10 Reasons to Use Evidence-Based Programs

Many youth service providers feel they need to invent their own unique program. Not so. Plenty of proven, off-the-shelf models and programs are out there just waiting for the right application. Odds are, some of them are designed to produce the exact outcomes you are looking for.

Here are 10 reasons to check them out and find one that works for your clientele.

They Work. ‘Evidence-Based’ means it’s based on research. In addition, there has usually been some kind of quasi-experimentation involving pre- and post-testing and comparisons with control groups.
They’re Fundable. Over the past ten years, funding agencies, especially federal funders, have increasingly called for evidence based programs. Sometimes they even provide a shopping list of programs that they are willing to fund.
Just Add Water. There’s no need to spend time developing procedures, creating forms, and designing programs. All these have already been developed, probably by someone who knows more about what works than you do.
Instructions. The manual is already written, usually in step-by-step format. Continue reading →

Social Media, Scotty Wise, and his Brewhouse

The following is a guest blog from Scott Wise, a Chamber member and owner of Scotty’s Brewhouse. All of the views and opinions expressed in this post are solely Scott Wise’s and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. To submit a guest blog e-mail DeJohn Rose for more information.

Since opening the first Scotty’s Brewhouse in Muncie in 1996, I have experienced the highs and lows of the restaurant business. After the initial success of Scotty’s, I opened a fine dining restaurant in 1998, where I lost nearly a million dollars in three years. Needless to say that was one of my low points, but I think I learned more from that failed venture than I’ve learned from any of my successes. When we closed that restaurant down, we opened our Bloomington Scotty’s Brewhouse location in 2001. West Lafayette opened in 2004 and the northside Indianapolis (96^th Street) location opened in 2007. We opened our downtown Indianapolis location (at Virginia & Pennsylvania Streets) in 2009. Scotty’s Lakehouse just opened this summer and we’ll be opening our Brewpub, Three Wise Men Brewing Company in Broad Ripple in late 2010. We also have a project we are planning to launch in 2011 in Fort Wayne. We’re looking to locate in left field of Parkview Field, home of the Minor League Fort Wayne TinCaps.

A big part of our recent success and expansion, despite the down economy, can be attributed to our presence on social networking websites. A year and a half ago, when the economy crashed, we were looking for ways to cut costs without laying employees off. At the same time social media was really taking off, so we eliminated every single piece of outside advertising, no print, no radio, no other types of traditional media, and shifted our focus to e-mail, Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare. In the past, we would spend about $250,000 each year in football ads, newspaper, and radio during Christmas time to promote gift cards. We eliminated all of that.

I realized that without a marketing budget, my use of social media was the only way to get our message out. You can’t walk into a business and say, “If you spend $500 on this ad, I can promise you that you’ll generate X amount of dollars back”, that’s why marketers rely on impressions and views and all of those similar metrics. The reason that social media has been so successful and the reason I jumped on board was not just because I had to, but I felt that the world had already shifted over to social media. Recently I gave a talk to a young professionals group in Muncie about social media and I asked the attendees to raise their hand if they subscribed to the newspaper. Of the 50 people I was talking to, only 2 raised their hand. Then I asked them to raise their hands if they had a Facebook account. Every single person raised their hand. I said “You guys just made the point for me – I could leave right now and this would be a successful talk”. The world changes and you have to change along with it. Continue reading →

Celebrate Better Business, Better Community with The Chamber

The first two quarters of 2010 were busy months for The Chamber. Several important issues and events demanded the attention and energy of The Chamber staff, its Board of Directors and Chamber volunteers. Now, as we slide into the early days of summer, the hectic pace has slowed (just a bit) and allows time to reflect on what’s ahead. One event we look forward to each year is The Chamber’s Annual Meeting.

In addition to commemorating The Chamber’s 95^th Anniversary at the Annual Meeting in September, we will celebrate better business and better community through the 13 various awards honoring businesses, organizations and individuals who have demonstrated high levels of involvement, business, and community leadership.

The Chamber asks you to take time and reflect on which organizations, businesses, and individuals should be honored and invites you to submit a nomination for a deserving person or organization. Have you had the privilege of working with a business or individual that provides exceptional service in an ethical and socially responsible manner? Do you know someone that models the way for others or is a community inspiration? With 13 different award categories open for nominations, you have the opportunity to let others know of these wonderful examples of excellence by nominating them for a 2010 Chamber & Community Award. Continue reading →

Chamber Events a Great Way to Get Involved

The summer months are traditionally a time of life slowing down for a while, especially for those whose lives are ruled by the academic calendar. The kids are home and, most likely, suffering from various levels of boredom. The parents, though still occupied with their regular jobs, have a reprieve from shuttling children to and from their many activities. In addition, the hot temperatures and high humidity cause a certain amount of lethargy in most individuals, causing a natural slowdown in scheduling.

Despite the heat, we at The Chamber are not slowing down with our many events. Our Golf Scramble was held on June 16, followed by the June Business After Hours, both held at the Bloomington Country Club. Continue reading →

Why Worksite Wellness Programs are Important

The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce’s Healthy Business Bloomington recognition program was created to support the development and expansion of organizational policies conducive to healthier employee lifestyles. Each week more businesses are showing interest and the program is growing in popularity at an incredible rate but this raises an important question – why? Why are worksite wellness programs important and what’s in it for the employer?!

