2 Jul, 2025

Ask Nicole: Casework to Systems Change: A Path for Social Workers

By |2025-07-09T16:33:59-04:00July 2nd, 2025|Categories: Public Health & Social Work|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Headshot of Nicole Clark smiling confidently, with text overlay that reads “Ask Nicole: Casework to Systems Change: A Path for Social Workers” The image is framed in purple, with “Nicole Clark Consulting – Raise Your Voice for Women & Girls of Color” at the bottom.
Have a question you’d like featured? Let me know.

At its core, social work training prepares us to see the bigger picture.

For example, when you assess a client’s environment, family dynamics, access to resources, and systemic barriers, you’re engaging in systems thinking. You’re asking, What’s influencing this situation? How does this connect to other people, systems, or conditions?

In contrast, when you take that insight and work to redesign the system itself—whether through policy, program improvements, or advocacy—you’re engaging in systems change.

This month’s Ask Nicole highlights how micro social workers already to think in systems, and how those insights can guide their path from casework to systems change.

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25 Jun, 2025

Try This: The Cross-Sector Collaboration Reset

By |2025-07-09T16:37:49-04:00June 25th, 2025|Categories: Strategic Planning & Sustainability|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Two women sit together at a table, reviewing papers and a laptop in a collaborative setting, actively engaged in the conversation. The top of the image features bold white text reading “Try This,” and a gold banner across the middle reads “The Cross-Sector Collaboration Reset.” At the bottom, the Nicole Clark Consulting logo appears with the tagline “Raise Your Voice for Women & Girls of Color.”
Try this activity, and get your collaboration back on track.

Cross-sector work moves fast. Sometimes too fast. That’s where a cross-sector collaboration reset can help.

No matter where you are in your collaboration journey—whether you’re part of a brand-new collaboration or deep into a long-standing one—it’s easy to lose clarity about roles, priorities, or even why you started working together in the first place.

As a result of these dynamics, this 90-minute reflective group activity helps teams pause, reconnect, and realign—especially after tension, transitions, or shifting goals.

It’s less about fixing what’s broken and more about creating space to revisit your “why” together.

Objective:

The goal of this cross-sector collaboration reset is to help cross-sector collaborators reflect on how they’re working together, identify what’s supporting or blocking their success, and explore small shifts that can make a big difference.

This activity is ideal for:

  • Partners in newly formed collaborations looking to get grounded in shared understanding
  • Partners in ongoing collaborations who need a recalibration 
  • Cross-sector working groups, coalitions, or co-leadership teams

What you’ll need:

  • 90 minutes
  • Maybe a facilitator
  • Ideally, a quiet space (in-person or virtual breakout room)
  • Digital or physical sticky notes
  • Flip chart paper or shared virtual whiteboard
  • Optional: Pre-shared list of partnership goals or agreements

The steps:

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18 Jun, 2025

Why We Keep Trying: The Case for Cross-Sector Collaboration

By |2025-06-18T08:47:58-04:00June 18th, 2025|Categories: Strategic Planning & Sustainability|Tags: , , |0 Comments

A smiling Black woman with long twists reaches out to shake hands with another person in a professional setting. They are seated across from each other. A bold purple text box reads, “Why We Keep Trying: The Case for Cross-Sector Collaboration.” At the bottom, the Nicole Clark Consulting logo appears with the tagline “Raise Your Voice for Women & Girls of Color.”
Cross-sector collaboration asks more of us—but it gives more back.

Cross-sector collaboration isn’t always easy—but it’s needed to move the work forward.

When people across disciplines, institutions, and communities come together, we can see the whole picture, not just one piece of it.

While cross-sector collaborations can fall apart, we keep trying anyway.

Because when collaborators practice it well, collaboration becomes more than a ‘nice to have’—it’s a powerful strategy for trust, engagement, and lasting change.

Here’s why cross-sector collaboration is still worth it (even when you want to give up):

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11 Jun, 2025

Ask Nicole: How to Fix Cross-Sector Collaboration Challenges

By |2025-06-17T10:58:57-04:00June 11th, 2025|Categories: Strategic Planning & Sustainability|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

A smiling Black woman with hair in a bun is pictured against a neutral background. The image has a bold purple border. At the top, large white text reads “Ask Nicole.” A dark purple banner across her chest features white text that says, “How to Fix Cross-Sector Collaboration Challenges”. At the bottom, the logo reads: “Nicole Clark Consulting – Raise Your Voice for Women & Girls of Color.”
Have a question you’d like featured? Let me know.

If you’ve ever wondered how to fix cross-sector collaboration challenges where no one’s on the same page, you’re not alone.

Cross-sector collaborating is where different types of organizations, such as government, nonprofit, and private sector, work together to address complex societal issues.

This sounds great in theory until you realize that no one’s on the same page, timelines and priorities clash, and decisions are being made in silos.

If you’ve ever found yourself frustrated with a well-meaning cross-sector collaboration that just isn’t working, you’re not alone.

But collaboration isn’t just about bringing people together to work towards a common goal—it’s about understanding the dynamics that quietly (and not-so-quietly) block progress.

Let’s unpack five common reasons collaborations break down—and how to get back on track.

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21 May, 2025

Try This: Get Aligned Before the Consultant Joins Your Team

By |2025-05-21T08:34:11-04:00May 21st, 2025|Categories: Consulting|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments

Two women sit facing each other and appear to be in a serious, thoughtful conversation. The image has a gold border with bold white text at the top reading "Try This." Across the center, a gold banner reads "Get Aligned Before the Consultant Joins Your Team." At the bottom, the Nicole Clark Consulting logo appears with the tagline “Raise Your Voice for Women & Girls of Color.”
Try this exercise before you hire a consultant.

Before the consultant joins your team, it’s important for staff to get aligned to avoid feeling off-balance.

When roles are unclear or expectations are vague, collaboration can feel more like competition.

That’s where this visual Team Map exercise comes in—giving staff the clarity they need before the consultant ever steps in.

This exercise helps staff clarify who’s doing what, where responsibilities intersect, and how to engage the consultant without feeling overshadowed or sidelined.

Objective:

To help staff clearly define the roles of internal team members and external consultants, while identifying shared responsibilities and collaboration zones before the consultant joins your team.

This is ideal for:

  • Programming staff who have to work with consultants
  • Staff overseeing consultant engagement
  • Staff responsible for hiring or managing consultants across teams

What you’ll need:

  • 30–40 minutes (or longer) of uninterrupted time
  • A facilitator (internal staff member or team lead)
  • A quiet space (in-person or virtual)
  • Chart paper or virtual whiteboard
  • Sticky notes or digital text boxes
  • Markers or annotation tools

The steps:

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