You sit there thinking about the last year and all of the changes that you have made and have been forced to make.
Just under one year ago you lose your job due to the poor economy. The company that you worked for is heavily reliant on the manufacturing industry. With the cutbacks all over the country companies have not been able to purchase the equipment that the business that I worked for manufactured. Your boss says that your position is gone. Management has decided to split your responsibilities among the other men in the office. This doesn’t bother you too much, as you have been expecting it. The other guys tried to say that they wouldn’t do away with your job as you did all of the administrative work in the office. You knew better; they could easily do it.
During the months before losing your job you had started working with a local church doing work in the community, and had been trying to figure out a way to get more involved. This opened up that door for you.
Over the next few months you work with the existing team at the church trying to bring it together under one vision. While you are at it, you attend a few seminars on the Church’s role in the community and Asset Based Community Development. This work focuses on the skills of the people in the community, not their needs or weaknesses.
It is early in the year. Your wife is worried that you will get into the work so much that you forget about making a living and paying the bills. You also notice that she is afraid that she will lose you to something she doesn’t understand. She isn’t bothered by the work in the community, but the Church’s role disturbs her. She has seen examples of families living in hardship when the husband uses “Faith” as an excuse not to go to work and make a living. In most of those cases, there is no plan, or even mission, just the man’s desire to not work for someone else. You keep this in mind focusing on ways to ease those fears and try to include her in your decisions. While working with the church and denomination you try to build a position at the church so that you have an income when the time and need arise.
As the summer starts, things get bleak. Most of the team you have been working with gets frustrated as they do not see the vision of community. They decide to leave the team. At the same time, the pastor is going through his own rough patch. He is working too many hours, and trying to help everyone at once who is in crisis. At the same time there are some hurtful things said to him that he takes personally. Being a man who cares for both his congregation and the community, it is hard when things seem to be falling apart.
You start to think that if the pastor, who is the only one who seems to share the vision with you, is about to break down, that it isn’t worth it. Your wife is worried about you and you start to wonder if you are really meant to do the work or if you are deluding yourself and are afraid to look for other work in the poor economy.
While the pastor is on vacation getting recharged for his mission you start thinking of ways to make it work. You realize that your target is too big to start with, that you have to focus on your mission. You start writing articles about community to be published in the local newspapers. When the pastor is back, you work with him to bring the vision to the congregation in small easy to understand chunks.
As the summer is drawing to a close, you realize that the church and the denomination cannot support a position. You would have to spend more time fund raising than would be productive. As you come to this realization, you get a letter in the mail stating that the President is trying to make it easier to go to school and retrain if you are unemployed. You go to your career advisor and work out a plan to retrain. That fall, for the first time in thirty years you start your first semester in school. You haven’t given up on the work; you are just focusing your mind on learning the skills needed to make it successful.
You are now coming upon one year without a job. Some of the fears about the community work are still there, but you have a plan. That makes it easier.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
A Neighbor’s Reaction to State Budget Cuts
The other day I was watching the news on television when a story on the current budget crisis in Augusta came on. There were a group of people protesting some of the proposed cuts which affected their clients, or family. This group was representing some of our neighbors that have either mental or physical disabilities. The proposed cuts would eliminate services that help these people to survive with some independence and dignity.
I am still learning what it means to be a good neighbor, but if we as a society open our eyes to our neighbors and make an effort to know them as people, we can help to reduce the damages done by this type of cut. How is this possible? As we get involved with our neighbors, we will see that everyone has something to offer to society. You might find that the person next door that is forced to be in a wheel chair is good at woodwork. Once you know that, you may find that he is interested in teaching other people. The next neighbor might have teenagers that do not know what they want to do in the future. You might talk them into visiting the neighbor that likes to do woodwork. As they get to know him, the teenagers might find that they like to work with wood themselves and ask him to teach them. As they learn to work with wood, the teenagers might see another neighbor doing a project like building a shed and offer to help.
We need to forget the labels that society places on people in order to see the real person. Every person has a lot to offer to you, me and society as a whole. It doesn’t matter if they are physically unable to care for themselves or have mental challenges that make it difficult to communicate what is on their mind.
The first thing that our neighbors have to offer is skills. It could be a small skill like the ability and passion to make things with their hands, even small crafts. They can draw out the hospitality found in all of us who care for others. Compassion for others can be fostered when neighbors get to know each other. This may lead to friendship and happiness for both our neighbor and us. The final gift we can get from overlooking physical and mental disabilities in our neighbors is inspiration. As we see how they continue to live and be independent it will inspire us to see our own difficulties in a different light.
