To paraphrase Tina Turner: "Now that we've found information, what are we going to do with it?"
There is so much information out there on every topic, including Silver Spring... So, how do we manage it? How do we catalog it? What is important? What is superfluous?
One person's key source of information can be totally TMI for someone else... What is 'cool info' to someone can be 'a waste of time' for someone else.
Obviously, there's nothing like going to Google - or Bing - to get instant gratification for your info-fix. (Last night my uncle called and he was all upset because he could not remember the fourth Monopoly railroad. I did not have the heart to tell him neither could I. So I Googled it while we talked - and no, I never told him the source of my information. He just thought I was smarter than him!) However, a simple Google search can oftentimes leave you feeling overwhelmed - where is the priority? What is important? What is not?
So, where do you go for information on Silver Spring? Or to find out what is happening? Or to know what is going on?... What links do you send your long lost friend when she asks 'what is that silver springs place you live at like?'
Any attempt at creating a "list of lists" is plagued by the perception and bias of its creator. It is a risky proposition to suggest that a "List of Lists" for "All Things Silver Spring" can really exist... But, hey, you can't let the perfect get in the way of the good... So here's my list:
http://ceandnr.tadalist.com/lists/1379569/public
Any additions? Subtractions? Corrections? Chime in!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
How To Maximize Volunteer Assets
With MKL Day over for another year, Haiti in crisis, and our own neighborhoods here in Silver Spring still in need, how can we maximize the use of that wonderful community asset, willing volunteers?
Why do people volunteer? To what end? Altruism, self interest, or a little bit of both? (Ayn Rand, are you listening?) “Take care of numero uno”, we are told. But, “love (serve) your neighbor” we are also told.
In the USA the value of helping others is deeply rooted in our cultural heritage. Today, the “call to service” resonates loudly with both the aging baby boomers and the younger generation. Our current economic crisis coupled with the innate willingness of both of these generational cohorts – and the rise to the Presidency of a man that clearly ‘gets it’ – seems to be a perfect storm for a ‘new age of volunteerism’. For those of us charged with operationalizing systems, or creating opportunities to tap this ‘volunteer energy’, these are challenging times indeed.
More people in need. More people willing to volunteer. An understanding President… A perfect storm… What an opportunity! What excitement! What challenge!
However, before we jump in the volunteer bandwagon, we’d better think through the implications for the individual, organization, and community… Why do people volunteer? What organizational outcome can be expedited by the use of volunteers? How can volunteers weave into the fabric of the community rather than be seen as opportunistic outsiders? There are a gazillion other questions that we could ask. Three simple ones to consider include:
[1] Meaning for the individual: How meaningful should the volunteer activity be for the individual? ... Are they looking to exercise their profession and/or skills ‘for free’, enrich themselves spirituality, and/or create consciousness for a cause? What is their time commitment, restrictions and/or demand/expectations? How do we ‘segment’ the volunteer pool – youth, elderly, retired, stay-at-home parent; etc.
[2] Organizational purpose: What is the purpose of using volunteers in the organization? ... s it to mischievously alleviate a current condition – i.e. address staffing shortage (not good!); or is it to more effectively and efficiently meet a particular organizational objective? Are there internal opportunities for volunteers to get involved in systemic change – or would their participation be ‘busy work’ only? Is our purpose to ‘create consciousness’ – or is immediate resource savings driving the use of volunteers (short sighted!)? What is the organization’s capacity to recruit, train, and supervise volunteers?
[3] Community Context: How will the community benefit from the use of volunteers? ... What types of volunteer activities already exist in our community? What is the “demand”? What is the “supply? Who are the existing ‘opportunity providers’? Are the opportunities “one time only”; do they ‘sunset’; or are they permanent and ongoing? Who controls the process? Are they willing to partner?
The exact nature of the question is not that critical – as long as it is asked of prospective volunteers, leaders in the organization, and residents of the community. There is no right or wrong answer. If the questions are framed correctly, their answers will lead to efficient and effective use of volunteers. If the questions are not framed correctly, the use of volunteers can lead to individual frustrations, organizational loss of resources, and unmet community expectations.
So, what are other questions that should be asked?... Please provide yours. Do please indicate whether the question is of an individual, organization, or community; and, who should ask the question.) Chime in by posting yours as a ‘comment’ to this blog.
Why do people volunteer? To what end? Altruism, self interest, or a little bit of both? (Ayn Rand, are you listening?) “Take care of numero uno”, we are told. But, “love (serve) your neighbor” we are also told.
