Molly Schultz Hafid (she/hers)’s Post

Unleashing Our Future: The Future Foundation's Vision The city of Toronto is one of the largest cities in North America, with the most diverse population in the world. The Future Foundation seeks to empower the multiple different intellectual, cultural and social communities throughout the GTHA and wider Canada Our vision helps guide the actions taken by stakeholders. Through our organization's vision, we want to attract the most passionate community members. The Future Foundation believes that a bottom-up approach to community development is necessary for the sustainability of our society We believe that the best way to create a sustainable future is by empowering individuals and communities to take action on issues they care about. We believe that this approach will lead to more effective solutions, greater community engagement and stronger social networks. Likewise, we believe that this approach will lead to more effective solutions, greater community engagement and stronger social networks. A bottom-up approach involves empowering individuals within their communities to make decisions for themselves. We believe that a bottom-up approach is necessary for the sustainability of our society because it allows people to take ownership of their own lives. Political deadlock and economic stagnation have taken the very institutions that create change outside the communities they are meant to serve We believe that the best way to address these challenges is by embracing innovation and change. We support policies that encourage self-directed production, foster creativity and promote a culture of innovation. Not only that, but we believe that this approach will lead to more effective solutions, greater community engagement and stronger social networks. Through engagement with digital technology, we provide tools and education to youth in their communities to make social change as they see fit Currently, we are launching our first project: The Africana Project. The project will work with Black youth to develop an online magazine for Black History Month. Asking communities already dealing with a myriad of issues to put extra effort into their empowerment is hard. There are bills to pay and mouths to feed. But by engaging with funders and social enterprise, we hope to help youth with skills that will lead to career growth The Future Foundation and 6Futures Group are a social start-up interested in community growth. By concentrating on providing for people first, and profit second, we want sustainable and circular growth. If you are interested in collaborating on a new project or contributing to the Africana Magazine, please contact us at admin@6futures.org

As a consortium, we believe partnerships are vital. By pooling resources, sharing expertise, and expanding the reach of our programs, we can make a bigger impact. We proudly support impactful and innovative organizations working to advance racial and economic equity. Member Spotlight! Rondo Community Land Trust (Rondo CLT) MCCD member, Rondo CLT stands out for their innovation. Rondo CLT is part of a growing movement aiming to redefine community development. Named after and based in the historic predominately African American neighborhood of Saint Paul, MN, Rondo CLT is developing tools and frameworks for a more human-centered and eco-friendly economy. Rondo CLT believes that to make a real difference, we need to rethink our approach and create new paths that prioritize healing and fairness. Recognizing that capitalism often prioritizes profits over people and the planet is crucial for real equity. Like us, Rondo CLT relies on partnerships with like-minded organizations. They are a member of MCCD and part of the Saint Paul Shared Ownership Collaborative, which includes West Side Community Organization, Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, and Model Cities Saint Paul. Together, they promote shared ownership in housing and business while building community power. Read more about Rondo's reparative economic development framework, which reflects their best (and constantly evolving) thinking and practice. Written by: Rondo CLT's Deputy Director, E. Coco https://lnkd.in/g37vYDbT

Cheers to Nonprofit Quarterly and their writers for another great article on operationalizing equity and social justice at all levels of an organization. "Another way to say this is that oppressive systems live within us, often without our explicit permission or consent. Any attempt at individual, organizational, or social change that focuses exclusively on external structures without addressing the internal expressions of oppressive systems will achieve only limited or short-term gains. This is because even as we try to change (ourselves, systems, the world), we continue operating in ways that unconsciously align with the values of the very systems we are working to dismantle. The result is mental, emotional, and spiritual depletion; conflict and power struggles within organizations; and structures and systems that look different and yet yield the same outcomes as existing ones."

Company vs. Great Company Understand what they focus on and what they offer to the market. Strive to be a great company by not only fulfilling the company’s goals, but also addressing the needs of societies while campaigning for community development. ... Zenedly – Beyond lectures and textbooks. #education #inspiration #learning #company #business

The land-grant concept began with delivering new knowledge and best practices to farm families, which at that time were the majority of Americans. Today's world is different and more complicated, and land-grant universities serve all, or should. But they are still most needed in non-metropolitan areas, and UK's new Land-Grant Engagement program is a salutary step toward getting more help to rural Kentucky.

Last week Rebuilding Together Rural Affiliates had the privilege of participating in the National Seminar on Community Revitalization, held in North Carolina. The theme of this year's summit, "Revitalizing Communities," resonated deeply with our mission, and we were thrilled to engage in meaningful discussions and learning sessions alongside other affiliates. The seminar focused on the Seven Principles of Community Revitalization Partnership, offering a comprehensive exploration of strategies to bolster our rural communities. Guided by the results of the Community Revitalization Partnership self-assessment completed in January, the seminar covered critical topics relevant to our collective goals. Day One: Inclusive Leadership Behaviors. It was dedicated to delving into inclusive leadership behaviors, aligning with Principles 5, 6, and 7 of the Community Revitalization Partnership. These principles are crucial in addressing historical and current practices contributing to housing inequity, enhancing cultural competency, and fostering active listening. Teams found these sessions particularly valuable, as they provided insights into creating more inclusive and equitable communities. The discussions helped us understand the deep-seated challenges in housing equity and equipped us with tools to improve our cultural competency and active listening skills. Day Two: Staff Development and Community Engagement we focused on topics identified as most valuable by our affiliates, linked to Principles 1 through 4. These sessions were centered around staff development, succession planning, community partnerships, program quality, advocacy, and fund development. The insights gained from these sessions are poised to enhance our operational effectiveness and community engagement strategies. We discussed innovative approaches to staff development and succession planning, essential for sustaining our efforts in the long term. Additionally, exploring community partnerships and advocacy strategies reinforced the importance of collaboration in achieving our mission. 31 attendees returned from this trip with a renewed commitment to revitalizing our communities and a wealth of strategies to implement. The collaboration and learning we experienced have strengthened our resolve to make a lasting impact in our rural communities. Thank you to all participants and organizers for an inspiring and productive seminar. Together, we are making strides towards a brighter future for our communities.

