This section investigates
a wide range of community supports for children, families, and people
of all ages and backgrounds.
It includes research
and information on community institutions, such as schools, clinics,
libraries, parks, faith-based organizations, cultural and civic centers,
and other places for human and social interaction. Safe neighborhoods,
good jobs, affordable housing, accessible public services, family-friendly
workplaces, quality education,and opportunities for civic engagement
are important dimensions of healthy communities.
General
Center for Neighborhoods
The Center for Neighborhoods was founded to address the disconnect between citizens and the public policies that impact their lives.
Neighborhood organizations serve as a critical point of entry for citizens to influence decisions on issues such as transportation, economic development, housing and community services. At the same time, however, neighborhoods are often given little or no ability to impact public policy and decision-making.
The Center for Neighborhoods was formed to find ways to strengthen neighborhoods, to help them develop a more effective voice and to facilitate cooperation among neighborhoods and city and regional policymakers.
The mission of Center for Neighborhoods is to serve as a catalyst and resource for promoting and encouraging ideas, alliances, policies and actions that increase the capacity of neighborhoods to strengthen the livability and vitality of their communities.
Rebuilding Communities Initiatives
-- The Annie E. Casey Foundation
Annie E. Casey Foundation works in partnership with community-based
organizations on comprehensive strategies to reverse social isolation
and disinvestment in low-income neighborhoods.
First
Call Minnesota
First Call Minnesota
is a statewide information and referral system that has regional offices
located around the state. First Call Minnesota works closely with
many state and local agencies to provide up-to-date and comprehensive
information about human services. The site contains a database of
services offered by Minnesota counties.
Minnesota
Organizations Serving Diverse Children and Families
A directory of
nonprofit organizations, tribal governments, and state agencies throughout
Minnesota, prepared by the Minnesota Department of Human Services
and the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional
Affairs.
The
Urban Coalition
The Urban Coalition
is a non-profit research and advocacy organization that works with
low-income white communities and communities of color to address community,
social, and economic issues. The Coalition works in the areas of education,
employment, health, the elimination of hunger and poverty, meaningful
welfare reform, immigration, issues of race, technical assistance
and capacity building.
Vitality
of Minnesota’s Latino Communities
This yearlong
study examines the relations between Latino and non-Latino communities
in seven rural Minnesota cities. Using focus groups and personal interviews,
researchers identified successes and challenges in these rural communities
faced with increasing racial and ethnic diversity. The two-page policy
brief that accompanies the report is available in English and Spanish.
Hennepin
County’s African American Men Project
This report looks
at who holds a stake in the success of young African American men
and suggests ways that local communities, Hennepin County, the State
of Minnesota, and others can improve services and align programs.
It also suggest what concrete steps African American men and women
can do to be support their own success and build a healthy community
for everyone.
Promising
Practices for Communities
The Promising
Practices Network (PPN) on children, families and communities identifies
programs, approaches, and policies that have led to positive results
for children and their families. The PPN web site organized into three
sections: 1) proven and promising programs; 2) research in brief;
and 3) strengthening service delivery. The web site has received a
Children Now Web Award for its relevant content, user-friendly site
design, and credibility.
Working
Family Resource Center
The center provides
seminars on how working parents can balance the demands of work and
family life. Over 100 companies statewide have taken part in these
seminars and other services of WFRC.
Early
Years Are Learning Years
Early Years Are
Learning Years: Make Them Count! is an ongoing effort to focus attention
on the importance of the early years for children's learning and all
aspects of development. Early Years Are Learning Years releases are
posted each month. They are short information pieces designed as communication
tools for use by adults involved with children on a daily basis to
make sure the early years are learning years. Early childhood programs
involved in the NAEYC accreditation process frequently use these releases
in newsletters to parents and in working with the media.
The
Stand For Children Greater Minneapolis Group
The Stand For
Children Greater Minneapolis Group sponsors an annual Stand For Children
festival in June, and meets on a monthly basis to discuss children's
issues, plan activities, and has begun a process to become a stronger
advocate on children's issues. This local community-based group is
part of the national Stand for Children,
which has the mission to build a strong voice for children through
organized community action and awareness.
The
Week of the Young Child
The Week of the
Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association
for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). It focuses public attention
on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize
the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. NAEYC
designates the Week of the Young Child dates and theme, but events
typically are planned and implemented in local communities.
The
Center for Ethical Business Cultures
The Center for
Ethical Business Cultures is affiliated with the University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management and the St. Thomas University College
of Business. It convenes meetings and produces resources on work/life
balance and the role of the business community in addressing children
and family issues. A recent publication is Bringing Business to the
Table: A Stakeholders Roundtable.
