National Management and Support

A key part of initial project development was creation of a national management and support system for the project. The HDI national project management team consisted of four core members, plus supporting staff involved in such tasks as setting up project databases. Consultants were brought in as needed (e.g., specialists in communications and information technology, a facilitator for the annual symposia).

The HDI team initiated three ongoing and integrated strategies that continued throughout the project:

• Annual national symposia were organized for site representatives, the National Advisory Committee members, representatives from the Lawson Foundation, and the HDI team.. These were three-day intensive events for learning and sharing information relevant to the project. Every year, there was a prominent guest speaker to stimulate thinking. Other guests from government or private foundations were invited to attend the symposia and give their perspectives. A third-party facilitator managed the agenda. The symposia were useful for sharing information and knowledge, but they became increasingly important for their intangible benefits - helping the project to develop a sense of shared purpose and vision among people who were usually thousands of miles apart, fostering mutual respect and regard among participants from different backgrounds and disciplines, building morale, and creating the sense among diverse sites of being part of a national team.
  
  
• A National Advisory Committee (NAC) was created to bring together eminent people in the fields of education, research, policy, public affairs and advocacy on behalf of children and families. NAC members attended the TLC³ annual symposia and contributed to discussions with the site representatives. Before the symposia (and sometimes afterwards, as well), they met separately with the HDI team to discuss issues pertinent to project development. They were also available to the HDI team for consultation, as needed, during the project. NAC members came from across the country, and some of them were actively involved in their local TLC³ site project.
  
  
• Annual site visits were made by the HDI Director of Research and the Evaluation Coordinator for the purpose of program monitoring and providing on-site guidance. The visits also afforded the opportunity to gather information for a cross-site process evaluation.