This Weeks Planning Meeting: Communications and Connectivity
10.30.2009 // by: Alison
Thanks to everyone who participated in Wednesday’s planning meeting. We had a packed house!
For Stand’s first lunchtime planning meeting, we focused on volunteer opportunities, channels of communication, and the many ways of getting the word (and the data) out to as many people as possible. It was a huge success on several levels.
First, we had the highest attendance yet. Our new location at CreateHere is a lot bigger, but the roughly forty participants filled the room. And we had a variety of both new and familiar faces. So, good news—we’re definitely sticking with the mid-day timeslot.
Second, we got a whole lot of useful feedback. In order to facilitate productive discussion with so many people, we broke everyone up into seven small groups of 3 to 6, which allowed for seven different discussions to take place at the same time. Interestingly, when we all came together in the end to share our thoughts, a lot of similar themes popped up.
A resounding response to the question of communication was that direct, unmediated conversations are most effective, a conclusion that confirms what we learned during Stand’s survey phase, as roughly 82% of our 26,000+ responses came from face-to-face interactions.
Some other key topics that came up were:
- The importance of functioning neighborhood organizations
- How do we get info to non-downtown communities? through districts?
- Needs and resources in a Resource Bank, to decrease city-wide duplication of effort
- “Liasons” to connect people on the ground with people with resources
- Open-source options, ie. Craigslist, community calendar
The third, and perhaps most important success was as simple as all of these relative strangers sitting down at tables together. We learned very quickly that as soon as you put people next to one another, ideas emerge and new connections form—Stand-related or otherwise.
For instance, Katie Waddell, a CreateHere fellow, sat down at a table with David Clapp, the head of the Chattanooga Bicentennial Library. Over sandwiches, these two who had never met before, began discussions of an upcoming film series at the library—one which Katie will now be helping out in the planning of. On a very small scale, this connection exemplifies everything that Stand seeks to achieve—and proves that interpersonal connections lead to the surfacing of a shared vision, which ultimately results in collective action.
Whether or not you were able to make this week, please join us next week from 12-1 pm Wednesday, November 4 at CreateHere. We’ll begin laying out the plan for the day of the data’s release—and we’ve got some pretty cool ideas!
If you have thoughts about any of these topics, or anything Stand related, please share them with us at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
The Knight Foundation Wants to Fund Your Big Idea
10.27.2009 // by: Blair
Fellow Chattanooga-lovers and community activists:
Do you have an idea to make your community a better place? Do you dream of a neighborhood or city connected by information and education? Do you think your idea would work only if you had the appropriate funding?
We may have found just the thing for you. While researching best practices around the globe, Stand team members were happy to stumble across the Knight Foundation. Along with providing financial support to place-based foundations, this program funds local news and information projects that seek to help residents to become better informed and engaged in their communities.
As the Knight Foundation looks to fund projects that will help fill community information needs, as well as creating an environment that is full of engaged and educated citizens, Stand asks residents of the Chattanooga region: why can’t it be you? If you have an idea to make Chattanooga a better source of information for its citizens, apply.
Stand would love to see someone in our community find a creative way to use new media and technology to keep residents informed and engaged. In order to build a better tomorrow, we all must do work today. Have fun, get inspired and see what you can create when there are no financial barriers.
Need more information? Go to their website.
Introducing the Idea Blog: DC’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions
10.20.2009 // by: Alison
To begin our transition of this area to an “Idea Blog,” here’s a little something from Stand Field Organizer Chris Nystrom. Our comments section is in the works and will be up asap. In the mean time, please send your thoughts to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) and we’ll try to get them posted!
I thought I might share some things from my time in DC a year ago. In case you are unfamiliar with our nation’s capital, DC is an interesting place because it is not a state, ultimately relying on Congress to decide major issues (i.e. taxation) for the city. Nevertheless, the city has a mayor and a city council. Each council member represents one of the eight wards (akin to Chattanooga’s districts) in the city.
Within each ward there are anywhere from 3 to 6 Advisory Neighborhood Commissions (ANCs), each with an elected representative that meets with and talks to their respective city council members. That ANC representative’s role is to make sure that DC government, their appropriate city council members, and various committees are informed of each area’s status, etc. It is also another way for the community to voice its opinions. These ANC leaders all meet together in their ward on various occasions and are responsible for getting the pulse on their own neighborhoods. Chattanooga is not so much in need of an ANC since we are relatively small in comparison, but it could certainly learn some things from the way these ANCs function.
