[ Update ]

Content of this page:

• Agenda of the ESLARP retreat
• Summary of 1998-1999 Highlights
• Priorities for 1999-2000
• Report on "Training and Education"
• Report on "Expansion into Enterprise Communities"
• Report on "Youth outreach & Leadership"
• Report on "Internal ESLARP Staffing and Management"
• Report on "Outreach weekends"
• Evaluation

I. 9:30-9:45 Welcome (Hand out 1)

• Purpose of the retreat-
• Follow-up with community residents in the fall-
• Basic ground rules-

III. 10:15-11:15 Priorities for 1999-2000 (Hand out 3 & 4)

• Work in small groups separated into faculty, campus staff, ESL staff and RA.

• These 5 issues will be the focus of the remaining part of the retreat.

VI. 1:00-3:00 Group work (Mixed faculty-staff-RA)
Given these ambitious and challenging priorities, what are the major internal and external issues/challenges that we face in the short run and in the long run?
Define & explore potential solutions. Develop detailed implementation strategies

VII. 3:00-4:45 Report in on small group implementation plans

VIII. 4:45-4:55 Quick evaluation

IX. Dinner at Ken's where Damon will tell us about the world!!

Go to top of page

Summary of agenda item II.

Proudest Moments of ‘98-’99 Highlights
 

"Seeing 3 young, 20-something, East St. Louis residents at the organizing course." – Paul Foppe	"The successful HUD-COPC Conference." – Kieran Donaghy
"The Alta Sita Plan" – LaTonya Burton	"The successful construction of the Katherine Dunham Artisinal Village." – Craig Miller
"Hiring LaTonya Burton as the NTAC Community Planner." – Ken Reardon	"The Job Creation Symposium." – Sarah Duffy
"10 spectacular physical development plans were created for the Alta Sita neighborhood." – Bob Selby	"Getting the economic modeling program working." – Edgar Flagg
"Seeing a Landscape Architect student seamlessly integrate a discussion of models with a presentation of physical plans."— Brian Orland	"Interacting with Alta Sita residents and hearing their stories." – Mike Sherfy
"The Alta Sita Neighborhood Summit." – Janni Sorensen	"The success of Alternative Spring Break work and the letter of thanks from Reverend Prude." – Colleen Waite
"Seeing the Emerson Park residents present their plan to the East St. Louis Planning Commission, and the successful Alta Sita Youth Planning Exercise. – Cathy Klump	"ESL-CAN’s involvement in electing a new mayor and 2 new councilors." – James Jones

 

Highlights of ‘98-’99 to be included in the Annual Report
 

The new Emerson Park Plan	Description of the complete digital data set created for Alta Sita
Alta Sita Youth Planning Exercise	I.C.C.C.S. Conference
Economic modeling for the Job Creation Symposium	The "behind the scenes" work by RAs for work weekends, Alternative Spring Breaks, etc.
NTAC staff contribution to the Empowerment Zone application	Use of on-line applications by residents at the Job Creation Symposium.
10 useful physical plans from the "collective" Architecture and Landscape Architecture classes	New NTAC staff (Cathy and LaTonya).
The Alta Sita Neighborhood Summit	Renovations to the Bride of Christ Church
Community panel of residents at HUD-COPC conference	Success of the first Emerson Park plan and the Emerson Park Development Corporation
NTAC moving on despite staff turnover	"Where are they now?" ESLARP Alumni Directory
Teamwork of RAs	Diplomacy of NTAC as an agent for change in East St. Louis
The increased involvement of the Alta Sita residents due to the neighborhood planning process	$250,000 in new State funds thanks to Wyvetter Younge

 

COLLECTIVE OUTLINE FOR ANNUAL REPORT:

1. Emerson Park (Success of EPDC and Plan I, Description of Plan II)
2. RA contributions to ESLARP in ‘98-’99 (Behind the scenes teamwork)
3. Alta Sita Planning Process (Data Collection, Summit, Youth Planning Exercise, Resident Involvement)
4. NTAC ‘98-’99 (Role and Responsibilities, Empowerment Zone Application, New Staffing)
5. Conferences and Symposiums: including I.C.C.C.S., HUD-COPC (Community Panel), Job Creation Symposium (Economic Model and technology use by residents)
6. Outreach Project Success (A.S.B. and Work Weekends, Bride of Christ Church)
7. Collective Architecture and Landscape Architecture Courses
8. ESLCAN (New leadership in City Hall)

Go to top of page

Groups separated into Faculty - Staff - Students discussed what ESLARP’s priorities should be in the coming year. The following is the results of the 3 groups discussion.
 
