At United Way, we’ve always been proud of our strength in numbers. We recruit people with the passion, expertise and resources needed to get things done, especially to improve education, financial stability and health.
Over the last six months, United Way has been hearing the voices of thousands across the country. We’ve started community conversations. United Ways are getting trained and coached about how important listening is to making real change. (Check out the Harwood Institute)
And listening is happening all over. United Ways held a series of 150 Education Community Conversations this fall in 40 towns. We invited all kinds of people – teachers, students, parents, principals and anyone who cares about education (which is pretty much everyone!). What we heard back was exciting, as people reaffirmed the importance of our schools as central to our community.
“It is the community as a whole that makes our schools work.”
Building on those community conversations, United Way will hold a National Education Town Hall on March 31, in which we bring many of these people together with top education leaders, like U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. We’ll release a national report that spells out what we heard, and we’ll talk about a new call to action for volunteer readers, tutors and mentors.
But don’t wait for the event! You can share your thoughts and ideas on our virtual Town Hall right now! Join the conversation by visiting our town hall site.