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Host Guide Every Voice Counts

Tools & Tips for a Great Conversation

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A Big Table Pittsburgh Event

Around the Table South

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Thank you for hosting!Every Voice Counts.Around the Table South is back again in 2020!By hosting a conversation during the week of March 18-24th, 2020, you are part of an exciting community-building initiative to explore ways in which we can work together to create positive change and ensure that every voice counts in our community.

Around the Table South invites residents in the South Hills and Mon Valley to gather over mealtime conversations to build connections and explore how we can make our communities stronger. Around the Table South was launched for the first time in our region in October of 2018, engaging more than 1,000 voices in over 100 table conversations.

Around the Table South is designed to foster new relationships, elevate civic conversation, and inspire action across the Jefferson region. Around the Table conversations can spark new connections and ideas for making our region healthier, stronger, and more dynamic for everyone in our community.

This year, Around the Table South is partnering with Leadership Pittsburgh’s Big Table Event to have an even bigger impact! Community members from the Jefferson area will participate in Around the Table conversations throughout the week of March 18-24th, 2020, while community members in other regions surrounding Pittsburgh will participate in Leadership Pittsburgh’s daylong Big Table Event on March 18th.

Results from all conversations will be collected, compiled and shared with the community in an Around the Table South Report in the coming months. Jefferson Regional Foundation is also pleased to offer Ideas from the Table Mini-Grant Opportunities to encourage local community action. (See more at aroundthetablesouth.org.)

Thanks again for signing up to host, and for all you do to make our region a better place!

This Host Guide has information on how to plan, host, and follow-up on your conversation. You can also find these materials and more at aroundthetablesouth.org

AroundTableSfacebook.com/AroundTheTableSouth

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Prior to Your Conversation

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1. Register Your TableWhen you register to Host your Table, you join a community of people who are leading important conversations across our South communities. It will take just a few minutes to register today at aroundthetablesouth.org

2. Invite Your Guests

The invite list is up to you!

• Eight to 12 guests per table is ideal. That way, everyone at the table has a chance to speak and be heard.

• Think creatively about who you invite! Around the Table South strives to forge new connections and reach community members with diverse perspectives who may not typically have the opportunity to share their voice. Consider inviting your colleagues, clients, neighbors, or new contacts!

• An editable event invitation is available for download at aroundthetablesouth.org. Feel free to use it or create your own.

• Want to host more than one conversation? Hosting three or more tables makes you a Superhost! You can hold your conversations at once in the same location or on multiple occasions throughout the week.

3. Prep for Your ConversationThis year, Hosts are asked to lead conversations based on eight key themes which emerged from the Around the Table South 2018 conversations, allowing us to delve more deeply into community interests and ideas.

Prior to your conversation, please choose one theme that is particularly relevant to your community or table from the list below:

- Mental Health- Equity & Social Inclusion- Youth Development- Health & Wellness- Education- Transportation- Economic Issues & Poverty- Civic Engagement

After choosing your theme from those which emerged from the 2018 tables, please guide your conversation around this central question:

“Today we’re going to focus on (chosen theme.) What does (chosen theme) look like in our community and how can we create a healthier community so every voice counts?

• Choose a location where 8-12 guests can gather for a meal.

• Hosts can prepare the meal, have it catered, order take out or delivery, or have guests bring items to share potluck style.

Host Tip: Create a dynamic table of Guests with different perspectives by inviting five people you know and asking each guest to bring someone!

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During Your Conversation

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1. Prompt the Conversation The key question is: “What does (chosen theme) look like in our community and how can we

create a healthier community so every voice counts? Refer to the Conversation Guide (included later in this Guide) for tips on encouraging productive discussion.

2. Encourage Solutions If your group discusses community challenges that concern them, transition the discussion to possible solutions. After all, that’s why Around the Table South was created—to seek solutions and inspire each other to take action.

3. Take Notes & Plan for Action Let your table take you places! Around the Table South is about figuring out how to move ideas from the table to places all around our community to make powerful things happen. Help your group brainstorm next steps to challenges related to your selected theme. Be sure to take notes (or assign one of your guests to be notetaker) about what emerges during your conversation.

4. Have your Guests Complete the GUEST Survey At the end of your discussion, and prior to your guests leaving, encourage all guests to complete the Around the Table GUEST Survey.

Ideally, have your guests use their smartphones to complete the GUEST Survey via aroundthetablesouth.org. If guests cannot access the web via their phones or prefer to complete a hard copy survey, have them complete a paper version of the survey. Paper copies of the GUEST Survey available are provided in your Host Kit at the Feburary 28th Kick-Off event. Hearing from your guests about their experience is a critical part of Around the Table South. GUEST & HOST Surveys will be compiled and the results shared in a public report.

Note: we will not ask you to provide contact information for your individual guests, but please collect their email addresses so that you can share the Around the Table South report with them at a future date!

5. Encourage Your Guests to Complete their 2020 Census Forms! Optional but Encouraged! An additional way to ensure that every voice counts in our community beyond today’s conversation is to encourage everyone to complete their Census Forms this Spring - April 1, 2020 is National Census Day! The Census helps our community create jobs, provide housing and food, fund education, prepare for emergencies and build schools, roads, hospitals, and libraries. Some brief Census talking points are available on the next page and several fliers are provided in your toolkit.

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2020 Census Information

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Please share the following brief information with the Guests at your table...

Every Voice Counts for Our Community in the 2020 CensusI’ve been asked to share some brief information about the 2020 Census with you by a group of local community leaders and partners.

Completing your 2020 Census Form this Spring and encouraging others you know to do so is an additional way to ensure that every voice counts in our community beyond today’s Around the Table South conversation!

