collective action workbook

Neighborhood IMPACT Leaders’

Collective Action

Workbook

a guide for creating diverse teams to address

neighborhood-based needs in a multicultural community

The Collective Action Workbook is a publication of IMPACT Silver Spring.

This “universal document” can be reproduced whole or in part for general use without permission from IMPACT Silver Spring or any other party.

First printing, December 2008

3

Table of Contents

Step One: Clarifying Your Action Idea Six Criteria for Successful Community Projects

6 9

Step Two: Making Contact with Neighbors Guide Sheet: Making Stand-Out Flyers

13

19

Step Three: Recruiting Neighbors One by One

23

Step Four: Preparing the First Core Team Meeting Guide Sheet: Basic Tips for Running Effective Meetings Guide Sheet: Planning and Running Inclusive Meetings Guide Sheet: Getting People to Meetings

33

35 36 37

Step Five: Running an Effective Team Meeting Guide Sheet: Tips for Sharing Leadership Guide Sheet: Team Ground Rules Guide Sheet: Brainstorming

41

43 44 46

Step Six: Implementing the Action Team Project Guide Sheet: Suggestions for Reflection and Sharing

49

54

About IMPACT Silver Spring 57

The Power of Community-Based Action 5

Introduction 4

4

Introduction The Collective Action Workbook is the result of years of practice and thinking by several people in the IMPACT Silver Spring network. It was developed based on important lessons learned from our community organizing efforts as well as the experience of supporting others taking action in the community. This workbook is meant to offer a new way of building community, one that allows community members to determine the needs in their communities and collectively work to make changes, one small project at a time. While this workbook provides a step-by-step process to guide leaders in undertaking action projects in their apartment communities, it is not meant to dictate the process. The six chapters in this workbook provide practical advice, examples, worksheets, and tips for community leaders as they select a project, reach out to neighbors, and create and lead diverse teams to address neighborhood-based needs in a multicultural community. “We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for” is a quote from social activist Grace Lee Boggs which captures the essence of this workbook. We believe that the residents of a community know, more than anyone else, exactly what needs to change in their neighborhood and walk around with a vision of a better alternative. We hope that this tool will eliminate two major barriers to community action. The first barrier is that we are not asked by anyone to take on a leadership role in our community and usually expect government to fix our problems. The second barrier is that, even for those who have a clear vision and passion for working in their community, it is difficult to figure out where to start, who to talk to, what to work on, and how to go about it. Through participation in the Neighborhood IMPACT Leadership Program and use of this workbook, we hope that more people realize that they are the leaders they’ve been waiting for and feel adequately equipped and supported to step up to the task.

- The Neighborhood IMPACT Facilitation Team IMPACT Silver Spring acknowledges the contributions of Frankie Blackburn, Scott Brumburgh, Hannah Haag, Lianna Levine Reisner, and Winta Teferi in the production of this workbook. Pictures were taken by Tooky Bunnag, Frankie Blackburn, and Winta Teferi.

5

The Power of Community-Based Action If you want to move people, it has to be toward a vision that’s positive for them, that taps important values, that gets them something they desire, and it has to be presented in a compelling way that they feel inspired to follow. Love and power are necessary to move people….Love without power is anemic. Power without love is abusive.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr. Community organizing is the process of finding out what people want as individuals, and then helping them find collective ways of getting it. Our vision at IMPACT Silver Spring highlights three principles of community organizing: ♦ Win concrete improvements in people’s lives

The problem being addressed must be broken down into short term, attainable goals called issues. With winnable issue goals, we can achieve and measure our success.

♦ Give people a sense of their own power Our organization helps to empower people. In doing so, we teach the value of united action through real-life examples, and they build self-confidence. We avoid shortcuts that don’t build people’s power, such as asking a friendly politician to take care of it, or turning it over to a government agency.

♦ Alter the relations of power Building a strong organization alters the relations of power. When the organization is strong enough to demonstrate the added value of sharing power, it will have to be involved in decisions that affect the people in its community.

This type of community organizing involves people directly affected by a problem taking action to solve it. The action usually requires the engagement of existing power relationships to build collaborative relationships of shared power that can achieve goals based on mutual self-interests. If I am not for myself who will be for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?

~ Hillel An underlying assumption behind community organizing is that you, the leader or organizer, are working with people who are primarily motivated by self-interest. By self-interest we don’t mean being selfish. The word “interest” comes from two Latin words inter esse meaning “to be between or among.” So self-interest means self among others, or how we are aware of ourselves and our own needs in the context of or relationships with others, in the larger society. Self-interest, together with values, vision, and relationships, underpins most organizational involvement. Self-interest also applies to what makes people feel good about themselves, as well as what materially benefits them. However, as a community organizer you must assume nothing about a person’s self-interest that is not expressed to you. One of the worst mistakes an organizer can make is to say, “This is an issue everyone should care about.” Understanding self-interest is the key to getting people to take action. Listening is an essential way for an organizer to learn about people’s self-interest. One-on-one interviews are an excellent way to get to know the values and concerns that motivate people. You cannot consider yourself free, prosperous, successful, or at peace as long as anyone suffers. You cannot help everybody, but you can help somebody. You cannot do everything, but you can do something.

~ Iyanla Vanzant Community organizing is overwhelmingly about personal relationships. The relationships organizers develop are their most important resource, and forming relationships their most important talent. Forming collaborative relationships is built on trust and respect—doing what you commit to do and being honest and straightforward.

Reference: Organizing for Social Change: Midwest Academy Manual for Activists, Third Edition, 2001

Step One

Clarifying Your Action Idea

Purpose

To assure your action project idea is clear and compelling to others. Well-developed and well-communicated ideas can get others interested and committed to take action.

Overview

♦ Describe the current situation in your apartment complex that you are concerned about.

♦ Describe what action is needed and what would be

the result if improvements were made. ♦ Write it out.

7

Describe the current situation and the action needed: ♦ Describe a problem or concern that you know others share, or need to know,

because it affects them in some way. While there may be several issues important to you, what is the problem or issue that has your attention most? You want to be able to clearly say how the current situation affects you and others and what you think needs to be done. Typical Silver Spring renter concerns include:

⇒ How little people know of their neighbors’ concerns, even though they may see each other often

⇒ How people are treated differently in their living area – youth, the elderly, or people of different ethnicities

⇒ Apartment conditions or tenant services promised but not provided or provided with poor quality

⇒ Apathy by residents to issues that affect their pocketbook, health or sense of security

♦ Share the problem or concern as a story that people can easily follow. Include key points such as:

⇒ How long the situation has been going on ⇒ What has happened (or has not happened) because of the problem ⇒ The place where the problem exists – hallways, parking areas, common areas,

apartments themselves ⇒ Why this issue is important enough to do something ⇒ What could be done about it

♦ Make the problem compelling. What would be the negative effects on renters if

nothing is done about the situation? How would action affect renter living conditions, health, or safety?

