Philip Martinez’s Post

The US federal government has started integrating “community engagement” requirements in its own funding calls. It is a smart move which others could learn from, but only if action is taken on the findings. The “Build Back Better” programme, passed as part of the American Rescue Plan, is a prime example. In deciding its funding allocations, Build Back Better evaluates how “residents and community leadership will be engaged throughout,” meaning that states need to have in place structured processes for mapping and engaging residents and collecting impact data that enables evaluation. For example, research found that food insecurity was a top stressor for Brownsville residents, so the team tapped into networks to bring in food service providers, researchers and urban farmers all from within the community to think about how to address the issue. #inclusionmatters #socialimpact #embeddingsocialgood

Older Americans Month 2024 Every May, the Administration for Community Living leads the nation’s observance of Older Americans Month (OAM), a time to recognize older Americans' contributions, highlight aging trends, and reaffirm commitments to serving the older adults in our communities. The 2024 theme is Powered by Connection, which recognizes the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being. We will explore the vital role that connectedness plays in supporting independence and aging in place by combatting isolation, loneliness, and other issues. Join us in promoting the benefits of connecting with others. Here are some ways you can participate. Share facts about the mental, physical, and emotional health benefits of social connection and how it contributes to overall well-being. Promote resources that help older adults engage, like community events, social clubs, and volunteer opportunities. Connect older adults with local services, such as transportation, that can help them overcome obstacles to achieving or maintaining meaningful relationships. Encourage partners to host a connection-centric event or program focused on older adult mentors to youth, peer-to-peer support, or similar efforts. Challenge professional and personal networks to prioritize meaningful social connections and share the benefits. Inspire older adults to share what connection means to them on social media using the hashtag #PoweredByConnection. Charles Benson

This week #R2AImpactPractitioners highlights an insightful brief from the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) It identifies 6 key mechanisms for enhancing citizen engagement in public service governance, fostering stronger community involvement and accountability. https://ow.ly/1uYS50SqPve

The second course in this series focuses entirely on how to be more inclusive using the community solutions-based approach, applying each phase of the community solutions-based approach to an example from Baltimore to show how projects can be more inclusive and, ultimately, why the outcome will always be better when involving the community at every step of the way. https://lnkd.in/gPVNWv5h

The National Innovative Communities Conference could be held anywhere. Aren't all communities looking for ways to better serve their populations? Maybe. But holding it in the Inland Empire sends a message: The IE is larger than 26 of the states in the US, and yet is one of the places that receives the least amount of investment. Because of this, the work and accomplishments happening here have been the result of collaboration, sharing of ideals and determination, and relationships built to cross political divides and really focus on the well-being of our community. The message? If we can do it here, you can do it anywhere. #NationalInnovativeCommunitiesConference #CommunityBetterment

Now the best time to reduce community codependency on big government and large corporations!!! Find out why in the full video https://lnkd.in/es5F3GAr #PashaParoh #XocialGong #empoweringpeople #smallbusinessownerlife #smallbusinesssupportingsmallbusiness

Participatory methods involve citizens in decision-making, improving public service effectiveness by aligning solutions with community needs and preferences.

Our inaugural Citizen Connections Report identifies a clear “Connection Deficit” in 2023; there’s an almost universal desire for more social connection than we’re getting today - but we’re held back. We break it all down in our report, released today. Have a read: https://lnkd.in/g3Fk7yRw #CitizenConnects

Important update for local governance! Elected officials, including mayors, will now disclose detailed financial info—boosting transparency and accountability. Stay informed, stay engaged! #Transparency #Accountability #LocalGov #FinancialDisclosure #CommunityEngagement 🏛️💡 financial disclosure, municipal officials, elected officials, transparency, accountability, local governance, community engagement, government, public service, civic duty, democracy, empowerment, citizen empowerment, public interest, and civil society.

Today we launch a report which demonstrates that community-led truth-telling initiatives have contributed to a considerable shift in the national narrative about Australia’s history, including a growing recognition of the frontier violence that accompanied colonisation. The Recognising Community Truth-Telling: An Exploration of Local Truth-Telling report is based on a unique collaborative study with Reconciliation Australia documenting grassroots community truth-telling in Australia. ADI’s Dr Vanessa Barolsky, the report’s lead author, said local communities across Australia had shown significant leadership in driving processes for truth-telling. “The majority of the work has been led by First Nations communities and has required sustained effort over many years, often with few resources. This is an exceptional achievement” Dr Barolsky said. “However, there is still much work to do, with many critical historical events and First Nations achievements remaining substantially unrecognised.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gJ8Ng-9E