Dialogue on Organizing, Social Services, and Social Justice
Submitted by carolinebmca on April 27, 2007 - 5:04pm.
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This session will be on: June 30, 2007 - 10:30am It will be held at: Room 1204 room at the Westin Hotel View scheduleOrganization DescriptionThe Building Movement Project advocates for US nonprofit organizations to build a strong social justice ethos into their vision and activities and to strengthen the role of nonprofit groups as sites of democratic practice. The project was developed to look closely at the role of US-based nonprofits in building democracy by offering weight, voice and scale to marginalized and disenfranchised populations through social change organizations.
BMP engages four strategies to accomplish its goals. These include:
1. Changing the discourse and practice within the nonprofit sector to endorse values of justice, fairness, equity, and sustainability.
2. Identifying and working with social service organizations as neglected sites for social change/justice activities where staff and constituencies can be engaged as participants in democratic practices for social change.
3. Supporting young leaders who bring new ideas and energy to social change work and the promise of developing new forms of movement building.
4. Listening to and engaging people working in social change organizations – especially grassroots and community-based groups – to strengthen their ability to connect their vision and mission to practice.
Proposal Demographicsidentify as women identify as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-gendered, queer) identify as people of color are immigrants (not born in U.S.) Session DescriptionCo-Sponsors Many individuals who staff nonprofit service organizations recognize that providing food for a day or shelter for a night doesn’t solve hunger and homelessness. However, addressing larger systemic barriers is a daunting task, especially at a time when so many service providers face growing demands and reduced funding. At the same time, community organizers have been confronted by the challenge of mobilizing towards systemic change while the basic needs of their communities are not being met. They find themselves either struggling to organize community members while trying to connect them to a confusing and overloaded service delivery system, or in many cases providing services themselves. More than ever, there is a critical need for community organizers and social service providers to join forces to tackle root causes of the problems our communities face AND provide the safety net our constituencies need. We will co-sponsor a Dialogue on Organizing, Social Services, and Social Justice. This dialogue will be a conversation between social service providers and social justice organizers. We will explore the possibility of working together across organization and issue boundaries – so that service organizations can move towards social change, and organizers can incorporate meeting the needs of their communities into their organizing strategies. We will look at various barriers, including language, resources, and historical tensions between organizers and service providers. We hope this session will be a starting point for many more such conversations. Participants will participate in small- and large-group discussions and exercises, and walk away with a greater understanding of the common challenges organizers and service providers face, and tools for working together to confront them. This session will be conducted in English and will include handouts from co-sponsoring organizations. First NameCaroline Last NameMcAndrews Contact E-mailcmcandrews@demos.org Proposing OrganizationBuilding Movement Project Organization Websitewww.buildingmovement.org Position or TitleProgram Associate Contact Telephone212-419-8773 Event DaySaturday, June 30th (Strategizing the Achieving of Another World) Contact Address220 5th Ave, Fifth Floor
FormatFacilitated large and small group discussions Contact CityNew York KeywordsMovement building Non profits Social Services (see also Public Services) Audience Number50-100 people Contact StateNY Contact ZIP10001 Person Reviewingmbj |
CompassPoint Nonprofit Services (San Francisco, CA)