Ideas for enhancing communication

I read in yesterday's paper that the the 19th ward and Staybridge are hosting some sort of event for today (I think) for UR students to meet 19th ward neighbors BUT as a 19th ward resident I heard nothing about this in my very own neighborhood. It's just one example of the tremendous challenges we seem to have in regard to sharing information with a wide group of people - and, I think that this challenge contributes to the perception that in the 19th ward there are a few people who are "in the know" and/or aware of important information while the rest just wonder what is happening re: various things!
Every single meeting or event I've ever attended in this community always includes some discussion of communication and information flow challenges. People WANT and NEED information. People WANT and NEED to feel included in this community. PEOPLE WANT AND NEED to hear about things that impact their daily lives. People WANT AND NEED to know that they are being listened to AND that their voice counts for something. People WANT and NEED follow through on promises and initiatives.

Good communication takes ongoing work. It takes time. It takes a conscious and concerted effort. Shaun created THIS website to enhance communication. John and Marian have continued the effort and the potential HERE is huge IF the site is used.

Soooooo, who has some ideas about enhancing communication in the 19th ward?? please, share your ideas HERE - we can use this as a virtual brainstorming and see what we can build

A few ideas to get things started:

* check into this site at least twice per week and either share new information or add to an existing thread.
* if you hear information that is relevant to the larger 19th ward, take a few minutes to let others know
* create a special interest 'group' and use the power of this site and the people who contribute to spread the word about your group
* if you send emails to a 19th ward group consider cross-posting it HERE or let people know how to get on your email "list"

Let's hear some other ideas!!

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by John Boutet on September 11, 2010 at 3:49am

Margi and Sheri, You have some good suggestions and really appreciate the energy you put into this site and the19thward@yahoogroups. I agree that it is very easy to have gems of information posted to this site get buried, never to be seen by 90% of people who visit this site once a week or every other week. I'm still learning how things work on this site so I welcome your insight and feedback on what you see and understand.

I think the most important thing for casual users, and really for all users, of the site to do is to subscribe for the "Daily Email Digest" on the upper left of the main page right under the "Main" tab. I don't think a person even needs to be a member to do this. The service is provided through "FeedBurner" and basically sends you, in an email, the list of items from that day that show up in the "Latest Activity" column of the main page plus the first sentence or so of each new posting. All the entries have hot links so you can pop to the comment or the author's profile page, etc. like you can in the "Latest Activity" column.

Give it a try if you have not already and let me know what you think. I think it addresses a lot of issues brought up. If it works as I think is does I'll send a message to all members.

Since I find myself up typing away in the wee hours once again, let me save a few minutes by forwarding a comparison of Location19 vs the19ward@yahoogroups that I sent one of our block members this week:

... Also don't forget to join Location19 to stay current with what is going on in the neighborhood: http://location19.org
At the top of the Location19 home page there is a Sign Up button that gives you the option to join Location19. You don't have to sign up to navigate the site but you have to be signed in to post anything to the site, to contact other members, and to join groups. Some of those options don't show if you are not signed in. Also note that you can subscribe to a Daily Email Digest of anything new that gets posted to the site. As I mentioned Marian and I have taken over administering the site since Shawn OHara, who started it, moved out of town.

... If you have not already, you can also send Marian an email to request an invitation to the19thward@yahoogroups.com. It is a 19th Ward listserve to which members can post notes that get emailed to all members. It serves the same purpose as Location19 but is a bit more private. Google and other search engines can't search the19thward@yahoogroups data base and the only way to join the group is by invitation. Marian is the administrator. If you post a note that says "There is a drughouse at 245 XYZ street." Only members of the group can see that information. If you post it on Location19, it is viewable to the world. In a few days when Google has indexed your post, if you Google "drughouse at 245 XYZ" you will find your post on Location19... and so can't everyone else.

The second paragraph is important for people to keep in mind. Everything you post on Location19 is being indexed and made easily searchable to the world and possibly being archived by who know who. Firestorms that sometimes flare up on the private group generally die down and are forgotten or forgiven by the 100 or so people who read their groupmail. Here what you say today may be on CNN tomorrow or ten years from now when you are running for office or applying for a job in California or wherever. Reread your posts with that in mind before hitting "Add Reply". Please check with the author before reposting information from the19thward@yahoogroups to Location19.

I don't want to scare people. This is true for most blogs on the internet. I just want people coming from the relatively sheltered environment of the19thward@yahoogroups to be aware of the difference.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Boutet on September 11, 2010 at 12:03pm

I should have given an email address that you can reach Marian at in case you want an invitation to the19thward@yahoogroups. It is mlboutet@frontiernet.net .

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on September 12, 2010 at 10:22pm

Margy, and Sheri,

Good points. There is huge potential here for all in the Ward to stay informed. I check it every day (Location19.) Anyone can add information if they are members, and all can check it out, even if not. Where else can you find such a great neighborhood forum? Good suggestions, Margy. And yes, Sheri, as John suggested, there is a daily message you can receive that summarizes all.