♦ Refer to the Six Criteria for Successful Community Projects on page 9. Not all

ideas for community action will take root, but there are factors that will make you more likely to succeed. Weigh your ideas against these criteria to see if you’re on the right path.

♦ Write it out. Write down notes to make sure you cover all key points about the needed

action and possible outcomes. Consider using a compelling picture or graphic as an aid to your talking points.

Step One: Clarifying Your Action Idea

Taking Action

8

♦ Talk about what is actually occurring (or not occurring) in the apartment

complex that concerns you. “Our kids don’t have a place to play that is safe from traffic and injuries when they fall. They play in the streets on cement or in the grassy area with broken glass, and who knows if there is an accident waiting to happen.”

♦ Say why you are dissatisfied with the way things are now.

“I worry a lot, especially when they play in the streets when traffic is heavy, and I don’t know if they’re okay without going out every 15 minutes to check on them.”

♦ Speak to the consequences of the current situation – what is likely to happen if

the current situation continues without action. “If we don’t do something, some child is going to get badly hurt or possibly even killed. We’ll all feel very bad that we didn’t do something when we know we can and should.”

♦ State what you would like to see happen.

“I think it would be great if the renters with kids form a team to work with property management in developing a playground that would be built in the common green area.”

♦ Say what would be different after your

proposed action took place. “If we found a way to build a playground in the apartment complex common area, our kids wouldn’t be playing in the streets or on cement—they would be able to play at any hour on a safe playground in plain sight. We would have peace of mind as parents, and the property management would know they would be much less likely to hear complaints from us or face a liability suit for unsafe conditions.”

♦ Speak to the satisfaction people could experience and feel about themselves

and the neighborhood. “I think we would feel more neighborly and family-like because we did something together for our kids. I think we would also feel more confident about being organized to do other things, like starting sports programs, baby-sitting arrangements, or homework clubs that our kids also need.”


Scenario

9

A successful community project typically:

♦ Addresses a deeply-felt, easily-understood community issue ♦ Relies on intensive personal labor with few outside resources ♦ Has a clear target and desired outcomes ♦ Can be accomplished within a short time period, usually several weeks ♦ Is fairly easily achieved, with no major obstacles to its success ♦ Sets up the next possible steps

Six Criteria for Successful Community Projects


10

Instructions: Answer the questions below. These prompts will help you clarify your thinking on the issue and the action you think is needed. Do your best to include a story or an illustration to make your issue more personal or revealing.

A Necessary Action for My Apartment Complex

Describe the problem, concern or issue: What is happening or not happening? Who is affected by this situation and how does it affect them? What would happen if nothing is done about this situation?


Leader’s Worksheet

11

What makes you willing to step up and do something about this situation? What difference would it make to apartment life if some action takes place around this kind of need?

A story or illustration to support my ideas: How well does your action idea reflect the six criteria for successful community projects?


Leader’s Worksheet, continued

Reflection and Evaluation


Reflection Area Personal Reflection

How I feel about how I articulated my action idea

What I still need help with to clarify my thoughts

Evaluation Area Peer Evaluator: _________________________ Were all the notes on the

Leader’s Worksheet completed?

Yes No

Is the leader’s description of their action idea clear?

Yes No

In what ways was it clear?

____ Easy to follow ____ Concise ____ Plain language ____ Logical ____ Other: ______________________________

What should be clarified?

Is the leader’s description of their action idea compelling?

Yes No

In what ways was it compelling?

____ Included story or graphic to reinforce points ____ Included a sense of importance or urgency ____ Stood out among other priorities ____ Simplicity ____ Sounds do-able ____ Other: ______________________________

Suggestions for making it even more compelling:

How well does the action idea fit the six criteria for

successful community projects?

____ Addresses a deeply-felt, easily-understood community issue ____ Relies on intensive personal labor with few outside resources ____ Has a clear target and desired outcomes ____ Can be accomplished within a short time period ____ Is fairly easily achieved, with no major obstacles to its success ____ Sets up the next possible steps

General comments or questions

Step Two

Making Contact with

Neighbors

Purpose

To share your ideas and receive feedback from neighbors—potential future team members who will undertake your action idea.

Overview

♦ Make a list of neighbors to approach. ♦ Have conversations with these neighbors about

your action idea to determine their interest in the issue, and to strengthen your plan for action.

♦ Determine other ways you can contact neighbors

to talk about your action idea.

14

Make a list of those interested or affected by your idea ♦ Begin with people who know you as a respected friend and neighbor. Consider

people most likely to listen intently and appreciatively to your thoughts, and those who may already be inclined to act on their concerns. Think about what you have heard already from your neighbors—who has expressed concerns or talked about this issue before?

♦ Find people with diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Eventually your desire for

action will undergo scrutiny by different apartment or neighborhood groups. Ideas that address a need from different angles are usually considered more credible and stand the test of review.

Determine effective ways you can make contact ♦ People you know and who know you can be approached directly with a request for a

conversation at a time and place mutually convenient, where there will be no distractions. ♦ People you don’t know and who don’t know you may be more receptive to group

meetings where they can learn about the issue and get a good first impression of you. Effective methods to initiate these meetings include:

⇒ Hand-distributed flyers ⇒ Personally-written letters or notes ⇒ Personal announcements at local meetings

Have conversations with your neighbors ♦ Emphasize listening over convincing. The point of this first conversation is to listen to

your neighbors’ interest in the issue, rather than convincing them at that time to take action with you. Listening is how you get information and show your concern. It is not simply the absence of talking. See what you can learn from them to build an even more credible, supportable action idea. The outcomes of one-on-one interviews provide answers to three key questions that are required to conduct a power analysis:

⇒ What is their self-interest—why is it important to them? ⇒ What resources do they have? ⇒ What are their solutions, or do they agree with the solutions you present?

♦ Lay the foundation for a collaborative relationship. Conduct your interviews to

draw people out, identify their self-interests, clarify their concerns—but also to establish a rapport.

