Civic Engagement Through A Community’s Visioning Process

A Rural Community College Initiative North Florida Community College Project Civic Engagement Through A Community’s Visioning Process Mr. Morris Steen, President, North Florida Community College Dr. Theophilos Mantzanas, Community Initiatives Coordinator, North Florida Community College

Madison County Development Council – North Florida Community College • MCDC–NFCC Partnership for Civic Engagement: a synergistic and opportunistic relationship: • MCDC’ Vision 2010 • NFCC’s RCCI focus on Civic Engagement

Madison County Development Council – North Florida Community College • Vision 2010: Madison County and the NFCC Visioning Process for the Future • Community-wide meetings to establish a “renewed” Vision 2010 • Identification of strengths, resources and barriers • Creation of committees to address key barriers while relying on strengths and resources • Focus on cultural and social capital • Strategies to maintain momentum and progress

Madison County Development Council – North Florida Community College • Vision 2010: Madison County and the NFCC Visioning Process for the Future • Community-wide meetings to establish a “renewed” Vision 2010 • What to add, preserve, and change • Identification of strengths, resources and barriers

Madison County Development Council – North Florida Community College • Vision 2010: Madison County and the NFCC Visioning Process for the Future • Community-wide meetings to establish a “renewed” Vision 2010 • Creation of committees to address key barriers while relying on strengths and resources

Madison County Development Council – North Florida Community College • Vision 2010: Madison County and the NFCC Visioning Process for the Future • Community-wide meetings to establish a “renewed” Vision 2010 • Focus on cultural and social capital • Social networks (involving reciprocity and trust) • Personal empowerment and participation

Vision 2010 Committees • Strategies to maintain momentum and progress • Monthly MCDC meetings and reports on committees • Committee reports distributed to all committees • Focus on milestones • Media Visibility: Newspaper articles and radio interviews • Joint-Committee meetings to address mutual areas • Interventions by RCCI Core Team • Additional Community-wide meetings to report progress of committees and to recruit new members and resources

Linkages beyond the “Community” • Partnerships with other organizations: • Housing Committee: Habitat for Humanity alliance with another community • Health Committee: Medicare Part D application workshops in another community • Environment Committee: Membership in surrounding counties with identical issues (wetlands management, mercury pollution) • Education Committee: Best practices between school systems

Monitoring and Evaluating • Monitoring Procedures • Indicators of progress • Accountability and intervention strategy • Evaluation • Focusing on the specific accomplishments of the Vision 2010 Plan • Distinctions between outputs and outcomes

Q & A Point of Contact: Dr. Theophilos Mantzanas North Florida Community College RCCI Project Team Leader mantzanast@nfcc.edu 850.973.1304

Civic Engagement Through A Community’s Visioning Process