The Full Frame Initiative

Think about your community: what are the assets that help you and your neighbors feel connected, safe and better equipped to weather challenges? This #WellbeingWednesday, we're highlighting our partnership with the Hispanic Alliance of Southeastern Connecticut and the City of New London in implementing Community Wellbeing Asset Mapping. New London youth gathered input from their peers and presented recommendations to elected officials on how to improve access to wellbeing for young people. Some of the assets identified fell into categories such as parks and beaches, apps and games, sports and activities, shopping, schools and food.

We're introducing a new way to map the assets in communities — because what matters to people is so much more than the financial assets that are often the focus when it comes to making decisions about communities. Instead of focusing on gaps and deficits, Wellbeing Asset Mapping puts the community in the driver's seat to identify the strengths, assets and spaces that are essential for access to wellbeing. Our CEO & Founder Katya Fels Smyth shares how this new approach is a game-changer for driving real, sustainable change in communities.

If we understand that people deserve a fresh start after serving time, what systemic changes could support their chance at a fair shot at wellbeing when they re-enter their communities? One solution is automatically clearing criminal records. Read more about how Code for America has worked with over 20 states to implement automatic record clearance.

We're thrilled that FFI Senior Fellow Phyllis Becker is joining the conversation this Thursday, 10/24 on how scholars and civic leaders can inform and advance youth development nad criminal justice reform policies. Register to join here ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eVpHtRYR

Many youth who are involved in the justice system are losing out on key pathways for their future and their #wellbeing. This #WellbeingWednesday we're highlighting a new Colorado law that seeks to end this trend. Youth who are systems-involved are gaining rights to complete their education and pursue opportunities that support wellbeing.

The Violence Prevention Index from the Annie E. Casey Foundation evaluates how policymakers and communities can reduce violence and invest in safety. The report supports spanning boundaries by combining public health-informed strategies to address the root causes of gun violence.

We've seen what's possible when we center wellbeing in how governments and residents undertake and experience development projects. As American Rescue Plan funds are invested into building climate-resilient and equitable infrastructure, there's a crucial opportunity to focus on what matters most to people. The Brookings Institution highlights notable examples where community assets are amplified and built upon instead of undermined.

What does it look like to co-design a public space? This #WellbeingWednesday, we're highlighting the Harlem Playground, a playground created by and for public housing residents. Funded through a participatory budgeting initiative, the new multisensory playscape came out of a four-month community design process. As a result, residents are seeing increased access to wellbeing in the form of increased safety, social connectedness, mastery and more.

What does it look like to co-design a public space? This #WellbeingWednesday, we're highlighting the Harlem Playground, a playground created by and for public housing residents. Funded through a participatory budgeting initiative, the new multisensory playscape came out of a four-month community design process. As a result, residents are seeing increased access to wellbeing in the form of increased safety, social connectedness, mastery and more.

We're excited to partner with Kingston, NY to shift thinking and policy through our Wellbeing Insights, Assets and Tradeoffs Tool (WIATT). With residents and city officials, we'll evaluate the wellbeing benefits and tradeoffs of redevelopment to guide better decisions about how, when, whether and what is built. Kingston's Mayor, Steve Noble, shared, "We are thrilled to partner with the Full Frame Initiative to delve into deeper community engagement so that we have the data we need to make informed, equitable, and impactful decisions on future projects." Read the full announcement of our collaboration in the Daily Freeman.