unbroken toolkit for community building

8/3/2019 Unbroken Toolkit for Community Building

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CREATE > CONNECT > COLLABORATE > COMMUNICATE >

Connecting the Dots one artist, one social service agency, one community at a time...

toolkitfor community

building


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METHODOLOGY:

Connecting the DotsA Collaborative

Model for Change: Its an idea to

create an umbrella-like collection of

new and existing organizations and

programs, sponsors, and individuals

whose work can change the world.

Unbroken is part of that collectivechanging the worldand beginning

with the young men in our

neighborhoods and communities.

MISSION:

Unbroken is a community building

movement Connecting the Dots one artist, one social serviceagency, one community at a time, through collaborative

partnerships and leveraged resources.

CREATE

CONNECT

COLLABORATE

COMMUNICATE

Unbroken is about connecting the dots

and connecting to each other in a way

that we never have beforeto collectively

make a difference in our lives, our

childrens lives, and in the lives of others.Were not reinventing the wheel. Were

bringing all the spokes of the wheel

together in a creative hub powering a

movement for change one community a

time. And with the rising tide, all ships are

lifted!

Missy Crutchfield, Founder

FOR MORE IDEAS REA

Connecting the Dots: the workbo

A CATALYST FOR CHANGE


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step one

MOVEMENT

Unbroken is a community building movement

Connecting the Dots one artist, one social service agency, one communityat a time, through collaborative partnerships and leveraged resources

Its not another program or projectIts a new way of doing business to bring about change andtransformation in your community.

Its not about How much money we haveIts about Who we have at the table and what we each contribute tothebigger picture.

Its not about developing a budget or business planIts about looking at what partners and resources are already availableand Connecting the Dots to make things happen in our community

Its not about Doing things the way we have always done themIts about a new collaborative model for change

Its about a grassroots movement that is built on collaborativepartnerships, that is replicable across communities, and that is

sustainable for the long run

Its about Connecting the Dots and connecting to each other in a way thatwe never have beforeto collectively make a difference in our lives, ourchildrens lives, and the lives of others.

It starts now. It starts today.

toolkitfor communitybuilding


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step two

VISION


Community building requires VISION

What direction does your community what to move in?What action steps will your community take to accomplish your goals?

Using a visioning process such as Nominal Group Technique allows allcommunity members to have a voice and to be heard during the brainstorm-ing process. This gives everyone buy-in and ownership.

Each community member has an opportunity to voice suggestions whichare recorded on a large tablet of pull-off sheets that can be posted on thewall. When suggestions have exhausted, then the group works together tovote on the suggestions and select the top priorities for moving forwardand beginning work.

Google the term Nominal Group Technique for more ideas and guidelines onhow to use this visioning process.

Call an Unbroken community-wide visioning session and invite poten-tial partners, stakeholders, and volunteers including: Moms and DadsKids and Teens Grandparents Aunts and Uncles Neighborhood Associa-tions Schools Community Centers Churches and Faith-based Organiza-tions Businesses and corporations Government Non-profits and NGOsArtists Media Clubs and Civic Groups

From developing a vision to identifying top priorities to enlisting partners andvolunteersthe next step is to launch an action plan



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step three

ACTION


MOVEMENT = ACTION.

Focusing on specific goals and top priorities for the community, ActionTeams move ideas forward into action and make things happen.

FOR EXAMPLE:The Whats Going On? partnership reading initiative brings togetherchamber councils and churches to sponsor social issue-driven book sectionsfor community centers. The initial pilot connected with over 16 differentneighborhoods. Reading volunteers connect with kids and teens duringafterschool hours to work on reading skills, talk about the books, andfacilitate conversations about social issues which eventually became part of aradio show series featuring local high school students discussing the issues ofbullying and combating this social issue with positive peer pressure.

The Connecting the Dots with Technology initiative is a nationally-recognized model inspired by the mobile technology initiative launched in NewOrleans following soon after Katrinas devastation of communications. Thepilot involved partnering with local corporations in donating used computersand repurposing them for labs in neighborhood recreation centers. Taking thepilot to the next level, high school students had the opportunity to enroll in avirtual school program after school and during the summers. The local bus linprovided passes for the students to get to the classes at their local recreationcenters, and local faith-based organizations provided lunches. The students inthe pilot achieved 100 percent success and have been able to graduate ontime or be promoted to the next grade level.

As the community meets specific goals and priorities from literacy tocomputer access and other needsthe next step is to reflect on what isworking successfully and what can be added or improved...



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step four

REFLECTION


Movement requires actiondoing thingsbut there is also a time andplace forstopping, focusing, and taking an opportunity to reflect onwhere youve been and were youre headed

Prompts for Individual Reflection1.What was our Action Teams goal?2. What was the outcome?3. What was my role?4. What steps did I take in fulfilling that role?5. How did our group work together as a team?6. What worked successfully overall?7. What can be added or improved?

Prompts for Group Reflection1. What was our Action Teams goal?2. What was the outcome?3. What did each team member contribute?4. What steps did we take in accomplishing our overall goal?5. How did our team work together as a team?6. What worked successfully overall?7. What can we add or improve or do differently next time?