For the last half of a decade, healthcare costs and spending has been increasing at an incredible rate. Healthcare spending doubles every 10 years! If this trend continues one could expect many small businesses to fold due to their decreasing margin of profit associated with increased healthcare costs. Fortunately, worksite wellness programs can step in here and prevent that from happening. Nearly 75% of medical costs (about 1.8 trillion dollars/year) are caused by chronic diseases – like heart attacks, stroke, cancer, diabetes and arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, chronic diseases are… “among the most common, costly and preventable of all health problems in the U.S.” Continue reading →

Print: The Original Wireless Communication

The following is a guest blog from a Chamber member. In no way does it represent the views or opinions of The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. To submit a guest blog e-mail drose@chamberbloomington.org for more information.

For many years, the paper industry has been criticized with environmental claims of deforestation, excessive energy consumption, and crowding landfills. The exact opposite couldn’t be truer. Paper from today’s world comes from renewable resources. It not only is recyclable and biodegradable, but paper is even responsible.

Misleading claims of deforestation has generated a negative image for paper and aided the digital age into an up-roaring. Paper is composed of cellulose fibers, generally coming from trees, but that should not automatically mean they are destroying the forests of our world. It is in the paper manufacturers’ best interest to ensure sustainability for the longevity of their business. In fact, did you know according to the USDA Forest Service four million trees are planted daily in the United States? Of that, 1.7 million trees are planted by the paper and wood products industry. Once trees are harvested, the sustainable forestry practices ensure several more trees are planted, or regenerated naturally in their place. Continue reading →

The MCCSC Referendum and Lessons from the Past

With a school referendum on the horizon, it’s a good time to go back and review the results of the last Monroe County Community School Corporation referendum back in 1999. However, comparisons with previous elections are tricky. And there are important differences between the current situation and the one faced in 1999.

This time the referendum will be in response to major cuts in education funding, whereas the one in 1999 would have provided additional resources such as longer school days and more support staff. It’s also a different kind of election. 1999 was primarily a municipal election including races for city council, city clerk and mayor. The 2010 election will include many different county offices, townships, state legislature, U.S Congress, three school board races, and perhaps most unusual, a constitutional amendment to limit property taxes. Continue reading →

Bloomington Chamber Calls on City to Rescind Arizona Boycott

The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce issued a statement today, urging the Mayor, City Clerk, and members of the City Council to rescind the City of Bloomington’s boycott of Arizona businesses.

“To date, The Chamber has been contacted by more than 40 individuals, most of whom have expressed their intent to discontinue support for business and tourism in the Bloomington area,” said Christy Gillenwater, Chamber president and CEO. “Moreover, several of our members are receiving similar calls that customers will boycott their business until the city removes its boycott on Arizona. The action taken by city officials has become damaging to local businesses.”

The City’s boycott stems from controversial legislation passed by the Arizona state legislature regarding immigration. “To be clear, The Chamber has no position on Arizona’s legislation nor do we intend to engage in discussion regarding the Arizona immigration bill,” explained Gillenwater. “Our concern is about our local elected officials calling for an economic boycott of another state and the price being paid here at home in Bloomington.”

Gillenwater stated, “The Chamber is committed to serve and protect businesses in our community. We believe that action was necessary to advocate for our members and to hold our local officials accountable for acting in the best interest of the local community.”

Statement:

The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce urges City officials to recognize that the actions they engage in have the ability to impact residents, businesses, nonprofits, community Continue reading →

Bypass Expansion Bids Opened, While I-69 Ahead of Schedule

Over the last couple of weeks, the state has made significant announcements regarding road work that will be taking place in the area over the next few years. On May 19th , INDOT opened the bids for the long awaited State Road 45/46 Bypass expansion, and on the same day, Governor Daniels announced an accelerated schedule for I-69 that will bring the highway into Monroe County by 2012, several years ahead of schedule.

For more than 20 years, the state and the community have discussed widening the often congested and avoided bypass. The Chamber has also made the project a priority, particularly to enhance 21 st century job creation as Indiana University works to build its technology park at 10 th and the Bypass. Through this important initiative, our community can strengthen its position as a leader in technology and bio and life sciences, harnessing IU-led research to bring innovative products to the market through public and private sector partnerships. In addition, the expansion will clear the way to more efficiently bring consumers to the growing College Mall area as well as businesses along and near the Bypass from SR 37 on east. This project is a great ‘win’ for the community, particularly during a time when many states are forgoing road improvements and the construction industry is ailing from the economic downturn. Chamber member Milestone Contractors was awarded the nearly $22 million dollar contract. Continue reading →

Getting Students Excited About the Real World

If I could boil down the mission of The Chamber’s Franklin Initiative into one sentence, I would say it’s about providing real-world experiences that get young people excited about their future.

Our Franklin Initiative volunteers make this happen. What better organization to provide real-world career learning than a Chamber of Commerce? With connections to hundreds of businesses and thousands of people representing virtually every possible career field, The Chamber is uniquely positioned to play this important role.

This was a great year for FI. Reality Stores, career fairs, company tours, employment fair, classroom speakers, service learning, mock interviews, WorkKeys testing – all these activities use the magic of real world experiences to spark interest in preparing for life as a working adult. Continue reading →

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