How could this help with the current budget crisis? As we get to know each other as neighbors we will work together to overcome any challenges in the neighborhood. Instead of hiring people to be caretakers the neighborhood, as a group we can work out a schedule to visit those in need and help them where needed. At the same time we want to foster any skills or passions that the neighbor might have. We could have that neighbor over to play games with the family, or do crafts with the children. By having the whole neighborhood involved everyone grows and friendships are born.
For those of you who are still skeptical about the skills and offerings that the handicapped can offer, please remember that one of the most brilliant minds in science belonged to a man who was physically handicapped, Stephen Hawking. Yes I know that Stephen was highly motivated and refused to let his handicap stop him. The thing is, as we interact with each other, we inspire each other and foster that same motivation and passion making this one less obstacle in living independently. Please think about this as you think about what it is to be a good neighbor.
I am still learning what it means to be a good neighbor, but if we as a society open our eyes to our neighbors and make an effort to know them as people, we can help to reduce the damages done by this type of cut. How is this possible? As we get involved with our neighbors, we will see that everyone has something to offer to society. You might find that the person next door that is forced to be in a wheel chair is good at woodwork. Once you know that, you may find that he is interested in teaching other people. The next neighbor might have teenagers that do not know what they want to do in the future. You might talk them into visiting the neighbor that likes to do woodwork. As they get to know him, the teenagers might find that they like to work with wood themselves and ask him to teach them. As they learn to work with wood, the teenagers might see another neighbor doing a project like building a shed and offer to help.
We need to forget the labels that society places on people in order to see the real person. Every person has a lot to offer to you, me and society as a whole. It doesn’t matter if they are physically unable to care for themselves or have mental challenges that make it difficult to communicate what is on their mind.
The first thing that our neighbors have to offer is skills. It could be a small skill like the ability and passion to make things with their hands, even small crafts. They can draw out the hospitality found in all of us who care for others. Compassion for others can be fostered when neighbors get to know each other. This may lead to friendship and happiness for both our neighbor and us. The final gift we can get from overlooking physical and mental disabilities in our neighbors is inspiration. As we see how they continue to live and be independent it will inspire us to see our own difficulties in a different light.
How could this help with the current budget crisis? As we get to know each other as neighbors we will work together to overcome any challenges in the neighborhood. Instead of hiring people to be caretakers the neighborhood, as a group we can work out a schedule to visit those in need and help them where needed. At the same time we want to foster any skills or passions that the neighbor might have. We could have that neighbor over to play games with the family, or do crafts with the children. By having the whole neighborhood involved everyone grows and friendships are born.
For those of you who are still skeptical about the skills and offerings that the handicapped can offer, please remember that one of the most brilliant minds in science belonged to a man who was physically handicapped, Stephen Hawking. Yes I know that Stephen was highly motivated and refused to let his handicap stop him. The thing is, as we interact with each other, we inspire each other and foster that same motivation and passion making this one less obstacle in living independently. Please think about this as you think about what it is to be a good neighbor.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Community-What Can I Do?
By the time this article gets published Christmas will be over with, but the season has brought some things to my attention. Maine residents are very good at coming together in small groups to help each other during the Christmas season or when someone is in need due to tragedy and illness. This tells me that we do care, but do not know what to do to keep this feeling going throughout the year. I think that the first thing we need to do is to realize what community is.
I believe that community is more than a group of people who live in a specific geographic location such as a neighborhood. A community consists of those same neighbors opening their eyes to really see who lives near them. When you do this you will notice the strengths and gifts that the neighbors have as well as any weaknesses or needs. Once you can see each other as a person with skills you can come together and work on common goals and overcome any weaknesses that you see.
I am still working on this aspect in my life. One way to begin the process is to opening up your home to your neighbors by holding a neighborhood barbeque or party and inviting everyone in the immediate neighborhood. If you cannot afford to supply all of the food or refreshments you can ask your guests to bring something so that you share each other’s cooking. Think about the families with children, and try to have activities that they can do so that they feel welcome. In the summer, if you have the room you could hold a community softball game. In the winter you could hold contests for the best snowman, or snow fort in the neighborhood. Anything that will bring neighbors together is good.
I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read my writing and invite you to comment on anything I say. You can email me at tedbessey@pathwaycrc.org. I usually post my writing at http://ted-growingtogether.blogspot.com/, so if you do not live in the neighborhood and would like to follow my writing you can do so there. I apologize in advance if it takes a while to publish my next article.
