Talk of change is becoming increasingly common among Flint residents.

From front-lawn chats to community meetings, neighbors are inspired by the progress they see in the city and they’re often more motivated to contribute their time and energy toward greater success.

An ongoing series promoting organizing and leadership skills is one of the latest opportunities for residents to learn how they can get involved with movements to revitalize their blocks, streets or subdivisions. “Neighbors Changing Flint: The First Step is Yours” will examine themes and principles of advocacy in the third spring workshop, scheduled in May. The program is designed to equip citizens with knowledge and training to improve their surroundings and increase opportunities where they live.

Organized by the Neighborhood Engagement Hub and almost a dozen non-profit, academic, philanthropic, government and community collaborators, the final series segments will be hosted by Crim Fitness Foundation’s Safe & Active Genesee for Everyone program at 5:30 p.m. May 2 and May 9 at the Flint Public Library, 1026 East Kearsley. Dinner is included with admission to the workshops, but participants must register at neighborhoodadvocacytraining.eventbrite.com, by email at troach@crim.org or by calling (810) 235-7894.

The focus of the first “Neighbors Changing Flint” meetings in March was establishing a community agenda and forming templates for an action plan, followed by strategies for neighborhood design as April’s workshop theme.

Other information discussed at “Neighbors Changing Flint: The First Step Is Yours” has ranged from organizing residents and implementing goals to strategies for securing program funding. Neighborhood Engagement Hub has been proactive in empowering workshop participants with resource materials, including informative handouts.

Attendance has been steady, with no fewer than 50 residents or community advocates attending each workshop, organizers say. Support from partners including Kettering University and the University Avenue Corridor Coalition, Crim Fitness/Safe & Active Genesee for Everyone, Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Ruth Mott Foundation, Genesee County Habitat for Humanity, Flint Neighborhoods United, Flint Public Art Project, Genesee County Land Bank, and the City of Flint has boosted the program’s positive reception.

For more information, email director@neighborhoodengagementhub.org.

  City of Flint, Community Foundation of Greater Flint, Crim Fitness, Crim Fitness/Safe & Active Genesee for Everyone, Flint Library, Flint neighborhoods, Flint Neighborhoods United, Flint Public Art Project, Genesee County, Genesee County Habitat for Humanity., Genesee County Land Bank, Kettering University, Ruth Mott Foundation, University Avenue Corridor Coalition

Comments

comments