Group items tagged

NCoC's Civic Health Index elevates the discussion of our nation's civic health. We work with national, state, and city partners to measure how much people trust their neighbors, are active in their communities, and interact with their government. By measuring a wide variety of civic indicators, we educate Americans about our civic life and motivate people to strengthen it.  As civic health data becomes an increasing part of the dialogue around which policymakers, communities, and the media talk about civic life, the index is increasing in its scope and specificity to the state, city, and demographic levels.

This topic forms part of the Systems Thinking knowledge area (KA). It identifies systems principles as part of the basic ideas of systems thinking. Some additional concepts more directly associated with engineered systems are described, and a summary of system principles associated with the concepts already defined is provided. A number of additional "laws" and heuristics are also discussed.

People Pioneers is a new concept being tested in the 2015 UK general election. Whatever their political interests or Party affiliation,  Stephen will be encouraging people from all walks of life to listen systematically to each other across communities, to identify collective strengths, common concerns and key aspirations from within the whole constituency.   Stephen will work with People Pioneers to shape a broad based, independent organisation able to inform and support elected members - and hold them to account.   If elected to Westminster, Stephen pledges to meet regularly with the Pioneers for reflection, conversation, dialogue, discussion and action planning. 

Group model building (GMB) is a participatory approach that is widely used to build the capacity of practitioners to think in a systems way. However, it is a resource-intensive approach that requires high-level buy-in and the investment of time. We discuss the evidence, including a systematic review of the literature examining the effectiveness of GMB approaches across a wide range of contexts. The results of the review are generally positive and suggest that GMB improves problem understanding, increases engagement in systems thinking, builds confidence in the use of systems ideas and develops consensus for action among diverse stakeholders.

Resident-Centered Community Building - What Makes It Different? In June 2012, forty-one leaders of community building efforts came together to share strategies and discuss lessons they have learned about how to improve conditions in disadvantaged communities. While gatherings like these happen regularly, this one was unusual; it was designed by and for community residents.

Resilience.org aims to support building community resilience in a world of multiple emerging challenges: the decline of cheap energy, the depletion of critical resources like water, complex environmental crises like climate change and biodiversity loss, and the social and economic issues which are linked to these. We like to think of the site as a community library with space to read and think, but also as a vibrant café in which to meet people, discuss ideas and projects, and pick up and share tips on how to build the resilience of your community, your household, or yourself.

Earth Overshoot uses a multi-tiered approach to raise awareness and normalize the discussion in business, social, religious, education and political communities about our unsustainable population, the catastrophic impact it has on our planet, and the steps we must take collectively and individually to solve the problem.

About EPI. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank created in 1986 to include the needs of low- and middle-income workers in economic policy discussions. EPI believes every working person deserves a good job with fair pay, affordable health care, and retirement security. To achieve this goal, EPI conducts research and analysis on the economic status of working America. EPI proposes public policies that protect and improve the economic conditions of low- and middle-income workers and assesses policies with respect to how they affect those workers.

National Issues Forums (NIF) is a network of civic, educational, and other organizations, and individuals, whose common interest is to promote public deliberation in America. It includes civic clubs, religious organizations, libraries, schools, and many other groups that meet to discuss critical public issues. Forum participants range from teenagers to retirees, prison inmates to community leaders, and literacy students to university students.

"Economics in universities is narrow, uncritical and detached from the real world. It is dogmatically taught from one perspective as if it is the only legitimate way to study the economy. There is no room for the critical discussion and debate that is essential for any student to engage with real world economic problems. Seminars are focused on memorising and regurgitating academic theory, whilst exams test how well students can solve abstract equations.

"The Circular Economy Show is a 30-minute discussion and debate around how we can move from a linear take-make-waste economy towards a circular economy. "

"For many years, the Workshop has facilitated the establishment of self-organized working groups. Topics covered vary from year to year. Most groups are mechanisms enabling people who share common interests to discuss their current research and benefit from each other's commentary and criticism. Some groups are focused around a particular research question and have resulted in a published paper, a research design, a research proposal or some other joint product. "

California Forward's mission is to work with Californians to help create a "smart" government - one that's small enough to listen, big enough to tackle real problems, smart enough to spend our money wisely in good times and bad, and honest enough to be held accountable for results. We're different from other efforts to reform our state, because we believe in the importance of working together and understand that only robust public discussion and the creation of broad coalitions can move solutions forward. California's state and local governments must work better together for everyone. If Californians can come together to restructure the relationships between state and local governments, the experience of other states indicates that in five to seven years, we will begin to see the benefits of better governance and renewed private investment.

This web site is dedicated to the understanding of how Ambitious Cities can continuously intensify their land use while addressing the challenges of intensification.

The robustness of the Right Question Strategy is demonstrated in how it is used to address such a wide range of challenges in so many communities around the country and the world. Here are just a few examples of what happens when the RQ Strategy is taught to people who have never had the opportunity to learn to ask their own questions and focus on key decisions that affect them.

E-Democracy.org builds online public space in the heart of real democracy and community. Our mission is to harness the power of online tools to support participation in public life, strengthen communities, and build democracy. Starting with the world's first election information website in 1994 in Minnesota, today we host over 50 local Issues Forums in 17 communities across three countries - New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition to these "online town halls" and our "community life" forums we promote civic engagement online around the world.

The Philips Center for Health and Well-being is a knowledge-sharing forum that provides a focal point to raise the level of discussion on what matters most to citizens and communities. The Center will bring together experts for dialogue and debate aimed at overcoming barriers and identifying possible solutions for meaningful change that can improve people's overall health and well-being.

Sustainable Cities is a place to discuss, share, and learn about efforts to create clean, efficient urban environments. We invite you to share your examples, efforts, photos, videos, and stories!

What's Next California is an unprecedented attempt to bring the people into the process in a new way-one that is representative and thoughtful. A scientific random sample of the entire state will be transported to a single place for a weekend of face-to-face discussions, in small groups and in dialogue with competing experts.