Taking Action

Step Two: Making Contact with Neighbors

15

♦ Talk about what is actually occurring (or not occurring) in the apartment

complex that concerns you. “I’m very frustrated because I have mice and roaches in my apartment, and I haven’t been able to create a long-term solution. The management has given me traps, but the mice and roaches keep coming back. I’m concerned because I have kids.”

♦ Say why you are dissatisfied with the way things are now.

“I think the management won’t spend money on getting exterminators because it costs too much money. I’ve asked them twice, and they keep giving me traps. They said even if they bring in an exterminator it won’t work because not everyone keeps their place clean.”

♦ Invite the other person to speak to the issue from his or her perspective.

“I’m wondering whether you have had any problems with mice and roaches in your apartment.”

♦ Give evidence that you understand the issue from their viewpoint.

“I completely agree with you and have seen rats myself in the trash bins. That seems to be another big problem which needs attention from our whole community and building management.”

♦ Speak to the consequences of the current situation.

“I am determined to do something about this because my children’s safety and health will be affected. I’ve already seen skin rashes on my youngest child. It’s a situation that keeps getting worse. I don’t want us to live in these conditions.”

♦ State what you want to have happen and what difference that would make.

“I would like to see the building management bring exterminators to every apartment; otherwise it won’t be effective. To make sure it works, people need to be educated about what they need to do to prevent infestations and manage our trash, as you pointed out.”

♦ Ask the other person what s/he would want to see happen.

“What do you think? What ideas do you have?” ♦ Talk about follow-up.

“I’ve already talked to a few people, and I’ll keep talking to as many people as I can to get a few to meet about this. I would like to contact you again and have others hear your thoughts…what’s the best way to get in touch with you later?”

Scenario


16

Instructions: Brainstorm a list of neighbors to invite to have a one-on-one conversation with you. Include people who might share your concern already and who you might enjoy spending time with, as well. Consider other neighbors you do not know but might be affected by the same issue and could have an interest in doing something about it.



Neighbors to Approach for One-on-Ones Name Phone/Email

Unit

17

Determine effective ways you can make contact for a group meeting. ♦ People you know and who know you who can be approached directly with a request for a

conversation at a time and place mutually convenient.

List several dates, times, and places you propose to hold a one-on-one conversation with neighbors about your action idea.

♦ People you don’t know and who don’t know you may be more receptive to invitations to get to

know you as a neighbor before being willing to learn about the issue and need for action.

Choose what method or methods you will use to contact these neighbors:

_____ Printed flyers _____ Personally-written letters or notes _____ Personal announcement at local meeting

Determine a time and location for holding this informal get-together.

Location: _____________________________________ Time:____________



One-on-One Meeting Organizer Date and Time Place

18



Planning Prompts Talk about what is actually occurring (or not occurring) that concerns you. Say why you are dissatisfied with the way things are now. Invite the other person to speak to the issue from his or her perspective. Give evidence that you understand the issue from their viewpoint. Speak to the consequences of the current situation. State what you want to have happen and what difference that would make. Ask the other person what s/he would want to see happen. Talk about follow-up.

19

Here are 10 easy ways to make your flyer stand out in a crowd: 1. Write a snappy headline or title. Make it memorable, unusual, or provocative, using a few carefully-

chosen powerful words. Popular titles contain one or more of these words: Easy, The Secrets to, Unlock, Finally, Insider, Time Sensitive, How to, Free Bonuses, Now You Can, Discover, Proven.

2. Use colorful or striking graphics. One large image will have more impact than many smaller images.

A stunning photo or illustration grabs attention, creates a mood, and supports your story. This image is your "focal point" and will draw your readers in.

3. Focus on the benefits of your product or service. Your prospects will ask the question, "What's in

it for me?" Write from their perspective using the words "you" and "your." Avoid using the following words: we, us, I, and our. Be sure to keep your text short and to the point. Some of the most powerful words to use are: free, save, love, new, results, and guarantee.

4. Use compelling testimonials and case studies. Nothing strikes a chord like an endorsement from a

happy customer, especially if it demonstrates the results they've had with your product or service. Be sure to include the first and last name, company name and location of the person providing the endorsement.

5. Organize your page with boxes, borders and areas of contrasting colors. You don't need to fill

your flyer with wall-to-wall text and graphics. Incorporate some white space to make certain elements stand out and to make the flyer easy to read.

6. Make your points easily identifiable. Highlight titles and subtitles in bold, but avoid using ALL CAPS

because they are more difficult to read. 7. Don't get too complicated. Make it simple with two typefaces, and align items to a grid. Your page

layout program will provide non-printing guidelines. Use the "snap to guidelines" function to align items easily to the grid. Be aware of printing margins. I suggest you create your layout with 1/2" margins on all sides, or add 1/8" for bleeds on items that print off the edge of the page.

8. Don't forget to proofread. Have someone else proofread your work. Check your contact

information. Dial the phone numbers on the flyer to make sure they are correct, and type in the URL of your website to make sure it is correct, too.

9. If you are on a tight budget, try this. Select bright-colored or unique paper, and print with black ink.

Use shades of grey to provide tones and contrasting background areas. 10. Offer a door prize or raffle. Prizes and giveaways will always give people additional incentive to come!

By Karen Saunders, 2006. Available at http://www.businessknowhow.com/marketing/flyer.htm

Guide Sheet: Making Stand-Out Flyers


20

Leader’s Assignment


Instructions: Please complete the following information sheet to capture the outcomes of your meetings with up to four individual neighbors with whom you have shared your action idea and heard their perspective on the issue.

Neighbor Meeting #1

Name

Contact information

Relevant information (family, occupation, etc.)

Viewpoint on the issue

Follow-up steps

Neighbor Meeting #2

Name

Contact information



Follow-up steps

21

Leader’s Assignment, continued


Neighbor Meeting #3

Name

Contact information



Follow-up steps

Neighbor Meeting #4

Name

Contact information



Follow-up steps

22




Reaching out to neighbors

How many conversations with neighbors…

- Did you attempt to have? ____ - Did you actually have? ____ - Were successful? ____

Reflect on the way that you conducted these conversations

What do you think you did effectively?

____ Summarized or paraphrased the key points ____ Acknowledged emotions associated with the issue

____ Other: ________________________________

Do you have any example of an exchange with

someone that let you know they felt listened to?

Evaluation Area Peer Evaluator: _________________________ Were all the notes on the

Leader’s Worksheet completed?

Yes No


Step Three

Recruiting Neighbors

One by One Purpose

To gain the commitment of a small group of interested neighbors to take action as a small “core” team on the idea you have been promoting.

