Community Coaching Connection Kick-Off on April 6, 2006:
9 PACA Coaches Volunteer Their Services!
by Bob Isaacson, VP Corporate Affairs
Community Coaching Connection is a PACA volunteer project in which our organization donates money and coaching services to a worthy nonprofit agency in the greater Philadelphia community during the December holiday season. It is an effort to "give back" to others and to publicize the benefits of coaching to the public.
Last year, the PACA Board chose to make the donation to Family Support Services, Inc. (FSS), an Upper Darby-based community organization that provides services to children and their families. While PACA has made financial donations before, this is the first year it has contributed coaching services.
FSS identified 9 supervisors and first-line managers to develop into highly effective leaders. Nine PACA coaches volunteered to coach Family Support Services staff twice a month for 6 months. PACA also donated $1000 in December of 2005. The conservative estimated value of our coaching services is in excess of $20,000.
PACA is also doing an evaluation of the program, measuring on a pre-test and post-test basis leadership competencies and related goals that coachees progress towards over the 6 months. PACA member, Ginger Jarrett, helped the Family Support Services leadership team to identify 11 competencies that lead to supervisors and managers being successful at the agency.
We kicked off the event on Thursday, April 6. After Bob Isaacson introduced the project and defined coaching, coachees completed evaluation instruments. Then, they broke up into dyads to meet with their coaches. There was plenty of positive energy in the room that night!
PACA coaches participating in the project include: Ken Abrams; Val Boyko; Christine Coward; Val Hastings; Ginger Jarrett; Pat Kilgannon; Lisa Kramer; Jackie Lesser; Maria Van Hekken.
My thanks to all our volunteer coaches.
For details of our 2007 Community Coaching Connection Program, click here.