In the USA the value of helping others is deeply rooted in our cultural heritage. Today, the “call to service” resonates loudly with both the aging baby boomers and the younger generation. Our current economic crisis coupled with the innate willingness of both of these generational cohorts – and the rise to the Presidency of a man that clearly ‘gets it’ – seems to be a perfect storm for a ‘new age of volunteerism’. For those of us charged with operationalizing systems, or creating opportunities to tap this ‘volunteer energy’, these are challenging times indeed.
More people in need. More people willing to volunteer. An understanding President… A perfect storm… What an opportunity! What excitement! What challenge!
However, before we jump in the volunteer bandwagon, we’d better think through the implications for the individual, organization, and community… Why do people volunteer? What organizational outcome can be expedited by the use of volunteers? How can volunteers weave into the fabric of the community rather than be seen as opportunistic outsiders? There are a gazillion other questions that we could ask. Three simple ones to consider include:
[1] Meaning for the individual: How meaningful should the volunteer activity be for the individual? ... Are they looking to exercise their profession and/or skills ‘for free’, enrich themselves spirituality, and/or create consciousness for a cause? What is their time commitment, restrictions and/or demand/expectations? How do we ‘segment’ the volunteer pool – youth, elderly, retired, stay-at-home parent; etc.
[2] Organizational purpose: What is the purpose of using volunteers in the organization? ... s it to mischievously alleviate a current condition – i.e. address staffing shortage (not good!); or is it to more effectively and efficiently meet a particular organizational objective? Are there internal opportunities for volunteers to get involved in systemic change – or would their participation be ‘busy work’ only? Is our purpose to ‘create consciousness’ – or is immediate resource savings driving the use of volunteers (short sighted!)? What is the organization’s capacity to recruit, train, and supervise volunteers?
[3] Community Context: How will the community benefit from the use of volunteers? ... What types of volunteer activities already exist in our community? What is the “demand”? What is the “supply? Who are the existing ‘opportunity providers’? Are the opportunities “one time only”; do they ‘sunset’; or are they permanent and ongoing? Who controls the process? Are they willing to partner?
The exact nature of the question is not that critical – as long as it is asked of prospective volunteers, leaders in the organization, and residents of the community. There is no right or wrong answer. If the questions are framed correctly, their answers will lead to efficient and effective use of volunteers. If the questions are not framed correctly, the use of volunteers can lead to individual frustrations, organizational loss of resources, and unmet community expectations.
So, what are other questions that should be asked?... Please provide yours. Do please indicate whether the question is of an individual, organization, or community; and, who should ask the question.) Chime in by posting yours as a ‘comment’ to this blog.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
On Community Engagement
This piece is taken from something I wrote quite a while back - and has the benefit of input from many people throughout the NeigbhborWorks Network... It remains the 'intro' to NeighborWorks America's www.nw.org Community Engagement Professional Certificate Program... I thought it'd be particularly relevant to our work in Silver Spring
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Community Building, Community Organizing, and Community Leadership
Community engagement brings together community building, community organizing, and community leadership to improve lives and strengthen communities. Successful community engagement is the positive, constructive convergence of strong community building efforts and active community organizing with a relentless commitment to community leadership.
[NOTE: The word 'community' is inclusive of all. Our County Executive's mission statement uses the term 'community members' liberally to mean all who are in our 'space'; i.e.: residents, businesses, visitors, etc... everyone!]
We are faced with the increasingly difficult challenge of stabilizing our communities and neighborhoods in the face of the devastating impact of economic disruptions and dislocation, foreclosure, joblessness, and diminishing traditional resources. Bricks and mortar alone are not the answer. Traditional involvement models no longer suffice. These models are impeded by the real stress of longer commutes, multiple jobs, and larger number of families caring for the young and old simultaneously. The resiliency of community residents and leaders is tested like never before; yet their boldness to invent new ways to engage the community consistently shines.
Participation in community – indeed, volunteerism in general – has matured beyond simply going to meetings or helping out the local charity. Community organizing, community building, and community leadership now come together to engage the whole community to create a better place to live, work, play, and worship.
Bringing together the traditional interests of residents, business, and government now expands to include social entrepreneurs; youth; on-line participants; the non-English speaker; renters as well as homeowners; the unemployed as well as the employed; the one-time volunteer as well as the fervent activist; new comers as well as established residents and interests. How decisions are made at the local level has become increasingly critical – and linked – to regional, national, and international issues. Today we are challenged with building our human capital, strengthening relationships, and connecting people to act in ways that yield tangible, measurable results in our lives and communities.
New and emerging issues require new tools, techniques and approaches. Some of these include: facing "game changing" budget shortfalls in municipal government; greening our neighborhoods; effectively managing family wealth and health; connecting the local economy to civic and volunteer participation; bringing to the decision process the voices of underserved communities; and tapping into the on-line world while reaffirming face-to-face connections.