 

Faculty

1. Strengthen cross disciplinary curriculum
2. Increase compatibility of tools & curriculum
3. Extend Assistance to collar communities
4. Promote faith based organizing
5. Increase training in use and distribution of hardware and software among students and residents
6. Upgrade facilities in Noble hall

1. Utilize the RA’s work And make it more fruitful, effective and valuable
2. Pump steroids into internal organization
3. Focus on cultivating the youth – The next generation of citizen leaders
4. Residential college
5. Expansion into EC communities
6. Concentration of activities of outreach week-ends/A.S.B

1. Hire additional NTAC staff
2. More training and education
3. Involving more leaders (youth recruitment)
4. Improve work weekends
5. Increase regional influence
6. Obtain financial independence

Summary of agenda item IV.

Faculty, Staff and RA suggestions were discussed and the group agreed on the following 5 focus areas.
Groups that have representatives of all 3 types of Participants ( Staff, RA, Faculty) was formed.
These groups purpose was to develop detailed plans for each of the 5 focus areas.
 
 

5 FOCUS AREAS FOR ‘99-’00

• Training and Education (Bob, Raja, Craig)
• Expansion into Enterprise Communities (Kieran, Janni, Cathy, Damon)
• Youth Outreach & Leadership (Mike Andrejasich, Sarah, James)
• Internal ESLARP Staffing and Management (Edgar, Ken, Paul, Deanna)
• Work Weekends (Brian, Colleen, Mike S., LaTonya)

Summary of agenda item VI.

This section will include the results of the work in the five groups identifies in agenda item IV.
 
 
 

Training & Education (Bob, Raja, Craig)

Worksheet 1: Individual Strategic Issues Identification

Instructions: The purpose of this worksheet is to describe one of the core issues for ESLARP in the coming year.
 

What is the issue? Describe briefly how you understand the issue in question.

• Training & education of residents, our students, ESL youth, (the world)

What are the major issues/challenges that we face relating this issue?

Internal short-term:

• Funding; match skills to needs; resident needs assessment; Web (as tool & subject); strengthen NTAC’s role

Internal long-term:

• Funding; matching training to future jobs; residential college; work with ESL school district

External short-term:

• ESL residents set agenda
• Widen to regional scope

External long term:

• State and local political support
• Local empowerment

• Existing blight remains or
• Others less purely motivated might fill the gap.

Worksheet 2: Key Questions for Identifying Strategies

Instructions: The purpose of this worksheet is to develop strategies for the core issues facing ESLARP in the coming year.

For Leaders:

• Increase NTAC’s training role
• Support residential college
• Train the trainers
• Better web service

• Improve inter disciplinary programs
• Better use of web

• Build relationships with ESL schools
• Distance learning on web

What specific steps must be taken within the next six months to best implement 1-3 (depending on how much time each initiative takes to develop) of the major initiatives, and who is responsible for taking them?
 

Step:	Party responsible for step:
For Leaders: Plan programs & write grants	NTAC & ESLCAN
For Students (and CBOs): Needs assessment	CBOs w/ ESLARP
For Youth Outreach to ESL schools	ESLARP (RA?) CBOs

 

Worksheet 3: Plan review and adoption process

Instructions: Fill out this worksheet as a group.

Determine who needs to participate in reviewing and adopting the plan

 

Plan review:                                                 Plan Adoption:

ESLARP; NTAC, CBOs                               CBOs; School dist.; UIUC teaching units
 
 
 
 

Develop a plan review and adoption process.