I believe that community is more than a group of people who live in a specific geographic location such as a neighborhood. A community consists of those same neighbors opening their eyes to really see who lives near them. When you do this you will notice the strengths and gifts that the neighbors have as well as any weaknesses or needs. Once you can see each other as a person with skills you can come together and work on common goals and overcome any weaknesses that you see.
I am still working on this aspect in my life. One way to begin the process is to opening up your home to your neighbors by holding a neighborhood barbeque or party and inviting everyone in the immediate neighborhood. If you cannot afford to supply all of the food or refreshments you can ask your guests to bring something so that you share each other’s cooking. Think about the families with children, and try to have activities that they can do so that they feel welcome. In the summer, if you have the room you could hold a community softball game. In the winter you could hold contests for the best snowman, or snow fort in the neighborhood. Anything that will bring neighbors together is good.
I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read my writing and invite you to comment on anything I say. You can email me at tedbessey@pathwaycrc.org. I usually post my writing at http://ted-growingtogether.blogspot.com/, so if you do not live in the neighborhood and would like to follow my writing you can do so there. I apologize in advance if it takes a while to publish my next article.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
What Do You Like About Newport?
Please take a moment to think about the question asked in the title. While you are thinking I will let you know just a few of the things that I like about Newport.
The first thing I like about Newport is that when there is a need the community comes together to fill the need. Guys & Gals, one of the hair salons in town is holding a benefit yard sale this month to raise money to help pay medical bills for one of the women who works there. When the Newport Historical Society and the Newport Library decided that they needed a new home they worked to raise the money for a new building. Many people, businesses and organizations were involved in this project.
The Sebasticook Valley Community Center has many programs for the children and the elderly in town. There is everything from summer day camps to different sports programs for the children and bingo games or “Meals on Wheels” for the elderly. They are in the process of getting approval to start a day care center right on their facility.
Pathway Community Church is opening a KidCare America Center at their facility. This is an after school mentoring program that will reach up to 20 children from kindergarten to fifth grade.
As I talk about what I like about Newport I can’t leave out the school system. Yes there are some things that need improvement but there is a lot going for the new RSU19. First off, the Middle Schools are doing a great job of introducing the technology our children need. The High School has many programs geared to draw the children into the classroom. There is Taxidermy, an Agricultural class and a great Audio/Video class. The RSU is also looking to the future. There is going to be a conference in early October called "Future Search" where many people will be invited to discover where the education of our children will be going in the next five or six years. The information gathered will then be used to strategically plan the future. This conference alone can be a key factor in building community in the Newport Region.
On the classroom side the RSU will be implementing “Response to Intervention” which looks at the educational level of each student and gears the lessons towards the individual. This will make sure that children who have a hard time in class can still learn without falling behind. It will also give a challenge to those who are at a more advanced level.
The Newport Community Food Bank is another great example of what a community working together can do to improve life for its neighbors. The food bank started out as an idea of the High Street Congregational Church. They were looking for a way for the congregation to help their neighbors. Fifteen years later it is an independent organization supported by many churches, organizations, businesses and individuals in the area. The food bank is fully staffed by volunteers only and serves between 30 and 50 families a week. They disburse food every Saturday starting at eight. The process is kept fair by a stringent application process so that those in most need are able to get food. They support not only the town of Newport, but Plymouth, Dixmont, Etna, and Palmyra as well.
Now let’s imagine what Newport would be like if everyone worked together as neighbors. More would be accomplished as it would be more than just a few key people working towards community.
The first thing I like about Newport is that when there is a need the community comes together to fill the need. Guys & Gals, one of the hair salons in town is holding a benefit yard sale this month to raise money to help pay medical bills for one of the women who works there. When the Newport Historical Society and the Newport Library decided that they needed a new home they worked to raise the money for a new building. Many people, businesses and organizations were involved in this project.
The Sebasticook Valley Community Center has many programs for the children and the elderly in town. There is everything from summer day camps to different sports programs for the children and bingo games or “Meals on Wheels” for the elderly. They are in the process of getting approval to start a day care center right on their facility.
Pathway Community Church is opening a KidCare America Center at their facility. This is an after school mentoring program that will reach up to 20 children from kindergarten to fifth grade.
