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OUR APPROACH

Place-Based

Network Building

Bridge Building

Capacity Building

Illustrations

 

 

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CAPACITY BUILDING

Community transformation begins with personal transformation.

IMPACT Silver Spring’s core, long-term work is about supporting people on an individual level, increasing their capacity to initiate and sustain real change. Complementing our network-building approach, which creates stronger connections between people, our capacity-building activities take people and groups to the next level of impact.

We build capacity at four levels: engagement, empowerment, leadership development and power sharing, and collaborative action. We see these levels along a continuum, starting from the individual and moving into the collective.

Engagement

We are engaging new voices in taking small steps improve their daily life and build connections of mutual support. We are engaging established leaders in understanding how new and diverse relationships can benefit their daily lives and efforts within the community.

An example of engagement is the basic aspects of the The Neighborhood Opportunity Network.

Our approach to engagement involves intensive one-on-one relationship-building and an emphasis on mutual support practices.

Empowerment

We are empowering new voices in a longer-term process of taking action, both individually and collectively, to build a sustainable, quality life. We are empowering established leaders by developing the personal awareness needed to begin transforming community institutions and eliminating barriers to a quality life for all.

Examples of empowerment are Economic Empowerment and the Parent Educators.

Our approach to empowerment includes helping people transform their attitudes, awareness, and ability to act.

Leadership Development, Power Sharing, and Collaborative Action

We are supporting diverse community members – both new voices and established leaders – in learning about and practicing the art of sharing power in a real community context and project. They are then using those tools and skills to act together for short- and long-term change.

Examples are the Neighbor Corps and the Piney Branch Action Team.

Our approach to leadership and action includes building personal awareness of power, multicultural awareness, cross-cultural communication skills, and the ability to plan, implement, and sustain action.


IMPACT Silver Spring | 825 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
T: 301-495-3336 | F: 301-495-6660 | E: info@impactsilverspring.org

 

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