Creating Space for Community Listening How to Engage Everyone in your Community in Meaningful Dialogue. CCDA CONFERENCE MIAMI,2008 Delia Caderno & Michael philip

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip COMMUNITY LISTENING IS CRUCIAL TO CCD WORK! Simply described, Community Development is a process of listening to the community, determining the assets and resources available, casting a vision for a preferred future and developing programs and activities that meet felt needs within the community.

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Nehemiah a Lesson in Community Listening & Organizing Began by building relationships. A lot of bad news, but he simply kept asking questions, probing and listening to the stories people have to tell. He asked questions and listened. Internalized the pain - he sat down and wept Prayed for the people - Nehemiah fasted and prayed Considered the resources - he was cupbearer of the King Built first actions on relationships - start with what have and ID the influence leaders Assess the situation yourself - personal interaction Publicly articulated the problem (arising out of what heard from the people) Turned the problem into an issue - Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we no longer suffer disgrace. People determined the issue & committed to common good People created their own strategy - involving each family & using self interest People carried out the action- they were stakeholders People confronted and defeated the systems -threat of violence, political opposition Nehemiah confronted principalities & power of Israel (5)- short term loans, foreclosure; stories of exploitation; covenant The people celebrated their victory (6) *Transforming Power by Robert Linthicum

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Relationships Are Crucial Relationships are the building blocks for all community initiated activities. People wont care unless they know YOU care. Relationships begin with listening to one another. Relationships are the means for achieving community goals. Change will be built on good relationships with community stakeholders.

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip We Listen to Discover & Map the Assets

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip We Listen to Make Connections What you have to share, what will help you Listening & looking at the assets & connections for action

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Stakeholders Stakeholders are those that have a vested interest in something. In Community Development that includes. Adults Senior Citizens Children People with Disability Poor People Rich People Middle class people Documented residents Undocumented residents IN COMMUNITY THERES NO ONE WE DONT NEED!

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Community Listening Strategies & Tools Prayer walking Listening Conversations Natural Connections Community Survey World-Café Discussions Community Convening

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip P rayer Walking Seeing the Community with Fresh Eyes Whether as an individual action or an organized effort, prayer walking the community is an essential part of the listening to the community process. As you walk pray for discernment-ask God to give you fresh eyes to see the community. Structures: What re the building types, usages, conditions, whos leaving, whos replacing them, etc. Pieces of Life: What artifacts do people leave around, whats on the front porches/lawn, are they ethnically or culturally specific etc. Signage: What is being advertised, what language is used, who is the target audience, what is being sold by business owners, what do the signs say about the communitys political or religious values, etc.

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip P rayer Walking Seeing the Community with Fresh Eyes Sounds and Smells: What music is being played, what age group does it cater to, what do you smell and what do these smells say about the neighborhood. Signs of Hope: Keep an eye out for evidence of Gods people at work. Look for the presence of small mustard seeds: of the kingdom and for what God is already doing the community. Interact with the neighborhood - talk with anyone interested about personal, community issues and anything else that might come up; dont be in a hurry; encourage people to share their passions & gifts with others, to come together around common concerns

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip LEARNING CONVERSATION Learning conversations are the way to build public accountable relationships. Through these conversations you will discover what people care about. Learning conversations begin with a question not an answer. How long have you lived here? Where did you live before? Why did you move here? How would you describe your community? What do you love most about living here? What is the communitys greatest challenge?

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Learning Conversations Learning Conversations should Invite Participation What would you like to see happen in this community? How do you think you could help make that happen? What talents and resources do you have to make this happen? Would you be interested in meeting with others who have the same interest? Learning Conversations Build and Strengthen Relationships. What associations/organizations/institutions are you involved with? Who else should I be talking to? Do you want me to share with you what I learn from talking to others?

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Natural Connections We are in communication naturally with people everyday. Look for places where you are already connected and create listening spaces. Other Parents at school/park Co-workers PTA/Boys Scout/Art, Civic group Mail person Grocery Store owner/clerk Hair-stylist/Barber Laundry or Car wash place

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Community Surveys Surveys and Interviews are another helpful way to listen to your community. Surveys should be designed to capture the thoughts of the diverse members of the community. Theres not a one-one-size fits all survey. Surveys should be conducted with individuals, associations, institutions, businesses, government and social agencies to get the big-picture of your community.

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip World Café Conversations The World Café is an innovative yet simple method for hosting conversations about questions that matter. A variety of conversations take place at the same time and they link and build on each other as people move between groups, cross- pollinate ideas, and discover new insights into the questions or issues that are most important in their life, work, or community. As a process, the World Café can evoke and make visible the collective intelligence of any group, thus increasing peoples capacity for effective action in pursuit of common aims.

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Community Gatherings Community gatherings are essential ingredients in both listening to the community and inviting the community to Vision a preferred future together. It is important to hear what is being said AND to what is NOT being said. Community gatherings can happen in a variety of ways. In an informal setting like a block-party, community clean-up OR formal like a Town-Hall meeting. Gifts of the Heart, Hands and Mind.

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Listening to the Community is Transformational ! Neighbors come together Relationships are created Community is Celebrated Venues are created where individual gifts are recognized and valued. Creates Generational and cultural bridges. Leads to action!

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Franciscan Blessing (from Gods Mission in the World, Augsburg Press) May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation & war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy. May God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done. And the Blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, be upon you and remain with you forever. Amen.

October 24, 2008 CREATING SPACE FOR COMMUNITY LISTENING Delia Caderno & Michel philip Resources for Action Communities First, Jay Van Groningen; CRWRC (Book, workbooks, cd- including the Theology of Development) Building Communities from the Inside Out -McKnight, Kretzman - or Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) Northwestern University-get order form. Asset Based Strategies for Faith Communities - ACTA (800) Power of Asset Mapping-How Congregation Can Act on its Gifts-Luther Snow; Alban Institute Compassion, Justice and the Christian Life (Rethinking Ministry to the Poor) Robert Lupton, Regal Press Transforming Power-Biblical Strategies for Making a Difference in Your Community-Robert Linthicum; IVP Books Delia Caderno Partnership for Community Development (P4CT) (786) Michael Philip Urban Resurrection (UREZ) (