Overview

♦ Rewrite the main points of your action idea, building in the other perspectives you gained from your ear-lier conversations with neighbors.

♦ Recruit 2-3 neighbors to meet with you individually

to commit to take action on your idea. ♦ Complete the “Are You Ready to Have a Meeting?”

checklist.

24

Rewrite the main points of your action idea ♦ Include in your talking points your neighbors’ different

perspectives on the nature of the problem and ideas for solving it. Your action idea now needs to reflect your greater awareness of the problem as neighbors perceive it, and also demonstrate that something significant can be done that is worth supporting.

♦ Make sure the revised action idea clearly reflects the

insights from your previous conversations. In order for neighbors to support an idea for action that involves their time and effort, a servant-leader includes the thoughts, ideas, and concerns of those s/he intends to lead into action.

Recruit 2-3 neighbors to meet with you ♦ It invariably takes more than one conversation to find people genuinely

committed to a call to action. Your objectives in recruiting are to: 1. Continue to have people converse with you informally, strengthening the action idea 2. Explore their interest and willingness to join in the action

♦ Commit to a shared leadership model. If others are going to commit themselves to

community change they will want to have input. Make sure you are flexible enough to give team members leadership roles.

♦ Make a specific request. People have different ways of saying “yes” and “no.” Some may offer without being asked, while many may need to be asked directly.

♦ Creating a small, diverse core team—rather than acting alone—is critical to taking

effective, sustainable neighborhood action. Complete the “Are You Ready to Have a Meeting?” checklist on pages 28-29. ♦ When your recruiting has been successful enough to initiate a group meeting

to discuss action steps, use the checklist to help determine your readiness for this next step.

Taking Action


25

♦ Talk about how you have strengthened the action idea.

“Since we last talked, I’ve done some more research and talked to other renters about the idea of developing a fire evacuation plan for our retirement community. I followed up on your point that we don’t really know what the city requires management to provide. I learned that the fire code meets some but not all of the needs we talked about, and I’ve collected all the information available. Other renters I’ve talked to mostly want to make sure we have a reliable system in place that everyone understands and can follow, and then a way to identify which units have disabled residents—to get them out quickly and safely.”

♦ Invite the other person to update their thinking on the issue.

“Since we last discussed this together, what is your thinking on these points?” ♦ Give evidence that you have listened to their

level of interest. “In listening to you, it seems to me that we are pretty much in agreement on the things that need to be done and that it would at least take a small group of people to see them through to action. We seem to have some difference of opinion on what needs to be done first, but we’re not miles apart even there, am I right?”

♦ Inquire about what specific involvement the other person has in mind.

“If we were actually able to start making an evacuation plan, what specific role would you like to play?”

♦ Make a specific request to meet as part of a small group.

“I’d like to organize a meeting during the second week of December to talk about this issue, involving myself and two or three others in the complex who have shown a lot of interest and have other ideas. I’m inviting you because… Will you come?”

♦ If the other person is unsure or declines to participate, ask what is missing that

could provide the needed motivation. “I understand you are unsure whether you have the time to work on this. I agree time can be hard to come by when you think about taking on something new like this. I wonder what would make this a high priority for you among the other things you’re doing or considering doing?”

Scenario


26

Rewrite the main points of your action idea. 1. Drawing from the notes you took during your earlier conversations with neighbors, and from any

research you did, restate a more complete description of the problem, concern, or issue, and any new options for taking action. Add these revisions to your Step One Leader’s Worksheet on pages 10-11.

2. Summarize your new ideas and major learnings in a few sentences here: Recruit 2-3 neighbors to meet with you. 1. Identify those neighbors with whom you already have a commitment to meet and discuss possible actions

around your idea: those whom you wish to recruit because of their level of interest, diversity or other attributes that would make them a good core group member to work with.



Prospective Core Team Member Check-List

Name Already Recruited

Need to Recruit

27

2. Prepare notes for holding a conversation with the neighbors you plan to meet with again, one-on-one, to

recruit them to your meeting. Talk about how you have strengthened the action idea. Invite the other person to update their thinking on the issue. Give evidence that you have listened to their current level of interest. Inquire about what specific involvement the other person has in mind. Make a specific request to meet as part of a small group. If the other person is unsure or declines to participate, ask what is missing that could provide the needed motivation.



28

Leader’s Worksheet, continued “Are You Ready to Have a Meeting?” Checklist You have been talking with friends and other neighbors about what needs to change in your apartment complex. When is it time to take that next step and meet as a group to discuss taking action? Review the following checklist before conducting an initial action meeting. Please keep in mind that these are just ideas to think about. Do not let this reflection process discourage you from taking action..

1. Can you describe this action idea far beyond your original take on it, building in the perspectives of the other people you have talked to?

If you are not hearing similar information as you talk with people, you may not have sufficient knowledge about the issue to take effective action. You may need to have a few more one-on-one meetings with people who can provide you with diverse viewpoints about the issue. You’ve done your “homework” when the conversations are repetitive.

NOTES:

2. Do others tell you that your idea is compelling?

If not, you may not get enough people sufficiently motivated to organize with you for change. You probably will want to:

♦ Ask the question, “Do you find this issue—and acting on it—compelling?” ♦ Get feedback from those you’ve talked with as to why your idea does not create more of a spark

within them. ♦ Consider illustrating your ideas with a personal story.

NOTES:


29


3. Have 2-3 people responded positively to your request to attend a group

meeting? If not:

♦ Consider first whether you made direct requests to them to join you. If you feel you have been too vague or indirect, you may want to make the requests more direct.

♦ If you have made clear requests, inquire into their reason for declining or wavering, or determine whether it is time to move on and seek new contacts. Two or three people in addition to you are essen-tial for carrying out effective community action.

NOTES:

4. Do you have some common connection with the 2-3 people who have a

genuine interest in doing something around your issue? This is important to help hold the group together over time, when discussion and decisions might get con-tentious. If you have not identified some common interests, explore and confirm something in common for the group beyond living in the same apartment complex, such as doing similar work, having kids in the same school, etc.

NOTES: If you have all four boxes checked, you are on the right path! If not, this is the moment to do more research:

⇒ Consider a new action idea based on the conversations you’ve already had. ⇒ Talk to other people in the community—not just neighbors, but community groups, your building

management, residents of other apartment communities, etc.—to get new feedback and new data.


30

Leader’s Assignment Instructions: Please complete the following information sheet with the outcomes of your individual meetings with up to four neighbors whom you have recruited to join your core team. These notes will be used in preparing for the group meeting.


