"SparkPoint Works" Convening

About This Event

Research shows that students participating in SparkPoint’s financial coaching program are 86% more likely to succeed (i.e., persist, graduate, or transfer) than students not participating in SparkPoint. The SparkPoint program is an initiative of United Way Bay Area that supports students and communities across 8 Bay Area counties through a combination of financial coaching, career and education counseling and basic needs supports. A recent evaluation of the program done by Public Profit builds on past studies by UWBA to show how SparkPoint supports student success at community colleges, breaks down these findings by student demographics and highlights what services within the SparkPoint model are related to positive student outcomes.

Please join us in a celebration of SparkPoint! Together, we will review through research and lived experiences, how SparkPoint has proven to enhance student success since its establishment 13 years ago. The convening will provide college leadership, community partners and staff the opportunity to explore how SparkPoint fits into the continuum of care for students, and how we can move forward collaboratively to build on our established foundation to address the challenges ahead.

The morning portion of the event will include:

• Presentations by Public Profit and the UWBA Data Team on research findings
• Panel discussion with SparkPoint Ambassadors from Community Colleges on their student experience
• Collaborative explorations of current successes and challenges, and how existing and potential post-secondary education sites can use the SparkPoint Toolkit to advance their programming
• Celebration of the launch of the SparkPoint Toolkit: United Way Bay Area’s Guide to Replicating SparkPoint for Student Success at Postsecondary Institutions

In the afternoon, we’ll be hosting an optional session for staff and potential partners interested in learning more about the SparkPoint model and how to implement the initiative in their area. The session will include an orientation and question and answer and will last from 1:30 to 3:00pm.

Date, Time, & Location:

December 12th at The California Endowment in Oakland
Welcome & Registration 9:00 am – 9:30 am
Morning session: 9:30 am – 1:30 pm (lunch provided)
Optional afternoon session: 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

The California Endowment
2000 Franklin Street
Oakland, CA 94612