As Northeast Village PDX creates itself out of whole cloth, how do we keep interested parties engaged and involved so that the organization can draw on their talents and expertise? That is the question that underlies a new Village experiment: the use of focus groups to address five categories of upcoming activity: a functional service system, a governance system, funding, membership building, and marketing.

 

Group #1. On a chilly February evening the first group met over cups of tea at the home of Lynne and Todd Coward to discuss ways to attract and retain interest in Northeast Village PDX in the months to come. "What areas of interest draw people to the Village?" facilitator Lynne asked, and "Could we come up with some really meaty, detailed, and helpful programs the Village might offer in those areas?"

 

After asking the six in attendance to tell why they were drawn to the Village (the common theme was a desire to help others as part of a community), Lynn asked them to look at programs the Village might present in five areas of interest: (1) health care in its many practical manifestations; (2) the types of housing to consider as a person ages; (3) ways to combat isolation; (4) adaptations to make to one's home, and (5) ways to get personal finances in order and avoid being taken in by scams.

 

When the meeting started, group members were brainstorming programs that could be presented at monthly Village meetings, but by the end of the evening they were exploring the idea that the programs (probably panels of experts) could be presented to the public at large as a public service from the Village. (Village Pubs, anyone?)

 

If you are interested in working on a committee to further explore these ideas, contact Margaret Baldwin at 503-895-2750 or nevillagepdx@gmail.com

 

Group #2. The second group was just beginning work on the development of Village policies and procedures in the area of membership. It met in early March at the home of Vonnie Condon, a volunteer whose many years in public school administration makes her uniquely qualified to lead this effort.

 

"It's a complicated task," Vonnie told the group, "and we need information about what other Villages have done." This means reviewing at least 10 sets of policies and procedures and writing outlines of their contents, with special attention to the categories other Villages have established. Then the group can begin judging which ideas would work for Northeast Village PDX, given our mission statement, and adding new categories and ideas as needed.

 

Discussion this evening focused on age limits for membership and various financial issues, as well as funding of startup costs during the organizational period leading up to June 2016.

 

If you are interested in working on a committee to further explore these ideas, please contact Vonnie at vcondon100@gmail.com.  

We know what NE Village PDX is (see the paragraph in italics at the beginning of this newsletter), but here are just a few other questions that pop into the minds of folks who are new to the organization.

 

Is this a new idea?

We'd like to say we invented the idea but we didn't. The first village began in Boston's Beacon Hill neighborhood in 2002. Today there are 140 chapters and 150 or so forming around the country and even abroad. It's an idea whose time has come!

 

Is NE Village PDX the only Village in the Portland area?

No, actually there are several in development: Eastside Village, serving 12 Portland neighborhoods on the east side of the Willamette River south of I-84 and north of Powell Blvd.; RISE (Residing In South East) Village, serving all the SE Uplift neighborhoods south of Powell + Lents; North Star Village, serving North Portland, bordering neighborhoods in the Northwest and inner Northeast, and Sauvie Island; Village Without Walls, serving Forest Grove, Cornelius, Hillsboro, and Aloha-Reedville; Three Rivers Village, serving Oregon City, West Linn, and Lake Oswego; and Viva Village!, serving Beaverton, Cedar Mill, and Cedar Hills. 

 

Is there any organization tying the Villages together?

Yes, in the greater Portland area, the individual villages can be seen as "spokes" of a central "hub" organization, Villages Northwest, which provides 501(c)3 status, liability insurance, information, and some marketing help to the spokesall of which are independent entities. On the national level, the Village to Village Network provides a wealth of helpful information and has an annual conference that Village leaders can attend.

 

What will it cost to be a member?

At this stage of our development, this is the big unknown. Other Villages' membership fees range from $200 to $1,000 a year, depending on a number of factors such as whether or not a Village has paid staff. Our fees might fall somewhere in the middle of that range, with a discount for more than one person in a household. Also, we hope to have subsidized fees for lower income levels.

 

Won't the local Villages be duplicating services that already exist?

Our Village won't duplicate services already on offer from governmental and nonprofit organizations, but we will be aware of them, help our seniors access them, and fill in the gaps where no services exist.

 

When will NE Village PDX be up and running?

The target date is June 30, 2016. Meanwhile, volunteers from our neighborhoods are busy laying all the groundwork necessary for that to happen.

 

That sounds great! How can I help?

Two types of volunteers are needed: (1) those who can start right now and help us plan and set up the services and (2) those who can provide services after June 2016. In the first group we need people with backgrounds or interest in program administration, finance, fund raising, public speaking, marketing, grant writing, elder care, and database management. In the second group we will need volunteers of any age who could provide friendly home visits, rides to the grocery store or appointments, simple handyman services, light yard work or housekeeping, computer counseling, dog walking, and more. To volunteer, contact Margaret Baldwin at 503-895-2750 or nevillagepdx@gmail.com.