People in communities across this country want to live where they have the chance to thrive as they age. This is true in all kinds of places – small and large, rural and urban. This discussion will help us talk about the kind of community where people midlife and beyond can live successfully.
Thriving Communities: Working together to move from poverty to prosperity for...Everyday Democracy
This document provides guidance for a 5-session community dialogue program aimed at understanding and addressing poverty at the local level. The first session focuses on introductions, establishing group norms, and discussing personal experiences with poverty and economic well-being in the community. Participants share what they like and do not like about their community and reactions to economic struggles. The goal is to begin exploring the issue and get to know one another.
Building Strong Neighborhoods for Families With ChildrenEveryday Democracy
A four-session discussion guide to help people make their neighborhoods better places for families with children by identifying challenges and opportunities, and working toward solutions.
Building Prosperity for All is for people in rural communities and small towns who are working to move from poverty to prosperity. This resource was designed to benefit communities that participated in dialogue-to-change programs using the guide, Thriving Communities: Working Together to Move From Poverty to Prosperity for All. However, no prior experience with Thriving Communities is necessary to get involved.
This guide provides advice for organizing the conversations, and a guide for the event host and small-group dialogue facilitators to use throughout the discussion sessions.
A Community for All Generations - Teens and Adults Working TogetherEveryday Democracy
This document provides guidance for a 4-session study circle discussion between teens and adults on making their community a better place for young people. Session 1 focuses on introductions and sharing experiences of being young. Session 2 examines community data on youth and envisions an ideal future. Session 3 brainstorms how to improve the community. Session 4 plans actions to address issues. The guide provides tips for facilitators and participants to have respectful, productive discussions and move from talking to taking action together.
Building Prosperity for All is for people in rural communities and small towns who are working to move from poverty to prosperity. This resource was designed to benefit communities that participated in dialogue-to-change programs using the guide, Thriving Communities: Working Together to Move From Poverty to Prosperity for All. However, no prior experience with Thriving Communities is necessary to get involved.
This guide is a series of handouts for dialogue participants to use throughout the discussion sessions.
Building Community in a "Connected" Age (Participant Guide)Everyday Democracy
This guide is designed to help citizens deliberate about ways to use e-state technology to help enhance community and civic life. The guide was designed to be used during a one day symposium and includes an exploration of community, scenarios to help explore e-state opportunities and challenges, an exercise to identify e-state values, and opportunities to identify action steps.
This five-session discussion guide helps people get involved in an important issue facing all of us: the well-being of our youngest children. The guide looks at how we are connected to the lives of children in our community and the “invisible” effects of racism and poverty. It also guides people in developing plans for action.
Hands on guide for youth and adults, who are dedicated to finding ways for all kinds of people to engage in dialogue and problem solving on critical social and political issues.
Thriving Communities: Working together to move from poverty to prosperity for...Everyday Democracy
This document provides guidance for a 5-session community dialogue program aimed at understanding and addressing poverty at the local level. The first session focuses on introductions, establishing group norms, and discussing personal experiences with poverty and economic well-being in the community. Participants share what they like and do not like about their community and reactions to economic struggles. The goal is to begin exploring the issue and get to know one another.
Building Strong Neighborhoods for Families With ChildrenEveryday Democracy
A four-session discussion guide to help people make their neighborhoods better places for families with children by identifying challenges and opportunities, and working toward solutions.
Building Prosperity for All is for people in rural communities and small towns who are working to move from poverty to prosperity. This resource was designed to benefit communities that participated in dialogue-to-change programs using the guide, Thriving Communities: Working Together to Move From Poverty to Prosperity for All. However, no prior experience with Thriving Communities is necessary to get involved.
This guide provides advice for organizing the conversations, and a guide for the event host and small-group dialogue facilitators to use throughout the discussion sessions.
A Community for All Generations - Teens and Adults Working TogetherEveryday Democracy
This document provides guidance for a 4-session study circle discussion between teens and adults on making their community a better place for young people. Session 1 focuses on introductions and sharing experiences of being young. Session 2 examines community data on youth and envisions an ideal future. Session 3 brainstorms how to improve the community. Session 4 plans actions to address issues. The guide provides tips for facilitators and participants to have respectful, productive discussions and move from talking to taking action together.
Building Prosperity for All is for people in rural communities and small towns who are working to move from poverty to prosperity. This resource was designed to benefit communities that participated in dialogue-to-change programs using the guide, Thriving Communities: Working Together to Move From Poverty to Prosperity for All. However, no prior experience with Thriving Communities is necessary to get involved.
This guide is a series of handouts for dialogue participants to use throughout the discussion sessions.
Building Community in a "Connected" Age (Participant Guide)Everyday Democracy
This guide is designed to help citizens deliberate about ways to use e-state technology to help enhance community and civic life. The guide was designed to be used during a one day symposium and includes an exploration of community, scenarios to help explore e-state opportunities and challenges, an exercise to identify e-state values, and opportunities to identify action steps.
This five-session discussion guide helps people get involved in an important issue facing all of us: the well-being of our youngest children. The guide looks at how we are connected to the lives of children in our community and the “invisible” effects of racism and poverty. It also guides people in developing plans for action.
Hands on guide for youth and adults, who are dedicated to finding ways for all kinds of people to engage in dialogue and problem solving on critical social and political issues.
Subtitled "What can we do to make and keep our community healthy, strong, and vibrant", this 4-session guide was developed as a collaboration between The Coalition for Healthier Cities and Communities and Everyday Democracy. The term “healthy community” can mean many things to many people: jobs, schools, clean water and air, basic health services, recreation, celebrations.
A six-session discussion guide to help all kinds of people take part in meaningful dialogue to examine gaps among racial and ethnic groups and create institutional and policy change.
Building Prosperity for All is for people in rural communities and small towns who are working to move from poverty to prosperity. This resource was designed to benefit communities that participated in dialogue-to-change programs using the guide, Thriving Communities: Working Together to Move From Poverty to Prosperity for All. However, no prior experience with Thriving Communities is necessary to get involved.
This guide is an agenda for communities that want to reach out to neighboring communities and regional or statewide groups to identify ways to work together to continue to make progress on moving from poverty to prosperity.
A supplemental guide intended to give people with similar racial or ethnic backgrounds an opportunity to talk with each other about issues of racism in sessions preceding and following the regular diverse dialogue sessions of a community-wide study circle program. These optional discussions are designed to be used with Facing Racism in a Diverse Nation.
Organizing Rural & Reservation Communities for Dialogue and ChangeEveryday Democracy
This guide is a summary of the lessons that Everyday Democracy staff learned in their work with communities that took part in Horizons, a program of the Northwest Area Foundation aimed at reducing poverty and boosting prosperity. Reflections from Horizons organizers and participants are threaded throughout the guide giving the advice and tips further authenticity. While this guide was written for communities taking part in Horizons, the advice and tips are applicable to any community working on any issue through a dialogue-to-change effort.
Building Community in a "Connected" Age (Facilitator Guide)Everyday Democracy
This guide is designed to help citizens deliberate about ways to use e-state technology to help enhance community and civic life. The guide was designed to be used during a one day symposium and includes an exploration of community, scenarios to help explore e-state opportunities and challenges, an exercise to identify e-state values, and opportunities to identify action steps.
Working Together to Remove Racial and Ethnic Barriers (a Facilitator's Guide)Everyday Democracy
*Build lasting relationships among diverse stakeholders.
*Engage participants to discuss racial issues.
*Work with parents, teachers and students to develop action plans that will address racial and ethnic barriers to student achievement and parent involvement.
