Feedback on Group Management Plan

Very well done.  25/25.  Further feedback is in the document.

RING mngt plan feedback

Connecting with Community Partners

You all have done a good job with your Group Management Plan and with narrowing your topic.  As I mentioned in class, you really shouldn’t move too much further down the road without connecting with the community.  Information to find out from the community organizations that work with the homelessness issue includes:

1. Is the RING topic one that is compelling/useful to them?  (The experience of severe weather on the unsheltered homeless population and what can be done to address it).

2. What do they ALREADY KNOW about this topic?  (This is critical – you don’t want to plan your studies without knowing this).

3. What would they like to know?  What would be useful?

4. How might they be interested in working with this project?  Can they help us identify events or settings to do observational research?  Do they know about existing research, reports or artifacts that you could use for lit review or rhetorical analysis? Subjects to interview? (remember we shouldn’t assume we’ll have direct contact with homeless subjects, that’s a tough one).

As I mentioned, please have consideration for the time of the organization staff.

– Set up a phone meeting time if you’re hoping to talk to them for more than 10 minutes or so.  (You can either email or phone them to set up an appointment for a phone meeting).

– Be sure to thoroughly read their website before calling. You don’t want to waste their time gathering information they’ve already taken the time to make available to you on the web.

– Don’t make any promises.  Remember the whole RING will need to talk over ideas and options.  You may end up partnering with one community organization or you may work on information that would be useful for them all.  Tell the organization you will meet with your class and get back to them.

Below are several good organizations to partner with.

Hello Homelessness RING,

I’m looking forward to assisting you as you work together this semester.  Here are a few resources that you might find useful.

Organizations:

FACETS

http://www.facetscares.org/

FACETS is a non-profit organization providing comprehensive programs and services, including supportive housing, basic needs and emergency assistance, educational programs, eviction prevention services, medical outreach, and counseling to men, women, and children who are homeless or are otherwise precariously housed in Fairfax County, VA.

FACETS provides comprehensive programs and services that address the needs of individuals who are homeless, precariously housed, or living in low-income government subsidized housing communities in Fairfax County. FACETS’ mission is to build strong families and safe communities by improving the quality of life for impoverished men, women, and children through programs addressing physical, spiritual, and emotional needs.

The FACETS office serves as a walk-in center for individuals and the Client Resource Center provides immediate assistance for people in need of help. Through a scheduled rotation, social workers respond to individuals who walk into the office. Clients are provided with transportation, food, water, hygiene items, sleeping bags, tents, and other items as needed. In addition, phones, computers, and the internet are available for use and allow clients to identify resources and schedule appointments.

FACETS provides “tours” of their programs and services, free to anyone who is interested:

National Coalition for the Homeless

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/

The National Coalition for the Homeless is a national network of people who are currently experiencing or who have experienced homelessness, activists and advocates, community-based and faith-based service providers, and others committed to a single mission. That mission, our common bond, is to end homelessness. We are committed to creating the systemic and attitudinal changes necessary to prevent and end homelessness. At the same time, we work to meet the immediate needs of people who are currently experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of doing so. We take as our first principle of practice that people who are currently experiencing homelessness or have formerly experienced homelessness must be actively involved in all of our work. Toward this end, the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) engages in public education, policy advocacy, and grassroots organizing. We focus our work in the following 4 areas: housing justice, economic justice, health care justice, and civil rights.

I would particularly encourage you to view the coalition’s fact sheets and recommendations for public policy: http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/index.html#policy

So Others Might Eat (SOME)

http://www.some.org/

So Others Might Eat has served the District of Columbia for nearly 40 years,
working to

• Meet the most basic needs of our city’s homeless and poor citizens
• Empower those who are ready to make real and lasting changes in their lives
• Advocate for stronger governmental solutions to poverty and homelessness
  in the District

Affordable Housing Corporation

HOME (V15) AHC is a private, nonprofit developer of affordable housing in the mid-Atlantic region that provides quality homes for low- and moderate-income families. Since 1975, AHC has developed and preserved 32 properties with more than 4,100 affordable apartments. AHC also offers a variety of programs to help families build strong futures, including homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals; affordable mortgage services and loan programs;renovation and repair services for homeowners; and services for residents, including after-school programs, tutoring and adult workshops. Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless www.aachhomeless.org Providing homeless families a foundation to rebuild their lives. Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia www.habitatnova.org Shelter House Inc. www.shelterhouse.org Shelter House’s goal is to break the cycle of homelessness by providing crisis intervention, temporary housing, training, counseling and programs to promote self-sufficiency.