Community Action Toolkit for Neighborhoods and Schools By: Ironwood Tree Experience Created in Collaboration with Wallace Research Foundation
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Community Action Toolkit For Neighborhoods and Schools By: Ironwood Tree Experience Created In Collaboration with Wallace Research Foundation Original Content © 2013 is developed by Ironwood Tree Experience, ironwoodtreeexperience.org. All rights reserved. Ink Drawings © 2012 are developed by Rachel Glass. Layout and design are developed by Eric Dhruv, Rachel Glass, and Martha Gebhardt. Photos are courtesy of Ironwood Tree Experience photographers. Version 2.0 edition © 2017 Permission to duplicate any portion of this Toolkit is allowed only if uses are educational and not for profit. For other reasons, please contact the authors at [email protected]. We recommend printing the Toolkit on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper. FSC certified paper is a sustainable use of natural resources - reducing the use of trees and water, and reducing the production of waste and greenhouse gases. To learn more about the FSC, visit fsc.org. Authors: Eric Dhruv, Martha Gebhardt, and Rachel Glass Editors: Suzanne Dhruv and ITE Board of Directors Table of Contents Community Action Toolkit Ironwood Tree Experience & Intro 3 Goals 4 Structure 5 Part I: Raw Materials 6-11 Part III: Nuts, Bolts & Tools 17-24 What are Community Assets? 7 6 Steps to Project Completion 18 Five Asset Categories Project Step 1 19 1. People 8 Project Step 2 20 2. Places 8 Project Step 3 21 3. Nature 9 Project Step 4 22 4. Aesthetics 9 Project Step 5 23 5. Infrastructure 10 Project Step 6 24 Using Asset Categories & Stacking Funtions 11 Part II: Blueprints 12-16 Part IV: Finishing Touches 25-31 Pocket Parks 13 CATP Calendar 26 Service Programs 14 Notes on the Community Action Pedestrian Pathways 15 Committee 27 Bus Stops 16 Glossary 28-31 3 Ironwood Tree Experience (ITE) Community Action Toolkit ITE is a 501c3 non profit organization that The Community Action Toolkit (CAT for connects youth with their community through Neighborhoods and Schools works with experiences in nature. Young people, ages people of all ages, backgrounds, abilities, and 14-22, engage in Stewardship projects that interests to implement "do-it-together", connect them with the places they call 'home'. community-driven projects. Projects engage ITE lives in Tucson and operates in the urban diverse members of a community, increase and wild places of the Sonoran Desert. youth engagement, practice a holistic and sustainable approach to project development, All ITE experiences integrate active lessons in and foster a sense of place. natural history, ecosystem services, sustainability, urban ecology, green The CAT provides the steps to re-imagine, infrastructure, systems thinking, and outdoor transform, and refresh underused outdoor and adventure education. Our work has shown spaces into exciting components of a that youth maintain a high level of engagement community, such as schoolyard outdoor when they are involved in experiences that classrooms, social gathering spaces, wildlife encourage them to take an active role in habitat, artistic expressions, and much more! t improving their community. ki l The Toolkit provides a protocol of best Stewardship practices and resources that support a Too community action project. These projects n ITE programs foster stewardship practices occur in shared public spaces, and in through backcountry research and monitoring partnership with Ironwood Tree Experience with scientists, to urban stewardship projects student leaders and staff. where teens, neighbors, and professionals Actio share knowledge, skills, and experiences to ITE teen participants, staff, and volunteers y actively identify, design, plan, and create sincerely hope that you will use the CAT, in its natural habitat in urban spaces. entirety, or in parts, in Tucson, AZ, and beyond. Let's do-it-together! Communit 4 Goals "CAT for Neighborhood and Schools" has four over-arching goals: 1. Engage diverse members of a community - 3. Practice sustainable and holistic human and non-human approaches to project development Community engagement is integral to nurturing Sustainability has three pillars: ecology, the health and wellness of people and nature, social-culture, and economics. Projects must and to the overall quality of our water, land, and actively include all three pillars in projects to air. be considered sustainable. To experience community engagement at its Holistic or holism, is concerned with the best, include a diversity of people, project ideas, whole, or complete, system, rather than with the 'parts' of a system. experiences, skills, and natural resources. 