What will be done:                             Who will do it:                     When will it be done:                     How will it be done:

Plan ed. Programs                             NTAC                                     2-3 months                                    RA research

• needs assessment                    ESLARP (RA), NTAC
• grant writing                             ESLCAN

Residential College                             ESLARP/NTAC                 1 1/2 – 2 years                                (as above)
 
 

Train CBOs & teachers                     ESLARP/NTAC/CBOs     1-2 years                                         w/ school dist.
 
 

Web development                             ESLARP/NTAC/CBOs     6 month                                                 RA

Dist. & recip. learning
 

Interdisciplinary programs             Faculty                                 ASAP                                                    do it!

What are the expected results and milestones?

• Improved capabilities of CBOs, leaders, youth
• Reciprocal learning
• Domino effect

 

ESLARP ~    Funders    ~       CBOs       ~         CBOs & Others
 
 
 
 

Go to top of page

Expansion into Enterprise Communities (Kieran, Janni, Cathy, Damon)
 

Worksheet 1: Individual Strategic Issues Identification

Instructions: The purpose of this worksheet is to describe one of the core issues for ESLARP in the coming year.

What is the issue? Describe briefly how you understand the issue in question.

Expanding into EC

• What are the expectations?
• Same as ESL?

What are the major issues/challenges that we face relating this issue?

Internal short term:

• Lack of relationship, date
• Staffing

Internal long term:

• Losing ties with ESL
• Defining success-relationships
• Maintaining ties w. "Old" organizations

• Communities’ expectations
• Conflicting expectations

• How to promote cooperation among neighborhood organizations
• How to think regionally and act locally

What are the consequences of not addressing this issue?

• Ceding control of community development to private interest who have plans
• Failure to seize opportunity to promote regional awareness, and break down hostile attitudes
• Loosing funding
• Failure to expose important supporters

Worksheet 2: Key Questions for Identifying Strategies

Instructions: The purpose of this worksheet is to develop strategies for the core issues facing ESLARP in the coming year.

Strategic Issue:

Expand into EC
 

What are the practical alternatives, dreams, or visions we might pursue to address this issue and achieve our goal?

• Hire new staff
• Collect oral histories
• Outreach, pulpit speeches, data collection
• Presentation of ESL successes to collar towns
• Building partnerships between ESL neighborhood groups and new partner organizations
• Tie EC to regional context

Prioritize the major initiatives might we pursue to achieve these alternatives, dreams, or visions directly, or else indirectly through overcoming the barriers?

1. Relationship building; outreach, regional connections
2. Data collection
3. Direct assistance

 

 
 
 
 
 

Step:                                                                                                                                 Party responsible for step:

 
Relationship building:                                                                            NTAC Planner & director

-Outreach

Pulpit, newsletter, interviews
 

-Partnerships Neighborhood partners

What successful groups are doing

        Data collection:

-Physical data (NCS, ICS)                                                                                 UI students, SLU, WU, SIU

-Social History (oral)                                                                                          UI planning, soc., education

-Dissemination                                                                                                    RA train students/ residents

-Web, newspaper, radio, TV, newsletter                                                        NTAC planner
 
 

        -Board to board assistance                                                                                 Neighborhood partners, NTAC director

        -"Mutual aid weekends"                                                                                     CBOs, UI students

        -Neighborhood College courses                                                                          ESLARP, NTAC, CBOs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Worksheet 3: Plan review and adoption process

Instructions: Fill out this worksheet as a group.

Determine who needs to participate in reviewing and adopting the plan

 

Plan review:                                                                     Plan Adoption:

EC funders

Current EC partners                                                                 All

ESLARP

Current ESL partners
 
 
 
 

• Partner on initiatives with current ESL partners
• Document progress on initiatives to funders & partners
• Do slide shows on what we have gathered
• PUBLICIZE expansion

What will be done:                     Who will do it:                 When will it be done:                     How will it be done:

Go to top of page

Youth Outreach & Leadership (Mike Andrejasich, Sarah, James)
 

Worksheet 1: Individual Strategic Issues Identification

Instructions: The purpose of this worksheet is to describe one of the core issues for ESLARP in the coming year.

What is the issue? Describe briefly how you understand the issue in question.