This Action Road Map will help communities walk through the steps we need to take to carry out a plan for action. Using this worksheet, you will think about the people, places, and things in your community that can help you reach your goals.
This discussion guide takes a look at when, where, and what young people learn. How do we create the kind of community where all young people will have a chance to learn – in and beyond the school day?
Step Forward, Step Back Organizational Identity ActivityEveryday Democracy
This activity shows some of the advantages and disadvantages related to organizational power and privilege. The activity is used to show how long-term accumulation of advantages based on organizational privilege can produce gaps among groups and create inequities in the communities we hope to serve. We will see visually how our positions within the organizations we work have privileged us, some perhaps more than others. The central question at the end is, what does our positioning reveal and how may we use this understanding to close these gaps?
Building Strong Neighborhoods: A Study Guide for Public Dialogue and Communit...Everyday Democracy
A four-session discussion guide on many important neighborhood issues including: race and other kinds of differences; young people and families; safety and community-police relations; homes, housing and beautification; jobs and neighborhood economy; and schools.
Core Principles for Public Engagement grew out of President Obama's "Open Government Directive," a call for executive departments and agencies to take specific actions in the areas of transparency, participation, and collaboration. As you might guess, the civic engagement field was abuzz in meetings, on email discussion lists, and on phone calls considering how we could support this effort.
Everyone agreed that the field of practice, as a whole, needed to articulate what we consider to be quality public engagement. And this clarity, whether or not it impacts the Open Government Directive, would be of great benefit to the field.
A core group from the civic engagement worked together to develop a set of principles. They engaged the field in a collaborative and transparent way to encourage broad involvement among networks to create a set of principles that everyone could get behind.
A Guide for Training Public Dialogue Facilitators is a comprehensive training curriculum. This guide includes advice for creating a training program for both youth and adults, with expanded facilitator training, plus suggestions for ongoing support and evaluation of dialogue facilitators.
Beyond Civility: From Public Engagement to Problem SolvingEveryday Democracy
This document provides guidance for city leaders on promoting democratic governance and civic engagement. It outlines seven principles for building a culture of democratic governance: 1) Modeling civility, 2) Sharpening skills, 3) Creating opportunities for informed engagement, 4) Supporting a culture of community involvement, 5) Making the most of technology, 6) Including everybody, and 7) Making engagement last. The document discusses each principle and provides examples of how cities have implemented them. The overall aim is to engage residents in constructive discussions and problem-solving to address community challenges.
The goal of this activity is to illustrate the different experiences participants may have based on the color of their skin. It will help provoke thinking and dialogue about different experiences and perceptions. This activity can be emotional and uncomfortable, and should be used with groups that have already worked to developed trust and/or have done other activities that explore the impact of race.
The practice of treating everyone fairly and justly regardless of age, with special consideration to the structural factors that privilege some age groups over others.
One Nation, Many Beliefs: Talking About Religion in a Diverse DemocracyEveryday Democracy
This document is a discussion guide for facilitating conversations about religion in a diverse democracy. It provides an introduction that explains the importance of discussing the role of religion in society given increasing diversity and tensions. The guide is divided into 5 sessions that are designed to:
1) Build relationships between participants
2) Develop a shared vision for a religiously diverse community
3) Explore the challenges and tensions surrounding religion
4) Identify solutions and areas for improvement
5) Develop an action plan for positive change
Each session includes goals, discussion questions, and tips for facilitators to help participants have an open and respectful dialogue on this complex issue.
The first of its kind in Connecticut, this report documents the state’s civic health. It looks at key indicators of civic life in Connecticut: how Connecticut residents engage in civic organizations and group activities, how attentive they are to community problem solving and politics and how connected they are to family, friends and neighbors.
Subtitled "What can we do to make and keep our community healthy, strong, and vibrant", this 4-session guide was developed as a collaboration between The Coalition for Healthier Cities and Communities and Everyday Democracy. The term “healthy community” can mean many things to many people: jobs, schools, clean water and air, basic health services, recreation, celebrations.
A six-session discussion guide to help all kinds of people take part in meaningful dialogue to examine gaps among racial and ethnic groups and create institutional and policy change.
Building Prosperity for All is for people in rural communities and small towns who are working to move from poverty to prosperity. This resource was designed to benefit communities that participated in dialogue-to-change programs using the guide, Thriving Communities: Working Together to Move From Poverty to Prosperity for All. However, no prior experience with Thriving Communities is necessary to get involved.
This guide is an agenda for communities that want to reach out to neighboring communities and regional or statewide groups to identify ways to work together to continue to make progress on moving from poverty to prosperity.
A supplemental guide intended to give people with similar racial or ethnic backgrounds an opportunity to talk with each other about issues of racism in sessions preceding and following the regular diverse dialogue sessions of a community-wide study circle program. These optional discussions are designed to be used with Facing Racism in a Diverse Nation.
Organizing Rural & Reservation Communities for Dialogue and ChangeEveryday Democracy
This guide is a summary of the lessons that Everyday Democracy staff learned in their work with communities that took part in Horizons, a program of the Northwest Area Foundation aimed at reducing poverty and boosting prosperity. Reflections from Horizons organizers and participants are threaded throughout the guide giving the advice and tips further authenticity. While this guide was written for communities taking part in Horizons, the advice and tips are applicable to any community working on any issue through a dialogue-to-change effort.
Building Community in a "Connected" Age (Facilitator Guide)Everyday Democracy
This guide is designed to help citizens deliberate about ways to use e-state technology to help enhance community and civic life. The guide was designed to be used during a one day symposium and includes an exploration of community, scenarios to help explore e-state opportunities and challenges, an exercise to identify e-state values, and opportunities to identify action steps.
Working Together to Remove Racial and Ethnic Barriers (a Facilitator's Guide)Everyday Democracy
*Build lasting relationships among diverse stakeholders.
*Engage participants to discuss racial issues.
*Work with parents, teachers and students to develop action plans that will address racial and ethnic barriers to student achievement and parent involvement.
This Action Road Map will help communities walk through the steps we need to take to carry out a plan for action. Using this worksheet, you will think about the people, places, and things in your community that can help you reach your goals.
This discussion guide takes a look at when, where, and what young people learn. How do we create the kind of community where all young people will have a chance to learn – in and beyond the school day?
Step Forward, Step Back Organizational Identity ActivityEveryday Democracy
This activity shows some of the advantages and disadvantages related to organizational power and privilege. The activity is used to show how long-term accumulation of advantages based on organizational privilege can produce gaps among groups and create inequities in the communities we hope to serve. We will see visually how our positions within the organizations we work have privileged us, some perhaps more than others. The central question at the end is, what does our positioning reveal and how may we use this understanding to close these gaps?
Building Strong Neighborhoods: A Study Guide for Public Dialogue and Communit...Everyday Democracy
A four-session discussion guide on many important neighborhood issues including: race and other kinds of differences; young people and families; safety and community-police relations; homes, housing and beautification; jobs and neighborhood economy; and schools.
Core Principles for Public Engagement grew out of President Obama's "Open Government Directive," a call for executive departments and agencies to take specific actions in the areas of transparency, participation, and collaboration. As you might guess, the civic engagement field was abuzz in meetings, on email discussion lists, and on phone calls considering how we could support this effort.
Everyone agreed that the field of practice, as a whole, needed to articulate what we consider to be quality public engagement. And this clarity, whether or not it impacts the Open Government Directive, would be of great benefit to the field.
A core group from the civic engagement worked together to develop a set of principles. They engaged the field in a collaborative and transparent way to encourage broad involvement among networks to create a set of principles that everyone could get behind.
