National Association for Interpretation
Region 7 - Rocky Mountain Region
DRAFT Strategic Plan - 2006
The Region’s Mission:
The organization will support, encourage, and promote high quality interpretation in the
Rocky Mountain Region.
The Region’s Vision:
The region will be saturated with excellent interpretation.
Strategies to achieve the mission and vision:
The regional organization will use a variety of techniques and projects to support,
encourage, and promote the interpreters, the agencies, the public, the NAI association
and the profession in the Rocky Mountain Region.
SUPPORT interpreters by offering:
Training/certification Evaluation/coaching
Newsletter
Web/publications
Recruitment
Fundraising
Professional development
Networking of interpreters
Building/growing leaders
ENCOURAGE interpreters and organizations by developing:
Regional pride and identity
Increased regional board effectiveness
Recognition of excellence
Member access to expertise
PROMOTE the profession and organization by:
Clarifying tasks and deadlines for State Coordinators
Producing booklets and other publication about the region
Advocating interpretation to agencies and organizations.
Goals and Strategic Objectives for NAI Region 7:
1. Support membership through professional development, training, and coaching
and evaluation of projects and performances, 2006-2010.
a. Conduct a region-wide workshop during even numbered years.
b. Conduct a traveling workshop in each state in odd years.
c. Sponsor or co-sponsor one or more skill or certification workshops each
year.
d. Develop and distribute an annual list of at least two experienced NAI
professionals who will serve as volunteer coaches, advisors, reviewers for
interpretive facilities, signs, programs, design, provided free within
reasonable limits.
2. Facilitate networking among Region 7 members.
a. Study e-mail methods to increase networking with a report to officers by
December 2006 and implementation before Dec. 2007.
b. Continue to publish four newsletters per year; more actively involve State
Coordinators in supplying information for each issue; Regional Director or
designee will appoint an associate editor (whip) by July 2006 to assist in
these improvements.
c. Provide members lists of volunteer experts to contact for sharing
experience and advice; develop concepts and methods by Nov. 2006;
develop first annual list by the end of 2007.
d. Keep the regional website up-to-date with a maximum lag of 2 months by
the officers or designees communicating frequently with the web
coordinator.
e. Develop a publications program, starting with production of “Rocky
Mountain Interpretive Site Guide”; officers will get the forms and
methodology of data collection ready by Nov. 1, 2006, assign compilers,
writers, and editor for production by Dec. 2007.
3. Develop and maintain a solid fiscal base to support services to members.
a. The Treasurer and two other members will define the fiscal base and
annual needs including new and ongoing projects by July 15, 2006.
b. The Regional Director/Board will assign a Ways and Means Committee by
January 2007 to study and implement methods for raising funds to meet
or exceed the targets established under 3a.
c. The Regional organization will develop one or more new income sources
every two years, e.g. new pamphlets, T-shirts, etc.
d.
4. Nurture leadership development among Region 7 members.
a. The Regional leadership will identify and fill mandated positions and
specify duties and deadlines in writing by March 15, 2006.
b. The Regional leadership and designees will define other needed
committees and/or leadership roles by Sept. 1, 2006; they will assign
personnel and written tasks by January 1, 2007
c. The Regional board will hold two board meetings per year and conduct
interactive leadership team communications six times per year, starting
immediately.
d. R-7 membership will conduct elections of officers every two years or
more often when needed.
5. Recognize excellence in interpretive persons, places, and programs.
a. Continue the regional awards program to 2010; the vice-Director and one
volunteer will evaluate it and identify needs and possibilities for
additional awards, e.g. for institutions/agencies, programs, and media,
submitting a written report by July 1, 2006; implement changes by 2010.
b. Actively solicit regional nominations each for all categories of NAI
national awards; regional director will appoint a member to oversee and
promote this process.
c. Publish articles describing outstanding regional sites or programs at least
once per year; volunteer coaches/evaluators will have principal
responsibility.
6. Develop regional pride and identity with its high-quality interpretation.
a. Develop concepts for shirts, caps, patches, etc. by July 30, 2006, through
a slogan and design contest in the newsletter; produce them for sale by
NIW ’06; regional director will appoint a coordinator/committee.
b. Feature in newsletter a regional “Do You Know This [prominent] Place?”
column; editor or new associate editor has the responsibility.
c. Use “Meet the Site” forms to gather information on specific regional
sites, to be used in NIW 06 display; officers will identify people to
coordinate this and a simple site form will be mailed by June 2006; this
activity may be continued through subsequent years.
7. Promote and advocate the interpretive profession in the Rocky Mountain
Region, to local, state, and federal governments as well as to prospective
members.
a. Develop a plan to inform legislators and other policy leaders of the values
of interpretation, by December 2008.
b. Broaden membership of interpreters by 10%, by December 2007,
targeting ethnic and other under-represented people and professions.
c. Award two conference/training scholarships each year to members.
d. Award one complimentary membership each year to a non-member to
help reduce costs of attending the conference; the first will be for NIW
06.
History of development of the 2006 DRAFT plan
(This insert edited December, 2012 by Region Director William Bevil to provide context)
A team of five members met in Aurora, Colorado, on February 4, 2006 to draft a
strategic plan for the operation of the region until 2010. The team of volunteers
included: Karin Hostetter, Director; Fran Blanchard, Deputy Director; Bonnie Jakubos,
Secretary; Margaret Paget, member; and Douglas Knudson, member and session
facilitator.
The results of the session are attached for your review and comment.
The process started with verbal and written comments from several region members
and the assembled group. Their assessment of regional conditions affecting operational
strategies included the following:
1. Region 7 is vast—from Las Cruces and Carlsbad NM through the NW Territories
of Canada. This includes six large states (NM, CO, UT, ID, WY, MT), two
provinces (SASK, ALTA) and the NW Territories. Meeting participation challenges
exist. Greater use of new technology and other techniques might help serve
members better.
2. Region 7 operations are considered good, but not of top tier quality. The region
meets the Association standard criteria but activity and service should grow
beyond the current level.
3. Greater member participation in regional activities and leadership seems
desirable. To achieve the strategic plans will require stronger delegation of tasks
to non-officers within the Association. State Coordinators can play more active
roles, if clearly defined and followed up by the officers.
4. The profession, the regional association, and the individuals would benefit from
increased professional interchange on the large scale of the region and in small
groups within the region.
5. Leadership development needs to become more proactive, rather than relying
on volunteers to step forward suddenly at nomination time.
6. Services to regional members should be increased.
7. Greater access to experienced and specialized professional members could
benefit members and agencies/associations.
8. Greater NAI contact with regional governments and other decision-makers could
benefit the profession by providing technical information, without crossing the
line into lobbying.
Thank you for reading and commenting upon the draft plan. Help us improve!