HOW TO USE THE POWERBOOK
The Resident-led Neighborhood Planning Powerbook can be thought of as a readiness framework for everyday people and community development professionals to do more equitable work. We want to inspire those involved in neighborhood planning in St. Louis and beyond to take a more just approach and create a more dignifying legacy with their efforts.
WHO IS THIS POWERBOOK FOR?
We believe in and support residents cultivating their power to develop, revitalize, and plan for their own neighborhoods. This powerbook is meant to be a guide for individuals or groups to practice centering residents in their planning efforts. Use the elements of each play as resources for your own personal exploration, in neighborhood meetings, or with potential partners. Remember, none of what we suggest is prescriptive, but hopefully will give you a place to start as you form or deepen your own resident-led practice.
POWERBOOK TERMS & DEFINITIONS:
Blurb about this long about what the glossary is, differentiating it from the Pbook terms & definitions. Inset text with maybe like 10pt margins, left aligned as is, not overlapping header below. Turn text to white.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TERMS & DEFINITIONS:
THE PLAY
Principles that signify what we learned during the weCollab planning process and that can be applied to a variety of resident-led community development efforts.
WHAT WE LEARNED
This section is about “the play” what we learned and found helpful in our process. We describe each play and how to apply them to practice resident-led planning.
WECOLLAB HIGHLIGHT
Examples of how “the Play” showed up in the weCollab planning process.
PRACTICE EXERCISES
Activities you can try to implement each play that you learn.
REFLECTION PROMPTS
Reflection questions that speak directly to each “player” or stakeholder to start or expand practices toward a resident-led process.
POWER PLAYS
Additional resources that can help you and your group go the extra mile in knowledge and strategies for your process.
RFP
Request for Proposal
STAKEHOLDER
Can include residents plus any groups, organizations, or individuals with a vested interest in the neighborhood of focus.
NEIGHBORHOOD
An area with defined physical boundaries and a name that is recognized by local government.
MUNICIPALITY
A city or town that has corporate status and local government.
PARTNERSHIP
When two willing entities form a relationship to address shared objectives.
QUORUM
The minimum number of members of an assembly or society that must be present at any of its meetings to make the proceedings of that meeting valid.
POWERBOOK TERMS & DEFINITIONS:
THE PLAY
Principles that signify what we learned during the weCollab planning process and that can be applied to a variety of resident-led community development efforts.
WHAT WE LEARNED
This section is about “the play” what we learned and found helpful in our process. We describe each play and how to apply them to practice resident-led planning.
WECOLLAB HIGHLIGHT
Examples of how “the Play” showed up in the weCollab planning process.
PRACTICE EXERCISES
Activities you can try to implement each play that you learn.
REFLECTION PROMPTS
Reflection questions that speak directly to each “player” or stakeholder to start or expand practices toward a resident-led process.
POWER PLAYS
Additional resources that can help you and your group go the extra mile in knowledge and strategies for your process.
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TERMS & DEFINITIONS:
RFP
Request for Proposal
STAKEHOLDER
Can include residents plus any groups, organizations, or individuals with a vested interest in the neighborhood of focus.
NEIGHBORHOOD
An area with defined physical boundaries and a name that is recognized by local government.
MUNICIPALITY
A city or town that has corporate status and local government.
PARTNERSHIP
When two willing entities form a relationship to address shared objectives.
QUORUM
The minimum number of members of an assembly or society that must be present at any of its meetings to make the proceedings of that meeting valid.
THE PLAYERS
We speak directly to typical players in neighborhood planning in the powerbook. Each play has reflection questions that participants in a neighborhood planning process can ask themselves to start or expand their resident-led practice. Choose what “player” you are as you go through the plays and think about how you might increase the influence of resident power and voice through how you participate in a resident-led process.
Committed to the community they call home and wish to preserve and improve it to benefit their neighbors and themselves for generations to come.
Organizations like community development corporations (CDCs) and Neighborhood Associations with the will and ability to support the pursuit and implementation of funds. CDCs and similar organizations focus their work in the geographic area associated with the planning process. They often have long standing relationships and trust as advocates for and allies to advancing the needs and desires of the neighborhood stakeholders. They can often acquire resources and parternships not typically accessible to individuals. As a planning process transitions to implementation, these organizations can provide necessary staffing and other support to move planning from aspiration to action.
Includes planning partners, technical assistance providers, designers, marketing agencies, and community engagemnt or healing specialists. They are hired for the variety of services and expertise they bring to a planning process.
Entities that make grants and channel resources to neighborhood planning and community development efforts whether physical or programmatic.
Typically this position starts with the planning and design, buildings, or public works departments of municipal governments. They may oversee and approve planning processes and are the first point of contact for new development that is proposed in a neighborhood. They also approve the final neighborhood plan that is produced.