A Guide for Training Public Dialogue Facilitators is a comprehensive training curriculum. This guide includes advice for creating a training program for both youth and adults, with expanded facilitator training, plus suggestions for ongoing support and evaluation of dialogue facilitators.
Beyond Civility: From Public Engagement to Problem SolvingEveryday Democracy
This document provides guidance for city leaders on promoting democratic governance and civic engagement. It outlines seven principles for building a culture of democratic governance: 1) Modeling civility, 2) Sharpening skills, 3) Creating opportunities for informed engagement, 4) Supporting a culture of community involvement, 5) Making the most of technology, 6) Including everybody, and 7) Making engagement last. The document discusses each principle and provides examples of how cities have implemented them. The overall aim is to engage residents in constructive discussions and problem-solving to address community challenges.
The goal of this activity is to illustrate the different experiences participants may have based on the color of their skin. It will help provoke thinking and dialogue about different experiences and perceptions. This activity can be emotional and uncomfortable, and should be used with groups that have already worked to developed trust and/or have done other activities that explore the impact of race.
The practice of treating everyone fairly and justly regardless of age, with special consideration to the structural factors that privilege some age groups over others.
One Nation, Many Beliefs: Talking About Religion in a Diverse DemocracyEveryday Democracy
This document is a discussion guide for facilitating conversations about religion in a diverse democracy. It provides an introduction that explains the importance of discussing the role of religion in society given increasing diversity and tensions. The guide is divided into 5 sessions that are designed to:
1) Build relationships between participants
2) Develop a shared vision for a religiously diverse community
3) Explore the challenges and tensions surrounding religion
4) Identify solutions and areas for improvement
5) Develop an action plan for positive change
Each session includes goals, discussion questions, and tips for facilitators to help participants have an open and respectful dialogue on this complex issue.
The first of its kind in Connecticut, this report documents the state’s civic health. It looks at key indicators of civic life in Connecticut: how Connecticut residents engage in civic organizations and group activities, how attentive they are to community problem solving and politics and how connected they are to family, friends and neighbors.
This document contains a summary and resume for Jawaid Akhtar. It outlines his 31 years of experience in pharmaceutical sales and marketing, including roles as a Senior Regional Sales Manager and Medical Service Executive. It also lists his qualifications, including a BSc degree, and over 50 certificates completed from Harvard Business School courses in areas like leadership, marketing, and management. The objective is to work for a company with career opportunities in the growing pharmaceutical field using modern sales and marketing techniques.
Este documento presenta un proyecto de un grupo de trabajo sobre cómo utilizar llantas recicladas como recurso para la producción de panela. El grupo está compuesto por Andrés Miranda, María del Carmen Murillo y Daniel Suárez. El documento incluye un enlace a una página web sobre el grupo y plantea preguntas secundarias sobre el tiempo de combustión de llantas, cómo reducir costos, qué es un combustible energético, cómo reducir la contaminación y las estrategias de utilización.
aio* manager guide - next generation expense managementaio*
Find out how you can simplify your business expenses & petty cash management. This is our how to guide for admins using the aio*.
aio* provide an expense management solution for businesses by connecting prepaid business MasterCards with a management app.
This allows managers to easily allocate, manage and approve budgets, track spend in real time and have all the information ready for book keepers without the hassle of dealing with expense reports, reclaims processes or reimbursement.
For the employees it means never being out of pocket and not having to collect and submit physical receipts, seek reimbursements or perform the administration associated with work expenses
This document discusses sole proprietorships and provides an example of one. It defines a sole proprietorship as a business owned by one person who receives all profits but is responsible for all debts. Sole proprietorships have advantages like low costs and complete control but disadvantages like unlimited liability. To register one, an owner opens a business bank account, gets a certificate from the bank, and submits paperwork to the tax authority. Laiba's Collection, a women's clothing store, is provided as an example sole proprietorship.
This in-depth report measures citizen engagement in the constitution state in voting, volunteerism and community involvement in the state of Connecticut.
A coalition of groups — including the Secretary of the State, Everyday Democracy, the National Conference on Citizenship and DataHaven — launched the 2016 Civic Health Index Report today. The survey evaluates the depth of citizen engagement through a variety of indicators such as voting, volunteering and other forms of community involvement.
Download the report at: http://everyday-democracy.org/resources/2016-connecticut-civic-health-index
This document discusses Murabaha financing through an example between Nishat Mills Ltd. and Meezan Bank Ltd. It defines Murabaha as a sale where the seller discloses the cost and adds a known profit. It outlines the key stages and documentation of a Murabaha transaction, including the agency agreement, purchase evidence, and payment schedule. It also discusses guidelines for rollover, penalties, and monitoring to ensure compliance with Shariah principles for Islamic banking.
"When the Mask Comes Off" is a video documentary featuring young people discussing their experiences of living with mental illness. The video features stories of struggle on their journey from misperception and alienation toward self-acceptance and healing. This discussion guide is designed for conversations in schools following a screening of the film.
[ Abridged version ] Immigration policy is an issue that continues to challenge us. This resource offers a way to think about possible policy directions and the ramifications of each. Participants explore the four options presented, deliberate on the strengths and challenges of each, and then frame an “Option 5 “ that reflects their views. This material was developed for use in high school classes. Additional lesson plans and links to resources are available from the Choices Program at Brown University.
Toward a More Perfect Union in an Age of Diversity: A Guide for Building Stro...Everyday Democracy
A four-session discussion guide examining ideas about unity, diversity, and pluralism, and how they affect us as members of our communities and our country. Created in collaboration with A More Perfect Union.
July 2017 EdgeTalks - A new mandate to support community actionNHS Horizons
This document summarizes a presentation about connecting communities to promote health. The presenter discusses 8 tips for working at the neighborhood level drawn from experience in the UK. These tips include finding community groups interested in support, identifying community leaders and those with gifts to contribute, using conversations to discover community assets, engaging with local clubs and associations, and including marginalized people. The goal is to connect people and groups, understand community resources, and support communities to determine what they can achieve on their own or with outside help to build health and well-being.
This document provides an overview of Module 2 of a migrant community mediation course. The module focuses on developing leadership and advocacy skills to build strong, positive, and equitable communities. It discusses community leadership characteristics, advocacy skills, understanding communities and power structures, and developing empathy. The key goals of the module are to learn about community leadership, advocacy skills, what makes a strong community, and how to advocate for and lead communities in a positive direction.
The document discusses key issues relating to community environments for seniors, including housing options, programs and services, leisure activities, and the need for community assessments. It emphasizes allowing seniors to remain independent in their communities for as long as possible while ensuring necessary support services are accessible. When extra care is needed, retirement communities can provide safety, suitable housing, and social opportunities with others of a similar age. The goal is to keep seniors active, engaged, and feeling valued within their communities through different stages of aging.
Independent facilitation supports people with disabilities to direct their own plans and lives in the community. Facile is an organization that provides independent facilitators who guide this person-directed planning process. Russell's story shows how independent facilitation has helped him participate in sports, work jobs, and make plans for the future, like getting his own apartment. Facile also offers training and mentoring for facilitators, and helps build networks between individuals, families, and communities.
Realising the Potential of Consumer Directed CareCitizen Network
Simon Duffy ran this workshop for COTA Australia and Home Care Today to explore how best to build on the opportunities created by Consumer Directed Care as it is implemented in Aged Care.
The document discusses ways for citizens to get involved in and support their local community. It describes various roles like being a good neighbor, volunteering for local activities and organizations, serving as a school governor, supporting political parties, and helping with local services. It emphasizes the importance of civic duties like obeying laws, respecting others, and protecting the environment.
