Examples of things that can happen at Community Gatherings

 

Here are some examples of things that can happen at a Community Gathering

 

173 WAYS TO BUILD SOCIAL CAPITAL

 

The first 144 ideas were from
The Saguaro Seminar: Civic Engagement in America

 

Definition of Social Capital, by Robert Putnam, Author of BOWLING ALONE and BETTER TOGETHER

 “The central premise of social capital is that social networks have value. Social capital refers to the collective value of all “social networks” [who people know] and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other (norms of reciprocity)

Social capital is built through hundreds of little and big actions we take every day. We’ve gotten you started with a list of nearly 150 ideas, drawn from suggestions made by many people and groups. Try some of these or try your own. We need to grow this list. If you have other ideas, email us.

I, Patricia Mikkelson, conceptualizer of the Community Gathering, have put stars at the end of each activity to show how the Community Gathering can make these things more possible. When people show up at a weekly Community Gathering,knowing there is a free meal, childcare,  transportation, and meaningful/fun activities for the whole family– then they are going to be much more likely to be involved with all of these projects.

*means that an announcement can be made, flyers handed out, this can be listed on a newsletter, and a bulletin board, or you can just talk to a few people about getting involved, or the idea can be introduced somehow.

** means that this event can easily be organized at the gathering

***means that this activity can actually take place at the community gathering

1.      Organize a social gathering to welcome a new neighbor***
2. Attend town meetings***
3. Register to vote and vote***
4. Support local merchants**
5. Volunteer your special skills to an organization***
6. Donate blood (with a friend!)*
7. Start a community garden**
8. Mentor someone of a different ethnic or religious group***
9. Surprise a new neighbor by making a favorite dinner–and include the recipe*
10. Tape record your parents’ earliest recollections and share them with your children***
11. Plan a vacation with friends or family***
12. Avoid gossip***
13. Help fix someone’s flat tire*
14. Organize or participate in a sports league**
15. Join a gardening club***
16. Attend home parties when invited**
17. Become an organ donor or blood marrow donor.*
18. Attend your children’s athletic contests, plays and recitals*
19. Get to know your children’s teachers*
20. Join the local Elks, Kiwanis, or Knights of Columbus*
21. Get involved with Brownies or Cub/Boy/Girl Scouts***
22. Start a monthly tea group***
23. Speak at or host a monthly brown bag lunch series at your local library**
24. Sing in a choir***
25. Get to know the clerks and salespeople at your local stores***
26. Attend PTA meetings*
27. Audition for community theater or volunteer to usher**
28. Give your park a weatherproof chess/checkers board***
29. Play cards with friends or neighbors***
30. Give to your local food bank***
31. Walk or bike to support a cause and meet others**
32. Employers: encourage volunteer/community groups to hold meetings on your site*
33. Volunteer in your child’s classroom or chaperone a field trip*
34. Join or start a babysitting cooperative***
35. Attend school plays
36. Answer surveys when asked***
37. Businesses: invite local government officials to speak at your workplace*
38. Attend Memorial Day parades and express appreciation for others**
39. Form a local outdoor activity group

40. Participate in political campaigns***
41. Attend a local budget committee meeting*
42. Form a computer group for local senior citizens***
43. Help coach Little League or other youth sports – even if you don’t have a kid playing*
44. Help run the snack bar at the Little League field*
45. Form a tool lending library with neighbors and share ladders, snow blowers, etc.**
46. Start a lunch gathering or a discussion group with co-workers **
47. Offer to rake a neighbor’s yard or shovel his/her walk *
48. Start or join a carpool**
49. Employers: give employees time (e.g., 3 days per year to work on civic projects)*
50. Plan a “Walking Tour” of a local historic area**
51. Eat breakfast at a local gathering spot on Saturdays**
52. Have family dinners and read to your children*
53. Run for public office**
54. Stop and make sure the person on the side of the highway is OK*

55. Host a block party or a holiday open house **
56. Start a fix-it group–friends willing to help each other clean, paint, garden, etc.***
57. Offer to serve on a town committee*
58. Join the volunteer fire department*
59. Go to church…or temple…or walk outside with your children–talk to them about why its important***
60. If you grow tomatoes, plant extra for an lonely elder neighbor – better yet, ask him/her to teach you and others how to can the extras*
61. Ask a single diner to share your table for lunch*
62. Stand at a major intersection holding a sign for your favorite candidate**
63. Persuade a local restaurant to have a designated “meet people” table**
64. Host a potluck supper before your Town Meeting***
65. Take dance lessons with a friend***
66. Say “thanks” to public servants – police, firefighters, town clerk…***
67. Fight to keep essential local services in the downtown area–your post office, police station, school, etc.***
68. Join a nonprofit board of directors*
69. Gather a group to clean up a local park or cemetery***
70. When somebody says “government stinks,” suggest they help fix it*
71. Turn off the TV and talk with friends or family***
72. Hold a neighborhood barbecue**
73. Bake cookies for new neighbors or work colleagues**
74. Plant tree seedlings along your street with neighbors and rotate care for them**

