Danielle Sielatycki

Michigan Nightlight: What does being a leader mean to you?
Prevention Works Executive Director Danielle Sielatycki: For me, being a leader in my arena means that I am assuming responsibility on behalf of, and in the interest of, change for the social good. This involves using passion to light the fire for change, showing others the way by example and leveraging talents and expertise by cultivating the spirit in others to make things happen -- this also includes using courage to make difficult decisions, even if they are unpopular at the time.
 
What is your dream for kids?
We are so busy in today’s society. As a mother, I find myself conducting business or thinking about tasks while driving my children to and from school. I am working full time and trying to fit in laundry, cleaning, work, grocery shopping, school supply shopping, and everything while trying to be present for my children.
 
Imagine trying to do all of this while living below the poverty level. Or doing it with the pressure of an abusive spouse or

Education leaders, nonprofit leaders, social sector group leaders and those who head funding agencies need to shift from individual programs, individual strategies, and individual agendas to a collective impact approach to be able to effectively help our communities and our state as a whole.

partner. Or without the ability to afford school supplies or clothes for your children -- or even dinner, for that matter.
 
I dream of a society where we wrap our arms around young people and their families and provide them with the support and encouragement they need to succeed. That we slow down and talk to our young people, turn off the TV, the cell phones and actually be present for them. They need our touch, our time, and our attention.
 
What is one concrete thing that could be done to improve the environment for social sector work in Michigan?
 
There should be more collective impact. Education leaders, nonprofit leaders, social sector group leaders and those who head funding agencies need to shift from individual programs, individual strategies, and individual agendas to a collective impact approach to be able to effectively help our communities and our state as a whole.
 
If only one part of the social sector continuum advances [to cross-sector synchronization], if all parts do not work together to help youth and families, there is little impact. Unlike other networks and collaboratives, collective impact involves a structured approach to solving our state’s social issues.
 
How do you know you’re making progress?
Prevention Works takes great pride in providing evidence-based strategies and programs. It places a strong emphasis on evaluation -- dating back to its inception -- through a partnership with an evaluation team at Western Michigan University.
We use these evaluation results to indicate proven change among the participants as well as in areas that should be strengthened or enhanced. We share these results and key findings with funding and collaborative partners. Each strategy and program is based on a theory of change and is evaluated for measurable outcomes. This allows us to collect data consistently on a list of indicators and outcomes to show the impact we are truly having on lives in our community.
 
What are you most proud of?
I am proud that the impact of the programs at Prevention Works stretch far beyond the initial implementation, and I’m proud that there is a human capital component within our agency and approach. I’m proud that this work also provides employment opportunities and training for youth within our community, many of whom are able to access the Kalamazoo Promise. This provides them with critical skills to build resumes for future employment beyond college.
 
[The Kalamazoo Promise is a pledge, initiated in 2010, by a group of anonymous benefactors to bankroll up to 100 percent of college tuition for Kalamazoo Public Schools’ graduates. Graduates may attend any Michigan college or university.]
 

In my job, I see the statistics, but I also see the examples of human lives right here in my own community being affected by unhealthy behaviors and unsupportive family situations.

I am proud that our programs and strategies currently have a large waiting list. We will continue to seek support from funders, donors, and partners to ensure they are available to those in need. Our board of directors recently developed a business plan with financial models that will help guide the fund development and program planning aspect of the agency to ensure that innovative and vital programs are developed and sustained in future years.
 
What keeps you awake at night?
Several years ago, we had a young man who was a facilitator in one of our programs.
We quickly learned that he slept on the couch at home due to not having a bed and had this job to provide for his younger brother and sisters since his mom abused drugs. He often did not get a full night sleep due to where he slept and caring for his younger siblings. This young man was a true leader for his family. He not only chose a job, but he chose one that truly made a difference in the lives of others.
 
In my job, I see the statistics, but I also see the examples of human lives right here in my own community being affected by unhealthy behaviors and unsupportive family situations. It keeps me awake at night wondering, “How do we solve all of this? Is my agency helping? How can we collectively do more to help these youth and families?”