How to Make Your Neighbourhood a Better Place to Live - Manual
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Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children =
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Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech =
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City Chickens for your Organic School Garden =
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Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide =
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Here are 3 potential responses you could have to overhearing a discriminatory remark:
1. Politely but firmly call out the discriminatory language and explain why it is inappropriate and hurtful. Request that more inclusive language be used going forward.
2. Discreetly pull the person making the remark aside later and have a respectful conversation about why certain words or assumptions can promote harm, and how we can all work to be more understanding of different people and perspectives.
3. If I felt unsafe directly confronting the person, I would report the incident to the proper authorities according to my workplace or school's policies, so the issue could be addressed through approved channels. My goal would be to establish an environment of dignity
The document discusses the results of community listening sessions conducted by United Way of Brazoria County in 2015-2016. Key themes that emerged from the sessions included: a desire for a thriving community with safety, education, and employment opportunities; the importance of inclusion, involvement, and diversity; concerns about the effects of poverty exacerbated by rapid population growth; and a need for better connection and collaboration between community organizations and residents. The report aims to inform officials and organizations about community needs and priorities to guide future efforts.
7 Formal Outline Templates - Free Sample, Example ForRenee Countryman
The document provides instructions for requesting writing assistance from HelpWriting.net in 5 steps:
1) Create an account with a password and email. 2) Complete a 10-minute order form with instructions, sources, and deadline. 3) Review bids from writers and choose one based on qualifications. 4) Review the completed paper and authorize payment if satisfied. 5) Request revisions until fully satisfied, with a refund option for plagiarized work.
Your name _________________________________ Date of submission _.docxtawnyataylor528
Your name: _________________________________ Date of submission: ______________________
3
#MyWordsChangeLives Project Outline
#wordschangelives
Instructions: Save this document on your own computer. Type into each box and expand it as needed for the length of your response. Answer thoroughly!
PART 1: PERSONAL REFLECTION
TOPIC: What is one problem, issue, or need in the world, or in your own community, that you care a lot about?
Racism is one of the biggest issues in the world, and a lot of countries are suffering from it. The issue is not new, and we can see the old history even back in the 13th century. The classification on the basis of racism is always offending. The people are made by the same Lord, they have the same organs even their color and creed are not responsible for the abilities and talents they have, but still, the world has observed a lot of differentiation among the people. The problem is prominent in the United States of America, where more than half of the population nearly 54% say that race relations have made things worse. The differentiation between white and black have led the communities to be made, and it creates an atmosphere of hate among the people. Back in the 13th century, an amendment was made in the constitution, and it stated that there will be no slavery from onwards. There were a lot of mixed reviews on the amendment because it was terrible for some communities to accept that black people will now be equal to them. If we see the circumstances in the world, we will come to know that there is an extreme need to eradicate the concept of racism from the world. Black people should be accepted and should be given their rights. There are a lot of heroes who have laid down their lives in the struggle to see equality in different races. The differentiation is not only made by the Americans, but it has been seen in many other countries where the poor and lower casts are looked upon by others. The world needs to understand that everyone is important, everyone is equal, and all of us got equal chances to make the progress and to move ahead in life.
This issue is important to me because being the student and being the responsible citizen, it is my part of my duty that I must remind the people that every one of you is important, and the concept of racism has got no value now. There is a lot of struggle needed to make it understand and to make it realize to everyone that racism should be ended. It is destroying beautiful relationships and friendships. The world is a place of peace, and it should be made peaceful for everyone instead of promoting racism.
PERSONAL CONNECTION: Why is this particular issue important to you? Is there something in your life experience or academic studies that relates?
This issue is important to me because being the student and being the responsible citizen, it is my part of my duty that I must remind the people that every one of you is important, and the concept of racism has got .
This document discusses the enhancement of English language skills, particularly speaking skills. It provides activities to practice and improve speaking like discussions, role plays, interviews, storytelling, and debates. It then presents a debate topic on whether social networking sites allow users to share ideas or do more harm than good. The first speaker for the affirmative argues that while social networking aids communication, it can replace personal interactions and isolate people, harming communication skills and relationships. The second affirmative speaker argues that social networking can damage humanity by limiting self-representation and choice. Both agree that overuse of social media harms social skills and interactions.
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1. The document discusses the concept of "Ulyssean living" which refers to seniors who continue seeking new adventures and opportunities in their later years.
2. It provides statistics on the aging population in Canada, which is growing rapidly and becoming more diverse.
3. Common stereotypes about seniors are debunked, and challenges they face related to socializing, mental/physical abilities, and finances are outlined.
4. Practical suggestions are made for improving interactions with seniors, such as being patient and inclusive of their abilities in leisure activities.
The document provides instructions for using the HelpWriting.net custom writing service in 5 steps:
1. Create an account with a password and email.
2. Complete a 10-minute order form with instructions, sources, and deadline. Attach sample work.
3. Review bids from writers and choose one based on qualifications and feedback. Place a deposit.
4. Ensure the paper meets expectations and authorize payment. Free revisions are provided.
5. Request multiple revisions to ensure satisfaction. Plagiarized work results in a full refund.
Problem solving requires empathy and understanding different perspectives. It is difficult to solve problems that do not directly affect people. Developing empathy allows people to care about issues outside their own experiences. Effective problem solving involves educating others on how problems interconnect and their solutions can benefit everyone.
Similar to A Community for People Midlife and Beyond (20)
Connecticut Civic Ambassadors are everyday people who care about and engage others in their communities by creating opportunities for civic participation that strengthens our state’s “Civic Health.” Civic Health is determined by how well diverse groups of residents work together and with government to solve public problems to strengthen their communities. Read more below on how you can be an agent of change in your own community by joining the team.
Civic Ambassadors are everyday citizens who strengthen their communities' civic health by encouraging civic participation. They inspire others to engage civically by organizing community conversations and events. Ambassadors then help develop and implement action plans from these discussions to address local issues through activities like voter registration drives or neighborhood cleanups. The goal is to build a grassroots movement that improves civic participation and community problem solving. Anyone can become an ambassador, and their time commitment is flexible depending on their schedule.
Safety and Justice Challenge May Networking Meeting WorkshopEveryday Democracy
Cook County and Charleston County shared their experiences engaging communities in discussions around safety and justice challenges. Both counties used dialogue circles and surveys to gather input from over 1,000 community members total. Key takeaways included the need to address racial bias and disparities, improve perceptions of trust in law enforcement and the justice system, and support reentry for those returning from incarceration. Survey results showed people found value in participating and being heard. The counties are using this community input to inform strategic planning and identify priorities like increasing training, creating more engagement opportunities, and establishing partnerships to support reform.
This document provides 5 civic health ideas for engaging one's community during times of social distancing. The ideas are to clean up trash in one's neighborhood, donate unused clothing and items to Goodwill locations that are accepting donations, support local businesses that are struggling financially, seek out those in need in one's community and offer assistance, and use social media to share helpful ideas with others.
This document provides 5 ideas for engaging one's local community during times of social distancing due to COVID-19. The ideas are to donate food to local food banks or Meals on Wheels programs, bake treats for neighbors, plant gardens to share produce later, order takeout to support struggling local restaurants, and learn more civic engagement ideas at the listed website.
The Dialogue to Change process involves 4 steps: 1) Assembling a diverse team to generate publicity and recruit dialogue participants, which can take 4-6 months. 2) Small groups of 8-12 people meet weekly for 4-6 weeks to discuss issues in the community guided by discussion materials. 3) After the dialogues, groups come together to agree on actions and form groups to implement them. 4) Everyday Democracy provides ongoing support and shares outcomes with other communities.