  75. Volunteer at the library*
76. Form or join a bowling team**
77. Return a lost wallet or appointment book*
78. Use public transportation and start talking with those you regularly see*
79. Ask neighbors for help and reciprocate**
80. Go to a local folk or crafts festival**
81. Call an old friend*
82. Sign up for a class and meet your classmates***
83. Accept or extend an invitation***
84. Talk to your kids or parents about their day***
85. Say hello to strangers***
86. Log off and go to the park**
87. Ask a new person to join a group for a dinner or an evening***
88. Host a pot luck meal or participate in them***
89. Volunteer to drive someone*
90. Say hello when you spot an acquaintance in a store*
91. Host a movie night***
92. Exercise together or take walks with friends or family***
93. Assist with or create your town or neighborhood’s newsletter***
94. Organize a neighborhood pick-up – with lawn games afterwards***
95. Collect oral histories from older town residents***
96. Join a book club discussion or get the group to discuss local issues***
97. Volunteer to deliver Meals-on-Wheels in your neighborhood*
98. Start a children’s story hour at your local library***
99. Be real. Be humble. Acknowledge others’ self-worth***
100. Tell friends and family about social capital and why it matters***
101. Greet people***
102. Cut back on television***
103. Join in to help carry something heavy***

104. Plan a reunion of family, friends, or those with whom you had a special connection***
105. Take in the programs at your local library*

106. Read the local news faithfully***
107. Buy a grill and invite others over for a meal**

108. Fix it even if you didn’t break it***
109. Pick it up even if you didn’t drop it***
110. Attend a public meeting***
111. Go with friends or colleagues to a ball game (and root, root, root for the home team!)**
112. Help scrape ice off a neighbor’s car, put chains on the tires or shovel it out*
113. Hire young people for odd jobs***
114. Start a tradition***
115. Share your snow blower*
116. Help jump-start someone’s car*
117. Join a project that includes people from all walks of life***
118. Sit on your stoop*
119. Be nice when you drive*
120. Make gifts of time***
121. Buy a big hot tub
122. Volunteer at your local neighborhood school*
123. Offer to help out at your local recycling center**
124. Send a “thank you” letter to the Editor about a person or event that helped build community***
125. Raise funds for a new town clock or new town library***
126. When inspired, write personal notes to friends and neighbors***
127. Attend gallery openings*
128. Organize a town-wide yard sale***
129. Invite friends or colleagues to help with a home renovation or home building project**
130. Join or start a local mall-walking group and have coffee together afterwards**
131. Build a neighborhood playground**

132. Become a story-reader or baby-rocker at a local childcare center or neighborhood pre-school***
133. Contra dance or two-step***
134. Help kids on your street construct a lemonade stand***
135. Open the door for someone who has his or her hands full***
136. Say hi to those in elevators*
137. Invite friends to go snowshoeing, hiking, or cross-country skiing***
138. Offer to watch your neighbor’s home or apartment while they are away*
139. Organize a fitness/health group with your friends or co-workers***
140. Hang out at the town dump and chat with your neighbors as you sort your trash at the Recycling Center*
141. Take pottery classes with your children or parent(s)*
142. See if your neighbor needs anything when you run to the store*
143. Ask to see a friend’s family photos***
144. Join groups (e.g., arts, sports, religion) likely to lead to making new friends of different race or ethnicity, different social class or bridging across other dimensions ***

 

The following are suggestions I, Patricia, have made:

146. Start a success team and encourage each other in following your dreams***

147.    Facilitate a music jam session and encourage people of all ages and stages of talent to participate***

148.    Start a free geeks group and make it easy for people of all incomes to get computers**

149.    Start a life-long learning center and have classes for all ages in every conceivable subject***

150.    Have a dance jam where people bring their favorite music to dance to***

151.    Make an effort to include in all activities people who are under served and underheard***

152.    Teach a class in Non-violent communication or some other effective communication technique, and encourage people to start speaking in ways that build bridges of compassion***

153.    Start a listening buddies network so that every single person in your neighborhood has  number of people who can listen empathically to them in times of trouble.***

154.    Organize a neighborhood-wide emergency preparedness plan using something like 3 steps to neighborhood Preparedness***

155.    Start a neighborhoodlink or some similar website to connect neighbors***

156.    Raise funds to help bring in a consultant who can facilitate a three day meeting to help the neighborhood create a shared vision using effective change making facilitation techniques such as Future Search or Open Space Technology***

157.    Start a group to help localize the economy***

158.    Organize a networking group of local business people***

159.    Organize a food drive***

160.    Help single parents with childcare***

161.    Sponsor a 12 step group or other support group for addictions***

162.    Start a mentoring/coaching network***

163.    Have study groups to learn about different religions and foster a spirit of tolerance and understanding***

164.    Bring people of all ages and background together for a sing along***

165.    Organize a talent show where people of all levels of skill are encouraged to share their gifts***

166.    Host a local mic having poetry,music, prose, comedy and drama, encouraging people of all levels of talent to participate***

167.    Host conversation cafes and discuss a wide variety of topics relating to civic engagement

168.    Host study circles and learn more about the important issues that effect us all

169.    Learn more about the importance of civic engagement***

170.    Have book studies on such books as Bowling Alone, Better Together,

171.     Make a list of all the books which relate to building social capital and build a library accessible to all

172.    Inspire people to pay a fee like ten dollars a month to pay a natural connector in the community to do that full time.