Minnesota
Medical Association
Minnesota Medical
Association’s website contains a complete list of MMA publications,
legislative briefings and public information campaigns.
Youth
Advisory Council
In 1999 DCFL and
the University of Minnesota’s CYFC presented a Youth Summit that
gave young people an opportunity to discuss violence in schools. Out
of that grew a permanent Youth Advisory Council.
Father
to Father: Uniting Fathers for their Children, Mobilizing Communities
for Fathers and their Families
Father to Father
is a response to Vice President Al Gore's call to action, issued at
"Family Reunion III: The Role of Men in Children's Lives,"
Nashville, Tennessee, July 11, 1994: "Beginning here today, I
am asking you to join me in launching a nationwide Father to Father
movement. There are new, young fathers struggling with every facet
of their role, from changing diapers to finding the job that can support
their sons and daughters. There are mature, experienced fathers who
would love to volunteer to help them. Lets bring them together."
The
Community Prevention Coalition
The Community
Prevention Coalition of Hennepin County is a partnership of over 60
groups that exists to promote healthy communities by preventing the
abuse of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Its Parent
Messages Campaign delivers key messages to parents on how to talk
with their children about preventing chemical use.
The
Minnesota Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities
The council works
to ensure that people with developmental disabilities receive the
necessary support: to acheive increased independence, productivity,
integration, and inclusion in the community. The site contains recent
reports and a multimedia presentation on the history of the treatment
of people with disabilities.
NICHCY
NICHCY is an information
and referral center that provides free information on disabilities
and disability-related issues for familes, schools and communities.
It maintains a complete state-by-state listing of resources
(Minnesota State Resources) and many publications,
fact sheets and parent guides.
Minneapolis
Family and Children’s Service
Minneapolis Family
and Children’s Service has been operating since 1878
to build strong families by strengthening community support.
Click
here to read the agency’s current newsletter.
The
Community Contentbank
Launched
in June 2002, this site seeks to spur the development of online
content for and by low-income communities. It encourages
quality content that is easy to find, identify and use, and
helps communities create and share their own content.
Rural School and Community Trust
The Rural School and Community Trust is a national non-profit
organization rooted in rural America. The mission of the Trust is to help
develop vibrant, thriving and sustainable rural communities with high-quality
schools.
Violence Prevention
The
Initiative for Violence Free Families
The Initiative
for Violence Free Families in Hennepin County and The
Initiative for Violence Free Families in Ramsey County work closely
together to mobilize the community to address family, community and
workplace violence. They work through Action Teams and publish a quarterly
newsletter, The Initiator.
Southeast
Asian Prevention Intervention Network
The network lists
community resources to reduce family violence and stress associated
with chemical dependency and physical and mental health issues.
The
Impact of Crime Prevention Initiatives from a Community Perspective,
Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Office of Drug Policy
and Violence Prevention. (PDF)
A Case Study
Report by Laura Bloomberg, PhD, March 2001.
Unlearning
Violence
Unlearning Violence
is the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning's violence
prevention plan for schools and communities. It is the culmination
of interviews with 600 Minnesotans who are practitioners in prevention,
education and related fields. The plan, written in 1995, reflects
review of current literature as well as a survey of practices across
this state.
Turn
off the Violence
Turn off the Violence
is a multi-disciplinary, grassroots violence prevention program campaign
that has been operating in Minnesota since 1991. The website contains
a Community Action Guide, Educator's Guide and other helpful tools.
Center for Reducing Rural Violence
The Center for Reducing Rural Violence helps rural communities develop
and implement comprehensive, holistic strategies for reducing and
preventing violence.
Media
The
National Institute on Media and the Family
The National Institute
on Media and the Family is a resource for teachers, parent and communities
addressing the influence of media on early childhood education.
Parents
Guide to the Information Superhighway
The Parents Guide
to the Information Superhighway is a resource of the Children’s
Partnership a national nonprofit that seeks to engage parents,
policy makers and community leaders around pressing needs of American
children.
KIDSNET
KIDSNET is a national
non-profit computerized clearinghouse devoted to children’s television,
radio, audio, and video and multimedia. It produces a monthly Media
Guide and also Study Guides for parents and educators.
Children
and the Media
Children and the Media
seeks to improve the quality of media, both for children and
about children. It publishes on-line newsletters, tracks legislation,
and conducts surveys.
Online
Content for Low-Income and Underserved Americans
This issue brief by The Children's Partnership addresses the
barriers that prevent low-income families and communities
from benefiting from information and resources available on
the Internet.