Core Team Member #1

Name

Contact information


Why they are committed to this action project

Desired role in the project

Availability for meetings

Core Team Member #2

Name

Contact information





31

Leader’s Assignment, continued


Core Team Member #3

Name

Contact information





Core Team Member #4

Name

Contact information





32




How do you feel your revised pitch

was received?

How do you feel about your recruits?

What are their strengths and weaknesses?

Do you feel like you have a team?

What’s still missing?

Do you have any new thoughts after completing the checklist?

Evaluation Area Peer Evaluator: _________________________

Do you feel like the leader is

on the right track? What needs to be revisited?


Step Four

Preparing the First Core

Team Meeting Purpose

To plan the first meeting of those neighbors who will take action with you in your rental community. In this meeting you will review your options and agree upon the best tasks to carry out.

Overview ♦ Build the meeting agenda. ♦ Handle the necessary meeting logistics—the date,

location, amount of time, set-up, materials, and invitation format that will appropriately support your agenda.

♦ Get people there.

34

Build the team meeting agenda ♦ Write out the outcomes needed from the meeting. Most unsuccessful meetings are

due to ineffective or insufficient preparation. Careful thought as to what outcomes you want will guide what topics to put into the agenda, how much time each topic requires, and the flow of conversation from beginning to end. Articulating outcomes helps people stay focused in meetings.

♦ Write out the items that need to be discussed to achieve your outcomes. Use

the Leader’s Worksheet on page 38 to prepare your customized meeting agenda. Refer to the guide sheet on “Basic Tips for Running Effective Meetings” on page 35.

Handle the necessary meeting logistics ♦ Determine the date and location. If there is no public meeting room in the apartment

complex, you may want to offer your apartment as a convenient place to meet. Avoid noisy places such as restaurants, or quieter places, like libraries, which may constrain your conversation.

♦ Estimate the amount of time needed to talk, and determine the set-up and

materials needed. No more than 1 ½ hours for a meeting is advisable, and closer to an hour works best for respecting people’s time. Handouts of the agenda and any pertinent resource materials you’ve collected about the issue help keep the meeting focused and timely.

♦ Consider how your meeting logistics and agenda can create a more inclusive

environment for participants. Refer to the guide sheet on “Planning and Running Inclusive Meetings” on page 36.

Get people there ♦ Make sure your team members come to

your meeting. Most people lead busy lives and unanticipated scheduling conflicts occur. Even a small group can run into problems with unexpected “no-shows.” Use the guide sheet on page 37 to help ensure your core team and other invited neighbors turn out for the meeting.

Taking Action

Step Four: Preparing the First Core Team Meeting

35

Good Agenda and Clear Goals Most meetings are unsuccessful from the start because they lack purpose and focus. Unless you have a solid agenda, your meeting time will be unproductive and conversation will wander all over the place. Clear Time Limits The trick to staying on schedule is setting time limits not only for the meeting itself, but also for individual agenda items. You might ask someone to be the official timekeeper for the meeting to stay true to your intentions. Full Participation Everyone attending the meeting should have a chance to share ideas. It’s okay to ask specific people what they think! Flipchart with Assigned Note-Taker Effective meetings result in a comprehensive record when there is an assigned note-taker who is responsible for taking notes, typing them, and distributing them to the meeting participants in a timely manner. Using a flipchart helps to capture all the notes as they emerge, so that participants can respond immediately to their accuracy. It is also a good tool because many people are visual learners. Stay on Topic When conversation strays, the facilitator needs to rein it in and bring the discussion back to the items listed on the agenda. You can use the “parking lot” tool to acknowledge important discussion items that come up but that should be tabled for another meeting—use one page from the flipchart as your parking lot. Communicate Action Items The most effective method for tracking results is to wrap-up the meeting by discussing action items and communicating them via the meeting notes. Put Decisions to the Group The participants own the meeting. If decisions need to be made about the process (whether to end a discussion that’s going too long, for example) the group needs to be asked for input.

Guide Sheet: Basic Tips for Running Effective Meetings


36

In our multicultural community, it is revealing that the majority of people who run and attend community functions do not represent the diverse populations who live and work here. Diversity in meeting participation, and in leadership roles, is crucial to building stronger communities and finding new solutions to old problems. Key Strategies

♦ Reforming Meeting/Event Formats and Processes

Participation ⇒ Favor interactive meeting formats, instead of frontal presentations with “experts” ⇒ Actively give power to the participants, encouraging them and drawing them out ⇒ Build in time for participants to get to know one another and build bonds, instead of getting

right down to business ⇒ Craft intentional agendas that are tools for facilitation, rather than tools for control

Content ⇒ Make sure the content is relevant and accessible to diverse communities ⇒ Determine how to best “repackage” or “reframe” topics and issues to a target audience ⇒ Translate flyers and materials, and offer language interpretation

Facilitation Techniques ⇒ Facilitate for full participation: helps build confidence among quieter participants and gives a

good reason to quiet dominant participants ⇒ Small group discussions: encourages deeper conversation and stronger connections between

participants ⇒ Begin by asking questions to honor the knowledge and experience in the room ⇒ Rotate facilitation to share leadership responsibilities ⇒ “Teach back” process: request immediate feedback from participants to help leaders and

facilitators reflect on how the meeting went

♦ Inclusive Venues ⇒ Inviting space vs. sterile and uncomfortable ⇒ Chairs in a circle: for better conversation and to diminish hierarchy ⇒ Time of day, day of week, time of year: cultural and family obligations to consider ⇒ Drinks and food: more realistic for evening meetings; a way to acknowledge individuals’ personal

needs in the meeting space ⇒ Rotating locations for greater inclusion: focusing on sites where people are

♦ Outside Participation

⇒ If it’s difficult for particular community members to attend, and if the issue is resonant, gather their responses and ideas beforehand, for consideration in the meeting.

⇒ Follow-up: Ask participants to assist with concrete tasks between meetings or after events, spreading out responsibility and building leadership capacity for the future.

