OUR TEAM'S WORK: STRATEGIC PLANNING

Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Council

The Colorado Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (JJDP) Council, appointed by the Governor as the State Advisory Group pursuant to the federal Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, is charged under the Act to advise and make recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature on juvenile justice issues. To support their work, in the fall of 2023, the Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance retained Confluence to facilitate the annual retreat of the JJDP, to guide their three year strategic planning process and support the creation of the JJDP’s strategic plan. During the JJDP’s retreat, Confluence’s team guided the members through a robust set of discussions over several days to assess the recent years’ work of the Council, to explore and align on the role of the JJDP within the broader juvenile justice ecosystem, and to identify the Council’s unique value-add or opportunities to drive system improvements that lead to improved outcomes for affected youth. In addition to the strategic planning process, Confluence is facilitating and supporting the work of the Diversion Subcommittee of the JJDP and the formation of new subcommittees aligned with the mission, vision and priorities identified during the strategic planning process.

Confidential Client: Association of Governments

As a professional association representing dozens of government organizations sought to balance the interest of members with diverse constituencies and interests, they retained Abramson to design, manage and run their strategic planning retreat. With some members feeling marginalized or dissatisfied with decision making processes, Abramson designed sessions that enabled candid sharing of perspectives, consensus building discussions focused on shared values or priorities and opportunities to align on decision making processes going forward. The result of the retreat was a more fully developed approach to the members’ collaboration, new protocols for decision making and the establishment of a working group to investigate and make recommendations for organizational structural changes.

Confidential Client: Industry Trade Association

Facing a rapidly evolving market place, a leading cannabis trade association hired Abramson and his team to facilitate a multi-day strategic planning process. The group had been operating under priorities and protocols first established during the nascent days of their industry. As regulatory environments at the state and municipal levels evolved, the industry was also dealing with increased competition along with public scrutiny. The strategic planning session led to a new set of legislative priorities for the group, a strategic communications plan, an updated membership recruitment plan and a robust set of operating rules, norms and standards informed by the strategic priorities of the group.

Strategic Planning

County Leadership Retreat & Planning

As the Board of County Commissioners was undertaking its fiscal and long range planning process, Abramson was brought in to provide guidance leading up to the two-day workshop comprised of Arapahoe County department heads, budgeting office leads and elected officials. Abramson developed an effective meeting agenda that met the goals of the planning committee, created a voting process for the Leadership Workshop to help the group come to consensus on funding needs, and provided overall meeting facilitation.

Building on the success and relationships built during this work, the County subsequently contracted with Abramson to form and facilitate a series of meetings of the Long Range Planning Committee (“LRPC”) to provide counsel to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) relating to potential voter supported funding of various needs. The group’s work led to the politically diverse BOCC unanimously voting to place a measure on the 2019 ballot to ask voters for funding in a manner substantially aligned with the views of the LRPC. Abramson continued to serve as the lead on the work with Arapahoe County including as strategist and facilitator for this work

STAKEHOLDERS ENGAGED

WORK GROUPS/TASK FORCES MANAGED

MEETINGS PLANNED & FACILITATED

REGULATORY & POLICY CHANGES INFORMED

Confluence PSG partners with government and private sector leaders to support policy and system change.