Once your Action Team and your community has reflected on where youvebeen and where youre headedthe next step is to celebrate!



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step five

CELEBRATION


An important part of building community involves CELEBRATION

In countries and cultures around the world, breaking bread together is

symbolic ofbuilding community

Make sure to create opportunities for celebration in your community:

FOR EXAMPLE:Pumpkin BallPlan a Halloween party for kids and teens at your localhomeless shelter and have local youth groups bring their Trunk or Treatevents to the shelter and share in the fun with refreshments, costumes, artsand crafts, games, stories, pumpkin carving, and treats. Make it an

opportunity to break down barriers by building community and celebratingtogether the fall semester successes in school and community outreach.

Christmas Reading PartyPlan a Christmas Party with a Purposeto celebrate the gift of reading and work with local artists and musicians to providemusic, dance, arts and crafts, and stories. Invite local restaurants to donaterefreshments. Include local storytellers to read favorite books. Collect un-wrapped Christmas presents to give as prizes for school year reading accom-plishments.

As the community works together to Create a Vision for Change... To TakeAction... To Reflect... And To Celebrate Word will spread about yourUnbroken community building movementtelling a story that will resonateacross the country and inspire others to join this collaborative movement forchange

Were connecting the dots, one artist, one social service agency, onecommunity at a timean Unbroken City of Compassion.



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next steps

CAMPAIGNS

CAMPAIGNS cast a vision and inspire action Think about how you mightwork with your local media to create something yourself and get the messageout about your Unbroken community building movement

FOR EXAMPLE:A campaign to raise awareness about The Most Dangerous Time of theDay 3 to 6 p.m.afterschool. The campaign also serves as a call to actionfor community volunteers and organizations to get involved with afterschoolprograms and mentoring.



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next steps

SOCIALNETWORKING

SOCIAL NETWORKING is an important part of the visioning and collaboraprocess in community building

Organize social networking events for your community to create, connect,collaborate, and communicate

FOR EXAMPLE:Connecting the Dots SummitInvite the community to an annual summiaddressing arts and social issues. Engage artists and non-profit organizationin a community dialogue on addressing social issues through the arts. Breaout sessions deepen the conversations with focuses on: Arts & Education, A& Healing, Arts & Economic Development, and Community & Race Relations

The first years keynote speaker Rick Lowe (Project Row Houses in HoustonTexas) set the tone and direction for creative collaborations following thesummit.

Connecting the Dots Speed Networking session for Artists and SocService AgenciesInspired by popular speed dating events, the SpeedNetworking session allows artists to have the opportunity to meet socialservice agencies and pitch ideas for collaboration and partnership. The pilotspeed networking session proved highly successful and attendees mentione

was the most useful networking event that had ever participated inleadingnumerous innovative, cross-disciplinary partnerships for arts in healing, artsand education, and arts and local economic development.



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next steps

FUNDRAISING

MODELS

With few resources at hand comes the need for collaborative partnerships,leveraged resources, and creative fundraising models to make things happen

FOR EXAMPLE:Compassionate Giving CirclesA creative Unbroken fundraising model toencourage local businesses to hold Compassionate Giving Circles in corporatesettings during the lunch hour. Employees can brownbag their lunch anddonate the money they would have spent on lunch to help support thepresenting arts or social service agency. The host business commits tomatching the employees lunch donations during the Compassionate GivingCircle event, and employees have the opportunity to sign-up to volunteer,expanding community involvement and good corporate citizenship on multiple

levels.

How it works:1. Presenting arts or social service agency raises awareness about

programs and partnerships.2. Employees brownbag lunch and donate lunch money to presenting

arts or social service agency.3. Host business matches employees donations to presenting arts or

social service agency.

4. Employees can sign-up for volunteer opportunities.5. The Unbroken community building movement can develop a

Compassionate Giving Circles speakers circuit and tour presentingarts and social service agencies around the community.



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next steps

COMMUNICATIONS

Marketing and Communications are key in connecting your communityfor collaborative change and telling the story of your Unbrokencommunity in a way that inspires others to get involved and takeaction.

Old Media vs. New MediaOld media is about creating a message for the masses.New media is about messages created by the masses.

While it is important to get coverage in the local newspaper, on the televisionnews, in the local magazines, and on radio talk shows, grassroots movementsare led by the massesby the people, for the people.

Web 2.0 tools are launching community building movements onto a whole new

playing field as community organizers are armed with tools for creating mediawhich were once only available to publishers and producers and for budgetsworth thousands of dollars.

Facebook | Twitter | Flickr | YouTube | Ning | Wordpress

Unbroken communities can connect through stories, photos, videos, audio podcasts, blogs, and social networks. The possibilities are endless and the out-come is exponential.

For more ideas on social media and grassroots movements visit theAlliance for Youth Movements website at:www.movements.org.



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EDITOR IN CHIEF

Missy Crutchfield

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Melissa Turner

[email protected]

WEBwww.bemagazine.org

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