Guide Sheet: Planning and Running Inclusive Meetings


37

Step One: Before setting the date and time, gather input on the most convenient meeting times for them. You may want to start with two or three options. Step Two: Prepare for the initial phone calls—what is the purpose of the meeting? Why is this person needed? Step Three: Place a personal phone call to each person to invite their participation; in a warm, welcoming manner, refer to the purpose of the meeting and to why this person’s attendance could benefit the group and the issue at hand. Step Four: Specifically ask the person if they can attend and find out the best way to communicate the details. Step Five: Figure out how to prov ide spec ia l suppor t (transportation and childcare) if needed and then offer the support. Step Six: Follow up the phone call with some form of written communication within the next two to three days—an e-mail, note, or flyer in mail. Call again if this is what they prefer. Step Seven: Send a reminder e-mail a few days before the meeting, and/or place a last minute reminder call the day before the meeting—keep it very brief and upbeat; mention the good food you are planning to provide! Remember: Providing refreshments or a light meal is a good way to keep others engaged during the meeting, and it is a simple task that your teammates could help you with. Taking care of participants’ basic needs is an important way of showing that you care not just about the project at hand but about them as individuals!

Guide Sheet: Getting People to Meetings


38

Building a Meeting Agenda

Desired outcomes from the meeting: 1. 2. To the left, for your reference, are suggested key topics for a 90-minute meeting. To the right is space for you to customize your own meeting agenda. Finally, determine who will lead each step in the meeting. Remember the servant-leadership approach, and share responsibility with those you intend to work with on the project.


Agenda Preparation

Sample Agenda Your Customized Agenda Activity Time Activity Time

1. Welcome & introductions 5 min. 1.

2. Review agenda 5 min. 2.

3. Telling our stories: How we came to be here tonight

20 min. 3.

4. Reviewing the need for group action

5 min. 4.

5. Brainstorming to decide the first action step

30 min. 5.

6. Taking our “temperature”: How do we feel about what we’ve discussed?

15 min. 6.

7. Next steps and next meeting date

5 min. 7.

8. Check-out 5 min. 8.


39

Leader’s Assignment Instructions: 1. Please complete your draft meeting agenda worksheet on page ___. 2. Complete the meeting logistics table for your planned core team meeting:

Meeting Logistics Meeting Date

Location Start and End Times Handouts/Materials 1. Agenda

2. Flipchart and markers 3. Camera 4. 5. 6.

Describe your plan for getting people to the meeting:


40




Do you feel prepared for the meeting?

What are you unsure about?

Which logistical steps are already set, and which need

attention?

Steps that are set:

____ Meeting date ____ Location ____ Meeting time ____ Handouts

What needs attention?

Evaluation Area Peer Evaluator: _________________________

In your opinion, how prepared is the leader for their team

meeting?

Is their agenda in good shape?

Well-prepared Unprepared 5 4 3 2 1

What needs attention, if anything?

How well has the leader integrated the tips for running

an effective and inclusive meeting?

How sound is the leader’s plan for assuring people come to

his/her meeting?


Step Five

Running an Effective Team

Meeting Purpose

To successfully facilitate the core team through its first meeting so they commit to undertaking a community improvement action.

Overview ♦ Build relationships among meeting participants. ♦ Establish a way of being together. ♦ Articulate the vision. ♦ Begin creating the big-picture plan.

42

Build relationships among meeting participants ♦ A trusting environment is the best starting place for group work. Take time at

your first meeting—and throughout the course of your project—to relate to each other personally, share stories, break bread, and have fun together.

Establish a way of being together ♦ Create an expectation for shared leadership. As a servant leader, introduce the idea

of shared leadership so that the team members understand that this team will operate differently from traditional teams that invest power in the leader alone. An overview of shared leadership is offered on page 43.

♦ Groups work best together when they have discussed how they want to

operate together. One strategy is to co-create ground rules for meetings, which can help prevent and manage conflict because everyone is involved in determining the rules. See the guide sheet on page 44 for tips and strategies.

♦ Define the “glue”. Before acting together, your group needs an opportunity to get to

know what they have in common—the “glue” (shared values, shared purpose, etc.)—which will help the team invest time and energy in something new and untested. Have each recruited neighbor tell their story of who they are and what led them to this meeting.

Articulate the vision ♦ Share the team’s purpose and what might be accomplished. As the leader, you

provide a foundation for the vision—which has already been crafted with many of your team members’ input. Then, invite discussion from the group. Remember, this is their first time discussing it together. When there is sufficient agreement, you can directly ask for their commitment to taking one action step together.

Begin creating the big-picture plan ♦ Brainstorm possible steps for the project. Explain that brainstorming is an easy way

to sort through many possible ideas and come to agreement on what is most supported by the group. Follow the brainstorming guidelines on page 46 and consider sharing these with your team.

♦ Prioritize tasks.

Taking Action

Step Five: Running an Effective Team Meeting

43

IMPACT Silver Spring values the concept of shared leadership. Most people think of leadership as someone designated to be in the role of leader. If leadership is viewed as a set of behaviors, actions, or functions to fulfill the needs of the team, leadership can be shared by anyone in the group. Functional leadership is exercised by the people performing the action. Shared leadership during meetings: The needs of a group in meeting can be grouped into two areas: maintenance needs and task needs The maintenance needs are those required to maintain the group. Members must build and then maintain their relationships. Some of the maintenance actions to meet those needs are:

1. Encouraging or supporting participation 2. Compromising 3. Listening 4. Relieving tension 5. Observing group process 6. Assessing group climate 7. Building communication

The task needs are those needed to accomplish the group’s goal. Some of the task actions to meet those needs are:

1. Clarifying the task 2. Giving and seeking information 3. Summarizing 4. Testing for consensus 5. Evaluating

Shared leadership in between meetings: In order to sustain the passion for and commitment to the action team goals, it is important for shared leadership to meet the maintenance and task needs of the team between meetings. The maintenance needs are those required to sustain the team generally. Between meetings it is important to:

1. Support the team members in communication 2. Thank people for contributions 3. Communicate with the team for transparency, to keep them informed 4. Respond quickly to others’ communication

The task needs are those required to sustain the action toward the goal. Before a meeting it is important to:

1. Establish an agenda for the next meeting 2. Plan for the facilitation of the meeting 3. Send out emails

After a meeting it is important to: 1. Distribute notes of the meeting (within 48 hours) 2. Carry out decisions made 3. Maintain updates through email

Guide Sheet: Tips for Sharing Leadership


44

Why use ground rules? Wherever people gather, they begin to establish and follow a set of rules that guide their behaviors. In the absence of a set of agreed-upon ground rules, members of a group may come to the table with vastly different expectations about the norms and behaviors for the group and how work will be done. It is therefore crucial that the team take some time to discuss these issues and decide on them together, so the group members have common expectations of how the group will run, how differences will be settled, and what degree of participation is expected. How to use them 1. Review the example ground rules on the next page for ideas of rules that may be appropriate for your

group. Consider your group's size and makeup, how long and how often they will be meeting, and the overall company culture.

