Carolyn P' Phillips M'Ed, ATP

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Pass it On National Conference on Reuse of
Assistive Technology May 8-10, 2006
Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!

• Carolyn P. Phillips M.Ed, ATP
• Georgia Department of Labor
• Tools for Life,
• Assistive Technology Project,
• phone [phone]
• email carolynpphillips_at_mindspring.com
• www.gatfl.org

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Guiding Principles
Georgias AT Act Program

• We Collectively are Brilliant Can find an
  Innovative Path and Create Brighter Futures
• We must Think, Live and Act from a place of
  Abundance We Have enough time, money,
  resources
• We Must Focus on Abilities!
• YOU have the Power to make the Difference!
• Change vs. Progress (Bob Phillips)

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If we Nurture our Dreams,they will take Root in
our Souls Bear Fruit in our Lives
Over 7,300 ReBooted and counting
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Are you a Connector?The Tipping Point - Gladwell

• If Not meet one!
• What makes someone a Connector? The first--and
  most obvious--criterion is that Connectors know
  lots of people.
• They are the kinds of people who know everyone.
• All of us know someone like this.
• But I don't think that we spend a lot of time
  thinking about the importance of these folks.

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Connecting the Dots!
Storage - Space? System?
Model?
Licensed Software?
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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Model?

• Explore Models!
• National Cristina Foundation 1997
• Used What You Learned Here
• AT Projects
• Learn from others, NEAT!, Kansas, Nebraska,
  Virginia and the list goes on
• Steal/Borrowand Give Credit!
• Identify Your Partners
• Who should be at the table? (96)
• Diversify public, private, non-profit
• Not all will buy-in immediately dont hold it
  against them

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Model?

• Continue to Identify Your Partners
• TIP Evaluate and Evolve!
• Who should be at the table?
• RESNA, ATAP, ATIA, ATA, Goodwill
• I hope your list Grew while you where here.
• LATAN Thank you!
• TIP Move toward Sustainability with each
  Connection
• Diversify public, private, non-profit
• Not all will buy-in immediately dont hold it
  against them

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Model?
Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!

• Strong Supporters within the First year!
• Assistive Technology Resource Centers (ATRC)
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Assistive Work Technology, VR
• Department of Education GPAT
• Statewide Independent Living Council
• Independent Living Centers
• Council on Aging
• HP, IBM EDS
• TIP Hold a State or Region Stakeholders Meeting
• Communicate Share Your Vision!
• Go where the dream makes sense
• Avoid in 1918 we tried that and it Flopped
• Promote Buy-In and Build Champions!
• You can accomplish anything if you dont care
  who gets the credit.
• Post your Model for all to see

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Storage - System?

• Pallets, Pallet Mule, Racks, Gaylord Boxes
• Donated by Allegiance (Yellow Pages 1999)
• End-Of-Life Recycler
• Re-Connected after a few years
• TIP Never Burn Bridges!
• Georgia Tech Senior Project
• 1 Semester
• Interviewed Everyone, Buy-In,
• TIP Introduce Change Slowly!
• All Graduated!

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Storage - Space?

• Donated Space at FODAC
• Paid for space after 1st year
• Out grew space and move down the street 2001
• TIP Communicate Share Your Vision!
• King Properties (Donated a Computer)
• 3.25 a square foot wrote off rest as a
  donation
• Alston Bird (Touch the Future Board)
• drew up agreement FREE!
• CollectiveGood (Comdex EPA Meeting)
• Sub-lease a percentage

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Storage - End-Of Life

• Research!
• Do site visits
• Partner with an EPA friendly Company
• Contact - Department of Natural Resources
• Allegiance (Yellow Pages 1999)
• End-Of-Life Recycler
• Re-Connected after a few years
• TIP Find a Partner you Trust! Avoid Eyewitness
  News
• Story from a different Point of View

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
End-User Training?

• Strong Collaboration with
• Assistive Technology Resource Centers (ATRC)
• Independent Living Centers
• Assistive Work Technology VR/GDOL
• High School/High Tech VR/GDOL

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Marketing Participants? Donors?

• Planting Seeds for Partnerships
• Keep it Simple
• Who Do You Know?
• Create a Map
• Mark Johnson Connector
• Private Companies
• Who are you talking with?
• HR Network
• GDOL Employer Committee
• Government Surplus
• Local, State, Federal
• Build your Board/Advisory Council
• HP, IBM, PriceWaterHouse Coopers

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Marketing Participants? Donors?

• Social networking sites like Care2, MySpace, and
  Tribe can play a key role in helping your
  organization meet other nonprofits, find
  donations, share information, and more.
• Does your organization use a wiki?
• Google your organization what do you find?

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Marketing Participants? Donors?

• Worked with the Computer Equipment Disposal and
  Recycling Council
• Pollution Prevention Assistance Division
• Sponsor of HB-2, Rep. Terry Coleman

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Licensed Software?

• Microsoft Teams With Tools for Life to Provide
  PCs To People With Disabilities
• Innovative Program Gives New Life to Old
  Computers
• ATLANTA, April 21, 1999 As part of its
  continued effort to make computer technology
  accessible to all individuals, Microsoft Corp. is
  teaming with Tools for Life, a program operated
  by the Georgia Department of Human Resources, to
  update and distribute 80 PCs for free to people
  with disabilities.
• Microsoft's contribution to the project includes
  software valued at 23,000 and a long-term
  commitment to support Tools for Life's mission of
  enabling Georgians with disabilities through the
  use of technology.
• "Microsoft is working hard both locally and at
  the corporate level to extend access and training
  to people with disabilities," said Marty
  Paradise, general manager, Southeast District,
  Microsoft. "A major part of this effort involves
  supporting the important work of organizations
  like Tools for Life."

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Licensed Software?

• The Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher (MAR)
• Provides Microsoft Windows Operating Systems to
  PC refurbishers
• To be a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher, you
  must
• Supply 50 or more computers per year to
  charities, schools, or families.
• Be a commercial, nonprofit, school, college, or
  government-based refurbisher.
• Be located in the United States

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Licensed Software?

• TechSoup Stock connects nonprofits with donated
  and discounted technology products.
• Both corporate and nonprofit technology partners
  including Cisco, Groundspring, Microsoft, and
  Symantec.
• Low administrative fees that include shipping,
  handling, and customer support.

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!
Volunteers Skilled Techs?

• Partner with Hands On Atlanta!
• Partnered with Perimeter College and FODAC to
  Offer PC Classes on site
• We offered A in exchange for 100 of volunteer
  work
• Become a member of PC User Groups
• TIP Pay for Volunteers to attend training and
  sharpen their skills
• Listen!

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Connecting the Dots with Strategic Partnership!

• Create Champions and Ownership
• Communicate
• Listen
• Evaluate and Evolve
• Continue to Grow and Share the Vision Mission
• Celebrate your Partners, Volunteers and
  Participants!
• Media Spotlight

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If a person does not keep pace with his
companions, perhaps it is because he hears a
different drummer. Let him step to the music
which he hears, however measured or far away.

• - Henry David Thoreau

Pass it On!
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THANK YOU!
Genius? Nothing! Sticking to it is the genius!
I've failed my way to success. --Thomas Edison