As I talk about what I like about Newport I can’t leave out the school system. Yes there are some things that need improvement but there is a lot going for the new RSU19. First off, the Middle Schools are doing a great job of introducing the technology our children need. The High School has many programs geared to draw the children into the classroom. There is Taxidermy, an Agricultural class and a great Audio/Video class. The RSU is also looking to the future. There is going to be a conference in early October called "Future Search" where many people will be invited to discover where the education of our children will be going in the next five or six years. The information gathered will then be used to strategically plan the future. This conference alone can be a key factor in building community in the Newport Region.
On the classroom side the RSU will be implementing “Response to Intervention” which looks at the educational level of each student and gears the lessons towards the individual. This will make sure that children who have a hard time in class can still learn without falling behind. It will also give a challenge to those who are at a more advanced level.
The Newport Community Food Bank is another great example of what a community working together can do to improve life for its neighbors. The food bank started out as an idea of the High Street Congregational Church. They were looking for a way for the congregation to help their neighbors. Fifteen years later it is an independent organization supported by many churches, organizations, businesses and individuals in the area. The food bank is fully staffed by volunteers only and serves between 30 and 50 families a week. They disburse food every Saturday starting at eight. The process is kept fair by a stringent application process so that those in most need are able to get food. They support not only the town of Newport, but Plymouth, Dixmont, Etna, and Palmyra as well.
Now let’s imagine what Newport would be like if everyone worked together as neighbors. More would be accomplished as it would be more than just a few key people working towards community.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
What Can I Do?
For those who have been following my blog and have asked yourself this question the answer is simple. Just reach out to your neighbors and see where you and they have a common cause while learning each other’s skills and assets. For those in the Newport, Maine area who would like to work with me on this I would like to meet with you and your neighbors.I can be reached at tedbessey@pathwaycrc.org, or you can leave a message at (207)368-9977 Ext. 5. Some ways that we can all get to know our neighbors better is to invite some of them over for a cookout or back yard ball game. Whatever you think they will be interested in. You can start with one neighbor and ask them over for coffee or dinner. I think that even in the state of Maine where neighbors sometimes try to be independent and self sufficient we all need other people to help us and are just too proud to ask.We are all stronger and more empowered while working together trying to reach acommon goal.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Community Development in a Rural Town
I am by no means an expert on Community Development in a rural town, but I have been successful in reaching out and making contact with people with the same vision that I have for Newport, Maine. When I returned from “The Power of With” conference I had a few ideas. I started out realizing that one on one contact with our neighbors would not work due to the fact that others use that process to push their ideals and the neighbors at best will just say “I’m not interested.” Usually they will close the door in your face. I started out looking for people who are working with the youth as they were our original focus when our team started. I contacted the high school Principle, Community Center Director, and Cultural Center Director and they were all perceptive and open to Asset Based Community Development. It ties right in with their missions. We are still in the early stages of growth so there are no major initiatives in the process. I went to one of the local trade shows and met many people who are interested in Community Development. The Chamber of Commerce Executive Director was very interested and asked for an article for their news letter. I will be making presentations to the Chamber later in the fall.
Another plus for promoting Community Development is the Community Consolidation Asset Mapping Process (CCAMP) which we have purchased a license for through the Communities First Foundation who purchased the umbrella license. This shows a tangible means to document and utilize not only the skills and assets of the individual neighbors of the community, but the organizations, institutions, and businesses in the area.
The most important thing to remember is that you need to start small and think of the overall vision as the ultimate goal. If you try to go too fast you can get frustrated and fall into the “Service” mindset which limits the possibilities for the neighborhood. When building your teams you do not want to restrict yourself to the business and organizational leaders, but use those contacts to reach out to the community to invite natural leaders that have the same vision that you have. They are the ones who live in the community and know where to start in the Asset Mapping process. After you get your team established you can use CCAMP to develop your plan for your first initiative. You must always remember to look at each individual as an asset with skills and try to overlook their perceived weaknesses. This will not only empower them and their community but will bring you in as a neighbor and a friend, not just someone trying to bring their own ideas into the area.
Another plus for promoting Community Development is the Community Consolidation Asset Mapping Process (CCAMP) which we have purchased a license for through the Communities First Foundation who purchased the umbrella license. This shows a tangible means to document and utilize not only the skills and assets of the individual neighbors of the community, but the organizations, institutions, and businesses in the area.
