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Page 1: Engaging Communities to Reduce Poverty and Build Opportunity

Engaging Communities to Reduce Povertyand Build Opportunity

Julie Keown-Bomar and Nancy CoffeyEau Claire County

Page 2: Engaging Communities to Reduce Poverty and Build Opportunity

Principles and Lessons We Share…

Principle #1 Poverty reduction is not a solo act– How can we engage

more people in helping people?

– Reach key stakeholders?

– Engage new audiences?

Changemakers Summit

Augusta, WI 2008

Page 3: Engaging Communities to Reduce Poverty and Build Opportunity

Examples—Horizons Project

The St. James, MN community photo taken at 6 a.m. on July 30, 2008. Part of the Horizons Project.

St. James factory workers, high-school students, business people, educators and civic leaders have joined together to grow opportunities for more people

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• Iowa Extension works to reduce poverty

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Poverty Awareness for Community Engagement

• PACE - Cooperative Extension - University of Wisconsin-Extension

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Principle #2: Policy and programs are more effective andbetter informed when citizens from all walks of life help create them

• The secret to success of the program, one St. James leader said, has been its focus on a "grass roots, not top-down" approach. Including community members young and old, and from all walks of life, has been key as well.

• "It's about getting people together to solve their own issues," she says. "Once you do, magic happens."

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Principle #3: Community resources should be made

known to all that could use them

• Resource directories, warm lines, 2-1-1• Collaboration• Breaking down the barriers• Staying informed

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Principle #4People will participate if their needs are accommodated, they are acknowledged and listened to

• Encouragement and affirmation• Break down the barriers (childcare, time

of day, stuffiness, asking for money, etc)• Inclusivity• Relationships

Ideas• Language /framework is

important

• Dialog tools: World Café, sharing experiences, local perspectives

• One to one dialogue for relationship building

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Success!

• What success have you had…– Breaking down barriers?– Building community resources?– Getting people from all walks of life to work

together?

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Four Solutions for Communities

• Increasing awareness and discussion about poverty

• Expanding the number of residents in the community helping people who are struggling to make ends meet

• Mobilizing toward concrete actions to reduce poverty

• Creating policy change strategies to reduce poverty

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Developing An Effective Plan

• What is the community ready for?• What are the necessary steps?• Who are the necessary partners?

Tools for You To Use

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Community Readiness Model

• Barbara A. Plested• Ruth W. Edwards• Pamela Jumper-

Thurman

Visit their Web site at www.TriEthnicCenter.ColoState.EDU.

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What Are the Necessary Steps?

• Logic Model--flexible

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Committed people - unfocused

Get Others Involved and Synchronize Efforts!

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Committed people - focused

Mobilize!

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Who Should We Get Involved And How?

• Power Mapping– activity

• One on One Dialogue To Discover Self-Interest and Passion– activity

• People of Low Income• Media

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Results in Eau Claire Area

• 95% of the participants “felt their voice was heard” during the summit process

• 89% indicated the summit worked to engage them in impacting poverty

• Concrete tools developed to assist people

• More depth and breadth of people working on poverty reduction

• Blueprint and action steps developing

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El Centro de Conexión de Chippewa Valley

• Power mapping• World Café• One on ones• Celebrations

Welcome to Public Achievement

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Contact Information

Julie• Julie.Keown-Bomar@ces.

uwex.edu

Nancy• [email protected].

edu