A Framework for SART Effectiveness: Part 2

Guest Blog by Katie Johnson | STOP Projects Coordinator at SVJI @MNCASA

Welcome back to our series of blogs about SVJI’s new Framework for SART Effectiveness. If you haven’t already, please read last week’s post for an introduction to the framework and how it was created. This week, we’ll be going a bit more in-depth on the first of the framework’s six internal factors: having a shared vision and model for your team.

It is important for every SART to hold a shared vision of its purpose, its future, and its intended impact on the community. A lack of agreement or clarity around the team’s vision can lead to confusion and conflict between team members and to disillusionment and disengagement by members and member agencies who don’t feel that their perspectives have been fairly prioritized.

It is equally important that SART members agree on the team’s model, which includes its structure, leadership, schedule, and decision-making processes. A model that hasn’t been constructed collaboratively or agreed upon by all disciplines may unintentionally favor the needs of certain members and member agencies over those of others.

Think about your team and its members. Do all members and disciplines involved share a common vision of the team’s fundamental purpose and what the team hopes to achieve in the community? Does everyone agree on the structure of the team and how members should work together to accomplish their shared goals? Of course, it will never be possible to totally please everyone, but moving toward a shared vision and model can help build a stronger foundation for your team’s work and interdisciplinary relationships.

Image 1: An example of two possible SART models.