• Involve more young people (age 6-18) in the activities of community based organizations, activate them as a positive force in neighborhood life and prepare them as future leaders through mentoring and educational programming.

What are the major issues/challenges that we face relating this issue

Internal short term:

• What resources are available?
• Define and limit the scope
• Who will do it?

Internal long term:

• Maintain:

        -quality

        -resources and materials

        -personnel
 
 

External short term:

• Interest (youth and community organizations)
• Recruitment
• competition

• Expanding
• Sustainable resources ($$, H.C)

What are the consequences of not addressing this issue?

• Vacuum in the leadership contin.
• Higher demand on resources to constantly develop leadership outside the organization (perpetual organizing)
• Dependence on external technical assistance

Worksheet 2: Key Questions for Identifying Strategies

Instructions: The purpose of this worksheet is to develop strategies for the core issues facing ESLARP in the coming year.

Strategic Issue:

• Who will provide? Who will benefit?

What are the practical alternatives we might pursue to achieve our goal?

• Through dissemination of information & technical assistance to the "Marketplace"
• Organization and networking
• Hands-on (program models)
• One-on-ones (mentoring)
• Gaming
• Bulletin boards – chat rooms

Prioritize the major initiatives might we pursue to achieve these alternatives, dreams, or visions directly, or else indirectly through overcoming the barriers?

1. Clearing house
2. Develop a model ( mentoring, gaming)
3. Organize, network, broker partnerships

Worksheet 3: Plan review and adoption process

Instructions: Fill out this worksheet as a group.

Determine who needs to participate in reviewing and adopting the plan

Plan review:                                                                 Plan Adoption:
 
 

ESLARP, ESLCAN

N.O./ RESIDENTS.…………………………………………………X

MINISTERS………………………………………………………..…X

SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS……………………………..….X

YOUTH…………………………………………………....……………X

EXTERNAL EXPERTS
 
 
 
 

 
Support:                                                             Opposition:

Residents, youth                                                 Existing providers

                                                                               School administrators
 
 

Inclusion, Disclosure, Summits, forums & information meetings
 
 

Develop a plan review and adoption process.

What will be done:                                         Who will do it:                                         When will it be done:

• Clearing house

-Assessment of existing programs              ESLARP, NTAC                                           F99A

-Compile data                                                 ESLARP                                                        F99A-B

-Evaluate/review                                           N.O. External experts                                F99B

-Dissemination                                                NTAC/ESLCAN, WWW                             F99B
 

• Develop a model program for ESL

-Programming                                                 "Partners" & Campus                                 SP00 B

-Identify/secure resources                            "Partners" & NTAC                                    SP00 A

-Implementation                                             "Partners"                                                    SU00 B
 
 

• Organize & Network

-Broke additional partnerships                         w/ N.O. (Safe haven,                               SP00 B
                                                                               Schools, Churches,
                                                                               Y.O. & Y.G)

-Expand                                                                "partners"                                                 SU00 B
 
 
 

Identify resources for implementation of the plan and indicate whether or not they are assured.
 

	Assured
	YES	NO
ESLARP Students (workshop/course assignments)		X
ESLARP Staff & RA time		X
ESLARP web site (space, design, maintenance)		X
Community Funds, Space		X
Community Participants		X
Community web access		X

Go to top of page

Internal ESLARP Staffing and Management (Edgar, Ken, Paul, Deanna)
 
 

Goal: To improve ESLARP’s effectiveness and efficiency
 
 

1. More Effective Use of RA Resources

• Create detailed job descriptions
• Identify general expectations
• Shift maintenance activities to hourly work studies
• Reduce and make more flexible RA hours
• Establish Standard Operating Procedures Manual

1. Enhance capacity of NTAC Staff

• Add community/office assistance
• "Duplicate LaTonya". New Community Planner for collar towns
• Retain community organizing function
• Provide $10,000 supplemental help fund to hire high school students.
• Move to "Girdle" building

1. Strengthen Internal Communication

• Email based weekly reports from RAs
• Cross meeting attendance for staff and RAs
• Add NTAC to RA orientation and work plan review sessions
• Mid semester progress report/issues discussion
• Schedule "fun" activities like a Fall Ball, Spring Run, or Softball Game. (Could be included with outreach weekend).

