"I Can, I Will" proposal from the Lancaster group

Here is another thoughtful proposal that came out of the Lancaster Community Conversation.

Action Item
“I CAN, I WILL”
Visions Lancaster Group: Proposed 3/27/10


Goal:
To form a grass roots partnership between Bay Aging and residents of local communities/neighborhoods, connecting Bay Aging Options Counselors with individuals and/or groups who desire to become empowered to advocate for and obtain resources in order to achieve and sustain self-sufficiency.

Description:
Options Counselors would identify trusted and natural leader(s) (patriarch/matriarch types, for example) in a neighborhood or local community who would be engaged to gather together those in the neighborhood/community with like needs and concerns. The counselor and local leader would develop a plan offering effective strategies to gather potential participants for exchange of information on resources at local gatherings. Gatherings would take place in the leader’s home (think “Tupperware parties”) or other accessible, friendly location with the leader as convener.

The desired outcomes would include: self identification of needs and ways to achieve self sufficiency; development of skills and knowledge for advocating for themselves or for a neighborhood/local community’s needs; effective and respectful partnering of providers and those seeking services. The local participants would have ownership of and control over the process. The concept is one of empowerment.

Background:
Bay Aging currently has Options Counselors who provide counseling and assistance to consumers through an emergency services program. The funding for this program ends in this fiscal year.

Bay Aging has noted success in a paradigm that sends Options Counselors in some cases into homes and local communities, partnering with the local resident(s) or family to assist in determining needs and goals and then helping match them with services.

The project proposed in this Action Idea would use and build on an already established and trained base at Bay Aging and their past experience in a process that appears to offer promise for the grass roots partnering we propose.

Financial Considerations:
•Partial funding for Options Counselors
•Stipends and expense reimbursement for local leaders
•Transportation made available to participants, as needed through Bay Transit or some other provider

Action Forum held March 27. 2010

The final event of the first round of Community Conversations on Reducing Poverty in the Northern Neck took place on Saturday, March 27th. Paula Fisher, with the Visions steering committee, acted as moderator. She thanked Susan McFadden and Open Door Communications for all their work developing our logo, our promotional and recruitment mailing material. Paula went on to open the meeting with these quotes from The World Bank PovertyNet: "Poverty is hunger. Poverty is lack of shelter. Poverty is being sick and not being able to see a doctor. Poverty is not having access to school and not knowing how to read. Poverty is not having a job, is fear for the future, living one day at a time. Poverty is losing a child to illness brought about by unclean water. Poverty is powerlessness, lack of representation and freedom."


"Poverty is a call to action -- for the poor and the wealthy alike -- a call to change the world so that many more may have enough to eat, adequate shelter, access to education and health, protection from violence, and a voice in what happens in their communities." Paula added, "Community, Community, Comm u-ni-ty, Comm – Unity. This is why we have come together today... to move from dialogue to action in designing a plan to reduce poverty in the Northern Neck."

Each group had an opportunity to share their experience, their process, their vision and their recommendations.



The Heathsville group, represented by Joe Thompson, shared the following report:

Vision:
Communities working together to move from poverty to prosperity
Purpose:
To develop an action plan for reducing poverty in Northumberland, Lancaster and other surrounding counties of Virginia
Background:
Thirteen (13) members and four (4) facilitators participated in five (5) conversation sessions of two hour durations where
a. poverty was defined, and quantified in our communities at 10%
b. problems facing the poor were identified
c. available assets were listed
d. a list of possible actions was developed, analyzed with a consensus reached recommended Action Plan

Recommended Action Plan:
Our recommended Action Plan contains three (3)elements; a Community Coordinator, a focus on jobs and a focus on education.

1. Community Coordinator: We believe our communities have both the people and the assets to reduce poverty, except for a funded Community Coordinator who will develop, coordinate, manage and measure our poverty reduction efforts. For example; we have banks, churches, schools, businesses, etc. who could work on projects; but would need someone to coordinate, organize and measure”collective efforts” full time… a Community Coordinator. Our cost estimate for one person, transportation, telephone, computer and space is $100,000 per year, which we hope would be funded initially by a grant or foundation. Further, this Community Coordinator will need an Advisory Board to guide him/her. Without someone dedicated full time to this effort real success cannot be achieved.

2. Focus on jobs! More jobs..Less poverty, period! Some opportunities are:
1.Establish a Clearinghouse for Jobs/Skills……people looking for work/people seeking jobs. 2. Create a website for free listing. 3. Establish a physical location for connecting.

3. Focus on education! Expand the use of Rappahannock Community College in providing training for jobs (Example: Austin CC “Construction Gateway Program” www.austincc.edu/bct/gateway.php and www.universitybusiness.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1543) Expand Warsaw VoTech program to adults. Provide counseling for success in work with volunteer counselors. Help people gain literacy skills for further college or skills training. The Community Coordinator will promote children’s mentoring, reading partners, etc. with churches, civic organizations, etc. to help children’s education.

Prepared by Joe M. Thompson 3/24/2010
Presented by Joe M. Thompson & Tom Price

I'll continue to post the plans and recommendations over the next week, so that everyone can give each some attention. Each report represents hours of work by our many volunteers in this process. Thanks to all of them, and a special thanks to our facilitators: Torrence Harman, Lorraine Justice, Jessica Jordan, Kathleen Watson, Dave Alberts, Marilyn Warren, Lance Barton, Jason Hughes, and William Smith.