A graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Arizona, Klaus Axen heads Innovative Senior Living Inc. as its chief executive officer. To give back to the community, Klaus Axen donates to several different local and national organizations, including Youth On Their Own (YOTO). An Arizona-based organization, YOTO works to prevent school dropout among homeless, unaccompanied young people.
This past spring, YOTO met with a local nonprofit consulting firm that specializes in organizational development to craft a new strategic plan that will guide its growth for the coming three years. YOTO organized focus groups for students, donors, and volunteers to hear their opinions of the program and learn what could be improved.
The results of these discussions are five new main goals for the organization. First, the organization will improve and streamline service delivery so that youth receive the greatest benefit possible. Second, YOTO will provide more meaningful opportunities for volunteers to develop a robust volunteer network. Also, the organization will strengthen relationships with donors and improve communication with all stakeholders. The final goal involves expanding facilities to allow for additional programmatic growth.
