www.CenterforGreaterGood.com | contact@centergg.com | 410 East State Street Eagle, ID 83616

CITIZENS FIRST HOUSINGCitizens First

Written by Ravi Hanumara

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Starting on the ground

At Center for the Greater Good, our social service plans are based on a the premise that each community has a unique set of needs. While there are many needs in common, we hold that the specific set of services appropriate for a particular community is unique.We build communities from the inside out, rather than from top down. Coming in with a pre-packaged social services plan and making it fit to the community(top down) is not nearly as effective or wise as creating an integrated social services plan based on the input from the community itself(inside out). We believe the top down approach of setting a national plan which would cater to the needs of every community is not only irrational but also ineffective. Our inside out process incorporates the participation of the residents, the coordinator and foundations in the creation of the integrated social services framework for each community. Since each community is unique, the integrated social services offered should also be a unique combination based on the communities’ needs.

Thorough needs assessment

The process starts with a thorough assessment of the neighborhood by the community coordinator. The coordinator identifies the demographics of the residents, existing facilities available, and problems within the neighborhood.

Information, Education and Resident Feedback

Computer technology is used to educate the residents in the community about the results of the needs assessment such as the demographics, facilities available and problems in the neighborhood. This is done so that the residents make informed and educated choices. Ensuring that the needs of the community are effectively communicated to the residents enables the residents to provide accurate, useful and necessary input to the coordinators. This input is vital in the inside out approach which is based on the needs of the community.Technology is also used so that residents can send their feedback to the coordinators and remain anonymous so that the normally silent majority has a say in the process. This anonymity also ensures more accurate feedback. The residents are also included in the planning process through the use of surveys, tenant meetings and technology.

Input from Foundations

The Coordinator will then consider all the information and feedback, and work with Center for the Greater Good and representatives from foundations to create the integrated social service plan for each community. Tools developed by Center for the Greater Good will be made fully available to the coordinator in order to ensure the effectiveness of the integrated social service plans, allow them to track indicators, set goals and support periodic progress reports towards goals to investors and other interested parties.

Accountability of services

The indicators not only track progress towards goals, but also serve as feedback to the process. If the feedback shows that some goals will not be met, the program will be reanalyzed and measures will be taken to adjust the services offered. Some possible measures are providing more resources, changing the one or more programs responsible for the driving indicators, or selecting a service providers to offer services more effectively.