Organizing Collaborative

[northside lurker]

Unfortunately, there isn't much content at this time.

LOL, I guess not.  I viewed their site with Firefox and IE because I thought the problem was on my end.  But, the pages were vitually blank in both instances.

According to the recent 2010 program that aired on PBS last Monday, (my neighbors taped it, and I saw it this weekend) this collaborative is related to the Wean foundation in some way.

It's also my understanding that they will work with existing neighborhood groups in addition to creating new ones.  They would organize the efforts of the individual groups to make a single, louder voice to get things accomplished.

[jay]

This is the address for their website.  Unfortunately, there isn't much content at this time.

mvorganizing.org

[Towntalk]

As long as the city is involved in it financially, then we can be certain that it will not come into conflict with 2010.

[ytowner]

This is what I've heard.

The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative received a large grant to help organize the citizens of Youngstown.  Five community organizers have been hired to work in five sections of the city.

As long as it's not Barack Obama doing the organizing I am happy!
HAHA.

[jay]

This is what I've heard.

The Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative received a large grant to help organize the citizens of Youngstown.  Five community organizers have been hired to work in five sections of the city.

[ytowner]

Perhaps explain to those naive residents like myself what it is?

[Towntalk]

What concerns me is that with a plethora of organizations each of which has its own agenda comes confusion. Its like asking twelve blind men to bake a pie. Each has his own idea about how that pie should be made without the resources to put it together.

Are they simply wanting to work within their own neighborhoods? No objection, these sort of groups are needed, and if they are prepared to workwithin the 2010 Plan, again no objection. In fact it is a good idea for neighborhood groups to be active provided they are willing to do more than sit around and talk the talk, but aren't willing to walk the walk.

If all these neighborhood groups were to meet together under an umbrella group on a regular basis and share progress, even better so that they wouldn't come into conflict with each other.

The problem comes in when neighboring groups come up with conflicting plans and are not prepared to work together. Nothing does more harm than groups squabbling with each other.

The 2010 Plan has been working because all involved are working together toward a common goal.

[jay]

Some west side residents view the collaborative as a duplication of existing organizations.

People in the seventh ward claim the south side organizer is working with the Seventh Ward Citizens' Coalition.

Maybe what happens is the result of the actual person doing the organizing on that side of town.

The address of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative is 22 West Wood Street, 2nd Floor, Youngstown, Ohio.

[Towntalk]

Jay:

This is just my opinion for what it's worth.

The more people that can be involved in Youngstown's future, the better since we are all in this together.

The question that I would have is what areas does Youngstown Organizing Collaborative want to cover ... what are their goals and who are their leaders? The name tells us very little about them.

We all know that there are already a number of organizations at work that are doing a good job, and deserve our full support. On the other hand there is a long list of counter productive groups that have come and gone with little or nothing to show for it. This is why we need to know who the leaders are. To take any new group simply on face value is unwise. If they work against established groups then we must not support them.

Personally I get worried when I hear any group calling itself an "Organizing Collaborative".

[jay]

It is my understanding that five community organizers have been hired to be part of the Youngstown Organizing Collaborative.

Has anyone on the Forum had contact with these organizers?

What are your impressions?

Do we need to start new groups when so many others already exist?