Each of these “Advisory Neighborhood Commissions” also has a website. Some are more functional than others, but they act as a resource for each respective ANCs. Many of the website provide access to at least two unique mailing lists: one for immediate concerns and communication (spreading the word about crimes being committed—i.e. I received an email telling me that two blocks over someone was breaking into a house. They called 911 and then proceeded to tell the entire neighborhood via this email group) and the other for events, meetings, etc. The sites also have community calendars, information on contacting each of your representatives, maps of your ANC, and other ways to voice concerns/opinions, etc.
I’m not suggesting we change government style in Chattanooga by creating more elected positions (yikes!), but this could be a very useful tool for each of the nine city council members to connect to their citizens. We already have tons of neighborhood associations, etc. and having a resource to inform and connect all of them would be invaluable. Open-source neighborhoods has a nice ring to it, no? The only downside to this sort of community engagement is the large percentage of lower/middle income that do not have internet and the rest of the population that does not use the internet often or cannot understand it, etc.; STAND has definitely reminded me that face-to-face is still the most valued interaction, as well I think it should be. In that situation, physical existence becomes an important issue.
Nevertheless, check some of them out:
DC Government’s Link Page to ANCs (Note: some of the ANC sites are useless and simply list the monthly meeting time and location)
ANC 6A Capitol Hill
ANC 5B Trinidad, DC
On another note, here is an example of a great neighborhood blog that I referenced often during my time in DC. It is very well known, read, and used throughout DC and specifically near Capitol Hill.
Know of any other cities with something like these ANC websites? Let us know, at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Back to the Drawing Board.
We’ve reached a new Stand era. As you know, we’re done surveying and the results are being diligently entered and analyzed by the Ochs Center.
Over the next few months until the data is released, our weekly Planning Meetings will be the focus of our efforts. Each meeting will address a particular aspect of Stand’s action phase, so that when the data is ready to release, we’ll be hitting the ground running.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand again, this time to help us solidify a plan. Because we want to make sure that as many people as possible can participate, we are working on finalizing the best time, day, and place for this to happen. Please take a minute to answer this survey regarding the most convenient time and day for you to meet: http://tinyurl.com/standtime.
Also, we are busy making some changes on the website, and will update you when these changes are finalized.
In the mean time, if you have any ideas for us - whether about planning meetings, data visualization, or action steps - please send them to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Planning Stand: Join Us Tonight
10.14.2009 // by: Alison
We host Stand Planning Meetings 5-6 pm every Wednesday night at Bluegrass Grill—and tonight will be a particularly crucial one. It’s Stand’s priority to actively involved our board and to solicit input from a broader roundtable of community leaders. Our challenge to you: bring someone new to the meeting tonight.
We will discuss:
1. changing the time and place for future planning meetings
2. models for Stand’s strategy after the release of the results
3. what focus group would you like to lead?
Below, please see very brief outlines for three models for Stand’s strategy after the results are released. We hope to identify all, none, or some of the aspects of these various approaches for the Stand’s next steps. Your expertise are crucial in helping flesh these out. The strategies we adopt as a group will dictate the work we do leading up to the release of the results. Here are the three scenarios:
1. Results released. Stand identifies problems/gaps in the community based on survey and other data. Stand develops strategic action plan. Stand organizes taskforces to address issues.
2. Results released. Stand identifies pre-existing entities that represent multiple organizations within specific sectors (i.e. Chamber, Allied, Community Foundation, United Way, ect.). Stand provides them with relevant data in various, useful formats. Stand works with these overarching groups to develop a strategic plan for action. Stand develops and equips them with tools and resources necessary to implement action plan.
3. Results released. Stand employs the Starfish Method: engaging and empowering multiple individuals and small groups of people to address issues and assemble taskforces on their own, to encourage a community-owned and decentralized organization.
We don’t have many details for these three scenarios and would therefore like your help fleshing them out and deciding on a best plan of action.
If you are unable to attend tonight’s meeting, we would like to meet with you personally. Let us know when you are able to meet with us we can set up a time for a few of us to come to you.
If you ever have any ideas that you would like to share with the us and cannot attend our planning meetings that’s okay. Send us your ideas to (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Thanks for your continued interest in and support of Chattanooga Stand. We look forward to your insight.
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