173.     I have about 200 more ideas—no time now! (Patricia)

Powerful video: Why we need churches involved in neighborhoods

http://connectingthechurch.wordpress.com/2006/04/03/the-church-is-everywhere-part-2/

Human needs: can community gatherings help meet those needs?

What if our community gatherings could be designed to meet all human needs at one time? Would that be amazing or what? Manfred Max-Neef has done extensive research and listed what he perceives is our basic human needs on the chart below. I will be looking at these needs as I continue to design the Communty Gathering. See the link after the chart to learn more about Max-Neef.

Fundamental Human Needs	Being (qualities)	Having (things)	Doing (actions)	Interacting (settings)
subsistence	physical and mental health	food, shelter work	feed, clothe, rest, work	living environment, social setting
protection	care, adaptability autonomy	social security, health systems, work	co-operate, plan, take care of, help	social environment, dwelling
affection	respect, sense of humour, generosity, sensuality	friendships, family, relationships with nature	share, take care of, make love, express emotions	privacy, intimate spaces of togetherness
understanding	critical capacity, curiosity, intuition	literature, teachers, policies educational	analyse, study,meditate investigate,	schools, families universities, communities,
participation	receptiveness, dedication, sense of humour	responsibilities, duties, work, rights	cooperate, dissent, express opinions	associations, parties, churches, neighbourhoods
leisure	imagination, tranquillity spontaneity	games, parties, peace of mind	day-dream, remember, relax, have fun	landscapes, intimate spaces, places to be alone
creation	imagination, boldness, inventiveness, curiosity	abilities, skills, work, techniques	invent, build, design, work, compose, interpret	spaces for expression, workshops, audiences
identity	sense of belonging, self- esteem, consistency	language, religions, work, customs, values, norms	get to know oneself, grow, commit oneself	places one belongs to, everyday settings
freedom	autonomy, passion, self-esteem, open-mindedness	equal rights	dissent, choose, run risks, develop awareness	anywhere

You can learn more about

MANFRED NEEF in this very interesting article

http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/background/maxneef.htm

Social Capital generated at community gatherings

I think the Community Gathering is an ideal place where people can be inspired and empowered to do things that are constructive in society. The Community Gathering makes it easier for people to be and do good. Here is a definition of social capital (author unknown–sorry about that–I lost track of where I got this)

What does “social capital” mean?
The central premise of social capital is that social networks have value. Social capital refers to the collective value of all “social networks” [who people know] and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other ["norms of reciprocity"].

How does social capital work?
The term social capital emphasizes not just warm and cuddly feelings, but a wide variety of quite specific benefits that flow from the trust, reciprocity, information, and cooperation associated with social networks. Social capital creates value for the people who are connected and - at least sometimes - for bystanders as well.

Social capital works through multiple channels:
Information flows (e.g. learning about jobs, learning about candidates running for office, exchanging ideas at college, etc.) depend on social capital norms of reciprocity (mutual aid) are dependent on social networks. Bonding networks that connect folks who are similar sustain particularized (in-group) reciprocity. Bridging networks that connect individuals who are diverse sustain generalized reciprocity. Collective action depends upon social networks (e.g., the role that the black church played in the civic rights movement) although collective action also can foster new networks. Broader identities and solidarity are encouraged by social networks that help translate an “I” mentality into a “we” mentality. What are some examples of social capital? When a group of neighbors informally keep an eye on one another’s homes, that’s social capital in action. When a tightly knit community of Hassidic Jews trade diamonds without having to test each gem for purity, that’s social capital in action. Barn-raising on the frontier was social capital in action, and so too are e-mail exchanges among members of a cancer support group. Social capital can be found in friendship networks, neighborhoods, churches, schools, bridge clubs, civic associations, and even bars. The motto in Cheers “where everybody knows your name” captures one important aspect of social capital.

For more information on social capital, read Chapter 1 of Bowling Alone or see the following.

Civic Practices Network (CPN) has a good description of social capital.

Briggs, Xavier de Souza. “Social Capital and the Cities: Advice to Change Agents.” National Civic Review 86, No. 2 (Summer 1997): 111-118.

Berry, Jeffrey M., Kent E. Portney, and Ken Thomson. The Rebirth of Urban Democracy. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution, 1993.

Ehrenhalt, Alan. The Lost City: Discovering the Forgotten Virtues of Community in the Chicago of the 1950s. New York: BasicBooks, 1995.

Lemann, Nicholas “Kicking in Groups.” Atlantic Monthly (April 1996): 22-24.

Loury, Glenn “The Social Capital Deficit.” The New Democrat (May-June 1995): 28-29.

Loury, Glenn, “The Divided Society and the Democratic Ideal.” Boston University’s University Lecture, 1996.

Portes, Alejandro & Patricia Landolt, “The Downside of Social Capital.” The American Prospect 26 (May-June 1996): 18-21, 94. http://epn.org/prospect/26/26-cnt2.html

Potapchuk, William R., Jarle P. Crocker and William H. Schecter, Jr. “Building Community with Social Capital: Chits and Chums or Chats with Change.” National Civic Review 86, No. 2 (Summer 1997): 129-140.

Putnam, Robert D. Making Democracy Work. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1993.