Everyday Democracy provides tools and resources to over 600 communities to strengthen deliberative democracy. It helps communities engage residents in discussions to address important issues. This communications toolkit provides guidance on capturing a community's story through photos, videos and interviews to share their work and successes. It includes tips on social media, media outreach, and templates for materials like press releases and flyers to promote community engagement initiatives.
Everyday Democracy uses a process called "Dialogue to Change" to foster productive conversations between community members and police. The approach helps communities address issues like racial inequities, lack of trust, and public safety challenges by bringing stakeholders together to discuss challenges openly and develop joint solutions. Examples are provided of communities that have used this approach successfully, including improving police-community relations in Decatur, Georgia, addressing racial profiling in the South Bronx, and ongoing dialogue projects throughout West Palm Beach. The process focuses on relationship-building, incorporating community input, and identifying concrete actions to create lasting change.
Everyday Democracy Evaluation Guide Toolkit with Ripple MappingEveryday Democracy
This document provides tools and guidance for evaluating community engagement efforts, including a self-assessment of evaluation capacity, a sample logic model, and templates for data collection planning and mapping ripple effects. Key tools include an evaluation capacity self-assessment matrix to rate resources, knowledge, data availability, and practices; a logic model template to outline inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and goals; and templates for planning data collection strategies and mapping impacts. The overall document aims to initiate discussion around readiness to evaluate and provide templates to facilitate the evaluation process.
Ripple Effects Mapping Tip Sheet for Evaluating Community Engagement Everyday Democracy
Community Engagement and Dialogue to Change strategies can lead to many positive changes in your community. However, direct impacts can be tough to track. Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) allows you, along with local leaders and others in your community, to assess impacts from your Dialogue to
Change efforts. It allows you to visually document the impacts your efforts have had on individuals, on your community, and on institutions and systems over time. These are tips for rolling out a Ripple Effects Mapping process:
Evaluation Guide Toolkit (Companion to Evaluating Community Engagement Guide)Everyday Democracy
Includes an Evaluation Capacity Self-Assessment Tool,
Sample Community Engagement Logic Model, Logic Model Template, Data Collection and Planning Template and Ripple Mapping Tip Sheet
The Wondertwins, "Black"- September 27th, West Hartford, CT Everyday Democracy
The Wondertwins, a veteran hip-hop dance duo from Boston, perform their newest piece called BLACK. BLACK explores the traumatic effects of police violence against the black community through an incorporation of dance with historical and current audio and video clips. Post-show dialogue on the topics of poverty, criminal justice, and race will be facilitated by Everyday Democracy and the Connecticut Collaborative on Poverty, Criminal Justice and Race.
Civic Ambassadors are everyday citizens who strengthen their communities' civic health by engaging others in civic participation. They inspire and motivate community involvement, share information about civic health, and help organize local conversations to develop action plans addressing civic issues. Civic Ambassadors are non-partisan volunteers who build momentum for civic renewal through various activities, from hosting events to documenting outcomes. Anyone can become a Civic Ambassador, and time commitments are flexible starting at just one hour per week.
This document is a guide for organizing public dialogues to address racism in diverse communities. It was created by Everyday Democracy, an organization that helps communities address complex social problems through discussion. The guide outlines a 6-session dialogue process to help participants understand different aspects of racism, including personal experiences, inequities between racial/ethnic groups, and how racism is embedded in institutions. It aims to move people to collective action to create more just and inclusive communities. The guide emphasizes the importance of diversity among participants and creating a welcoming space for open discussion.
This is a brief guide developed for Stand Against Racism Day, 2019. The guide helps communities discuss immigration and how it connects to racial equity.
Civic Ambassadors are everyday citizens who strengthen their communities' civic health by encouraging civic participation. They inspire others to engage civically through community conversations on civic health and action planning. As non-partisan agents, Ambassadors build civic renewal movements by sharing ideas, hosting local events, and implementing plans from community gatherings to increase civic actions like voter registration and neighborhood cleanups. Anyone can become an Ambassador to promote civic participation in Connecticut.
The Hamden Hall Country Day School reached out to Everyday Democracy to help develop student dialogues after racially insensitive language appeared online. Everyday Democracy helped establish a focus on diversity and inclusion, training student and teacher facilitators over the summer and fall of 2018. The dialogues aimed to ensure all student voices were heard in discussions around making the school culturally proactive and responsive. While scheduling was challenging, broadening the focus beyond just race was important. The dialogues were well received initially, and the goal is to continue the process to implement ideas that prevent insensitive behavior and create a more intentionally inclusive environment.
“American citizenship brings legal rights, protections, and responsibilities. But its meaning goes deeper. To be a citizen is to be accepted, to feel safe, to be ‘one of us.’ ”
Racism is rooted in our country's history and is embedded in our culture, and yet the history of structural racism is rarely taught or portrayed. Racism is still one of the greatest barriers to fulfilling the promise of our democracy. That is why Everyday Democracy uses a racial equity lens in all the work we do.
Unfortunately, most people in the U.S. have not had the chance to study and understand how racism has evolved and how it continues to affect every area of our lives. We don’t usually learn about it in school, except in cursory ways. Even then, it is often portrayed as a part of a distant past that stopped with the fight for civil rights in the 60s. That, in itself, is part of the “invisible” power of structural racism.
There are many people who don’t realize that, as a country, we still have work to do to create equal opportunities for all. And many aren’t aware that all of us – of every region of the country, of every color and ethnic background – are still dealing with the impact of slavery, Jim Crow, and other policies that have perpetuated unfair advantages based on color. All of us need to deepen our understanding of our full history, so that we can move beyond “us vs. them” to “us.” Only as we understand the forces that have shaped our lives can we begin imagine and create a democracy that supports voice and belonging for all.
To share an important part of this history, the New York Historical Society (NYHS) has developed a curriculum to help students and communities explore the legacy of racism. It includes three comprehensive units and printable resources. This curriculum was developed as part of NYHS’s current exhibit, Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow, that explores the struggle for full citizenship and racial equity. This powerful exhibit uncovers not only the overt and hidden racism that marked a pivotal era in our history, it highlights the day-to-day acts of courage that so many people took to claim citizenship as belonging. It is impossible to see this exhibit without thinking about the parallels for today.
We invite you to use and share this curriculum with students, coworkers, family members, and community members. And then we invite you to work with us at Everyday Democracy to use your learning as a catalyst for expanding the dialogue and creating equitable change in your community and our country.
Presentation by Rebecca Sachs and Joshua Varcie, analysts in CBO’s Health Analysis Division, at the 13th Annual Conference of the American Society of Health Economists.
Disampaikan pada FGD Kepmen Pertahanan tentang Organisasi Profesi JF Analis Pertahanan Negara
Jakarta, 20 Juni 2024
Dr. Tri Widodo W. Utomo, SH. MA.
Deputi Bidang Kajian Kebijakan dan Inovasi Administrasi Negara LAN RI
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Every year there are many generous people across the world who wanna help needy children with everything they need. The statistics say that donations worth education and food for more than 500 million children get every year
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Presentation by Julie Topoleski, CBO’s Director of Labor, Income Security, and Long-Term Analysis, at the 16th Annual Meeting of the OECD Working Party of Parliamentary Budget Officials and Independent Fiscal Institutions.
1. A Community for People Midlife and Beyond
An opportunity for people to talk together and find ways to make our community a place
where people midlife and beyond can live successfully.
by Ruth Freeman and Donna K. Donald
This issue guide was created with the help of the Issue Guide Exchange at
www.Everyday-Democracy.org/Exchange.
