Community Life Workgroup
Purpose: Building a sense of community for all neighbors, uplifting and empowering residents, and building trust, connections, and relationships between
community members and our city, particularly for those who have been marginalized and feel singularly neglected.
Activities & Ideas
Engage the broader community in the development of the definition and indicators of Belonging
Foster connections between neighbors, and instill a sense of shared responsibility for the well-being of one another
Demonstrating welcoming and Belonging for all individuals within or visiting our community (RACVB Welcoming Community work)
Build capacity for community members to engage in difficult conversations in a constructive manner (Better Angels program through RPL, Human Library Project)
Engage in and create fun and creative activities across the community to foster relationships and friendships
Contact
To learn more about how you can engage in work around Belonging in Rockford, please email NICNE Associate Director Billie Callahan at nicne.niu@gmail.com
Indicators of Success
Indicators of success are being developed. Initial indicators are:
- Neighborhoods know one another and care for each other
- Build capacity for neighborhood leadership
- Neighborhoods can take advantage of and leverage available resources
Tools & Resources
40 Simple Ways to Build Community in your Neighborhood – Mommy Goes Green
Why Intersectional Stories Are Key to Helping the Communities We Serve (ssir.org)
Intergenerational Trauma in Black Communities – YouTube
Facing Systemic Inequality in Political Participation – YouTube
Why does social exclusion hurt? The relationship between social and physical pain – PubMed (nih.gov)
How Local Leaders Can Create Socially Connected Communities – RWJF
The nation is diversifying even faster than predicted, according to new census data (brookings.edu)