Schambra, William and Michael S. Joyce. “A New Citizenship, A New Civic Life.” The Hudson Institute: 139-163.

Skocpol, Theda. “The Tocqueville Problem.” Address to Annual Meeting of the Social Science History Association, New Orleans, October 12, 1996. [There is an adaptation of this available here.]

Vanourek, Gregg, Scott Hamilton, and Chester Finn. Is There Life After Big Government?: The Potential of Civil Society. The Hudson Institute.

Verba, Sidney, Kay Lehman Schlozman, and Henry E. Brady. Voice and Equality: Civic Voluntarism in American Politics. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1995.

Walzer, Michael, “Civility and Civic Virtue in Contemporary America.” In Radical Principles: Reflections of an Unreconstructed Democrat. New York: Basic Books, 1980.

Walzer, Michael. “Idea of Civil Society.” Dissent (Spring 1991): 293-304.

Wilson, William Julius. When Work Disappears: The World of the New Urban Poor. New York: Knopf, 1996.

[for more in depth information on Social Capital visit www.ksg.harvard.edu/saguaro/]

 

Social forum: a way to connect with thousands of other similar minded souls

Link to the US social forum

https://www.ussf2007.org/en/faq

 

A kind of analysis of US social forum

http://leftturn.mayfirst.org/?q=node/670

 

This one is the speech by Howard Roark in Ayn Rand’s fountainhead-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc7oZ9yWqO4&NR=1

 

principles and revolution

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G0XH9qmFsA&feature=related

 

Blessed Unrest: Paul Hawkens indirectly writes about the livable neighborhoods movement

Blog Blessed Unrest

Here’s an excerpt from BLESSED UNREST, by Paul Hawkins This book really instilled a lot of hope in me, and hope is always handy to have around! Here’s the conversation we had (me talking to his words written in his book) My words are in italics.

The earth’s problems are everyone’s problems, and what modern technology and the movement can do is distribute problem-solving tools.

That is why I am so excited about encouraging livable neighborhoods-even livable blocks. The tools are obtainable, doable, and manageable.

Not surprisingly, people don’t know that they count in such a mal-ordered, destabilized world don’t know that they are of value. A healthy global civilization cannot be constructed without building blocks of meaning, which are hewn of rights and respect.

Every time I speak to a neighbor or anyone respectfully—wave at them and smile, ask them meaningful questions like, “what would you do if you had a million dollars” those building blocks are being hewn.

What constitutes meaning for human beings are events, memories and small dignities, gifts that rarely emerge from institutions and never from theory.

Yes, we just need to do it. I just developed the habit of talking to and smiling at just about everyone I come into contact with. Something has shifted in me—I see everyone one as God’s child, special and loved and with a purpose. Feels a lot better than judging.

While they are organizing themselves into the largest movement in the history of the world, the movement only happens one person at a time. But how does one become an environmentalist, or human rights campaigner. There are no missionaries.

Actually, there are starting to be many Christians who see their missional work as being right smack in the middle of the neighborhood. The missional church means that people go out to the people to be the hands and feet of Christ, rather than bring people to the church. Also, I want to train people to be like peace corps volunteers or missionaries so that there will be a trained Neighborhood Orgtanizer in every neighborhood, and a community organizer in every city.

There are no postings offering lessons.

Things change fast these days. Go to my website. You will find lessons! I even link to groups that offer lessons!:Concerned individuals have to work it out for themselves and find colleagues that will mentor them. Mentoring is important. Part of the training is learning how to find the mentors, and also train mentors to be effective. Movements are the expression of changed attitudes and how each person comes to realize his responsibility to the greater whole is a unique experience. More and more books are being written where people share how they transformed their neighborhoods. Once it is done a few times, the only thing that needs to be done is to share it and duplicate over and over—keep refining and sharing information to ever more improve the process.

Science now knows that while still in diapers, virtually all children exhibit altruistic behaviors. Concern for the well being of others is bred in the bone, endemic and hardwired.

When children are raised in an environment where they are treated with respect and use such models as non-violent communication , these attributes easily blossom. We became human by working together and helping one another. According to immunologist Geral Callahan, faith and love are literally buried in our genes and lymphocytes and what it takes to arrest our descent into chaos is one person after another remembering who and where they really are.

This remembering comes from being nurtured as children, or healing our childhood wounds when we are adults. I yearn to help create environments where, as Dorothy Day stated, “we make it easy for people to be good.” In a neighborhood where people can attend a weekly community gathering I really think people will experience their goodness, and then perpetuate it throughout the week.

Thanks, Paul Hawkins, for your wisdom. I was glad to put in my two cents worth. You are a great listener

Children need to be outside–and so do adults!