2. Set aside time as early as possible in your project—preferably at your first meeting—to discuss and agree on meeting ground rules with your team. You may want to share the example, but the group should be free to brainstorm, expand, modify, or reduce the list until everyone agrees that it will produce the most productive way of being and working in the group.

3. Create ownership of the ground rules. It is important that groups feel able to include ground rules which are appropriate for the particular people making up the group.

4. Have them typed up and printed to post in the meeting room, and give each member of the group a copy. Just having a set of rules that you've agreed on as a team will help in clarifying expectations of each member of the group. But displaying them on the wall each time the group meets will allow members of the team to refer to it regularly to address issues that may arise in the group.

5. It can be productive to review and renegotiate the ground rules from time to time, creating new ones as solutions to unanticipated problems that might have arisen

What to include and emphasize ♦ A culture of honesty and trust. Successful group work relies on trust. It is important for group

members to feel safe enough to express themselves respectfully when they hear something they don't agree or can't live with.

♦ Collective responsibility. Everyone in the group is equally responsible for nurturing the team and making sure that goals of the group are achieved. Everyone is responsible for stepping in when they feels that things aren’t running smoothly.

♦ Importance of practicing listening skills. Every voice deserves to be heard, even if people don't initially agree with the point of view being expressed. Remember that some people need to be encouraged to speak and others to listen.

♦ Full participation. Group work relies on multiple perspectives. Encourage group members not to hold back from putting forward their view. Group members also need to be encouraged to value the opinion of others as well as their own.

♦ Taking a fair share of the group work. This does not mean that everyone has to do the same thing. It is best when the members of the group have agreed how the tasks will be allocated amongst themselves. Group members also need to rotate tasks to ensure that more than one person in the group knows how to do a particular task and allow people to learn new skills.

Guide Sheet: Team Ground Rules


45

A diverse leadership group came up with the following, extensive team ground rules for their meetings:

Respect each other Open communication Listen to others without interruption Respect each other’s: ideas, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and differences Support each other—nurture the rapport we have within our sessions and extend it to our lives outside of the program Turn off phone Confidentiality “Nibble-Free Zone”: no diminishing anyone else Respect agenda and participant-allotted time Respect people’s schedules and time 5 minute grace period to arrive to sessions—circular time Get agenda in advance Be prepared to learn Ask questions Share with others Have patience Everyone participates Pay attention to your own involvement (either too little or too much) Step out of your box and take risks Active ouch: share when and why someone offended you Jokes at the appropriate time Talk out conflict Find an appropriate moment to approach the person, take initiative to communicate Leave your baggage behind and move on We all take responsibility Have fun!

Sample Ground Rules


46

Brainstorming is a way to generate as many ideas as possible with the group’s full participation. Brainstorming separates the process of generating ideas from their analysis and evaluation. Collect Ideas

1. Provide a clearly-stated question that requires a decision:

“How can our volunteer team make this apartment community a safer place to live?” 2. Invite each group member to state their first idea and have it recorded on newsprint, a

flipchart, or butcher paper. 3. Critiquing the ideas is not allowed at this point! 4. Participants continue offering ideas until all ideas are exhausted.

Cluster and Eliminate Ideas

1. Participants can ask for clarification of anything on the brainstorming list. 2. Gather ideas into similar groups and topics where possible. 3. Number remaining ideas, or groups of ideas, for discussion.

Decide on the Most Feasible Ideas

1. In discussion, the team should base its decisions on the Six Criteria for Successful Community Projects (page 9), and on what the participants are willing to spend time on to make it happen.

2. Although not everyone will always agree, it is important that the group buys into the

decision that is made, and ideally that they reach consensus through open conversation. 3. Remember, groups that involve all members in their decision making typically maintain

higher member commitment to the work.

Guide Sheet: Brainstorming


47

Instructions: With your core team, take notes on the group’s discussion of each of the Six Criteria for Successful Community Projects, as they relate to possible action tasks. Addresses a deeply-felt, easily-understood community issue: Relies on intensive personal labor with few outside resources: Has a clear target and desired outcomes: Can be accomplished within a short time period, usually several weeks: Is fairly easily achieved, with no major obstacles to its success: Sets up the next possible steps: If the team believes it cannot meet one or more of the criteria, where can it go for information or guidance? Describe the action task your team has chosen:



48



How do you think the meeting went?

What feedback did you get from your team members?

Were you able to go

through the whole agenda in your allotted time?

Yes No

How well do you think you facilitated the team’s

brainstorming?

____ Everyone contributed ideas ____ Ideas were grouped/screened ____ Best option chosen based on the six criteria

Do you feel that there is a sense of shared ownership

of the group?

Do you think everyone left with a clear sense

about the project and any next steps?

General comments and questions


Step Six

Implementing the Action

Team Project Purpose

To achieve success in the core team’s action tasks and activities.

Overview

♦ Plan the activities needed to carry out the tasks. ♦ Make commitments to carry out the activities. ♦ Draw out the best from your team, support them,

and hold them accountable. ♦ Reflect on and celebrate your team’s

accomplishments.

50

Plan the activities needed to carry out the tasks ♦ Think through the steps needed to carry out each project task. The core team

identifies what is required to successfully achieve each task in sequence. This includes the steps, the timing of activities, the resources, and the number of people to conduct the work at each step or sub-step.

♦ Strategize. Now that you know what is required for each step, think about the big

picture and how to make it work altogether. One effective way to plan out a group task is to start by working backwards from the date the task is to be completed.

Draw out the best from your team, support them, and hold them accountable ♦ Identify each team member’s gifts and talents. Talk with each person individually to

determine what they can best contribute to the team—skills, talents, thinking, resources, expertise, etc.—and then discuss with the group its collective assets.

♦ Delegate the responsibilities for each task. Delegation is an important tool for

sharing the ownership of the action. ♦ Balance support with accountability. Strong leadership is the capacity to balance

supporting others with holding them accountable for their responsibilities to the group. Make commitments to carry out the activities ♦ Complete a register of personal commitments to assure work is accomplished

within the set timeframe. The team determines which activities they will be responsible for individually or with others, and how they will monitor their progress, making adjustments as needed, to deal with unanticipated problems or opportunities.

Reflect on and celebrate your team’s accomplishments ♦ After each step is taken, or each milestone reached, debrief with your team.

Facilitate a genuine, introspective conversation using the suggestions on page 54. ♦ Take the time to celebrate successes—no matter how small. Express appreciation

for all the gifts your team members have brought to the table.

