Minnesota

Horizons II communities successfully completed the 18-month program and Horizons staff  want to share two documents developed that highlight the many successes the communities accomplished.  The first is a report on activities around the three outcome areas of Horizons - leadership development, poverty reduction, and community/partnership/infrastructure development.  You can access this report by clicking on:  Action on Horizons Outcomes 

The second document highlight the findings from the pre and post test done in the communities during the study circle and LeadershipPlenty components of the program.  You can access this report by going to Community Evaluation Results of Pre and Post Tests

 Amazing work by amazing people that reinforces our belief that Minnesota is the best place to live!

HomeTown YouthForceA COME-BACK/GIVE-BACK APPROACH

This approach focuses on learning about and understanding all the assets that are available in a community. Assets can include people, skills, buildings, nature (like parks and rivers), etc. If a community can identify all the assets in the community, those assets can be used to help people in need.

Here are examples of what is happening in some communities:

• a program to help people buy and repair their own cars (assets identified to make this happen included a retired mechanic and an unused car garage)
• starting a “buy local” program or campaign
• pooling financial resources to create a “lending circle” program to help people get credit to start a business of their own (assets identified include people with business start-up experience and people who have ideas and interest in starting a business)

We’ve already seen some of these ideas listed in some community plans in Minnesota and we look forward to adding other ideas to the list!

As always, if you’d like additional information on all the approaches, please log on to Everyday Democracy’s (formerly Study Circle Resource Center) website at

http://www.everyday-democracy.org/en/index.aspx

and click on the poverty link under issues on the right hand side. From there you’ll see the link to the “Thriving Communities: Working Together to Move From Poverty to Prosperity for All” guide.

Below is a link to Extension’s Center for Family Development and resources they offer for teaching youth about money.    For example,

Did you know?

• 1 in 5 teens have their own credit card or access to their parents’ card.
• High school seniors’ basic financial literacy is declining.
• 30% of youth report their parents rarely or never discuss saving and investing with them.
• Undergraduates carry an average of three credit cards, and have an average credit card debt of $2,327.
• As little as 10 hours of personal finance education positively affects students’ spending and savings habits.

Find out how you can address these issues at:

http://www.extension.umn.edu/Youth&Money/ 

A third approach identified through the Thriving Communities Guide is Help people meet their urgent needs  This approach focuses on individuals basic needs of food and safe shelter.  Actions that have evolved from this approach include:

• a community starting a food pantry
• starting an emergency shelter in the winter
• programs that deliver food to homebound people
• health care facilities that also provide food and emergency assistance information
• developing a community resource list of where to go for help
• creating a pool of money to help with emergency needs (heating bills, car repairs, etc.)

Read more about this approach on the Everyday Democracy (formerly known as Study Circle Resource Center) website at http://www.everyday-democracy.org/en/Issue.12.aspx

In the second day of revisiting the Thriving Communities Guide I’ll focus on the second approach to reducing poverty, CREATE MORE AND BETTER JOBS.  This approach focuses on helping businesses create jobs, getting rid of barriers to a creating a healthy business climate, and having a workforce that has adequate skills and is paid a livable salary.

Some examples of action taking place around this approach includes:

• holding an “entrepreneurship showcase” to create interest and support for people starting new businesses
• raising funds for a local community owned bank or credit union so they can create a pool of loan money for new businesses
• increase the number of people visiting your community to generate more funds being brought into town
• work with different individuals who have similar independent businesses and create cooperative business entities (like a farmer’s market or a quilt store)

Are there any other ideas your community is doing that fits under this approach?  Let us know!

All of you who went through the Thriving Communities conversations last fall and spring may remember that part of the discussions focused on how communities could actively address poverty reduction.  As new folks have joined in Horizons activities, I’ve noticed some folks who didn’t participate in those conversations ask, what specifically can we do to reduce poverty?   what are other community’s doing?

Read more here… (more…)

The next in a series of articles dealing with families and financial health.  You can access the website through this link

http://www.extension.umn.edu/MoneyEveryDay/ToughTimes.html 

With a vision for the future in hand and “Future Squads” (contextual teams) on the move, some community members have been asking, “are we still addressing poverty?” I love this question. By posing this question, you are demonstrating that knowledge and awareness has been raised over the past year, and more importantly, that you want to do something about it.

As many of you have pointed out, your understanding of the different aspects of poverty is underlying your vision statements. However, many of you have asked: “Is this enough?” Here are some questions and thoughts to remember as your community progresses:

Who is participating in the Future Squads?

• During Study Circles and LeadershipPlenty, we had a wide demographic representation of the community. Is this true today? Are youth involved? People in poverty? Current leaders of traditional institutions and organizations?

Are our actions addressing poverty?

• When developing your action plans, think about whether the action directly or indirectly addresses poverty in your community. If the impact is indirect , how can this correlation be strengthened?

Are our meetings publicized in a welcoming manner and have we been inclusive?

• Studies show that people are four times more likely to participate when personally asked. What efforts are being made to personally invite community members who are typically not involved? I know many of you are tapped from all ends, this is even more reason to welcome new leadership and work toward broad participation. Wouldn’t it be great if at the next meeting more than just the “same ten people” were there? It takes more time, but I think you’ll find that your efforts are well worth it.

• Remember that it is sometimes easier to get people involved for the first time if they are asked to help with a specific task. At each step of the way, ask : “How can we bring others in?”

Are we working toward strengthening the “Ten Attributes of Successful Communities?”

• Challenges with transitioning to new leadership and with inclusion came up in every community during the vision sessions. How can your Future Squads model this?

Let people know about the Barrier Elimination Funds.

• Each community has funds to reduce the barriers to participation. Let people who may not come otherwise know about the childcare and transportation stipends so that money is not a factor impeding involvement. Contact your local organizer or community coordinator to find out more.

Participants in Horizons study circles developed this framework to help connect future squad actions and common approaches to poverty reduction: Poverty Resources.

How is your community remaining focused on poverty and engaging often marginalized populations? Add a comment!