Notes from different break out group discussions at the 2003 From The Ground Up: Building Healthy Communites forum in Kitchener, ON.
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DIVERSITY
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3 focuses:
-> barriers to involvement and participation
-> what is diversity?
-> solutions
Barriers:
- passive intimidation (language, tone, mannerisms, ..)
- time and energy limitations
- not being accepting of others
- lack of literacy, other skills
- not having control over personal circumstances
- lack of meaningful inclusion, being valued
- lack of committment, desire on part of organization
What do we mean by diversity?
… (looking at, and beyond, conventional definitions)
Solutions:
<< valuing implementation / seeing successes >>
-creating positive / non-threatening spaces for all stakeholders (comfortable)
- include people in meaningful ways: multiple perspectives, lifestyles, interests, skills
- non-traditional approaches to membership
- communication
- intent -> devotion of resources
- taking small steps, one at a time
- shakeup the mindset of senior menagement (educate)
- creativity in recognizing the problems in accessibility
- ask more questions
- include diversity as an objective
- allow poeple to contribute in different ways
- accountability: audit / evaluate
- include affected people
- partnerships / allies / support / advocacy
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DECISION MAKING
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- guide by your side, not sage on stage
- leadership is an art form
- validating people: for their contributions, as people
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ENVIRONMENTAL
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- questions re: SARS / West Nile
-> where are they coming from?
-> how do people react?
- how political / social funding setup puts people in passive roles, asking for fund, making requests, but not in decision-making positions
- other areas:
.. development (water, soil, ..)
.. food system (local connections)
.. education
- visionary versus here and now
- sense of intent, lead by example
- sense of ownership / meaningful
- actively create opportunities to dialogue
- develop our minds continually
- move across complexity, learn
- small steps / leading
- assets in community
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PARTNERSHIP BUILDING
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- use for funding resources: $$, services, knowledge
- cooperation
- meshing together different priorities, shared interests
- how to find out about people
- partnership not as an idealogy
-> one approach but not only one
- situation specific
- strategic opportunism
- spontaneous, also more effort / Long Term
- serendipiduous planning
-> accidents / opportunities, taking advantage