Taking Action

Step Six: Implementing the Team Action Project

51

Instructions: Determine the details of each task that will help the core team carry out successful activities. Fill out a separate table for each task.


Sample Action Task: Event Flyer Purpose Resources Needed Steps Involved # of People

Needed

To inform community of the issue

and event date

• Information on date, time, speakers

• Computer to prepare copy

• Photocopier to make copies

1. Obtain information 2. Draft flyer 3. Review for accuracy 4. Make copies 5. Give to distributors

by due date

• One to prepare flyer • One to review flyer • 3 to distribute flyer

Action Task: _____________________________________________ Purpose Resources Needed Steps Involved # of People

Needed

Action Task: _____________________________________________ Purpose Resources Needed Steps Involved # of People

Needed


52

Activity Register When your team has determined all action task activities and their details, make a register—a chronological list of the activities to achieve the outcome, and identify who will do what by when. Use this to track the core team’s progress and to troubleshoot problems or unforeseen circumstances. Begin with a chronological list of action task activities needed to successfully carry out the action group task. Example: Holding a public rally in support of new legislation on health care

⇒ Group meeting to determine strategy ⇒ Secure a rally meeting place ⇒ Design publicity and press materials ⇒ Plan invitation list and program,

including how to organize the rally site

⇒ Meet with community groups and elected officials to get support

⇒ Conduct publicity plan ⇒ Arrange materials for rally ⇒ Final planning meeting for rally ⇒ Rally held ⇒ Celebrate successes and reflect on/

evaluate results of rally Complete the register by determining which core team members, and other volunteers, will be accountable for carrying out the task by an agreed upon time:


Rally Register Activity People Responsible Results Needed By When

Design publicity and press materials

• Jose • Agnes

1. Flyer 2. Radio release 3. Newspaper release

• Draft by the 15th • Final by the 20th • Distribute by the

25th


53

Complete your activity register with your team:


Activity Register Activity People Responsible Results Needed By When


54

Carving out time for group reflection helps a team learn from their experiences together, both as they relate to the tasks you are accomplishing and to the group dynamics. Journaling Even before you convene for reflection, you and your teammates might keep journals to log the insights you discover—the “Aha!” moments. Pay attention to what is happening in real-time to discover those learnings. Write about what happened and describe the behavior and the impact on you. Debriefing Then, consider the following tips for conducting a reflective debriefing process with the team. Always debrief experiential exercises to anchor the learnings. ♦ Create space for individuals to think alone, pair up to share in a smaller setting, and discuss

as a larger group. ♦ Capture all the lessons learned and the best stories on a flipchart. ♦ Facilitate a discussion of the “positives and deltas” ( + / ∆ ): the things that worked well

and the things you would change in the future. ♦ Ask the question: How can we use what we learned or relearned to be more effective and

achieve our goals? ♦ Suspend value judgments so that you have an open debriefing space—the reactions and

feelings of others are sources of learning, even if you disagree. ♦ Use “I” statements to be direct and take ownership of your own feelings and perspectives,

and empower others to respond your sharing because you have not spoken for them. ♦ Take risks in sharing to make yourself vulnerable and build trust.

Guide Sheet: Suggestions for Reflection and Sharing


55

1. Complete the activity register with your team, on page 53. 2. If your team has already begun work, take notes below on your assessments of what has

gone well and what has not gone well in carrying out the project activities:

Leader’s Assignment


56




Did your team identify all of its action tasks?

How are you feeling about the action tasks?

What was it like to create an action task list and an activity register? Was it easy or difficult?

Do you think everyone is clear on their

individual responsibilities?

How will you support

them in following through?

Did you facilitate a debriefing process? What happened?

How do you plan to celebrate together?


57

IMPACT Silver Spring IMPACT Silver Spring brings diverse people together to create a successful community for everyone. We build cross-cultural relationships, engage new voices, link emerging and established leaders, and spark collaborative action to bring about positive change. Program Areas Neighborhood IMPACT engages renters, landlords, and community workers in neighborhood-based action and change, creating rental complexes where residents feel safe, comfortable, and connected to one another and to the larger community. IMPACT in the Schools engages parents, teachers, school staff, and principals to build successful multicultural schools that are equitable for all students, creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment. IMPACT Connections maintains our diverse membership network and its activities in the broader Silver Spring community. The network facilitates multicultural communication and collaboration through events, informal gatherings, educational sessions, resource sharing, and information exchange. We respond to community issues, provide technical assistance to civic groups, and create new and inviting civic spaces for meaningful discussion and collective decision-making. Neighborhood IMPACT Programs and Activities Renters Exchange: A four-week workshop series offered at rental complexes, connecting residents to vital community services such as health care, youth programs, senior services, and financial literacy support. Using a participatory and informal format, participants learn about services, have the opportunity to have questions answered and problems solved, build stronger relationships with neighbors, and connect with representatives from the management company, local government, community organizations, and private sector groups. Neighborhood Leaders Program: A nine-month program aimed at improving rental neighborhoods through leadership development and community action. Participants build their skills in communication, multicultural awareness, group development, and conflict management. They also learn a step-by-step process for forming small teams to implement community improvement initiatives in their complex. Fifteen to twenty individuals from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and complexes, including a few community workers and property managers, participate on an annual basis. Action Teams: Participants in the Neighborhood Leaders Program reach out to diverse members of their rental community and form small action teams of three or four people who share a common interest or concern. Staff and peer coaches support these teams and hold them accountable as they work to accomplish a wide array of community initiatives. Recent projects include: organizing a used clothing swap meet, implementing a Neighborhood Watch program, creating an evacuation plan for a seniors’ building, creating a support group for immigrant parents, and forming a residents’ association. Property Managers’ Luncheon Series: After working with renters for two years, experiencing firsthand the importance of strong relationships and partnerships with property managers, Neighborhood IMPACT initiated a successful lunch series to help property managers network on a monthly basis, build bridges between them and related county services, and foster their own positions as community builders in multicultural apartment complexes.

Vision A thriving, multicultural community where people of all backgrounds are engaged in and have the power to bring about the changes they need to live a full and quality life.

Mission To create the capacity needed to build and sustain a thriving, multicultural Silver Spring

1313 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910

(301) 495-3336

501 Sligo Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910

(240) 247-0283

www.impactsilverspring.org [email protected]

collective action workbook

Documents

community action

community leaders

guide leaders

multicultural community

neighbors guide sheet

power of community

community members

based action