Community Transformation . . . Restoring, Preserving and Furthering Community Character By Pushing From the Bottom Up The Common Situation: Our nation is losing its since of community. Our nation once had a strong since of community. People came together in neighborhood community clusters to assist each other in many ways. That was “the way of life”. But with the start of the New Deal people started looking to Government instead of to themselves. An attitude of, they should do it entitlement has replaced the attitude of independence and pride. We are now seeing the effects of this loss of control of ones own destiny in our society. -- x -- The Common Searchs/Observations: - Images of the chaotic situation in the Super Dome during Hurricane Katrina, compared with the tranquil selfless self help caring for each other seen in the shelters in Japan during the recent tsunami. - Pockets of hope and improvement where the people have come together and become involved in determining their community’s own destiny. -- x -- The Common Concern: - Communal & Governmental We as individuals, and neighborhoods, are not properly prepared for emergencies and disasters. Our neighborhoods are not as safe, healthy, attractive, prosperous, harmonious, and happy as they once were and might be again. -- x -- The Common Solution: The revitalization of a sense of community. The transformation from an attitude of entitlement, to an attitude of collaboration. The transformation to an attitude of a self help approach of gathering together with others from one’s own geographical neighborhood, in neighborhood community clusters, to seek common solutions to common concerns while continuing to encourage individual initiative. See also: The Manifestry Method Together gather together to work with each other and with one’s own local government to create a safer, healthier, more attractive, prosperous, harmonious, and happier neighborhood and community in which to live. By contributing one’s own talents, time, and treasures to accomplish tasks that the individual, and/or small clusters of individuals may be unable to accomplish on their own. By manifesting ones own concerns and convictions, and advocating for assistance to accomplish common solutions to common concerns when tasks are too large for the individual or small neighborhood community cluster to accomplish on their own, thus fostering a sense of community that permits the community to thrive not just survive. By Creating and Empowering Community Clusters, Coalitions, Alliances On a level equivalent to that of the local governmental entity they will be dealing with. Greater City & County Community Alliance Commissioner District Community Alliances Neighborhood Community Coalitions Next-Door Neighbor Community Clusters - Next-Door Neighbor Clusters Small coalition clusters of (about three to fourteen) independent individuals, or independent households of like-minded manifestants who are willing to gather together and solely and/or simultaneously [at the same time as other clusters]), to seek, manifest, (make evident/clear to the minds and senses of others), and/or proclaim/revel (in a non-confrontational manner), their common overwhelming consensual opinion, conviction, belief, and/or will relative to a single common concern. - Neighborhood Community Coalitions The “Neighborhood Community Coalition” is an informal coalition of various “Next-Door Neighbor Clusters” from a given geographically definable area.. The coalition gathers regularly to discuss common concerns and common solutions to issues affection the neighborhood community. It coordinates ideas and allows for the coalescence of the will of the people of the community, to advocate for resources for community improvement. To be formed as the need arises for the creation of a self-motivating, self-sustaining, self-connecting, self-coalescing, from the ground up, grass roots, non-official, neighborhood community coalition to function as an advocacy/advisory connection with the “Commissioner District Community Alliance of that local government district. - Commissioner District Community Alliances A formal organized alliance of Neighborhood Community Coalitions with bylaws , and official local government recognition. Meets regularly to discuss issues affection the district, to coordinate ideas, to support the councilperson/commissioner, to advocate for resources, to advise city-county government councils/commissions, and to monitor community improvement progress. To be formed as the need arises for the creation of a self-motivating, self-sustaining, self-connecting, self-coalescing, from the ground up, grass roots, official, alliance to function as an advocacy/advisory connection with local government. - Commissioner District Community Council A District Community Council of Elders – to consist of a Triad (three persons) to be elected by the registered voters of the district in accordance with local government approved bylaws. -City-County Greater Community Alliance A formal organized alliance of District Community Alliances, that will encourage on a community/county wide level the restoring of the early American custom of neighborhood self help through the application of the Manifestry Method of Community Transformation. By encouraging the members of the community, who are willing, to together, regularly gather together on fifth Wednesday evenings, (in small clusters, in their homes), to eat a common potluck meal, to communicate confidently with each other, (in a non-confrontational manner), and to manifest (proclaim) their common, consensual, opinions, beliefs, convictions relative to solutions to common concerns in our neighborhoods, in our districts, in our community, and in our society. To be formed as the need arises for the creation of a self-motivating, self-sustaining, self-connecting, self-coalescing, from the ground up, grass roots, official, alliance to function as an advocacy/advisory connection with local government. - City, County and/or City-County Community Council A City-County Community Council of Elders – to consist of a representative from each District Community Alliance to be elected by vote of the District Community Alliance Elders in accordance with local government approved bylaws. To be formed as the need arises for the creation of a self-motivating, self-sustaining, self-connecting, self-coalescing, from the ground up, grass roots, official, alliance to function as an advocacy/advisory connection with local government. - Community Brigades The Brigade Effect – a brigade (small groups/clusters of manifestants) working together independently (with a common focus, with a common will) can accomplish more than the sum total of the accomplishments of its individuals if they are working separately. Many brigades working simultaneously in many different locations can accomplish more to change individual attitudes and/or improve a community than the sum total of the accomplishments of all the individuals if working in one location in one large unit. Brigades may be formed at any and/or all of the hereinbefore noted levels of the community.