Great article about children being outside

http://www.parentmap.com/content/view/526/110/

 

Jon Young on Mentoring-fantastic article

 

http://www.jonyoung.info/S08_Young_InvisibleSchool.pdf

 

Bird language-learning

http://www.unf.edu/recsports/nature/Language%20of%20the%20Birds.html

 

tom brown’s tacker school for kids

 

http://trackertrail.com/publications/truetracks/1999fall/tt1999fall.html

 

test for neighborhood awareness

http://www.earthwaynetwork.org/tourist_test/tourist_test.html

Livable Neighborhoods Coalition: A proposal

I got this information from Coalition for a Livable Future in Portland. I have researched this organization extensively, and it seems to me it is a very effective way of organizing a coalition. They have been working together for about 16 years with amazing results. I revised their organizational structure to be more generic. I would love to have coalitions formed similar to this group. You can find out more at www.clf.org

 

Livable Neighborhoods Coalition

 

Information for Prospective Member Organizations and Individuals

 

The Livable Neighborhoods Coalition is a partnership of organizations, including non-profits, businesses and governments, and individuals all over the world that share a commitment to helping every neighborhood become a thriving, self-reliant community where every voice is heard and the needs of all living creatures  are met non-coercively.

 

Livable Neighborhoods Coalition provides neighborhood organizers with step-by-step/1-2-3 programs that coordinate and focus their efforts to maximum effect.

 

We connect people, ideas, resources, and organizations to support one another to accomplish more than they could alone. Through research, think tanks, public education, a website, communication systems, and networking, LNC works to:

1. Identify, coordinate, and mentor the existing and future grass-roots organizers in the different neighborhoods, cities, districts/states and the internet to synergize their results.
2. Create and support successful Community Gatherings, first  in every congressional district, then county, city, precinct and then neighborhood.
3. Educate about how to organize Community Gathering through mentoring and other successful groups coming a long side future leaders.
4. Provide tools/strategies/ideas which create name recognition for Livable Neighborhoods Project

5. Provide education about the issues including upholding our unalienable rights, how to influence the government and powers that be, and how to take responsibility for our actions. 
6. Support successful Coalitions  in every state then region.

 7. Recommend the best practices, websites, and resources to help anyone who wants to better their neighborhood.

8. Get mainstream media coverage, household name type people like movie and rock stars behind us, and make neighborhood betterment a trendy, popular action.

 

.

By joining the Coalition, your organization is helping to create a stronger, collective voice for promoting the message of Livable Neighborhoods. A diverse membership from the non-profit, public and private sectors allows us to understand each other’s issues and concerns, to find common ground, and to share resources and information.

 

The Benefits of Joining a Coalition

 

Organizations may choose among three membership levels: core, supporting and affiliate. Only core members have voting rights and responsibilities as described on page

2. Supporting and affiliate members provide financial support and/or lend credibility and breadth to Livable Neighborhood Coalition by adding their organization’s name to our membership list. In general, members that invest the most time and resources in Livable Neighborhood Coalition activities are those who receive the greatest benefits and services.

Through LNC, members can:

               • Broaden relationships;

               • Avoid wedge politics;

               • Increase collective capacity for research;

 

               Increase collective capacity for media coverage

               • Increase collective capacity for outreach;

               • Explore collaborative funding opportunities;

               • Receive letters of support for projects and campaigns;

               • Increase participation by under-represented groups;

               • Participate in education and training opportunities;

               • Enhance effectiveness of your organization’s work;

               • Increase opportunities for communication via newsletter, with

               listserves;

                • Celebrate our collective and individual accomplishments;

 

Accomplish systemic change through collective action rather than isolation. All members receive Coalition publications:  Daily email updates;  LNC newsletter; the LNC member directory, and special LNC research reports. Members may participate in RPRC listserves, be included on the LNC website.

 

Members  receive discounts on special events and the upcoming Livable Neighborhoods  Summit which will be an open space conference that will encourage rich interactions that result in heightened skill levels and inspiration.

 

 Coalition Member Requirements

 

Each organization or individual are encouraged to join working groups and committees and to participate in Coalition Activities.

 • Help recruit new members

Make donations to the projects that the coalition endorses

 

 

How the Coalition Works

 

  Supporting and affiliate member organizations and individual members are welcome to participate in weekly conference call  meetings.  Representatives of each team are expected to report regularly to LNC on the activities f the team, and agree to bring policy decisions of that body before the LNC membership for decisions at monthly conference call meetings.

 

All final decisions at this time will be made by the LNC Steering Team, and we will spread out the decision making policies as trust is built. We will definitely be a responsive steering team.

Responsibilities as a Member of the Coalition

            Each member of the Coalition is asked to:

            • Select a representative and an alternate to participate in Coalition proceedings and delegate this job, or serve as the primary contact for phone and internet meetings.

            • Advertise the activities and policies of the LNC

            • Actively work toward the Coalition’s Objectives.

            • Support the health of LNC by providing financial support for general operation of the Coalition

            • Abide by all LNC’s organizational policies.

 

Decision mking:  The core membership provides leadership to the Coalition by electing the Board of Trust annually, with approximately half of the seats up for election each year, and by participating in policy decisions. Policy decisions are made at bi-monthly general meetings or special meetings of the membership called for a specific purpose. In between meetings of the membership, the Board of Trustees will make decisions on items that require a fast turn-around, in addition to carrying out its strategic planning, fundraising and personnel responsibilities. Interim decisions related to policy objectives will be made by following an adopted interim decision making procedure that involves participation by working group/committee leaders and board members. LNC has working groups and committees that focus on specific issues, research concerns and projects, and bring policy and project recommendations to both the Board of Trustees and the full membership for discussion and approval.