It is through community engagement that people connect to improve lives where they live, and bring together individual, institutional, and social network interests to serve the common good. It is through the community building, community organizing, and community leadership that community engagement happens. Community engagement thrives when partnerships, collaborations and coalitions are nourished. Its values are rooted in inclusion, tolerance, and active participation. These values and context are operationalized in a real-world environment that is first and foremost diverse. Diversity is the driving cultural paradigm of successful community engagement.
Ultimately it is through connecting people that communities thrive.
[NOTE: WE INVITE YOU TO COMMENT... AND TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO KNOW WHEN COMMENTS AND POSTINGS ARE ADDED, BECOME A 'FOLLOWER'.]
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Community Building, Community Organizing, and Community Leadership
Community engagement brings together community building, community organizing, and community leadership to improve lives and strengthen communities. Successful community engagement is the positive, constructive convergence of strong community building efforts and active community organizing with a relentless commitment to community leadership.
[NOTE: The word 'community' is inclusive of all. Our County Executive's mission statement uses the term 'community members' liberally to mean all who are in our 'space'; i.e.: residents, businesses, visitors, etc... everyone!]
We are faced with the increasingly difficult challenge of stabilizing our communities and neighborhoods in the face of the devastating impact of economic disruptions and dislocation, foreclosure, joblessness, and diminishing traditional resources. Bricks and mortar alone are not the answer. Traditional involvement models no longer suffice. These models are impeded by the real stress of longer commutes, multiple jobs, and larger number of families caring for the young and old simultaneously. The resiliency of community residents and leaders is tested like never before; yet their boldness to invent new ways to engage the community consistently shines.
Participation in community – indeed, volunteerism in general – has matured beyond simply going to meetings or helping out the local charity. Community organizing, community building, and community leadership now come together to engage the whole community to create a better place to live, work, play, and worship.
Bringing together the traditional interests of residents, business, and government now expands to include social entrepreneurs; youth; on-line participants; the non-English speaker; renters as well as homeowners; the unemployed as well as the employed; the one-time volunteer as well as the fervent activist; new comers as well as established residents and interests. How decisions are made at the local level has become increasingly critical – and linked – to regional, national, and international issues. Today we are challenged with building our human capital, strengthening relationships, and connecting people to act in ways that yield tangible, measurable results in our lives and communities.
New and emerging issues require new tools, techniques and approaches. Some of these include: facing "game changing" budget shortfalls in municipal government; greening our neighborhoods; effectively managing family wealth and health; connecting the local economy to civic and volunteer participation; bringing to the decision process the voices of underserved communities; and tapping into the on-line world while reaffirming face-to-face connections.
It is through community engagement that people connect to improve lives where they live, and bring together individual, institutional, and social network interests to serve the common good. It is through the community building, community organizing, and community leadership that community engagement happens. Community engagement thrives when partnerships, collaborations and coalitions are nourished. Its values are rooted in inclusion, tolerance, and active participation. These values and context are operationalized in a real-world environment that is first and foremost diverse. Diversity is the driving cultural paradigm of successful community engagement.
Ultimately it is through connecting people that communities thrive.
[NOTE: WE INVITE YOU TO COMMENT... AND TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU TO KNOW WHEN COMMENTS AND POSTINGS ARE ADDED, BECOME A 'FOLLOWER'.]
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Silver Spring Common Values
What IS Silver Spring? What is our identity? What are our common norms and values?
The Silver Spring Regional Center’s geographic boundary is very different from the ‘postal’ Silver Spring. We are concentrated in the area bounded by the County line to the east; the DC line to the south; (approximately) Rock Creek Park to the west; and, the Beltway to the north – but also including the Four Corners neighborhood. We are about 80,000 residents during the night (i.e.: people that call this area home) and 120,000 community members during the day (i.e.: people that work here.)
We come from all walks of life; have different expectation of ‘community’; and, bring an array of assets to our Silver Spring.
Yet, what IS Silver Spring? What is our identity? What are our common norms and values?
What seems to resonate most often is that we are a community that enjoys our multi-ethnicity and diversity; honor our traditions and heritage; live the arts; support entrepreneurship; and treasure our youth and elders.
How we bring these values to life; how we make them part of our every day community; how we muddle through constructive tensions and inevitable disagreements – how we do these things remains the challenge… But, it is a challenge that a critical mass of community members seem to be willing to take on…
As we take on these challenges, let’s not forget that what we are trying to do here in Silver Spring has really never worked before… So, let’s not expect it to be easy sailing… Where else is there a community where all are welcome – and all are at the table - regardless of background, ethnicity, or economic status?... Where else are all stakeholders in (general) agreement that the community’s multi ethnicity and diversity is THE community asset to cherish, grow, and ferment?
So, chime in: What IS Silver Spring? What is our identity? What are our common norms and values?
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