4. Foster a sense of place 2. Increase youth participation and leadership t To have a sense of place is to be aware of, Youth character development is strengthened by and value, characteristics of your meaningful, engaging opportunities in local community. A sense of place connects us Toolki n urban and wild areas. with our community and motivates us to care for and nurture our community. CA Projects are one way to foster a sense of place. Challenges that encourage youth to explore, Actio contemplate, and take action to improve the y environment. And that empower youth and raise their expectations for themselves and their munit community. m Co 5 Structure: The CAT is structured into four main parts: Part III: Nuts, Bolts & Tools Part I: Raw Materials The CAT takes 6 steps toward a sustainable and holistic community action project. These Raw materials are the elements, assets, steps model how easy it is for community and components found in any community. members of diverse ages, abilities, and The five asset categories: People, Places, interests to implement a "do-it-together" Nature, Aesthetics, and Infrastructure, community-driven project. The end results ensure a sustainable and holistic approach are a greater sense of place and connection to project development. Utilizing with others, including humans and non- permaculture principles, such as "stacking humans, in natural and built environments. functions", moves a singular asset to a Tools are available for download at synergistic component. ironwoodtreeexperience.org/ communityactiontoolkit/. t Part II: Blueprints Part IV: Finishing Touches Toolki Twelve projects are provided as Every project needs those final, finishing n examples for CAT projects. These touches to feel complete and satisfactory. projects include a variety of integrated components. Resources & References include a complete Actio account of materials, websites, and literature y that have informed the CAT goals, best practices, and tools. munit Glossary includes key words and concepts m that are present throughout the CAT. Co Part I: Raw Materials Community Assets Mural and plaza, Barrio Viejo, Tucson 7 Raw Materials: Elements, Assets & Components Children, adults, parks, A community action project that is school, trees, birds, lizards, composed of 4 or more asset walkways, murals, arroyos, categories becomes a "Component". neighborhood pools, and Components symbolize the do-it-together vacant lots, in a community, community spirit. Overtime, components are collectively known as may become so much a part of the "Elements". community that it is seen as an element Elements within a community rather than a collection of assets. Hence, can be valued as positive, negative, or neutral. cycle repeats itself (see graphic below). Element Elements that are street trees valued positively are Asset street tree casting called "Assets". shade Each asset falls into one of five asset categories: Component People, Places, Nature, CAT project to plant native trees in basins, with the help of a neighborhood landscaper, in order to Infrastructure, and cool an adjacent walkway so kids can walk to Aesthetics. school! s Five Asset Categories rial e People Places Nature Infrastructure Aesthetics Practice sustainable and at holistic approaches to project M development by following the w a five asset categories icons R throughout the CAT. : I t Strong projects have at least 4 asset categories. Par 8 Asset Category: People A holistic project begins with the people who live, learn, work, and play in a community! With a little investigation and an open mind, we may be surprised to discover the diverse ages, cultural backgrounds, knowledge, skill levels, and interests of our neighbors, classmates, and peers. What are the Benefits? A holistic CAP benefits a diversity of people through a range of opportunities, from leading workshops and digging holes, to planning a budget. Youth can benefit by becoming an asset to the community. What are the Challenges? Integrating underserved populations in a CAP is a challenge. Over the past 40 years, youth have become increasingly sedentary, and fewer parents feel comfortable sending their kids outside for unstructured play. As a result, children may not be recognized as the fabric of their neighborhood because they are rarely seen and heard. Asset Category: Places Places include homes, school rooms, ball fields, gardens, and parks. Places do not need a recognizable address or legal designation to be an asset. s What are the Benefits? Places ground people to their neighborhood or school, and provide an identifiable venue for erial community action projects. Identifying places in the school community that are underutilized or t previously unacknowledged as assets increases a community's value and potential. Ma w What are the Challenges? a R The value of places can be personal. A place that one individual may identify as an asset may be : I considered an eyesore or hazard to someone else.