FAMILIES THRIVE
Families Thrive brings together the many community stakeholders that support families and children to thrive. The focus is on increasing awareness of the risks of children's exposure to domestic violence and what the community can do to help support families. The approach helps support knowledge sharing, coordination and collaboration across multiple levels of government and among many stakeholders. Families Thrive will enhance the ability of individuals and organizations in their efforts to reduce domestic and family violence and to improve victim and child safety in the short and long-term.
For more information please visit www.familiesthrive.org or email info@familiesthrive.org.
CREATING AGING-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES
Online Conference and Community of Practice
The Creating Aging-Friendly Communities online conference, held Feb/Mar 2008, was a huge success with over 700 participants. The online conference was designed to support individuals and organizations in their planning to make communities more aging-friendly. Over 2,000 people are continuing the conversation in the ongoing Creating Aging-Friendly Communities "Community of Practice", featuring collaborative activities, discussions, guest speakers, and sharing of resources, experiences and tools to address the challenges and opportunities of making our communities more aging-friendly. Those who participate in the Community of Practice will experience an intensively-supported process designed to help them create real change in their communities.
We are beginning an community-engaged planning process to design what Creating Aging-Friendly Communities will offer in 2010.
Please email us at CoP@agingfriendly.org if you have any questions or are interested in joining the Creating Aging-Friendly Communities CoP.
Visit our website at www.agingfriendly.org
The conference was made possible through generous funding from Helen Andrus Benedict Foundation, MetLife Foundation, Sierra Health Foundation and The California Endowment.
VILLAGE TO VILLAGE NETWORK
Susan Poor, a leading national expert on the development of the 'Village Model' as an innovative approach to support aging-in-community, and Andrew Scharlach from UC Berkeley, will provide technical assistance to the California Villages Project for developing and open Villages in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, and San Diego County. More information can be found at www.vtvnetwork.org
SUPPORTING YOUTH SUCCESS
California Teachers Association and the Institute for Teaching
Community Strengths is providing support for the Strengths-Based Approaches to Early Childhood Education conference in October/November 2009.
America's Promise Alliance
Community Strengths provided engagement consulting and support to iCohere, a leading provider of online collaborative software and America's Promise Alliance, bringing together multiple partners and communities that are focusing on helping youth succeed in school and life. Click here for more information about America's Promise Allliance. Click here for more information about iCohere.
APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY SUMMITS & WORKSHOPS
Flourishing Destinies Appreciative Inquiry Workshop
Offered as part of the 2009 World Appreciative Inquiry Conference - Creating a Positive Revolution for Sustainable Change, featuring top leaders, practitioners and scholars from around the world who focus on strengths-based approaches for change and development. For more information please visit the workshop website at www.flourishingdestiny.org.
Healthy Kids Healthy Schools: Leveraging the Power of Our Community
A project with OvationNet, David Cooperrider and iCohere, Community Strengths supported strategic engagement and project initiative consulting for the Houston Independent School District following the Healthy Kids Healthy Schools: Leveraging the Power of Our Community Summit in February 2009.
Community leaders and stakeholders from every corner of Houston collaborated with the Houston Independent School District to envision a new national model for improving student nutrition and physical activity. The ongoing partnership of school leaders, teachers, business and community leaders, health professionals, parents, and students continues to develop specific action projects as they share ideas, stories, and strategies on ways to improve the health, academic performance, and future of our children.
Click here for more information about the Healthy Kids Healthy Schools: Leveraging the Power of Community Appreciative Inquiry Summit.
Global Summit on Social Responsibility
Another project with iCohere, Community Strengths provided engagement strategic consulting and support to hold Appreciative Inquiry Global Summits that result in concrete initiatives and projects. AI is a powerful large-systems change process that accelerates positive change by engaging a broad range of stakeholders in the change process. The first ever online AI Global Summit on Social Responsibilty was held in May, 2008 with over 700 participants. Click here for more information about the first online Global Summit on Social Responsibility with ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership. Click here for more information about OvationNet and Appreciative Inquiry.