Abstract
Yes we can! is a community-building initiative funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation that aims to improve educational and economic outcomes in Battle Creek, Michigan by mobilizing low-income communities and resident leaders and building their capacity to influence the decisions and policies that impact their lives. This paper describes the strategies pursued during the first phase of this initiative to foster resident mobilization by building small wins within the neighborhood. Primarily through a neighborhood-based mini-grant program and staff supports to encourage collective action, Yes we can! has started to increase levels of resident mobilization within the seven economically distressed neighborhoods that initially partnered with the W. K. Kellogg Foundation on this effort. The specific programming components and how they were implemented as well as the initial successes experienced are described. Lessons learned are discussed.
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Notes
As part of the evaluation of this initiative, the evaluation team conducted in-depth interviews with 28 leaders from the seven participating neighborhoods to document the story of change that was unfolding in the neighborhoods. Informants were asked to describe the changes that were occurring and to explain how and why these changes came about. The findings presented here were all strongly and solely attributed to the mini-grant program.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all of the members of the Yes we can! strategy team and the seven Yes we can! Connectors for their thoughtful work on this initiative. The story told here would not be possible without their efforts and insights.
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Foster-Fishman, P.G., Fitzgerald, K., Brandell, C. et al. Mobilizing Residents for Action: The Role of Small Wins and Strategic Supports. Am J Community Psychol 38, 143–152 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-006-9081-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-006-9081-0