July 22, 2011
2. Midlife and Beyond Page 2
Credits
Everyday Democracy provided the Word version of this template for use in developing
the A Community for People Midlife and Beyond Study Circle Guide. 03/03/2011
Adaptation of A Community for All Generations – Teens and Adults Working Together,
2002 Study Circle Guide
Lead Writer: Sarah vL. Campbell
Editor: Molly Holme Barrett
Contributing Writers/Editors: Carrie Boron, John Landesman, Amy Malick,
Martha L. McCoy, Patrick Scully, Melissa Wade, Bianca Wulff
3. Midlife and Beyond Page 3
Introduction
People in communities across this country want to live in where they have the chance to
thrive as they age. This is true in all kinds of places – small and large, rural and urban.
This discussion will help us talk about the kind of community we want to live in. No
community is doing well where people midlife and beyond are not thriving. No
community is thriving if ageism exists.
If people of all generations work together, we can have a better community. And, by
working on making our community better, we can help individuals have a good life.
Some people may already be working on creating a community that embraces people
midlife and beyond. But to move ahead, more of us need to be part of that work. In a
study circle program, we can learn from each other and get more people involved.
This approach to community change brings together small, diverse groups of people.
They meet several times to think, talk, and work together to address public issues.
First they look at how the issue has touched their lives. Then they talk about why they
believe this issue exists. Finally each study circle works on ideas for action which can
take place at different levels.
When we work together this way, we can bring new life and ideas to existing efforts in
our community. We can also learn about needs that have not been met. Together we can
figure out how to do even more. The goal is change in the community.
Situation
Nearly 15% of Iowans are age 65 and older; over 8% live in poverty. In 2030, over
one in five of Iowans will be 65 years and older; 88 of Iowa’s 99 counties will have
more than 20% of their populations comprised of people age 65 and older.
Iowans are working and living longer. 77,537 Iowans age 65 years and older are
in the labor force.
145,277 Iowan’s age 65 years and older have at least one disability (hearing,
vision, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care and independent living difficulty), and
one in three are widowed and live alone. Over one-third die from heart disease.
Close to 300,000 Iowans care for family members or close friends. They provide
over 300 million hours of care. Over 3.1 billion is spent annually in caregiving
and its related costs. Typically the caregiver is a 49 year old woman, who is
employed and married.
4. Midlife and Beyond Page 4
SESSION ONE
What is it like to be a person midlife and beyond in
our community?
Goals for this session
To create ground rules for discussion
To get to know each other
To think about what it is like to be a person midlife and beyond in our community
Welcome and introduction – 10 minutes
The facilitator will:
Welcome participants.
Explain the study circle process.
Tell the group about the program.
Talk about the role of the facilitator.
Ask for a volunteer recorder. This person will keep track of the important ideas
that come from the conversations.
* See Tips for Facilitators for information.
Introduction
Each of us has something important to offer our community. We are all responsible for
making it a better place for everyone to live. Today, as we get to know each other, we will
talk about what it is like to be a person midlife and beyond in our community. We will
share some of our hopes and concerns. Sharing our stories and ideas will set the stage
for the rest of our study circle.
Ground Rules – 10 minutes
To help our study circle work well, we need to agree on how we will talk with and listen
to each other. Our facilitator will record on newsprint the guidelines we develop so we
can refer to them every time we meet. We can use the ideas below as a starting point to
develop our own list of ground rules.
1. Listen to one another. Treat each other with respect.
2. Each person gets a chance to talk.
3. One person talks at a time.
4. Speak for yourself and not as a representative of any group.
5. It is OK to disagree.
6. Stick to the issue. No name-calling.
7. If you talk about people who are not here, don’t say their names.
5. Midlife and Beyond Page 5
8. Some of the things we talk about will be very personal. We will not tell these
stories to other people, unless we all say it is OK.
9. Help the facilitator keep things on track.
Introductions – 20 minutes
Working in pairs, answer the following questions:
What is your name?
How long have you lived in the community?
How did you come to live here?
Why did you want to join this group?
After 5 minutes, each person will introduce his or her partner to the group.
Icebreaker – 25 minutes
Break into small groups (2-4 people) to look over these questions and talk about your
answers together. Think about what it is like – or may be like – to live and age in this
community. Take a few minutes to answer these questions about yourself today.
1. The year is __________ and I am __________ years old.
2. I live in __________, population __________.
3. I go to __________.
4. I’m good at __________.
5. Signs of the times (social/political) include __________.
6. After work I hang out at __________.
7. My friends and I eat and drink __________.
8. Today I’m wearing __________.
9. For fun I __________.
10. The music I listen to is __________.
11. I’m worried about what will happen to me if __________.
12. My friends/children give me advice about __________.
13. I’m getting lots of pressure to __________.
14. One thing I really don’t understand is __________.
15. One thing I feel proud about is __________.
16. My plans for the future include __________.
Now answer the same questions looking ahead 10 years.
Discussion questions – 45 minutes
Talk about the following questions as a total group. You may not have time for all of
them. Pick the questions that seem most relevant to the group.
What’s good about being the age you are today? What’s difficult about it?
What is our community like for older adults? What’s good about growing older
here? What would you like to change?
6. Midlife and Beyond Page 6
In this community, how do generations get along? Do you know people of
different generations who aren’t members of your family?
What is your background? (Think about things like religion, family history,
ethnicity, education.)
What rights should an older person have? What responsibilities? How should
these rights and responsibilities be decided?
Wrap-up questions – 5 minutes
Based on the discussion so far, what have you learned?
What common themes did you notice?
What are some differences?
Closing – 5 minutes
Thank everyone for coming and sharing.
Remind people that it is important to attend every session.
Hand out the Fact Sheet on your community and ask people to look it over before
Session 2.
*Use the following for the fact sheets.
Population by Age Group and % of Total Population (county specific)
http://www.aging.iowa.gov/Documents/Statistics/60+PopulationByCounty2009.pdf
Older Iowans: 2010
http://www.aging.iowa.gov/Documents/Statistics/OlderIowans2010.pdf
Older Workers in Iowa
http://www.aging.iowa.gov/Documents/OlderWorkerBrochureStats06.pdf
7. Midlife and Beyond Page 7
SESSION TWO
How are people midlife and beyond doing in our
community?
Goals for this session
To look at our community from the viewpoint of a person midlife and beyond
To get a picture of how people midlife and beyond are doing in this community
To think about how to improve the community for people midlife and beyond
Review – 5 minutes
Review the ground rules.
Does everyone still agree with the list?
Do we need to add anything?
Since our last meeting, has anything happened that relates to this issue that you would
like to share? Our facilitator will post the notes from Session One and sum up the main
ideas from that discussion. This will help us to be ready for our work today.
Starting point – 10 minutes
Begin by having each person think about answers to these questions:
When you think about people midlife and beyond in our community, what do you
feel good about?
What concerns you?
After a few minutes, ask everyone to share with the group. Record the ideas on
newsprint. This will help the group start to build a picture of the community as it is now.
Fact sheet – 15 minutes
Keep these questions in mind as you review the Fact Sheet.
When you look at the Fact Sheet, what stands out for you?
Did anything surprise you?
What trends or patterns do you see?
What is going well for older people in our community?
Where are the gaps between the needs and services provided?
What does the data tell us about families and home life in our community?
What does the data tell us about the standard of living – jobs, housing, income
levels – in our community?
8. Midlife and Beyond Page 8
Discussion questions – 35 minutes
Use these questions to expand the conversation. You may not have time for all of them.
What do you think are the main issues, problems, and challenges adults midlife
and beyond in our community are facing? What is at the root of these problems?
Are there people in the community who aren’t in this discussion who would know
about other problems or concerns? What would they tell us?
