Want to gather feedback from local residents on a particular issue or decision your organization or community is facing? Are you struggling to find creative ways to reach beyond those familiar faces, to engage more diverse populations often absent from planning conversations? Looking for a training module that provides your teen or adult programming with hands-on community organizing and outreach experience?

This recorded webinar walks you through Groundwork USA’s Neighborhood Voices model for implementing an inclusive, stakeholder-driven community planning process.

• Learn about the four basic phases of a Neighborhood Voices project and ways they can be adapted for your community and the issues you’re facing.
• Hear about key take-aways and unexpected outcomes from our pilot Neighborhood Voices project in Portland, Maine.
• Understand how you can access free technical assistance services from Groundwork USA to help you develop and lead a Neighborhood Voices project in your community. Staff will help you tailor your own project to promote collaboration between local stakeholders, leverage existing neighborhood resources, and cultivate community leaders.

Presenters:

Kate O’Brien serves as Director of Capacity Building for Groundwork USA, a dynamic network of 20 nonprofits engaging local stakeholders in realizing healthier, more resilient, and more equitable neighborhoods in communities facing sustained marginalization. In this role, Kate leads Groundwork USA’s equitable development technical assistance program and community of practice, designed to build readiness in disinvested communities for planning and carrying out more inclusive initiatives, projects, and programs. She also coaches nonprofit practitioners to develop funding and partnership strategies that sustain their work. Kate has been involved with the Groundwork USA network for over 15 years, including previously serving as the Executive Director of Groundwork Lawrence (MA). Under her leadership, the organization leveraged $1.5 million to support design and construction of two riverfront brownfield-to-park projects, as well as pre-development of the now-complete $3.5 million Spicket River Greenway.

Anne Harrison is a Philadelphia-based consultant with 15 years of program leadership and management in the nonprofit sector leading programs for young people. Anne’s approach focuses on authentic engagement and working effectively together towards goals. She brings experience from multiple “helping” sectors along with expertise in staff development, training, and project and program management. Anne was the Director of Youth Services at Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Program Manager at both Fleisher Art Memorial and the Mural Arts Program, and also has experience with the School District of Philadelphia. In addition to consulting, she is a practicing artist and associate at The Clay Studio.