GCDD’s Real Communities Initiative is Expanding!
The following is the Real Commnities article from the Summer 2013 Making a Difference magazine,featuring the things that have been happening in Real Communities over the past quarter. Click here to read the entire magazine.
GCDD’s Real Communities Initiative is Expanding!
The Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities' (GCDD) cutting edge Real Communities Initiative is bringing new communities on board. Since launching in 2010, GCDD has supported seven communities as part of the Real Communities Initiaitive and now it will add three to five additional communities in 2013.
GCDD actively supports its Real Communities in a number of ways including technical assistance, training, popular education and at times financial support. Each project is determined by the individual community and varies according to its local needs and goals. They range from community-based transportation and cooperatives to community gardens. By handing the reins to individual communities and leading by stepping back, GCDD supports Real Communities as they flourish and achieve real and lasting community-based change.
The Expansion
In June, GCDD hosted three training sessions in Macon, Albany and Atlanta for those interested in joining the Real Communities Initiative. These workshops were attended by approximately 100 Georgians who are interested in participating as a Real Communities Initiative. During the training, attendees received an overview on Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) principles which make use of already-existing resources in the community in a different and newly successful manner, as well as an overview of Real Communities, focusing on the core purpose, vision and values of the Initiative.
GCDD accepted applications from interested communities until July 1, and will be spending the rest of the summer reviewing all applications, making in-person visits with select communities and exploring conversations about the possibilities of partnering together to start a new GCDD Real Communities Initiative.
What Does it Mean to Join Real Communities?
A Real Communities Initiative means taking a thoughtful and active learning approach that equips community members, people – involving both those with and without disabilities, at the local level to work together toward common goals to improve their own community using person-centered supports, community-centered connections and consistent reflective learning.
When joining, a Real Communities Initiative accepts four commitments and responsibilities:
- Action focuses on making the community better for everyone: This means learning to listen carefully to fellow citizens outside the circle of those primarily concerned with disability to discover what local issues people care enough about to take action together
- People with developmental disabilities are active members who influence the group's direction and participate in doing its work: This means learning to keep asking, "Whose gifts are missing?" and discovering how to reach out, invite and actively involve people who need personalized support in order to contribute to their community.
- Over time, the initiative builds up local capacity for collective action by creating and strengthening continuing relationships with a variety of associations and groups: This means learning to build and strengthen local alliances and networks.
- Participants take responsibility for sharing what they are learning: This means learning to reflect together on the work and identify and communicate its lessons.
Macon Building Upon the First Youth Roving Listening Project
In early July 2012, GCDD's Real Communities project with the Centenary United Methodist Church in Macon, GA debuted its first youth Roving Listening program. The youth successfully connected with members in the community to initiate meaningful conversations to build relationships and understand the gifts and interests of the people who live in the Beall's Hill neighborhood. Originally the group started with about 30 listeners, but continued to grow throughout the month-long project as brothers, sisters and friends took interest and asked if they could join too.
Overall, Stacey Harwell, minister of community-building at Centenary, said the first-time project was successful and the community responded well. Since the end of the summer program, they have been in the process of cataloging all of the responses they heard from the community members. Some of the most common themes the Roving Listeners discovered the community members most liked about Macon included its rich history and the people. On the flipside, the prevalence of crime and violence and the desire for more activities for youth and activities that promote community interaction for everyone to get to know each other were high on the list for improvements they would like to see in their community.
In order to initiate change and make connections between the community members who have shared interests and gifts, a resident of the Beall's Hill neighborhood will serve as the Roving Connector to facilitate the process. The person will work five hours each week with the information gathered and ensure people's gifts and ideas are being utilized and mobilized.
"The main reason we wanted to hire a Roving Connector was so we could make sure we are honoring those we spoke and listened to, and we followed up with their interests," said Harwell.
Centenary has also been having monthly community dinners since the launch of their project to stay in touch. They even conducted a scaled down version of the Roving Listening project with eight people going out into the community one day a month for eight months throughout the rest of the year to keep the momentum going.
Several community organizations such as the College Hill Alliance/Commission and the Community Foundation of Central Georgia have also become involved and worked with the group on creating publicity outside of the Roving Listening project.
Harwell is excited about the progress that has been made since the launch, and the group is currently concentrating on making final preparations for this summer's program.
"We are very energized about making connections throughout the community, and we look forward to building more relationships in the community for our upcoming program," said Harwell.
The Korean Coalition Initiative Hosts a Picnic
GCDD's Real Communities Korean Coalition Initiative hosted their first annual spring picnic at Jones Bridge Park in Norcross on April 6 as a way to unite Coalition members and their circles of supports to meet and share ideas in a fun and interactive way. The first event was a great success with more than 150 people coming together to attend.
Clarkston International Garden Holds a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
GCDD's Real Communities Clarkston International Garden Initiative hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on June 29 to celebrate its many accomplishments. Attendees were treated to garden tours, a dance performance, a vegetable costume contest, speaker presentations and more.
