Bringing leaders together
In a combined effort with the Stirling Foundation, A Child’s Hope Foundation hosted a delegation of eight amazing DIF leaders from three states in Mexico; Baja California, Nuevo León, and Jalisco. DIF stands for Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (Family’s Full Development) and is the government agency that oversees Mexico’s social services, including the care of orphans and vulnerable children.
A Child’s Hope facilitated this five-day event to accelerate the improvement of care policies for kids and create a strong network between different government agencies and nonprofit partners. This dynamic summit created a high-connection environment for participants to share ideas and opportunities.
The first event of the week was the Orphan Care Symposium. The delegates and some of our partner organizations attended; Both Ends Believing, Back2Back, The Hope Effect, Saprea, The Hope Foundation, and Utah’s Children’s Justice Center.
During the symposium, each agency and organization shared about their programs involving orphans and vulnerable children—followed by a “speed dating” session where each group of delegates met with each presenting partner to discuss the logistics of the next steps. Great and exciting conversations took place because of the direct applicability of the partners’ programs to the delegates’ needs (e.g., foster care, transitioning kids to adulthood, case management).
The delegates were also divided into inter-state groups with a representative from A Child’s Hope, where they discussed one thing in their state that is performing well, one thing that they want to improve, and their obstacles. This semi-formal conversation allowed government peers to learn from each other and increase mutual respect. This component of the Summit afforded the delegates valuable time to strategize how they will implement this information in their state.
This time to plan was where the mantra “unity creates strength” truly shone forth. The three delegates from Nuevo León even constructed a 6-step plan, and the delegates from Jalisco made specific assignments to turn their ideas into reality. A Child’s Hope will continue to facilitate and monitor the collaboration of representatives and partners to ensure results.
Thoughts from our Attendees
The week’s outcomes surpassed expectations, and the collaboration already blossoming is amazing. The delegates expressed the renewal of hope and confidence in not doing this great work alone. A Child’s Hope plans to capitalize on the momentum and generate real change by planning similar events in the future.
