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Hampden County, MA (Springfield)

Project Name

The Equal Access to Safety Initiative

Partners

Goodwill Industries of the Springfield/Hartford Area This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.ourgoodwill.org/)

YWCA of Western Massachusetts This link will open a new browser window.
(http://www.ywworks.org/)

Overview

The Hampden County, Massachusetts collaboration – formally named the Equal Access to Safety Initiative – is a collaboration between Goodwill Industries and the YWCA in Springfield, MA, both local affiliates of national and international organizations. 

The vision of the Equal Access to Safety Initiative is one of an inclusive service delivery system that provides a safe, accessible, respectful environment for people with disabilities and those who are Deaf who have experienced domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

The mission of the Equal Access to Safety Initiative in Hampden County is to enhance services for people with disabilities and those who are Deaf who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault so that each organization, both individually and collectively, responds effectively to their needs.  This will be accomplished by enhancing services for people with disabilities and those who are Deaf who have experienced domestic violence and sexual assault through:

  • Cultivating a culture and environment that responds in a respectful and inclusive manner.
  • Creating policies and practices that focus on responsiveness, accessibility, safety and the promotion of seamless services.
  • Fostering collaborative and cooperative relationships between members of the collaboration.
  • Integrating each discipline’s knowledge and expertise.
  • Eliminating physical, attitudinal, cultural and programmatic barriers that prevent people from accessing services that are timely, supportive and responsive. 
  • Ensuring the delivery of appropriate assistance at whatever point a person enters the system.

Planning & Development Process

In order to effectively improve services and create change in their organizations, the Springfield collaboration is taking part in a planning and development process that includes activities to: strengthen their collaboration, identify their focus, learn about the needs in their organizations, and develop a concrete plan for addressing those needs. This section contains files that document this process.

Collaboration Charter

As part of the planning phase of their grant project, the Equal Access to Safety Initiative created a collaboration charter. This document outlines the collaborative's members, member roles and responsibilities, vision and mission, values and relevant definitions. The collaboration charter also describes the team's decision making and conflict resolution protocols, policies on confidentiality, and their communication and work plan. The collaboration charter document is available in both a PDF Version and a Plain Text Version below. 

Contact Information 

Goodwill Industries of the Springfield/Hartford Area

Beth Green, Project Manager
413-233-5286 (v)
bgreen@ourgoodwill.org