 

Fundraising: Coalition staff actively searches for collaborative fundraising opportunities for members on the priorities of the membership. When opportunities arise, LNC acts as a vehicle for leveraging funding for our collaborative efforts, at this point using chip ins for various groups placed on the website.

 

 

Volunteer Staff: LNC currently has one staff person, director and founder Patricia Mikkelson.  Staff will work with groups to create a plan that fits individual organizations’ needs and capacities.

It is important to note that the Coalition for Livable Neighborhoods is NOT a fundraiser. Rather, the members who are fundraising collaboratively are a team of member organization representatives who are supported by LNC.

 

Membership Dues Membership dues are a critical way to sustain the Coalition. They also build our power. By investing financial resources in LNC, members demonstrate a significant commitment to the cross-discipline collaboration that is possible through LNC, which in turn, leverages other funding. We recognize that all organizations have very different capacities, and want to provide opportunities for all kinds of organizations.

 

Therefore, assistance with fundraising (ie; selling event tickets, sponsoring an event, or volunteering for phone banks and other fundraising activities) in lieu of paying the minimum $150

 

Suggested range of dues for Supporting or Core members:

Operating Budget Dues Range

Under $200,000 $150-$250

 

How to Join

If your organization is interested in becoming a member of LNC, first choose the appropriate membership level for you. Fill out the appropriate application form stating that your group agrees with the Objectives of the Coalition and that you will support all of these Objectives in your work with the Coalition, and send in membership dues at your selected level.

For prospective core members only: As LNC staff  are reviewing your application, one or more representatives from your organization should attend one of the Coalition’s meetings and/or membership forums in order to learn more about how the Coalition works, meet other members, and allow us to get to know you. We will schedule a time for voting on your application at a steering team meeting. We will give you

time to introduce your organization and explain why you are interested in joining LNC. The Steering Team will vote on your application for membership.

 

 If approved,

RPRC’s Executive Director will sign off on the membership agreement form and new members will receive additional materials explaining in greater detail how to get involved in RPRC.

 

Livable Neighborhoods Coalition

 

Core (Voting) Member Application To Join

 

We wish to join other Livable Neighborhoods Coalition members in fulfilling

 the Coalition’s mission and objectives as follows:

 

(insert our mission and objectives)

 

We recognize that our organization will benefit from joining a coalition to address these issues by creating a stronger, collective voice; improving our understanding of each other’s issues and concerns, and how they intersect; increasing our organizational capacity through joint research, advocacy and requests for funding; and coordinating our efforts on these issues with those of others who share these objectives.

We will support LNC initiatives through research, advocacy, outreach, and public education to advance this mission, and we will also reach out to other groups and individuals that have a stake in these issues.

As a member of the Coalition, our organization will be responsible for:

            • Selecting a representative and an alternate to participate in Coalition proceedings and committees and/or serve as the primary contact.

            • Advertising the activities and policies of the Coalition and its membership through our organization’s publications and other means.

            • Actively working toward the Coalition’s Objectives.

            • Supporting the health of LNC by providing financial support for general operation of the Coalition at a level that is feasible for our organization.

            • Abiding by all LNC oganizational policies when participating in Coalition activities.

            • Helping recruit new members to the Coalition.

 

Organization Name ________________________________________________________________________

Authorized Signature________________________________________________ Date_________________

Title _____________________________________________________________

CLF Executive Director ______________________________________________ Date__________________

Core (Voting) Member Application To Join, continued

Livable Neighborhoods Coalition

Address: __________________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________________________

Phone: __________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________

Contact person: ______________________________ Alternate: _____________________________

Email: ____________________________________________________________________________

Web page: _______________________________________________

Please describe briefly your organization’s mission, work, etc. If you have it, send us a brochure or other written information about your organization.

Why does your organization wish to join RPRC?

Which issue(s) are you interested in getting involved with? (LIST THE KEY AREAS)

 

 This is just for our information; you may join any working group or committee at any time; you may also propose new working groups or task forces, subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.

Suggested range of dues for Supporting or Core members:

Operating Budget Dues Range Please Check

Under $200,000 $150-$250 □

$200,000-$500,000 $250-$750 □

$500,000-$1 mill $750-$2,500 □

 

Please return this form to 310 SW Fourth Ave., Suite 612, Portland, OR 97204

If you have any questions, please contact Patricia Mikkelson 479-225-0047 livablefutureproject@gmail.com

 

Livable Neighborhoods Coalition

Supporting or Affiliate Member member to join:

 

We wish to join other LNC members in fulfilling the Coalition’s mission and objectives as follows:

            • Selecting a representative to serve as the primary contact.

            • Supporting the health of  LNC

            • Abiding by all organizational policies when participating in LNC activities.

 

Organization Name ________________________________________________________________________

Membership Level: _______________________________________ (Please indicate Supporting or Affiliate.)

Authorized Signature________________________________________________ Date_________________

Title _____________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________________________

Phone: __________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________

Contact person: ______________________________ Alternate: _____________________________

Email: ___________________________________ Web page: ___________________________

Suggested range of dues for Supporting or Core members:

Operating Budget Dues Range Please Check

Under $200,000 $150-$250 □

$200,000-$500,000 $250-$750 □

$500,000-$1 mill $750-$2,500 □

Please return this form to Patricia Mikkelson

livablefutureproject@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

            I wish to join other Livable Neighborhood Coalition members in fulfilling the Coalition’s mission and objectives as follows:

            • Selecting a representative to serve as the primary contact.