What activities in the community are making a positive difference for adults?
What are older adults contributing to our community now? How can we all create
other opportunities for them to get involved?
What is happening in other communities that might work here?
Brainstorm exercise – 20 minutes
A brainstorming exercise will help the group create a vision for the future. Be sure to
record the group’s ideas on newsprint.
It is the year 2020. This community is a wonderful place for people midlife and beyond
to live and succeed.
What is the community like? How does it work?
How do people get along?
How do people spend their time?
What roles do older adults play in the community?
Discussion questions – 25 minutes
Look at the vision for the future and compare it to what’s going on today. Consider the
following questions.
In what ways is our “picture” of the community different from the way things are
today?
What would we like to change?
What roles could older people play in changing the community?
Wrap-up questions – 5 minutes
Turn to your neighbor. Discuss the following:
How did this session go?
What views do we agree about? What are things we disagree about?
What themes keep coming up in our discussion?
For next time: Think about these views. See if you hear them from others in the
community. Look and listen for ideas about what we could do to improve the situation.
9. Midlife and Beyond Page 9
Closing – 5 minutes
Encourage people to think about the role all of us can play in community life.
Thank everyone for coming.
Hand out the Viewpoints and ask people to look it over before Session 3.
10. Midlife and Beyond Page 10
SESSION THREE
How can we make this community a better place for
people midlife and beyond?
Goals for this session
To talk about what we want in our community
To look at different ways to make our community a better place for people midlife
and beyond
Review – 5 minutes
In session 2 we talked about our vision for what this community could be in 2020.
What examples of our community vision did you find since our last meeting?
What gave you hope? Why?
What made you sad or upset? Why?
Introduction – 5 minutes
As we said in earlier sessions, aging adults today face new and different challenges.
Families are under increased stress. Many people live with poverty and violence every
day. Some places don’t feel safe. Movies, television, and the Internet send conflicting
messages about what’s important in life. Families are scattered all across the country.
The good news is that people of all ages are finding ways to make communities better
places to live. This session will help us look for new ways to work together.
Viewpoints – 80 minutes
We will use the following viewpoints to get our conversation started. Each view is
written in the voice of a person who thinks it is an important idea. Some viewpoints that
are important to you might not be on this list. Feel free to add other views.
To begin someone may read the viewpoints out loud. Then we will use the following
questions to help us talk about them.
What viewpoints are missing? What would you add?
Does one of the viewpoints, or a combination of views, come close to your own?
Why?
What life experiences or values have shaped your views?
What are you learning from others in your study circle?
11. Midlife and Beyond Page 11
View 1 – We need more services in the community to support aging adults.
People who live in supportive communities do better. Our community should help aging
adults by offering transportation, support groups, local health care, adult day care, care
giving classes, and shopping services. We should work to reduce domestic or elder
abuse. We can also make sure the community provides food, shelter, health care,
financial assistance, or other services for people who need them.
View 2 – The future of the community depends on taking care of children
and young families.
Most of our resources should be focused on childcare and education. Employment
opportunities for young adults must take priority so young families are able to stay in
the community. Young families reflect a growing community rather than a community
that’s just a place to retire.
View 3 – Aging people should have a real voice in this community.
This is because all of us – young and old – should contribute to community decisions,
especially about things that affect us directly. Also, we will all benefit if we make the
most of aging people’s energy and talents in all kinds of community organizations and
activities. When people midlife and beyond are involved in community life, everyone
benefits.
View 4 – Individuals need to consider funding their own retirement which
in some cases may last 30 years or more.
Choices made today in how people spend their money impacts what is available for
retirement. Aligning expectations with available resources often does not happen. We
assume family, community, or government will take care of us as we age. There are
limited resources and the government cannot take care of everyone.
View 5 – We should make sure there are plenty of activities for maturing
adults.
“There is nothing around here to do,” is something we say or hear a lot. Adults want to
get involved in activities that are fun, such as sports and summer recreation, music and
arts programs, and block parties. They enjoy spending time with people of other
generations. Coffeehouses and community recreation centers are good places for aging
adults to go and spend time. Local businesses should offer paying jobs and volunteer
opportunities for people midlife and beyond to earn money, share experiences, and keep
connected to the community.
12. Midlife and Beyond Page 12
View 6 – Most of our resources are spent caring for people in greatest need,
while a small amount is spent on health prevention and wellness.
Federal and state reimbursement policies and continued budget shortfalls have focused
the majority of public dollars on caring for the frailest and most dependent in our
community. Not enough resources are directed toward other kinds of services and
support for people who would like to prevent themselves from becoming at-risk. Many
times with a little help or wellness education, older persons can maintain their
independence in the community. Reimbursement policies are designed to pay for more
expensive services like hospital care, nursing homes, and other expensive interventions.
Wrap-up questions – 25 minutes
To sum up this session and prepare for next week, consider these questions.
What were the main themes in our discussion?
What did people see differently? What ideas did they have in common?
What are the biggest challenges we’re facing?
What community strengths can we build on?
How can we all work together to move our ideas forward?
Closing – 5 minutes
Remind everyone that the next time we meet we will talk about what we want to
do in our community.
Thank everyone for coming.
Hand out the Approaches and ask people to look it over before Session 4.
13. Midlife and Beyond Page 13
SESSION FOUR
Reaching our vision: How can we move from words
to action?
Goals for this session
To review and summarize earlier conversations
To develop ideas for action
Introduction – 5 minutes
By participating in this study circle, we have already made our community a better
place. When people share their hopes and concerns, and begin to understand each
other, the community gets stronger.
This project is also intended to help us make a difference in other ways. Session 4 is
designed to help us sum up and prioritize our ideas and discuss possible actions.
Approaches to Change – 70 minutes
We’ve talked about how our community is doing. Now, we will explore some ways to
improve things. What approaches will work well? What will help us create a community
of vision for people midlife and beyond?
The following is a list of ways to change a community. We will talk about each one, and
come up with our own ideas. Someone will read each approach out loud.
Use these questions to think about the different approaches:
1. Have we already tried any of these approaches? If so, what happened?
2. Which approaches do you like best? Why?
3. What other approaches can you think of?
4. Which approaches address the aging population in different types of institutions
(government, businesses, schools, nonprofits, etc.)?
5. What approaches won’t work? Why?
We will write down our action ideas as we come up with them.
Approach 1 – Focus on people midlife and beyond
A person who supports this approach might say: People midlife and beyond make up a
large portion of this community’s population. Our community should make it a
priority to invest in this population segment. We need to put funding for needs of the
aging population on the same level or even ahead of funding for a young population.
Being fair in distributing resources is the right thing to do.
14. Midlife and Beyond Page 14
Approach 2 – Invest in basic community resources.
A person who supports this approach might say: Some communities lack basic
resources to serve people midlife and beyond. We need good roads and transportation
options, reliable utilities, affordable and attractive housing, local medical care, and
retail options. We also need more people who can be community leaders. If we develop
these resources, then everyone in the community will be better off.
Approach 3 – Recognize the desire of Baby Boomers to combine work and
retirement.
A person who supports this approach might say: Not everyone can, or wants to retire at
62 or 65. While this was once thought of as retirement age, people midlife and beyond
are looking for ways to combine personal and work lives. We need employment
options that allow for phased retirement or part-time work. The community needs to
value the contributions and experience of older employees. Everyone benefits from a
capable workforce.
Approach 4 – Join with others to make changes.
A person who supports this approach might say: Some people in the community don’t
want to work together. We need to find ways to bring people of several generations
together to deal with conflict and to face hard issues. We need to find more ways for
people to unite and work for new, fair policies. People must understand the value of
approaching challenges as a united community. If we do this, we will be better off.
