or in this case a whole city) that’s wearing a T-Shirt and shorts even though it is still only 45 degrees out. Warm, sunny days in the middle of winter sometimes make people do crazy things.

Supported by the MacArthur Foundation, the *Hive Learning Network in Chicago has been working to establish a community of formal and informal learning organizations who work together to create online and offline learning experiences for youth.

In 2011, we worked with Hive to develop a customized program and participant tracking system and conducted training sessions to help organizations adopt the new system. In addition, we evaluated each organization to document program details, existing systems in use with redundant functions, obstacles to adopting the new program and participant tracking system, and provided technical and policy recommendations. We look forward to working with Hive in 2012 to support youth learning and access to programs across the city.

A year ago in December 2010, Strategic Urban Solutions, Inc. submitted a business plan to the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and a consortium of community members in Cleveland outlining strategies for attracting and retaining talent in Cleveland. Since then, Strategic Urban has been really busy helping to support the Global Cleveland Summit, design programs, find community partners and support the opening of the Welcome Hub.

We, along with our great public health partner, Marie Curry, evaluated how the Sisters of Charity Health Systems’ Building Healthy Communities program might be able to better organize and collect data to begin formal evaluations for their programs.

Our final report included:
• Comprehensive Overview of Program Details
• Evaluation of Online Attendance System
• Standard Intake Form
• Custom Program Attendance Sheets
• Pre and Post Program Surveys
• Recommendations for Improving Operations