Active Cultural Togetherness (ACT)
If you have questions please email onemacomb@macombgov.org
The Gateways for Growth Challenge Grant application (attachment C) provided an opportunity for OneMacomb to garner resources, to gather targeted data and gather public opinion. Once OneMacomb was granted the award information was used to guide members of a steering committee as they developed a strategic plan for making Macomb County more inclusive. As a result of this process, Macomb A.C.T. (Active Cultural Togetherness) – complete with a nine-page operating agreement (attachment D) – was formed.
Meeting Schedule
April 12th, 2017 - 9am to 12pm
Location:
Macomb Community College
University Center Assembly Hall UC-1
44575 Garfield Rd,
Charter Twp of Clinton, MI 48038
Agenda:
- Welcome
- Quick Introductions at each table
- Recap of strategic planning process
- Relationship building icebreaker
- "New Americans in Macomb County"
- "Macomb County Diversity and Inclusion Collaborative"
- Working groups meeting
- Video
- Feedback, next steps and next meeting
March 24th, 2017 - 9am to 12pm
Location:
Verkuilen Building Training Center
21885 Dunham Rd, Clinton Twp 48036
Entrance C (South West Corner)
Building Map
Meeting Notes
- Heard and discussed the goals of the five Strategic Working Groups
- Voted on key organizational decisions:
- 95% wanted to organize to work cooperatively together to advance common interests.
- 92% wanted a written understanding so Community Partners knew what they were agreeing to.
- 87% wanted a "Steering Committee" to approve and coordinate efforts among Working Groups.
January 24th, 2017 - 9am to 12pm
Meeting Notes
- Received & discussed consultants’ data report
- All met in one of five Strategic Working Groups (Police & Community Rel’ns, Econ. Dev./Bus./Jobs, Access to Resources, Education/Schools, Refugee Assistance)
- Began discussing & prioritizing Strategic Tasks to advance a Strategic Subject
- Discussed creating an organizational framework for CPs to advance common interests
October 14th, 2016 - 9am to 12pm
Meeting Notes:
- Learned about data gathering to be done by consultants about what needs improvement in Macomb to become more inclusive
- Received new demographic & other related data on inclusion in Macomb County
- Networked together
- Gave input and feedback
Resources
Collaborative Operating Agreement
Diversity Bingo
Gateways for Growth Grant Application
New Americans in Macomb County A Snapshot of the Demographic and Economic Contributions of Immigrants in the County
OneMacomb Do's and Don'ts
OneMacomb RFQ for Strategic Plan Project Manager
Relationship building
Signed Welcoming Cities/ Counties Letter
The New Macomb County Report
How did we get here:
- 25 to 30 Community Partners
- Macomb County’s desire to encourage Community groups to work on common interests.
- Assumption: Community groups can have more impact making Macomb more inclusive if they organize and coordinate work on key strategic issues.
- Experienced consultants were hired to help facilitate the process
- A diverse Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) was created to guide process
- SPC has met four times with the consultants (9/20; 10/25; 12/6; and 3/11)
Moving forward:
- Remember the assumption of OneMacomb that started this process? Community groups can have more impact making Macomb more inclusive if they organize and coordinate work on key strategic issues.
- The County, through OneMacomb, will continue logistical support to a new organizational structure (free meeting places, scheduling help, invitations, etc.)
- We are moving forward on two separate but related “tracks” at the same time:
- Creating an appropriate Organizational Framework or Structure; and,
- Planning strategically on priority subjects.
- Need both tracks done before you can start!
Strategic Task Groups:
Police and Community Relations
- Create more two-way dialogue/interaction with police personnel and members of the community
- Partner on initiatives that foster more positive interaction between police personnel and youth
- Create additional and utilize existing surveys as an effective way to gain feedback from community and law enforcement officers
- Support recruitment of diverse candidates in law enforcement
- Build upon and support existing programs that foster positive interactions between community and police
Refugee Assistance
- Identify specific family needs and communication strategies
- Identify job opportunities and requirements for non-English speaking workers (agricultural, landscaping)
- Identify multilingual health centers that have Arabic speaking staff in areas near Madison Heights and Warren
- Create and/or enhance resource databases and reference guides
- Provide training, workshops and written information in multiple languages on topics such as financial literacy, public transportation, community resources
- Expand formal family mentorship programs (ie: training of the trainers)
Education / Schools
- Explore how Macomb schools and districts are working toward inclusion for ALL students
- Explore resources districts have for refugee / immigrant students and how these resources are communicated
- Work to create opportunities for open dialogue between diverse community members and educators - let people ask questions
- Survey Macomb districts about their hiring process - are they getting diverse applicants? What has prevented them from hiring a more diverse staff?
- Explore what districts are doing to celebrate and acknowledge other cultures
- Connect with teacher unions
- Provide education and training for administrators and teachers
Economic Development / Businesses and Jobs
- Employ storytelling to provide examples of how employers have created a welcoming environment
- Increase participation / access to available resources for personal financial literacy
- Employ storytelling to share successes of businesses who utilize minority suppliers
- Improve access to information for employers about diversity and cultural competency training
- increase access to information about starting a business
- Workforce development programs
Access to Resources
- Identify Service provider barriers
- Increase awareness of immigrant / refugee resource available in Macomb County
- Increase awareness of transportation resources available
- Identify cultural competence training for service providers