This document printed from the University of Illinois Extension Cook County at http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/cook/
SOUTHEAST COMMUNITIES LEADERS FORUM
"A Nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good. For the American idea, though it is shared by all of us, is realized in each one of us."
Barbara Jordan, 1936-1996
Congresswoman from Texas
From its inception, The Southeast Community Leaders Forum Series demonstrated the commitment community through it's partnership of University of Illinois Extension, the Business and Economic Revitalization Association (BERA), and the Greater Southside Small Business Development Center at Chicago State University.
The Southeast Communities Leaders Forumsbrought together residents, business owners, elected officials and leaders from the Chicago communities of Chatham, Avalon Park, Greater Grand Crossing, Burnside, Roseland, Calumet Heights and South Shore. The forums provided:
· Expert research-based reports that analyses community assets and potentials
· Best-practice models implemented by other communities
· A deliberation format to identify community strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Strategies to empower leaders to affect the communities that they live and work in.
From May 2005 through January 2006 community leaders attended a series of five forums.
Session I: Recognizing Your Community Assets Leaders reviewed a report, presented by Metro Census Information Center that measures their communities' economic potential, social capital and social amenities. Leaders also learned how a neighboring community organization, the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA), created action plans to redevelop their business districts and form new housing initiatives.
Session II: The Role of Leadership in Retaining and Attracting Business and Industry A presentation about the Cleveland Ohio area focused on communities impacted by the downturn of industries and the resulting success of a strong business retention and expansion initiative. The presenter demonstrated the value of conducting a business survey to improve community economies.
"Be willing to try creative solutions to complicated situations"
Walt Williams, Community & Economic Development Specialist, Ohio State University Extension
Session III: A Community Strategic Plan: How it Can Affect You The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission detailed the 2040 Regional Framework Plan for northeastern Illinois. This forum also explored how this regional plan will affect local community economic, social and environmental development.
Session IV: Vision to Action This session was a recap of information that was presented at previous forums and a summary of input provided by the leaders attending these forums. Participants attending this session decided to form a steering committee to explore opportunities and a plan of action for a implementing a strategic plan for the southeast region.
Session V: Vision to Action: Talking with Elected Officials This final session brought together elected officials including aldermen, and state and federal representatives that serve the seven targeted communities. These elected officials learned about crucial information that was provided in the leadership forum series. They also had the opportunity to deliberate, sharing their concerns and supportive ideas on how more powerful communities can evolve.
What Happened
One hundred and ten leaders attended the leadership forums. These leaders were elected officials, educators, community volunteers, business owners, social service providers, community development directors, city officials and managers from financial institutions.
A bi-monthly recap, The Southeast Communities Leaders Forum Newsletter provided information and summaries of each forum, and listed suggested readings and references to enhance the knowledge learned in the workshops.
Crucial information was collected via the deliberation activities conducted at each session. This information will be used to give direction to future forums and community initiatives.
What was Said by the Leaders
Each participant of the leadership forum was dynamic in their own right. Therefore, at each forum deliberation activities were conducted to capture their collective expertise and thoughts. Following are the deliberation questions and a sample of responses from participating leaders:
What are your community's assets?
Leaders said: High education level of its residents, many desire to make a change, high potential for commercial development and new housing, strong and visible elected officials, seniors represent a reference for past success and future potential.
What are your community's challenges and threats?
Leaders said: High crime areas, lack of direction and organizational structure to implement new actions, need direction between residents and old and new business, outside influences with no community involvement.
What can you do as a leader to help attract or retain business in your community?
Leaders said: After much discussion around this question, the leaders indicated that they needed a strategy or roadmap for an economic strategy This way they would know how to help business in their communities and understand the pros and cons of attracting businesses that would be useful to their community.
How do you see yourself or your organization contributing to a strategic planning process?
Leaders said: We need to find ways to include non-traditional leaders such as youth and seniors, explore ways to develop a regional strategic plan. At the conclusion, nine leaders signed-up to form a steering committee to advance plans for a community strategic plan.
What was said by the Elected Officials
Through a SWOT deliberation activity six elected officials convened for the concluding forum and through a SWOT deliberation activity gave these statements:
Strengths: The community of people with a successful history
A higher than average education level of its residents
Visible political leaders
Some residents have resources to support community-driven projects
Weaknesses: Residents do not participate in determining current and future activities in their communities.
Elected officials unable to find the best way to participate for supportive actions.
Inability to work together for the greater good.
Opportunities: Land available for development
Reach out to develop capacity in the younger generation
Synergize the political and the public for a long-range action plan
Seeking create ways to fund activities such as a regional plan
Threats: Outside entities "meddling" or doing the planning for the good of the community.
Fear of change
Drugs and crime
Powerless over the influx of new residents.
What was decided?
As a result of these forums a seven-member steering committee was formed. The purpose of this committee will be to advise and support the advancement of their communities through a concerted strategic plan of action.
"We must find a way to be proactive in determining what is going to happen in our communities" Leadership Forum participant
About the Partners
The Southeast Communities Leaders Forums were developed and implemented through the strategic partnership of the following organizations:
Business and Economic Revitalization Association (BERA) was created in 1991 to help revitalize businesses. BERA addresses the needs of community groups and businesses through facilitating projects, developing strategies for business development, coordinating city initiated programs, and providing leadership development and capacity building for residents, organizations and businesses.
The Greater Southside Small Business Development Center at Chicago State is a part of the Illinois Entrepreneurship Network provides comprehensive business assistance, training, information, advocacy and access to resources to help existing small businesses and start-up entrepreneurs to enhance their ability to succeed in a rapidly changing global economy.
Isabelle Conda, Director
Chicago State University, 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60628
Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) was created by the state legislature in 1957 to lead comprehensive planning for the northeastern part of Illinois. NIPC serves local governments through conducting comprehensive planning process and as a result identifies policies to address area wide issues.
