2020 Levy Pared Down from Preliminary Amount

Anoka County received a 2019 Association of Minnesota Counties Award for its Human Services Leadership Mentorship Program, which was developed to connect new leaders to more experienced staff for increased support, at the association’s annual banquet Dec. 11 at the River’s Edge Convention Center in St. Cloud.
The purpose of mentorship program is to increase workforce retention and positively impact the quality of supervision, program service delivery and enhance customer service.  This 12-month program started in October of 2018, and involved seasoned supervisors, managers and directors interested in the program completing interest forms and identifying individual expertise as well as areas to expand their professional growth.  Mentors were then paired with mentees based on this information.  The program’s inaugural year saw nine mentor/mentee matches.  Seventy-seven percent of the mentor pairs were still meeting by the end of the first year with many planning to continue past the one-year commitment.  By matching the pairs based on interests and expertise, members were able to connect on a more personal and professional level by sharing books, articles and other leadership tools such as TED talks.  The program averaged a four out of five in overall satisfaction.
Through innovation and creativity, this program increased communication, coordination and collaboration in support of division leadership.
“We’re proud to be recognized by AMC for the quality of this mentorship program,” said Commissioner Scott Schulte, chair, Anoka County Board of Commissioners.  “This program has been integral to the expansion of a work environment in Human Services that is professional and dedicated to serving the public.”