Systems Change Designation
COA Youth and Family Centers by Jim Moy.
Systems don't change overnight. This work takes time. It takes partners who are in it for the long haul, data that accurately reflects our community and its challenges, and a concerted effort to center community voice.
For over a decade, Milwaukee Succeeds has worked to put these crucial elements in place. This summer, following an intensive review process, we received word that we’re on the right track. StriveTogether, our national partner and funder, officially designated Milwaukee Succeeds as a Systems Change organization, meaning our work is making a difference.
One major element that contributed to this designation is our ongoing effort to align partners from multiple sectors in pursuit of a common goal. Nowhere is this more evident than in our Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Youth Forward MKE Coalitions.
Ann Terrell, president of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, participated in a focus group during the review process, where she shared her experiences surrounding the ECE Coalition.
“What stands out to me is the way in which Milwaukee Succeeds provided the platform for the Coalition to have a unified voice to advocate for early childhood education and early childhood educators,” she said. “I believe that the empowered Coalition members have seen the outcomes of their advocacy and will continue to raise their voices for the betterment of the early childhood field.”
Deh Nee, a 2022 Youth Forward MKE Ambassador, provided a youth perspective during these focus groups, sharing how Milwaukee Succeeds is utilizing youth voice to advance our work.
“It feels very supportive,” he said. “Knowing that a lot of people are listening and working alongside you that have the same goals, it will make you feel like you can accomplish it. Because teamwork makes the dream work.”
Our intentional use of data and community voice also contributed to the designation, which only 20 communities have achieved. The successful data-informed advocacy surrounding American Rescue Plan Act funding, the Parents Advocating for Child Care Fellowship, and the ECE Coalition’s mental health trainings were all listed as shining examples of our work, as were the Design Your Future Fellowship and the youth-directed Violence Prevention Grant.
Thank you to all the partners who have helped us get this far – and who continue to change systems in Milwaukee!
“The work Milwaukee Succeeds has done in pursuit of shifting outcomes and narrowing equity gaps for youth and families is remarkable, and there is potential for this work to grow in scale and impact.”
