Ensure Convergence

While each of the other elements (skills, dreams, opportunities) is important in its own right, the most significant impact occurs when these three elements intentionally converge within a program design. For example, when a person only has the skills s/he needs and a dream to get there, s/he is missing the opportunities to put those skills and dreams to use. If a person only has the dreams and opportunities, but that person does not have the skills, the opportunities and dreams cannot be acted upon.

The concept of convergence was first introduced in the Year 2 progress report on the McKnight Families Forward initiative for low-income working parents, which was published by the Wilder Research Center, and the GWDC witnessed Families Forward partners continually bringing dreams, skills, and opportunities together to help ensure the success of their program participants. For convergence to occur, organizational leaders must ensure that all three aspects are incorporated into program design and that service provider staff are capable of successfully implementing the design. For optimal success, this must take place in a policy environment that supports worker advancement.