History

Springfield Resiliency Initiative -  A Partnership for Resilience between Partnership for Resilience (PFR), Springfield Public School District 186 (SPS), and Springfield Education Association (SEA) resulting in a network of trauma responsive schools. Under the umbrella of the “Springfield Resilience Initiative” (SRI) and SRI Steering Committee, the BBSS/SRI Support leader assists teachers, administrators, staff, as well community partners in their efforts to create schools that allow children who have experienced adversity to thrive.

The Illinois Education Association (IEA) and Partnership for Resilience (PFR) team up through Resilient Southern Illinois (RSI) to put support in place for students dealing with childhood trauma. RSI partners with 17 school districts throughout 16 Southern Illinois counties. Through RSI, for the first time, teachers and other school staff are given access to resources to better assist students dealing with trauma, so those students can better manage their emotions and ultimately succeed in school.

With the work that the Partnership For Resilience dedicated using the TQP grant, they soon received interest from the south suburban community of Illinois as well as the greater nation. This soon led to the partnership becoming incorporated as an Illinois non-profit organization.

Starting as the Southland Education and Health Initiative, the partnership blossomed into what it is today: the Partnership For Resilience. By this point, it was clear to the partners that they were making progress in addressing deep needs of the community.

Five partner organizations and three school districts used grant funding from Governor State’s Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) to conduct research on ways to improved three key themes: Wellness and Primary Care, Trauma and Behavioral Health, and Family and Community Engagement.

Two siblings, experts in their own right, discover that they are searching for solutions to very similar problems. Audrey and David Soglin come together to use their individual expertise's to collectively solve their problems.