            • Supporting the health of LNC by providing financial support for general operation of the Coalition at a level that is feasible for our organization, meetup, or other group.

            • Abiding by all organizational policies when participating in RPRC activities.

 

Organization Name ________________________________________________________________________

Membership Level: _______________________________________ (Please indicate Supporting or Affiliate.)

Authorized Signature________________________________________________ Date_________________

Title _____________________________________________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________________ State: ______ Zip: __________________________

Phone: __________________________________ Fax: ____________________________________

Contact person: ______________________________ Alternate: _____________________________

Email: ___________________________________ Web page: ___________________________

 

Suggested range of dues for Individual members:

Student/low income:

 

Middle range income

 

Wealthy:

If you have any questions contact Patricia Mikkelson livablefutureproject@gmail.com

 

 

 

Momentum: Igniting Social Change in a Connected Age

The following exerpt was taken from this Case Foundation website: an interview with Af Allison Fine’s author Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age. My comments are in italics.,

Allison is a successful social entrepreneur and writer dedicated to helping grassroots organizations and activists implement and sustain social change efforts. She is a senior fellow at Demos, a network of action and ideas based in New York City. She is the founder of Innovation Network, Inc. (InnoNet), and the former CEO of the E-Volve Foundation. Currently she serves on the board of directors of Just Vision. She lives on the banks of the Hudson River with her husband, Scott, and three sons, Jack, Zack, and Max. Join her interactive conversation on social change in the digital age at http://afine.us

Allison: When I’m talking to people in an organization to see how they’re doing with social media, I don’t look just at the technology. More important to me is how they talk about the way that they work. For instance, are they having a two-way conversation with people outside the organization, or are they just broadcasting messages? Is their website a place for real, open, side-to-side conversations between people inside the organization and outside, or is it just brochureware? And even blogs, which allow for comments, can be just pretty words that are meant to tell the world how great and invincible the group is, not letting people inside help figure out strategy and even struggle with the hard questions all organizations face.

Patricia: I agree totally. We want to get as much input as possible in whatever we do.

Allison: Technology is not a panacea for the hard work of developing relationships face to face. Social media, interactive digital tools, are very inexpensive, and when used well are great ways to enhance, deepen, and strengthen those relationships. Imagine that a group meets locally to discuss a clean water strategy. They can then go online and create a wiki to share documents and lists together. They can also create a listserv and a blog to keep everyone informed of progress and discuss strategy. All of these tools are cheap and easy to use. Now think back to the pre-social media days when everything had to be done by snail mail. Which way do you think connects people more to one another and the cause? Some folks make an assumption that using social media is a zero-sum game, that it replaces face-to-face relationship building. That’s absolutely not true. But again, leaders have to want real, meaningful participation to involve people in solving problems regardless of whether it is happening mainly online or on land.

Patricia: This is so important! And the community gathering will provide the face to face contact—make it much easier than trying to make appointments with people with busy schedules. For example, since all community gatherings will be open to anyone—although they will be attended mostly by their own neighborhood—there could be one going on every night of the week, and even some during the day. People can more easily meet—using the gathering as a foundation. Also, if someone meets on line, then they have a safe place to meet. This is also going to be a great place for Meet Up groups or even folks who want to meet in person who are on myspace, facebook, zaadz, tribes, or other social networking.

Allison:“It is counterintuitive but true; the more decision making we push away from the center, the more powerful our social networks become. That’s the power-to-the-edges concept. We need to let go of the message and the messenger and encourage activists to participate in real, meaningful ways in shaping and implementing strategies.”

Patricia: If you study Open Space Technology, you will see that people are empowered to self-organize and follow their passion and inclinations. Strategies reveal themselves as small groups come together to plan their part of the puzzle, and communication takes place between groups.

Leveraging Social Networks:
Allison:”Social change happens through social networks. Social media provides the fuel to reach out and activate these networks at a scale and speed never seen before. We need to think about our ’stickiness’ within our ecosystems. Who are we connected to and how? How can we create stronger, more authentic, connections within our network?”

Patricia: Authentic is a key word here—that is why Non-violent Communication is going to be so important. This consciousness of honest, empathic communication will help people connect on a deeper level. We will also encourage in various ways a culture of trust building. People will learn the importance of, and being empowered to-be in integrity so that we have a culture of trust worthiness.

Also, we want to make it safe and easy for people who meet online. If someone meets on line to deepen the relationships and help build trust. This is also going to be a great place for Meet Up groups or even folks who want to meet in person who are on myspace, facebook, zaadz, tribes, or other social networking.

Trust builds stronger, more authentic relationships.

Allison: I use a cooking analogy in the book to say that social change using social media is cooking and not baking. By this I mean that success can’t be prescribed for activists — there are some core ingredients that need to come together, like a big gumbo, to make something delicious. Technology, both the gadgets and the know-how, is one key ingredient. But so are leadership, planning, and meaningful participation by a community of people. We need all of these things, but how they come together, in what order, and in what combination, are unique to every organization.