The most important thing to remember is that you need to start small and think of the overall vision as the ultimate goal. If you try to go too fast you can get frustrated and fall into the “Service” mindset which limits the possibilities for the neighborhood. When building your teams you do not want to restrict yourself to the business and organizational leaders, but use those contacts to reach out to the community to invite natural leaders that have the same vision that you have. They are the ones who live in the community and know where to start in the Asset Mapping process. After you get your team established you can use CCAMP to develop your plan for your first initiative. You must always remember to look at each individual as an asset with skills and try to overlook their perceived weaknesses. This will not only empower them and their community but will bring you in as a neighbor and a friend, not just someone trying to bring their own ideas into the area.
What Is Asset Based Community Development (ABCD)?
• Before I begin to answer that question I have a few questions I would like for you to think about.
• How long have you been in Newport?
• What do you like about your neighborhood?
• If you had a magic wand and could have whatever you want, what would you change in your neighborhood?
• What skills do you have that you can use to help bring this change about?
• If others had a similar vision would you be willing to work with them to make the changes?
Traditional service to the community relied on finding out what was needed in the community and trying to fulfill that need. An example of this is to go into a neighborhood and finding that the youth need something to do for recreation. From there you would go and raise money to build a community center. The problem with this is that the youth may not want to utilize the community center as they have no ownership of the project and feel that there are too many rules.
With ABCD you go into the community, preferably as someone who lives there and has an interest in making a difference. You would then talk to the youth and find out the answers to the above questions. After you find these answers you would research what needs to be done to fulfill the vision and work with the youth to come up with a plan to bring it about. This not only gives them ownership of the project, but it also empowers them as they realize that they have skills that they can use to make a difference in their own lives and in the community as a whole.
To further explain ABCD we have to realize that today’s programs have a tendency to label people we perceive as being in need. We label people as disabled, poor, welfare recipient, etc. What we have to remember is that every person that society has labeled has skills that they can use to make a difference in their own lives. ABCD finds these skills and brings them out. We are promoting “Community” which is a group of individuals working together for the common good.
ABCD addresses the needs of the community by looking at the skills and working together “WITH” our neighbors to make positive changes. It doesn’t ignore the needs, but addresses the reasons for the needs and helps eliminate those reasons. This makes social and economic changes for the better and everyone benefits, not just those we perceive as being in need.
Pathway Community Church through the Pathway Community Development Team would like to partner with the town of Newport, businesses, churches, associations, and institutions in the region to develop community.
The Pathway Community Church is currently involved in the Community Connection Asset Mapping Process to track the skills and assets in the community and use this information to work with our partners to plan initiatives of change. For more information contact Ted Bessey: tedbessey@pathwaycrc.org, Ph: 207-368-9977
• How long have you been in Newport?
• What do you like about your neighborhood?
• If you had a magic wand and could have whatever you want, what would you change in your neighborhood?
• What skills do you have that you can use to help bring this change about?
• If others had a similar vision would you be willing to work with them to make the changes?
Traditional service to the community relied on finding out what was needed in the community and trying to fulfill that need. An example of this is to go into a neighborhood and finding that the youth need something to do for recreation. From there you would go and raise money to build a community center. The problem with this is that the youth may not want to utilize the community center as they have no ownership of the project and feel that there are too many rules.
With ABCD you go into the community, preferably as someone who lives there and has an interest in making a difference. You would then talk to the youth and find out the answers to the above questions. After you find these answers you would research what needs to be done to fulfill the vision and work with the youth to come up with a plan to bring it about. This not only gives them ownership of the project, but it also empowers them as they realize that they have skills that they can use to make a difference in their own lives and in the community as a whole.
To further explain ABCD we have to realize that today’s programs have a tendency to label people we perceive as being in need. We label people as disabled, poor, welfare recipient, etc. What we have to remember is that every person that society has labeled has skills that they can use to make a difference in their own lives. ABCD finds these skills and brings them out. We are promoting “Community” which is a group of individuals working together for the common good.
ABCD addresses the needs of the community by looking at the skills and working together “WITH” our neighbors to make positive changes. It doesn’t ignore the needs, but addresses the reasons for the needs and helps eliminate those reasons. This makes social and economic changes for the better and everyone benefits, not just those we perceive as being in need.
Pathway Community Church through the Pathway Community Development Team would like to partner with the town of Newport, businesses, churches, associations, and institutions in the region to develop community.
The Pathway Community Church is currently involved in the Community Connection Asset Mapping Process to track the skills and assets in the community and use this information to work with our partners to plan initiatives of change. For more information contact Ted Bessey: tedbessey@pathwaycrc.org, Ph: 207-368-9977
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