FW: Call for Presenters, NCBN's 2001 Annual Conference

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From Principle to Practice: Raising the Community Building Standard
Wednesday, May 30 – Saturday, June 2, 2001
Boca Raton, Florida.

 

Do you have a community building story that you would like to share with other community builders from across the country? If you do, then you should consider being a presenter at the National Community Building Network’s 2001 Annual Conference.

The conference, From Principle to Practice: Raising the Community Building Standard, will take place Wednesday, May 30, 2001 through Saturday, June 2, 2001 in Boca Raton, Florida.

Through interactive workshops, structured networking sessions, and visits to community-building projects in three South Florida counties, participants will explore how community builders in different regions and areas of work are building effective programs and policies rooted in principles and values.

NCBN first came together around the belief that strong principles are a necessary foundation for community building work at all levels. But developing sound principles is only the first step; learning how to put these principles into practice is ultimately what matters most, and is the focus of NCBN’s 2001 Annual Conference.

We need facilitators and presenters for each of the twelve conference workshops, which are organized into four thematic tracks:

Track 1 – Building Community on the Strengths of Difference
· Understanding community building in immigrant communities
· Building alliances between geographically diverse community builders, including urban/rural collaborations
· Working across cultural differences of ethnicity and age to build community

Track 2 – Developing Communities for All People
· How grassroots community efforts can support community development without displacement
· How the public sector can support equitable development
· How regional community building approaches can lead to more balanced community development

Track 3 – Energizing Human Development Together
· How grassroots organizations can support human development
· How people have helped different public systems (welfare, public health, child welfare, education) focus more on community involvement and human development issues
· A South Florida case study of public system reform from grassroots, advocacy and governmental perspectives

Track 4 – Growing the Spirit Within You and Your Community
· Strategies for uplifting the spirit of community builders
· Making your work reflect your personal and organizational principles and values
· How faith-based organizations can support local community building efforts

What type of conference presentations is NCBN looking for? We want presentations that engage participants in a discussion of community experiences, successes and challenges, and that explore the theme of the track and the conference as a whole. We are especially encouraging all conference presenters to be very specific in their workshops so that participants leave the conference with an understanding of how to replicate the tools and strategies they heard described. Also, please note that while preference will be given to current NCBN members, anyone whose work demonstrates a commitment to putting community building principles into practice is invited to apply to be a presenter at NCBN’s 2001 Annual Conference. Even if you have never presented before – and even if your community building experience seems to include more struggles than successes – if you have a story to tell, we want to hear from you.

If you are interested in presenting at NCBN’s 2001 Annual Conference, please send a brief description of your presentation to the Network’s Communications Coordinator, Matt Davis, at mattdavis@ncbn.org or fax it to 510-663-6222 by Friday, February 23. Be sure to indicate the workshop in which you would like to present.

We also need experienced facilitators for each of the twelve workshops, so please contact Matt if you are interested in facilitating a session.

Take advantage of this opportunity to share your story with your community building peers across the country. Apply to present at NCBN’s 2001 Annual Conference today!