1. Enhance Advanced Technology

• Accept imaging laboratory staff report and add digitizing assistant.
• Add 3 H.E. S.8. machines to Noble computer facilities
• Add RA for technical assessment surveys (end user)

Outreach Weekends (Brian, Colleen, Mike S., LaTonya)
 
 

Worksheet 1: Individual Strategic Issues Identification

Instructions: The purpose of this worksheet is to describe one of the core issues for ESLARP in the coming year.

What is the issue? Describe briefly how you understand the issue in question.

• Making out reach weekends more effective for residents, students, RA’s, staff…

What are the major issues/challenges that we face relating this issue
 

Internal short term:

• Define purpose of out reach weekends in terms of empowerment & Pedagogical goals
• Increase RA stake in out come of weekends (RA defined projects)

• Capture knowledge gained for future reference
• Focus on working with rather than for

• Enforce requirement of resident/member involvement

• Focus on working with rather than working for
• Build on our knowledge
• Build on our strengths

What are the consequences of not addressing this issue?

• Unhappy residents, RA’s, Students, staff…
• Failure of the project as a whole to grow & develop

Worksheet 2: Key Questions for Identifying Strategies

Instructions: The purpose of this worksheet is to develop strategies for the core issues facing ESLARP in the coming year.

Strategic Issue:

• Making outreach weekends more effective for residents, students, RA’s, staff…

What are the practical alternatives, dreams, or visions we might pursue to address this issue and achieve our goal?

• Use weekend activities in a strategic way – Large & flashy or Small & deep
• Make RA’s leaders, not baby-sitters. It allows them to take ownership of projects & get more involved in outcomes

Step:                                                                                                                                 Party responsible for step:

Identify small Scale projects that involve residents,                                  A Specifically
$, mobilize ESLARP skills                                                                                      Interested RA
 

Respond to the requests/demands                                                               Resident request to
For volunteers & resources                                                                                   NTAC, which
                                                                                                                                   Communicate w/ UIUC
                                                                                                                                   Staff/RA/etc.
 

Worksheet 3: Plan review and adoption process

Instructions: Fill out this worksheet as a group.

Determine who needs to participate in reviewing and adopting the plan

 
Plan review:                                             Plan Adoption:

Resident advisory group
Faculty, Staff & RA’s                                 (same)
 
 
 
 

 
Support:                                                                                                         Opposition:
 

RA’s                             NTAC                                                                         "status Quo" Interests

Students                                                 Residents

Faculty (?)
 
 
 
 
 
 

• Counseling, communication, success

Develop a plan review and adoption process.
 

What will be done:                         Who will do it:                                 When will it be done:                             How will it be done:

Resident advisory meeting             NTAC                                                Late summer                                         W/ Food! Pizza/BBQ
 

Write plan/ specifics                        Staff/faculty/RA                             Later summer
 

Review and approve by                   Residents & NTAC                         End of summer
Resident advisory
 

Develop learning contracts              RA’s/Faculty/Staff                        Beginning of fall
 

Special project                                   RA’s/Faculty/Staff                        Fall semester
 

Project report                                    RA’s/Faculty/Staff                        End of fall
 
 

What are the expected results and milestones?

• Truth, honesty and beauty

• Meetings, Projects, Mini proposals, End report

Go to top of page

Summary of agenda item VIII.

Evaluation

The following projects/initiatives were pointed out at the end of the day as the most interesting ideas of the retreat:

SPECIFIC CATEGORIES AND PROJECTS:

• RA-led Work Weekend Projects (3 votes)
• CBO-to-CBO knowledge sharing and mutual aid (3 votes)
• Youth Participation (2 votes)
• Fundraising (2 votes)
• Overall restructuring of Work Weekends
• Requirements of community participation
• "Take RA to work day" to assist in RA’s knowledge of different aspects of ESLARP.
• Reorganization of Noble Hall computers
• Education and training component of RA meetings.
• Overall Restructuring of RA responsibilities.

Document author(s) : Janni Sorensen
Last modified: 26-May-99, J. Sorensen