QUAD CITIES REGIONAL VISION

OUR PROGRAM EXPENSES FOR 2023 WERE RELATED TO A BOARD GOAL SETTING SESSION AND A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION TRAINING-- BOTH OF WHICH WERE USED AS THE BASIS FOR THE WORK PLAN THAT WAS DESIGNED FOR THE NEXT 2-3 YEARS. OUR WORK PLAN CONSISTS OF 4 KEY INITIATIVES: 1) RIVERFRONT: INCREASE UTILIZATION AND OPPORTUNITIES ON THE RIVERFRONT TO CREATE A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION, WHICH ALLOWS US TO CAPITALIZE ON OUR GREATEST NATURAL RESOURCE TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF PLACE WHILE ALSO SERVING AS AN ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR OUR REGION. WE WILL ACHIEVE THIS BY ACTING AS A UNIFIER TO COMBINE THE UNIQUE RIVERFRONT PLANS OF EACH OF OUR COMMUNITIES INTO ONE REGIONAL VISION THAT EXCITES OUR COMMUNITY AND ENCOURAGES FURTHER INVESTMENT AND UTILIZATION. 2) YOUTH ENGAGEMENT: INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO REPORT THE REGION PROVIDES QUALITY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BECAUSE WE KNOW ALL YOUTH NEED TO FEEL SAFE, HAVE PLACES TO ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER, ACCESS TO EDUCATION PROGRAMMING ALIGNED TO CAREER ASPIRATIONS, AND UNDERSTANDING OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS WITHIN THE REGION. WE WILL ACHIEVE THIS BY FOSTERING COLLABORATION BETWEEN EMPLOYERS, MUNICIPALITIES, COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND EDUCATIONAL PARTNERS TO INCREASE SAFETY, HAVE AMENITIES FOR SOCIALIZATION, QUALITY EDUCATION AND CAREER EXPLORATION ACTIVITIES. 3) CHILD CARE WORKFORCE: FILL GAPS IN TRAINING TO EXPAND THE NUMBER OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS AND CHILDCARE PROFESSIONALS IN OUR REGION, WHICH HELPS FULFILL REGIONAL WORKFORCE GOALS BY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF PARENTS IN THE WORKFORCE WHILE ALSO HELPING TO FILL CURRENT AND FUTURE DEMAND FOR EARLY EDUCATION AND CHILDCARE PROFESSIONALS. WE WILL WORK WITH REGIONAL STAKEHOLDERS TO IDENTIFY BEST PRACTICES AND PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE SHARED AND SCALED UP IN OUR REGION. 4) WELCOMING AND INCLUSIVE: WE WILL WORK TO BECOME A MODEL FOR INCLUSIVITY BY NOT ONLY EMBODYING INCLUSION IN OUR WORK, BUT ALSO BY ENCOURAGING STAKEHOLDERS TO PARTICIPATE IN INCLUSIVE PRACTICES TO HELP ENRICH THE QUALITY OF COMMUNITY EFFORTS AND INITIATIVES FROM THE INCLUSION OF TRADITIONALLY UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS. WE WILL WORK TO DEVELOP AND SHARE RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE INCLUSIVE PRACTICES. OUR OVERARCHING MISSION IS TO CONTINUE WORKING ACROSS STATE BORDERS TO CREATE AN ENGRAINED MINDSET OF REGIONAL COLLABORATION TO HELP EXPAND OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR COMMUNITIES INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A REGION, WHICH WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED BY AMPLIFYING AND INCREASING REGIONAL COLLABORATION THROUGH THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY PARTNERSHIPS AND THE SHARING OF BEST PRACTICES.