JUNTOS IN THE COMMUNITY
Increased Accountability

By forming the partnership, the Juntos organizations have added another layer of accountability to the work they do. Now each organization is accountable not only to its students and its funders, but also to its other partners and the advisory council. Their reputations and success depend on each other. The partners pay close attention to each other and, when a gap or need is detected, the partnership as a whole decides how to address it. They also support each other in hiring, sharing information about available positions with their own contacts, serving as references for applicants, and often participating in each others' hiring committees.

The advisory council also monitors the progress of Juntos. Adult learners' education and training interests—the K-12 system, adult basic education, higher education, and workforce development—are represented on the council, and members hold each other accountable for meeting students' needs. For example, HCC will make sure Juntos is meeting the higher education needs of the students, while CareerPoint will see that their workforce needs are being addressed. The end result is a "customer-driven accountability system," according to David Gadaire, executive director of CareerPoint.