Key Points to Share About the 2020 Census

1. Your Participation Matters - Every Voice Counts! It is crucial that all our community members complete their Census Forms this Spring because the Census helps our community create jobs, provide housing and food, fund education, prepare for emergencies and build schools, roads, hospitals, and libraries. Missing a family of five in the count is equal to a loss of $100,000 in resources to our community over the next decade.

2. You Will Receive a Mailing to Complete the Census in Mid-March Households will receive a mailing to complete the Census in mid-March 2020. You can respond online using the unique Cenus ID povided to you in the mailing, but you can also respond by phone or mail.

3. You Can Help Spread the Word Encourage your colleagues, friends, neighbors, and anyone you know to complete their own Census form and to help spread the word to three other people about why participation in the 2020 Census is important.

Thank you for being counted for our community! To access additional information and resources on the 2020 Census, see the fliers in your Host Kit or visit www.jeffersonrf.org/2020Census.

Partner of the Allegheny County and City of Pittsburgh Complete Count Committee & Keystone Counts

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Conversation GuideGuidelines: Dos & Don’ts

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DO:

• Help break the ice! Facilitate a round of introductions at the start of your conversation. Have each guest share their name and two items about themselves, but keep it brief.

• Ensure that every voice counts! Let the group know that your role is to help ensure that everyone has a chance to listen, learn, and share. Each person should have a chance to participate and all ideas should be respectful and solutions-oriented.

• Take pictures and post on social media via facebook.com/AroundTheTableSouth or on Twitter using the hashtag #aroundthetablesouth

• Have fun! Hosts have been provided with fun giveaways for your guests.

DON’T :

• Micromanage the conversation;

let it flow freely.

• Allow any one person to dominate

the discussion.

• Be judgmental or dismissive of

any person’s comments or ideas.

• Promote arguments or debate.

ADDITIONAL CONVERSATION PROMPTSNeed additional ideas for keeping your conversation going? Here are a few prompts to help you keep the ideas flowing:

• What brought you to the table?

• What are your hopes for our community’s health, now and in the long term?

• As we work towards solutions, how do we ensure that everyone counts in our

community?

• What are the positive qualities or characteristics of our community? How can we

leverage those attributes to strengthen our community?

• What do we need to have healthy communities? What can we do individually or

collectively to address those needs?

• What is one next step you would like to take, either individually or collectively,

based on our conversation?

As a Host, remind participants: • Everyone should have a chance to

listen, learn, and share.• An Around the Table South

Report will be published following the conversations.

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After Your Conversation

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1. Thank Your GuestsA day or two after your discussion is over, thank your guests for participating and let them know you’ll share a report of conversation results in the coming months!

2. Submit Any Paper Copies of GUEST SurveysIf guests were unable to complete the survey online, please use the pre-addressed envelope in your Host kit to mail hard copy surveys to:

Jefferson Regional Foundation 565 Coal Valley Rd, Bibro Building, 3rd Floor Jefferson Hills, PA 15025

Questions? Email colleen.cadman@jeffersonrf.org or call 412-267-6774.

3. Complete Your HOST Survey We will be compiling and sharing results from Around the Table South!

In addition to having your guests complete a GUEST survey, we ask that all Hosts complete a HOST Survey to share your experience and more about your discussion. Please complete the HOST Survey online at aroundthetablesouth.org within 3 days after your conversation.

If necessary, paper copies of the HOST Survey can be requested via email at colleen.cadman@jeffersonrf.org or by calling 412-267-6774.

4. Apply for a Mini-Grant to Support Great Ideas!Jefferson Regional Foundation is once again pleased to offer Ideas from the Table Mini-Grant Opportunities of $500 - $3,000 to encourage local community action from these conversations. Please record on your Host note sheet if your table discusses any great ideas or solutions, and consider applying to fund a project in your community!

The Mini-Grant guidelines and a brief application are available online at aroundthetablesouth.org. Applications are due by Friday, May 1st, 2020.

VERY IMPORTANT!

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Around the Table South is sponsored by:

About the Jefferson Regional FoundationJefferson Regional Foundation has provided over

$12 million in grant awards to 100 different community

organizations in the area since it was funded in March

2013 as part of the affiliation agreement for Jefferson

Hospital to become part of the Allegheny Health Network.

The Foundation is dedicated to grantmaking in the

South Hills and Mon Valley areas of Pittsburgh within its

broad community health priorities which include:

• health access and prevention

• improving outcomes for children and families

• strengthening populations and communities.

The Foundation also hosts an annual conference for

250 participants called the Jefferson Forum, staffs the

90-member Jefferson Community Collaborative and

initiated a series of community conversations called

Around the Table South. The Foundation values

its role as a convener and shares local data and

information including Community Snapshots and reports.

For more information visit jeffersonrf.org or call 412-267-6770.

About the Jefferson Community CollaborativeHosted and staffed by the Jefferson Regional Foundation,

the Jefferson Community Collaborative is a network of more

than 90 community-serving organizations who are committed

to bringing together change-makers to positively impact the

health and vitality of communities south of Pittsburgh.

In addition to holding five member meetings each year,

the Jefferson Community Collaborative hosts monthly

action teams, distributes a resource guide called the

Jefferson Community Directory, and has three current

priorities: behavioral health, civic engagement,

and workforce development.

The Collaborative works to create agile, healthy, and

sustainable communities for diverse populations

throughout the Jefferson region while:

• serving as an incubator for powerful ideas

and promising practices

• improving the capacity of community-serving

organizations

• facilitating group action on community aspirations.

For more information visit jeffersonrf.org/jefferson-community-collaborative or call 412-267-6774.

Conversations that Build Community www.aroundthetablesouth.org

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A Big Table Pittsburgh Event