“What was your favorite thing about the neighborhood where you grew up?”
When we ask this question across Sarasota County, we get similar answers. People recall ways that their neighborhood made it easy for them to connect with other neighbors and with interesting things to do. They remember the places where those connections took place: front porches, a school, library, store within walking distance or a nearby park. Many people remember a feeling of safety, familiarity, convenience and a sense of community.
Connected neighborhoods do more than create good memories. Active neighborhoods incubate community leadership. They help resources flow among people beyond the reach of social services. They allow citizens and local organizations to identify common goals, pool resources (talents, skills, connections, etc.) and share ownership of the results.
OUR WORK
The broad purpose of SCOPE’s work in neighborhoods is to build connections and relationships between neighbors and local organizations and enhance and encourage neighborhood-based work driven by “active citizens.”
SCOPE recognizes “active citizens” as those whose efforts have long-lasting community impact because they:
recognize and build on the skills and goals that exist within a neighborhood
lead neighborhood projects in a way that encourages broad ownership of issues control rather than exclusive ownership by a few
respect and value diversity and striving to bring new voices to the table. Fostering active citizenship involves a shift in how people gather, communicate with one another, and think about how change happens in community.
Acknowledging the value of connections and relationships between neighbors and local organizations, SCOPE works with individuals in neighborhoods, groups of neighbors and local institutions to build their capacity and to inspire community action.
"I have learned the concerns and cares of many of the residents and gained ideas for how to move forward and create an even more connected and supportive community."
– Pam Bournival of The Winds of St. Armand’s
SPOTLIGHT: VENICE GARDENS
SCOPE worked with the Venice Gardens Civic Association (VCGA) to engage and connect residents in new ways. The association was striving to include the growing number of young families in their community. Over the course of 3 years, SCOPE helped VGCA organize two “Fun Fairs” and an Open House designed to strengthen relationships and connections among neighbors.
The process of planning neighborhood activities and clarifying the group’s goals has strengthened the VCGA in a number of ways:
Members solidified visioning and planning skills.
The group’s new identity as an “Envisioning Committee” marks a movement toward greater ownership of the need to think strategically about the future.
The group’s goals and the processes of dialogue and consensus-building provide a potential foundation for positive unified action.
The dialogue and consensus required to create the goals and plan the Open House has built committee members’ abilities to work together despite existing differences of opinion or vision.
“We organized an Open House and were able to attract new members. SCOPE is helpful in encouraging people to come together to realize their strength and abilities.” -Linda Lukacs, Venice Gardens Civic Association
“I don't know what we would have done without SCOPE leading the way. We all knew we needed to take some kind of action, but the experience you have with neighborhoods was a fantastic guide.” -Leann Fellmeth, Venice Gardens Civic Association
SPOTLIGHT: A SPECIAL TIME
In the past year, SCOPE supported the continued development of the volunteer, faith-based caregiver respite program “A Special Time.” SCOPE worked with A Special Time from its early stages to help founders clarify their goals and directions, identify and tap assets within the faith-based community, and build partnerships within the faith-based community. SCOPE staff helped foster leadership within the group by strategically stepping back while providing some basic support in website creation and organizational form templates. SCOPE helped A Special Time gain national recognition by including it in Sarasota County’s winning “All America Cities” award application in 2007. A Special Time is now taking steps toward incorporation as a 501C-3, the formation of a board, and achieving greater visibility in the community for both fundraising and collaborative purposes. SCOPE’s role has shifted to that of a conduit for the group to connect with local resources, including the Nonprofit Resource Center, Friendship Volunteer Center, and Legal Aid of Manasota. A SCOPE staff person now sits as an active member of A Special Time’s advisory committee.
"The best thing SCOPE was able to do was connect us with various organizations in the city and county and give us a direction to go when we weren't sure what the next steps should be… SCOPE's involvement has been invaluable to A Special Time." - Wilma Ellis, Program Director, A Special Time
ASSET-BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
This initiative, like all of SCOPE’s work, applies an asset based approach. Asset-based community development creates a new path for residents and institutions to partner. This new path is based on looking at each individual within the community as someone who has something valuable to share and the power to make a difference in their community.
An asset based approach also looks at new ways for groups of individuals to collaborate with businesses, nonprofits, and the government. This type of collaboration allows institutions to be creative about how they engage residents in the design and delivery of services and programs. Local businesses, government, and nonprofits can maximize their impact if they gain an understanding of the neighborhood before implementing a program or campaign.
"The approach helped me understand how residents feel about their neighborhood. I have also gained new leadership skills and a method to get residents to share what they care about." – Carl Stephens, Amaryllis Park
