Communities for Change : Housing & Neighborhoods

How might we connect leaders of community-led, community-owned neighborhood development to the resources and skills they need to realize their visions of stable housing and strong neighborhoods?

Communities for Change (C4C) is an 8-week course that invites diverse skills and perspectives to learn together and imagine a future that works better than the status quo. Each session will be specifically designed to support people driving community-led and community-owned initiatives to develop themselves as leaders and to connect with other leaders who can help to advance their work.

C4C Baltimore adapts the proven Theory U framework to advance housing and neighborhoods. For 8 weeks, we will work towards transformative social change through in-person learning sessions, learning journeys in the field, and online sessions with the MIT Presencing Institute and Impact Hubs in 8 other cities around the world.

Participants

We invite leaders advancing housing, neighborhood stability, economic opportunity, blight reduction, youth opportunity, transit, public space, and other issues affecting disinvested neighborhoods to join this learning community.

C4C will be designed to advance grassroots initiatives and leaders, while also acknowledging that we need many kinds of leaders and skills in the room in order to get us there. Each unique perspective and skill we bring to the table brings us closer stabilizing neighborhoods and keeping them accessible for everyone. Communities for Change aims to accelerate progress by bridging people, solutions, and insights across the system.

Logistics

The group will convene over 8 weeks in February and March 2018. Weekly learning sessions will take place in-person on Thursdays, 5:30 to 8pm at Impact Hub Baltimore. Meeting dates are Thursdays, Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 and Mar 1, 8, 15, 22, 5:30 to 8pm. Online sessions are Mondays, Jan 29 and Mar 26, 10 to 11:30am.

Each week we will move through a different stage of learning using the Theory U framework and tools. The group will be 25-35 participants representing different networks, sectors, and initiatives. Registration is free, but donations for food are appreciated.

Key components of the C4C program include weekly meet-ups, learning journeys, online materials, and exchange sessions with other cities to deepen your learning experience.