Patricia: The Community Gathering is designed so that leadership is mainly focused on helping people create a shared vision and carrying it out, as well as defining personal goals, and getting help to carry them out. I feel hopeful that this format can be easily applied to any organization in order to enrich their participation.

Allison: In order to be successful, activists need to move from a state of powerlessness, of doing what others want them to do, to a place of powerfulness or what I call “self-determining” in the book. The balance comes from creating plans for measuring that everyone agrees on that have short-term and long-term mileposts to tell us where we are and how we’re doing along the way.

Patricia: We will develop a strategic plan as small groups define their goals, and then communicate with other small groups. As momentum builds, and people become familiar with the Open Space approach, we will also schedule longer events, including 2 ½ day Neighborhood Visioning using techniques such as Open Space Technology or Future Search

A big part of the leadership comes from the Community Facilitator who has been trained by Livable Future Project trainers. Community Facilitators will learn to build a team of the diverse people in their neighborhood and community who can oversee the community gathering and help make it fulfill the mission. Livable Future Project will have a board of directors and advisory board which reflects and supports the mission. Our main purpose will be to develop participitative democracy—something along the lines of sociocracy. I am familiar with the sociocracy principles, but I have not studied it extensively—one of my next priorities is to establish if this is the “ocracy” will be appropriate

Allison: When I’m talking to people in an organization to see how they’re doing with social media, I don’t look just at the technology. More important to me is how they talk about the way that they work. For instance, are they having a two-way conversation with people outside the organization, or are they just broadcasting messages? Is their website a place for real, open, side-to-side conversations between people inside the organization and outside, or is it just brochureware? And even blogs, which allow for comments, can be just pretty words that are meant to tell the world how great and invincible the group is, not letting people inside help figure out strategy and even struggle with the hard questions all organizations face.

Patricia: We will be all about inclusiveness and getting input from people, helping them more easily decisions which affect them directly—as always, creating a shared vision as well as individual visions.

Allison: “Nonprofit organizations aren’t going to become extinct, but they do need to transform themselves. In order for change to happen in large-scale, meaningful, and sustainable ways, activist organizations must change the way they view themselves and their constituents; they must start to act as part of networks of activists not as soloists.”

Patricia: I am so glad to see this statement. I have long felt a sense of helplessness when I try to work with established organizations. It is so discouraging to try to present something to a board of directors, or try to get an individual to present something to a steering committee—to get permission or support. Boards are usually overwhelmed anyway, and new ideas are just time consuming. I gave up working with boards and groups—but then I felt isolated, and couldn’t figure out how to get involved and get others involved. When I learned about the concept of helping people get in touch with their passionate vision, and then support them in carrying it out—it was like a revelation. It seems that we are taught in school that we can’t follow our dreams-we have to fit in like a cog in a wheel to the socio-economic order that needs us to be robots. J

Even though we consciously believe differently, our upbringing/training often keeps us from believing that we could do what we love and we could thrive by doing that.

I hope and pray that people will develop an alternative economy in their neighborhoods based on alternative currencies, credit systems, barter, and Time Banking so that people can be encouraged to find their right livelihoods which could include paid (or traded for) services such as being a facilitator—making it easy for people to create community gardens, learning centers, coop child care sytems, building sustainable systems, and more. The sky is the limit!

Although the Livable Future Project is not officially a non-profit organization—we are still in the process of deciding if this is the step we will take—we want to do as Allison says is beneficial—“ start to act as part of networks of activists not as soloists.”

Ultimately it is my dream that the job of Community Facilitator will be a respected role in the neighborhood, and so valued that people will contribute a monthly fee in order for a Community Facilitator to devote their full time to this work. CF’s will live simply and sustainably, and perhaps people will share freely food, reduced rent, rides, etc. If only 150 people paid $20 a month, a CF could have $3000 a month.

There is so much more that can be done besides the Community Gathering. The CG alone is a huge job but more could be done to help people, such encouraging people to become Community Weavers or a Family Advocate Volunteers so that even more can happen in between community gatherings.

When every neighborhood in a city has a Community Facilitator, and a Community Gathering, there will much more sharing, collaboration, and interweaving among neighborhoods. Community Facilitators will meet and share notes, and facilitate larger gatherings where delegates from the various neighborhoods can come together to create a shared vision for the city—and include scale methods where thousands and even millions can give input to help create a shared vision for a city, state, country, and even the world. Using a method. According to the Forum Foundation website, “the essence of over 25 years research in social science for us is the realization that big meetings at often remote distances are the Achilles’ Heel of the democratic process which undergirds our society, public and private.” Dick Spady and

Other than those ten dynamics, the essence of over 25 years research in social science for us is the realization that big meetings at often remote distances are the Achiilles heal of the democratic process which undergirds our society, public and private. P People today do not have time to go to big meetings, especially at remote distances. They are too busy earning a living. Besides they remember the last time they went; the sheer logistics are such that only a few people can speak, most can only listen. People today are often accused of being apathetic in their responsibilities as citizens in their communities, their schools, and their churches. Our research indicates that people are not apathetic; it is just that they have concluded that such big meetings at often remote distances are not worth their time and effort, and they drop out. The Forum Foundation has concluded that in order to get at the organizational and societal problems in society better, leaders must enable their members or constituents to meet in small gro