Community Conversations

Helping students develop senior projects that are meaningful to them and valued by the community.

Community Conversations
Clark County citizens have a unique opportunity to empower youth as they revitalize their schools and communities. Every year more than 5,000 high school seniors have an opportunity to do projects that involve the community before they graduate. Community Conversations is designed to support these students by enabling them to talk with youth and adults who can help them shape projects that are personally meaningful and valued by the community. 

We plan to train youth and adult facilitators to use a Community Conversations process to foster respectful and generative intergenerational discussions.

We will connect youth with adults through Community Conversations and online resources so they can discover how to use their unique skills and experiences to create more effective schools and communities.

More …
The Community Conversations Project is supporting Vancouver/ Clark County high school students in completing their senior projects by
• Helping them craft projects that matter to them and to our community;
• Connecting them with adults, seniors and other youth who also care about those projects;
• Linking them with non-profits who can effectively use their skills and energy; and
• Giving them training and experience in facilitating inter generational community conversations.

Update—
Community Conversations offered two summer conversations and plans to offer more intergenerational conversations this fall. In addition, we are developing resources for the web to support students who are planning their senior projects

This summer’s Conversations focused on:
The Environment
Global warming, growth management and urban forest preservation.

and

Health Issues
Teen smoking, addiction intervention,  and eating disorders

If you or any one you know could inform or support students doing seniors projects addressing civic issues contact: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) 360-576-5070.

Donations will be made to the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington and are tax deductible.—link to community Foundation for Southwest Washington

A video about the project can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/Eden242

Recognized by the Case Foundation
The Case Foundation is supporting a few “home grown” ideas that will engage people in civic life of their communities. Their “Make It Your Own Awards™ is about people connecting with others in their community, forming solutions, and taking action.”

More than 4,700 people submitted ideas and Kate McPherson’s Community Conversations Project is one of the Case Foundation’s Top 20 projects. Take a look at the Make it Your Own Projects http://casefoundation.org/make-it-your-own/awards.

To find out more about the Case Foundation and civic involvement check out their web site at http://www.casefoundation.org

Community will help citizens of all ages will develop a sense of pride and purpose as they partner to help the community.

---