Approach 5 – Increase leisure and recreational opportunities.
A person who supports this approach might say: People midlife and beyond are
interested in wellness. We need to maintain active lifestyles to keep us in good physical
health. We want to be able to continue enjoying recreational opportunities as we age.
This means having access to fitness facilities, golf courses, swimming pools, hiking and
biking trails, camping sites, etc. People want to live where they can have fun.
Approach 6 – Build assets and hold onto them.
A person who supports this approach might say: Assets can be people or skills. They can
also be money and things we own. We can use assets to help ourselves and each other.
We need to support local businesses, organizations, and foundations. Some assets can
be handed down in families or from group to group. A community rich in individual
and group assets will thrive.
Approach 7 – Fight ageism.
A person who supports this approach might say: Ageism hurts everyone and keeps
some people from contributing to the good of the community. People, as they age, face
15. Midlife and Beyond Page 15
ageism frequently. Sometimes it is obvious and other times the unfairness is subtle. We
need to be respected and valued by other generations. We must end the practice of
ageism, by people and by institutions.
Next, let us think about action ideas generated from our conversation about approaches.
Did we agree on any approaches that could help our community make progress?
If so, what are they?
What good things are we already doing? How can we build on these?
What else will help us make progress? What problems will we face?
What action ideas should be recorded?
Action ideas – 30 minutes
Think about the approaches. Try to come up with specific actions that fit with these
approaches. How many different ideas can we come up with?
Make a list of action ideas in the following categories:
Individual actions – “On our own, we can …”
Small group actions – “With our neighbors, or in small groups, we can …”
Whole community actions – “As a community, or with government, we can …”
Let’s review the action ideas we thought of in earlier sessions, and list them on the
sheets under the appropriate heading. Is there interest in taking action on any of the
ideas we’ve just listed? If so, let’s talk about how we could get started.
Wrap-up questions – 10 minutes
Share your thoughts about these questions.
What has surprised you?
Has your thinking changed about these issues? If so, how?
Is there anything you will do differently because of this dialogue?
How will you stay involved in creating a viable community for people midlife and
beyond?
Closing – 5 minutes
There are many ways to begin. One person can take action. Different people and groups
can work together. Sometimes the entire community should take the lead. All of these
steps can fit together to create change.
You have a vested interest in helping this community become a place where people
midlife and beyond can thrive. Remember – you can make a difference.
Thank everyone for taking part in this study circle.
16. Midlife and Beyond Page 16
Tips for Facilitators
Understand the role of the facilitator.
In a study circle, the facilitator:
Manages the discussion
Helps the group set its own ground rules
Does not have to be an expert on the issue
Helps the group examine the issue from many points of view
Helps the group talk respectfully and productively
Does not join the conversation or offer an opinion
Helps the group develop ideas for moving to action
A study circle facilitator does not need to be an expert on the topic being discussed. But
the facilitator should be the person best prepared for the discussion. This means:
Understand the goals of the study circle.
Be familiar with the subject.
Think ahead of time about how the discussion might go.
Prepare questions to help the group consider the subject.
If you are well prepared, it will make it easier for you to give your full attention to how
the group is acting and interacting, and to what individuals in the group are saying.
Here are a few more tips:
Stay neutral.
The most important thing to remember is that, as a facilitator, you should not share
your personal views or try to push your own agenda on the issue. You are there to serve
the discussion, not to join it.
Welcome everyone and create a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
Well-placed humor is usually appreciated. But, make sure you do not offend
anyone or make hurtful jokes.
Explain the purpose of the study circle, and help the group set ground rules.
At the beginning of the study circle, remind everyone that the purpose of the study circle
is to work with one another to look at the issue in a democratic way. Remind them your
role is to remain neutral, keep the discussion focused, and guide the conversation
according to the ground rules. Start with the basic ground rules listed in Session One.
Then ask participants to add their own ideas.
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Stay aware of and assist the group process.
Remember, your main role is to help the group stay focused on the subject.
Help the discussion flow by keeping track of how the participants are
communicating with each other—who has spoken, who hasn’t spoken, and who
needs more time to make a point. Make sure everyone gets a fair hearing.
Consider splitting up into smaller groups. This will help put people at ease.
Only interfere with the discussion if you have to. Don’t allow the group to turn to
you for answers.
Resist the urge to speak after each comment or answer every question. Let
participants respond directly to each other. Always be thinking about how to
move the discussion forward.
Once in a while, ask participants to sum up the most important points that have
come out in the discussion.
Remember that some people are uncomfortable reading out loud. Don't go
"around the circle" reading passages; instead, ask for volunteers.
Don’t be afraid of silence! People sometimes need time to think before they
respond. Try counting silently to 10 before you rephrase the question. This will
give people time to collect their thoughts.
Don’t let anyone take over the conversation; try to involve everyone.
Remember that a study circle is not a debate. It's a group dialogue. If participants
forget this, don’t hesitate to ask the group to help re-establish the ground rules.
Keep track of time!
Help the group look at various points of view.
Make it clear to participants that you will never take sides on the issue; your role
as a facilitator is to be fair and act neutral.
Use the discussion guide to help participants consider a wide range of views. You
might ask participants to consider a point of view that hasn’t come up in the
discussion. Ask the group to think about the advantages and disadvantages of
different ways of looking at an issue or solving a problem.
Ask participants to think about the concerns and values that underlie their beliefs.
Help participants identify common ground, but don’t try to force agreement.
Ask open-ended questions that don’t lead to easy answers.
Open-ended questions are questions that can’t be answered with a quick "yes" or "no."
They push people to think about why they believe what they do. Open-ended questions
also encourage people to look for connections between different ideas.
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Get familiar with the following questions. They are a great resource during any study
circle.
General questions:
What seems to be the key point here?
Do you agree with that? Why?
What do other people think of this idea?
What would be a strong case against what you just said?
What experiences with this can you share with the group?
Could you help us understand the reasons behind your opinion?
What do you think is really going on here? Why is that important?
How might others see this issue?
Do you think others in the group see this the way you do? Why?
How does this make you feel?
Questions to use when there is disagreement:
What do you think s/he is saying?
What bothers you most about this?
What is at the heart of the disagreement?
How does this make you feel?
What experiences or beliefs might lead a reasonable person to support that point
of view?
What do you think is really important to people who hold that opinion?
What is blocking the discussion?
What might you be willing to give up to come to some agreement?
What don’t you agree with?
What do you find most convincing about that point of view?
What is it about that position that you just cannot live with?
Could you say more about what you think?
What makes this so hard?
What have we missed that we need to talk about?
Questions to use when people are feeling hopeless:
Say a little about how that makes you feel.
Is there any hope?
Can the problems that you are talking about be solved in any way? How?
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Close with a summary of the discussion and set the stage for the next
meeting. When the circle is over, be sure to provide time for evaluation.
Give people a chance to talk about the most important thing they got out of the
discussion. You might ask them to share new ideas or thoughts they’ve had as a
result of the discussion. Ask:
What are the key points of agreement and disagreement about today’s session?
What have you heard today that has made you think, or has touched you in some
way?
If you will be meeting again, remind the group of the readings and subject for the
next session.
If the groups are meeting because they hope to have an impact on community
decision making, be sure to document what happens in the discussions. In many
study circles, participants record common concerns and points of agreement and
disagreement, as well as ideas for action steps.
After the last session, provide some time for the group to fill out a written evaluation.
This allows participants to comment on the process and give feedback to the
facilitator.
Thank everyone for their contributions!