Setting the Table: Weaving a Social Fabric (Part III)
A Look at your Hometown
I would encourage each of you to look a bit deeper at your hometown. Do you truly understand your community’s asset? Make a new years resolution to go to a school board or city council meeting. Can you identify the formal and informal leaders in your neighborhood district? What is the strength of your community developmental district or your block organization?
It is my point of view that as United Way staffers we need to “walk our talk” by translating the theory of community building into each of our own lives. Simply bridging the style of our language of community work with the substance of individual action.
My attention in Pontiac centers on working in little and big ways to reform the cities public institutions to meet the requirements of the new economy and a belief that its manageable size can serve as a model for other historic urban centers in Michigan including Detroit.
Currently I am serving on the steering committee for the first community wide visioning plan since the early 1990’s. MSU and its Land Policy Institute serve as our facilitators in developing an asset-based economic development strategy.
We have been exposed to placemaking as the primary strategy for cities in the new economy along with the concept of smart growth. Target areas are assessed for the intangible characteristics of a place, such as sociability, cleanliness, walk-ability, pride, attractiveness and evidence of volunteerism. These qualities can all be measured. Smart Growth tenets such as walkable neighborhoods are nicely outlined in the website address of www.smartgrowth.org.
The process has uplifted 10 strategies for prosperity in the new economy followed by a prioritization process and action steps. Look at the following strategies and rate your own community against the 10 items below.
Rick David,
Vice President Strategic Relations
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
I would encourage each of you to look a bit deeper at your hometown. Do you truly understand your community’s asset? Make a new years resolution to go to a school board or city council meeting. Can you identify the formal and informal leaders in your neighborhood district? What is the strength of your community developmental district or your block organization?
It is my point of view that as United Way staffers we need to “walk our talk” by translating the theory of community building into each of our own lives. Simply bridging the style of our language of community work with the substance of individual action.
My attention in Pontiac centers on working in little and big ways to reform the cities public institutions to meet the requirements of the new economy and a belief that its manageable size can serve as a model for other historic urban centers in Michigan including Detroit.
Currently I am serving on the steering committee for the first community wide visioning plan since the early 1990’s. MSU and its Land Policy Institute serve as our facilitators in developing an asset-based economic development strategy.
We have been exposed to placemaking as the primary strategy for cities in the new economy along with the concept of smart growth. Target areas are assessed for the intangible characteristics of a place, such as sociability, cleanliness, walk-ability, pride, attractiveness and evidence of volunteerism. These qualities can all be measured. Smart Growth tenets such as walkable neighborhoods are nicely outlined in the website address of www.smartgrowth.org.
The process has uplifted 10 strategies for prosperity in the new economy followed by a prioritization process and action steps. Look at the following strategies and rate your own community against the 10 items below.
- World-Class education
- Connect to the New Economy
- Great place to Invest
- “Destination” downtown
- Create local entrepreneurs
- Polish the image
- Healthy, safe and attractive neighborhoods
- Quality community services
- Leverage public and private partnerships
- High-performance government.
Rick David,
Vice President Strategic Relations
United Way for Southeastern Michigan
Labels: civic engagement
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