Montana Youth Restoration Partnership
Mission: The Montana Youth Restoration Partnership exists to be a resource to and for our coalition members so they can empower youth and communities to preserve, conserve, and restore Montana’s natural and cultural resources.
Vision: As a coalition of providers, we support a vision of collaboration, innovation and cooperation to:
- Support programs in the participation of restoration and conservation projects for Montana’s youth (ages 3-24) that cultivate future advocates and stewards for Montana’s land’s and heritage;
- Promote scholar aptitudes and the future employability of Montana’s youth by cultivating the development of career skills and opportunities in the fields of conservation, restoration and preservation;
- Provide a rich resource that supports our community organizations and educational programs in promoting Montana’s youth and natural resources.
Coalition Members
Operating Procedures
Roles and Responsibilities of the Members
Each partner agrees to candidly represent her/his interests and/or organization in the Partnership.
- Each member agrees to attend or send a representative to all meetings; if a member must miss a meeting and cannot send a replacement, it is the member’s responsibility to obtain and review the minutes from the website.
- Each partner agrees to listen carefully and respectfully to other participants.
- Each partner agrees to offer suggestions with respect and care.
- Each partner agrees to share relevant information regarding the issues under consideration.
- Each partner agrees to challenge ideas and doing so without challenging people.
- Each partner agrees to ask clarifying questions rather than making assumptions.
- Each partner agrees to come prepared to each meeting.
- Each partner agrees to accept responsibility for assignments.
Decision Rule
- The MYRP agrees to seek “win-win” solutions.
- The MYRP agrees to make decisions using a 3-level voting system and that a decision is made only after each partner indicates that they are at Level 1 or 2. The three levels include:
- 1. I think the decision is acceptable because it is the best of the possible options.
- 2. I can support the decision because I trust the wisdom of the group, but the decision is not my first preference.
- 3. I cannot support the decision.
- The MYRP agrees to fully explore and understand all relevant projects and issues prior to completing decisions and will seek to make decisions that address the interests and concerns of all partners.
- The MYRP respects the right of individual partners to disagree with each other.
- Each partner agrees to express disagreement if she/he is unable to support the pending Partnership decision.
- In case of a disagreement, each dissenting partner will attempt to offer a constructive alternative to the pending proposal that she/he is unable to support.
- Partners will seek to accommodate any proposed alternative in order to arrive at a consensus. Partners agree to work constructively toward resolution of disagreements and will not use the decision rule to unnecessarily delay pending decisions.
- Generally, the MYRP agrees to focus its attention on projects and issues for which agreement is a realistic outcome and will set aside those issues for which disagreement is the realistic outcome. However, the MYRP may, at its discretion, may agree to advance recommendations for which full agreement is not possible. If so, the recommendation will include an explanation of the reasons for the disagreement.
MYRP Organization
The MYRP shall convene three electronic meetings and one on-site strategic planning retreat that will be managed by a professional facilitator who is not actively involved with the MYRP. The MYRP members agree to work together to identify and secure funding for the facilitator.
The MYRP’s organization shall include an
- Executive Committee
- Working Group
- Public at large
Executive Committee
The executive committee shall be comprised of seven individuals that presently represent: The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Office of Public Instruction, Department of Labor, Bureau of Land Management, private company, and a K-12 educator.
Executive committee members will serve a one-year term (September to September) and at the completion of that term may serve for another term upon approval from the Working Group Members.
New candidates nominated for the Executive Committee must be approved by the Working Group.
Executive Committee Responsibilities
- Provide the leadership to MYRP Partnership, its working groups, and ad hoc committees
- Adhere to the mission and vision that has been set forth by the members.
- Ensure that goals, new initiatives, projects, and tasks are managed and completed.
- Advance the Partnership’s work and credibility with key stakeholders and constituencies throughout Montana.
- Coordinate the work of the various committees and the full Partnership.
- Reviews reports and findings of working committees and make recommendations to full MYRP Working Group.
Public Involvement
Meetings
- All MYRP meetings will be advertised and open to the public. Meetings will be announced and all interested citizens are encouraged to attend. The minutes of all meetings will be recorded and stored on the Meetings Page.
- While the Partnership recognizes the members of the public may have relevant expertise, the meetings will balance the need for an orderly process and the need to include, as appropriate, constructive public input in the discussion.
- The Partnership will allot time at each meeting for public comment.
Networking
- Members of the MYRP are encouraged to regularly communicate with other interested people between meetings regarding the work of the MYRP.
- Members of the MYRP shall share results and idea of each meeting.
- Each meeting’s agenda will include an opportunity for members to share feedback from their constituencies.
- Members of the MYRP are encouraged to share relevant projects, events, or other news about restoration education programs that are occurring within their organizations.