Mark

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Boutet on September 14, 2010 at 5:49pm

Margi,
Here is a link I just found for the U of R press release for the Brooks Landing Community Barbecue that you were referring to. http://www.rochester.edu/news/email.php?refno=3676 . I was there taking pictures and am finishing up an album. I had seen a notice come around a little earlier but had not paid to much attention until I got a Sector 4 CDC Office reminder to RSVP on the 9th. I'm not sure how I made it on their email list but I've attended many of their events over the years and often taken pictures. You can check with them about getting notices if you wish at "Sector 4 CDC Office" . I also see on the U OF press release that Melissa Greco Lopes is the Media Contact for the U of R. Il check to see if she can send us notices of future events that are open to the public.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Boutet on September 14, 2010 at 9:20pm

I see the email addresses did not come through.
Here they are:
Sector 4 CDC Office: sector4cdc@yahoo.com
Melissa Greco Lopes: mgrecolo@ur.rochester.edu

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jacqueline Woodward on September 15, 2010 at 10:53am

Margy,

While I agree that communication in the 19th Ward could be improved, the Brooks Landing Barbecue was not a public event. Its purpose was to introduce incoming University of Rochester students to leaders of multiple neighborhood associations in southwest Rochester. Past and present leaders from Changing of the Scenes, Neighborhood United, the 19th Ward Neighborhood Association, Plymouth-Exchange Neighborhood Association, and the South West Area Neighborhood Association were invited to meet students and create positive perceptions about the west side of the river. I’m sorry that you feel slighted, but our budget did not provide for the event to be open to the public. The Brooks Landing Barbecue was sponsored by NeighborWorks Rochester, 19th Ward residents, Plymouth-Exchange residents, Sector 4 Community Development Corporation, the University of Rochester, and Staybridge Suites Hotel.

For full disclosure, I work for NeighborWorks Rochester and am a 19th Ward resident.

Jackie Woodward

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Margy Meath on September 15, 2010 at 12:18pm

Jackie-
I didn't feel slighted at all. I was simply using what I read in the D&C as an example of communication issues. What the D&C said was a bit different than your explanation of this particular event so I appreciate your clarification that this was a private event....
From the D&C-"More than 300 city residents and University of Rochester students are expected to attend a barbecue planned for Friday to introduce students to community members in the Plymouth-Exchange and 19th Ward neighborhoods.

The event is set for 6 to 8 p.m. at Staybridge Suites, 1000 Genesee St. Students and city residents will enjoy music and food"

My interpretation of the D&C reference was that this was an open/public event but, again, i only referenced it as an example of how information is (or is not) shared with the larger community. I hope that the BBQ was a great success and that UR students will continue to be welcome in our neighborhoods!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eleanor Coleman on October 23, 2010 at 11:24pm

The "communication planets" must all be aligned because several of us are thinking - and acting on - the same thing! Let's capitalize on this good energy. Following is some information I sent out to tie some Sector 4 communication pieces together (I sent this to mostly Sector 4 representatives - anyone who wants to play a part in communication is invited to respond):

Dear SWCC Communications Committee (yes, until you demand to be removed from our list, you are part of our effort to open and expand communication lines in the SouthWest Quadrant of Rochester, New York),

Since last Wednesday's Sector 4 Community Development Corporation (CDC) meeting and last Thursday's SW Common Council (SWCC) meeting, I have had several very good conversations about how we might improve communication in the SouthWest. One of the outcomes that John Boutet has already attacked is to make Location 19 more functional and informative for community residents. Much of this can be done over email so don't start grumbling about another meeting; you MAY, however, grumble about more email; but then you can't grumble about never being informed of anything (see how that works:). There are several different pieces/initiatives that can all connect in a very healthy way so I'm going to outline those pieces below for your information as we move forward together. (Please excuse the recap for those who know all of this.)

1. Under Mayor Bill Johnson, the City was divided into 10 planning Sectors. The SouthWest was considered "Sector 4" and we have often used the word/area SouthWest and Sector 4 interchangeably. Sector 4 is made up of 5 different neighborhoods: (1) the 19th Ward, (2) Changing of the Scenes, (3) Neighborhood United, (4) Plymouth Exchange (PLEX), and (5) SWAN (see attached).

2. The body entrusted with working collaboratively to create an Action Plan for Sector 4 with goals, objectives, timelines, benchmarks, etc. is called the SouthWest Common Council (SWCC). The SWCC meets the 3rd Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at the SW Community Center located at 275 Dr. Samuel McCree Way (also having the initials "SWCC" but I won't use them for the Community Center, only the Common Council). Minutes are taken at each of these meetings and sent out to those who have attended in the past (unless they haven't been there in a few years), those who currently attend, and those who have asked to be informed. John Boutet has already created a place on Location 19 where we can store these minutes so they can be made available to everyone.

2. Under Duffy, we are now one of 4 "Quadrants" and we are strictly the SouthWest Quadrant (though you'll still hear Sector 4 in there from us old-timers and because the CDC was named "Sector 4 CDC"). We have now increased our "SouthWest family" by two members: (1) the Susan B. Anthony District (which was formerly part of Sector 3 and (2) Corn Hill District (part of Sector 5, and including downtown).