- Community Task Forces A Task Force is a cluster, group, unit or formation of manifestants established to work alone or with the government ministries, and/or missionaries on a single defined task or activity. When forming a New Task Forces, at least a Triad, three people, need to be in agreement, and willing to participate before starting a New Task Force. Task Forces may be formed at any and/or all of the hereinbefore noted levels of the community. -- x -- The Common Action: For The Manifestry Method of Community Transformation movement to be long lasting in any given community it must have: A Vision, Specific Objectives and Strategy -Vision Statement Create a self help, approach of gathering together with others from one’s own neighborhood and/or community. To together gather together to work with each other and with one’s own local government to create a safer, healthier, more attractive, prosperous, harmonious, and happier neighborhood and community in which to live. By contributing one’s own talents, time, and treasures to accomplish tasks that the individual, and/or small clusters of individuals may accomplish on their own. By manifesting, advocating, lobbying for assistance to accomplish common solutions to common concerns when tasks are too large for the individual or small cluster to accomplish on their own, thus fostering a Community that thrives not just survives. - Objectives To seek the consensual spiritual will of the community To accumulate the spiritual resources needed to resolve a common concern To coalesce (grow together) the will of the community to utilize these spiritual resources to find a common solution to a common concern To manifest (making evident to others) the common consensual coalesced spiritual will of the community to resolve a common concern - Strategy For restoring, preserving, and furthering, an attitude of self help and overwhelming respect, trust, and harmony in the community from the ground up; one individual, one family, one cluster, one group, one congregation, one organization, one firm, one neighborhood, one district, one municipality, one county, one state at a time. -- x -- Proposed Action Strategy For Creating a Greater Community Alliance
1. Prospective District Community Alliance Facilitator Make Preliminary Contact with District Councilperson, Commissioner and other local Departmental Government Officials A preliminary contact with those concerned Government Departments to determine what programs and/or actions might be acceptable and reinforced by local Government prior to commissioning, and after final completion of any local Planning Department study/plan for the District. 2. Prospective District Community Alliance Facilitator Make Contact with Residents of the District Community to encourage the gathering together in informal Next-Door Neighbor Clusters, and Informal Neighborhood Community Coalition The Prospective District Facilitator to contact and inform as many residents of the Neighborhood Community as possible, via word of mouth, e-communications, door stuffers, and/or media announcements/news releases, about the initiative.
3. Hold Introductory District Community Town Hall Meeting District Facilitator encourage the District Councilperson/Commissioner to call a Town Hall meeting to introduce the self help Manifestry Method of Community Transformation concept, and to have prospective participants complete contact information and commitment cards.
4. Hold Preliminary Community Coalescing Gathering(s) District Facilitator to host small Next-Door Neighbor Cluster and/or Neighborhood Community Coalition gathering(s) in his/her home and/or homes of willing hosts/es to start to coalesce community spirit/will, discuss common concerns, and formulate preliminary proposals for common solutions. 5. Hold Multi-Departmental Government Planning Meeting With Representatives from the Local Government and the Neighborhood Community Coalition A meeting with those concerned Department Heads to determine what proposed problem/concern solving programs and/or actions will be accepted and reinforced by the local Government, and what organizational structure will be required to proceed. 6. Hold District Community Alliance Founding Meeting District Facilitators, in conjunction with local government, to schedule a general District Community Town Hall Meeting, at a public meeting place, with the participants of the non-official Neighborhood Community Coalition to form an official District Community Alliance, to start the development of a Proposed District Community Master Action Plan, based on consideration of local Government Planning Department Plan/Proposal. 7. Generate Sufficient Potential Sector Participation Interest Determine/accumulate sufficient prospective community sector (Watches, Patrols, Beautification, Youth Programs and/or others.) participation to justify local Government participation.
8. Contact Appropriate Local Government Department and Schedule Sector Implementing/Action Meeting Possible local Government Departments to be include but not limited to: Community Planning, Community Development, Law Enforcement/Crime Prevention, Community Enrichment, Animal Control, Community Beautification, County Extension Service, and/or others.
9. Hold Sector Organizational And Training Meetings To organize and train community members interested in participating in any particular sector of activity.
10. Implement Sector Action Plan(s) Start sector phone and/or e-communication tree(s) and take community/neighborhood action steps.
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