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name… The sociologist Ray Oldenberg is credited with popularizing the concept of “third places” as being vital to the health of our communities and ourselves. These are spaces outside of the home and workplace where people can gather, socialize, meet strangers, and learn from others – all with little or no financial barrier. Oldenberg cites spaces like pubs, social clubs, barber shops, and coffeehouses as these democratizing places where rank and class are flattened to allow for citizen-to-citizen exchange and community building. At the Kirby Foundation, given our mission to foster strong and healthy communities, we support a number of organizations that act as “third places.” Our support for organizations like the Madison Area YMCA and the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA offer examples of Oldenberg’s theory. YMCA members engage in conversation with one another while volleying on a pickleball court, gliding on an elliptical, or rolling out a yoga mat. Moreover, YMCAs provide much more than a place for conversation and exercise, offering child care, financial assistance, youth programs, and more. One organization we support has taken Oldenberg’s recognition of the power of these spaces for connections and has added an element of literacy. Book Harvest, located in Durham, NC, builds libraries full of children’s books in the kinds of “third places” where families are most likely to gather: laundromats, recreation centers, health clinics, parks, and churches. What’s more, Book Harvest has created its own “third place” with the opening of their “Family Space,” a “playful learning hub where children and their families can freely discover an abundance of books, toys, and manipulatives that spark learning opportunities and cross-generational communication.” After years of pandemic-driven isolation and political rancor, as we seek ways to repair social bonds and build new connections, “third places” can play a vital role in helping us overcome encounter one another’s humanity again. Do you have a favorite third place? Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/erMAMwQv

The problem we are facing in community development, economic development and revitalization, is just simply apathy, which stems from inaction. It’s a feeling of being despondent, the feeling that nothing matters, the belief that nothing can improve. It comes from the fact that nothing has improved! And every study only helps solidify this belief. What is it going to take for you to realize that another study won’t solve a damn thing? Want to feel better about yourself, get out and (literally) run your ass off. Want to get wealthier, earn more and spend less! Every facet you want to improve in your life only requires one ingredient and that is effort. Community revitalization is no different. This stuff is about momentum and trajectories and they are far easier to shift than you realize. A trajectory can turn on a dime. Momentum starts almost unnoticeably and can build like a freight train. People are so damn excited to feel something different about their town. They are desperate to shake off the decade-long malaise and feel something good. They don’t need plans, they need action, they need motivation, and they need encouragement. See, we are not teachers, planners, or experts in community development, we are trainers and coaches. We don’t need to provide direction, we simply need to inspire action. We need to encourage and excite. The key is not to find out what to do, it’s simply making the decision to do it. Inaction is what delivered rampant apathy to your community and no study can cure it. Put down your pens and sticky notes and pick up your brushes and brooms. Thoughts can only do so much, and it’s time for sweat. Inaction is the problem, action is the solution. 

Community engagement is a long way off being normalised, and beyond the social sectors, its still at early adopter stage in the public and academic realms (beyond more transactional forms of consultation and public engagement)? At Noisy Cricket, we've long known that practicing community engagement - especially when you give it the space and energy to transform your approach as an organisation, can reduce risk and enhance performance, but increasingly, people are coming to us because they want to drive social innovation, or build the trust that is rapidly disappearing between organisations and the people they exist to serve. What's piquing your curiosity about community engagement, and what would you like to hear more about? I'm planning a series of blogs to the get into how community engagement can make a difference, both in terms of the value it can create for your organisation, while simultaneously creating impact for our communities? https://lnkd.in/ewPr794H

"Although marked by a profound sense of loss, it nonetheless feels appropriate that this issue of the journal contains a review of what sadly proved to be Patsy Healey’s final book." In his review of Caring for Place: Community Development in Rural England, Stephen Connelly writes: "Healey had twin purposes for the book: to present a way of analysing 'the complexity of micro-social dynamics' (p. xii) of governance, drawing on a wide range of scholarship but always underpinned by her own social institutionalist perspective, and through this to support those searching for 'ways to contribute to the future' (p. xii). As ever, there is a strong normative element in her work: the analysis is to serve the purpose of furthering progressive governance through the positive power of self-organising communities. She does this through showcasing the achievements and struggles of real people, in an extended single case study which (like the best of such studies) sets out both the micro-detail and how this links to macro-structures and processes. Despite the rather misleading subtitle, this is not 'community development' in its usual sense of a familiar set of practices, but a book about the development of a community, and an honest evaluation of its achievements." Check out Connelly's full review of Patsy Healey's final book, available here: https://lnkd.in/dR5jZxtx