3. One of the Standing Committees for Sector 4 is "Youth" - it's name actually keeps changing from Youth & Recreation, to Youth Leadership, to Youth Development - I think we talked about making it "Youth Engagement" at the last meeting - discussion, no votes. Over the years, different folks have assumed responsibility for making youth-related reports and spearheading youth projects.

4. The SouthWest Recreation Planning Committee (SWRPC) is a group of representatives from all of the youth programs in the SouthWest who meet to collaborate, share resources, coordinate scheduling events so we can support each other, etc. This meeting is held the 1st Wed. of every month at 10 a.m. at Flint Street Recreation Center (Annie Pride is the Director and extends a very warm welcome to all who are interested). Florence Clemmons, who represents both Tony Jordan's Youth Sports Foundation AND the Genesee Valley Youth Hockey Program, is working with Annie to more broadly engage those who have an impact on encouraging youth to participate in the programs that exist (e.g. churches). This is the reason it was thrown out at the SWCC meeting that we (1) call the SWCC youth committee, "Youth Engagement," as that title covers all the bases and (2) have the SWRPC be the primary "reporter." BARRIER: Since this committee meets during the day, it limits youth input and direction. SOLUTION: See #5.

5. There is a new "Neighborhood Consortium for Youth Justice" that has been convened to promote community interaction and collaboration around truly reaching and providing services and resources to hard-to-reach youth (on probation, coming out of Industry, not attending school, etc.). The leader of this group is Tim Weider ( tweider@monroecc.edu ), a professor at MCC and a longtime advocate for communities as "safe sanctuaries" for troubled youth. At Friday's meeting, Teen Empowerment representatives talked about establishing a "Youth Worker Alliance" comprised of youth who, with adult assistance, can ensure that designs and evaluations for youth programming actually include youth. I mentioned the SWCRP meeting at Flint St. and Doug Ackley pointed out that several of the 12 recently-hired Teen Empowerment Youth Advocates have schedules that would enable them to attend a meeting held during the day. It was noted that, it's not just about plopping youth on adult committees, youth need to be able to express themselves in a forum that is tailored to their needs (and attention spans).

6. Lastly, for now, I'm copying in John Curran who works with Dorothy Hall and others in the PLEX neighborhood to proactively look at riverfront development and ensure that a community voice is present as negotiations for remediation of the Brownfield and developing the riverfront are underway. John Curran is extremely skillful in "bringing to the table" numerous parties with varied investments in the development of the riverfront going back beyond the Staybridge Suites and into Corn Hill; no one is ever discouraged from voicing their concerns and all visions are welcome. John has been a goldmine of local history (for example, how many of us know that Susan B. and Frederick Douglass more than likely "had tea" at the Anthony's farm that was located in the Brooks/Genesee Park Blvd area in the 19th Ward where Susan B. spent many of her years growing up?). The Susan B. Anthony phenomena is a DIAMOND for Rochester (SouthWest Rochester!); we are "the home" of the Women's Right to Vote, there is a $20 million Pepsy Kettavong sculpture focusing on the voting booth and the 17 women that "illegally" voted that is headed our way on W. Main across from Canal St., and there is a huge multi-use housing project/community center/coffee shop (yikes!) slated for that area as well. An innovative group called H.E.R. (Heritage Enterprise Resources) is becoming established as a women's entrepreneurship training site in the back of 540 W. Main (open house event tomorrow - Sunday 10/24 - from 4-7). It is a win-win for us to support and participate in any of these developments wherever we feel our passions call us.

So, those are the little communications pieces that were swimming around my head and now have escaped into yours. Just these few connections would go a long way in broadening communications, empowering and seriously engaging youth, addressing public safety concerns, drinking more coffee, etc.

We will be scheduling a Communications face-to-face meeting the first week in November for those who need the real people connection. Suggestions, feedback, input, etc., are welcome. I will be sure to get the information on Location 19.

Eleanor Coleman, Chair
SW Common Council Communications Committee
(585) 436-8201 x247
eleanor.coleman@gmail.com

Attachments:

Map_S-4_Associations.gif, 27 KB

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Judi Baker on October 25, 2010 at 7:17am

Thanks Eleanor, you continue to be one to maintain an extensive contact list and hit the 'send' button. BTW my grow boxes did exceptionally well!!!!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eleanor Coleman on October 25, 2010 at 8:52am

I'm hoping this new vehicle will offer even more information. It's way helpful to have partners in dissemination (John & Marian Boutet). I know you've been discouraged for some time - understandably so - but please continue to give us input so we can hopefully become what we ought to be - a commUNITY!!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark Sweetland on October 24, 2010 at 12:33am

Eleanor,

All of this was pretty much new news to me, and I want to thank you and John Boutet for the effort to share information on Location19. I feel the site will grow in importance as more information is included, and I can see there are additional members signing on each week. The web site can be a true focus for all in the area who wish to learn more about our neighborhood and collaborate. This is a most welcome sign, and perhaps a very positive change to come from the Boulder debate. Thank you for all of your hard work!