From Vision to Action Engaging the whole system to create and carry out new strategies for reducing poverty Presented by Nancy Polend Sojourners / Call to Renewal Pentacost 2007: Taking the Vision to the Streets Washington, DC June 3-6, 2007

1 Welcome! This workshop will: –Demonstrate the value of a whole-system approach to poverty. –Offer a proven, concrete way you can initiate systemic change in your community. –Share news about & extend invitation into a national grassroots-to-policy strategy.

2 Key Questions What kind of problem is poverty? What does it mean to put poverty on the national agenda? How can we create shared vision & commitment to eliminate poverty? How can we translate vision & commitment into collaborative action? How can our local work influence national policy?

3 Poverty and the National Agenda Continuum of responsibility: Who’s got a stake? Federal Gov’t Persons in poverty FaithBusinessMedia Financial Services Healthcare EducationHousingCommunity Action State / local Gov’t Human Services Advocates

4 The responsibility of and solution to poverty is not IN any one place… Where’s the Answer? …IT IS AMONG US.

5 Enabling Vision AND Action: Future Search Principles derived from 60 years of research & experimentation. –“Whole system” in the room. –Explore the whole before acting on a part. –Future focus & common ground. –Self management & responsibility. Unique 2.5 day action planning experience; brings together those with: –Authority –Resources –Expertise –Information –Need

6 What Future Search Enables Shared values & changed assumptions. Plan for the future. Concrete goals. Implementation strategy. Commitment to implement.

7 The Future Search Agenda Past –What brought us here? –Global/national, local, personal timelines. Present –Build a map of trends affecting their issue. –Stakeholder groups tell what they’re: Doing now & what they’d like to do in the future re: the trends. Proud of and sorry about re: their work on the trends.

8 The Future Search Agenda (cont.) Future –Small mixed groups develop preferred future scenarios. Common Ground –Groups identify & confirm key themes that appear in every scenario. Action Planning –Groups develop goals & plans for implementation & accountability.

9 Video: The Future Search Experience (almost) Actual community, real Future Search. –Visualize your community, convened by you. Insight into planning process & related issues. –Consider who in your community could be planning members. –Visualize yourself establishing a planning team. Shares concrete projects & outcomes. –Envision concrete projects in your community being carried out.

10 Introducing Continuous community-to-policy cycles

11 Resources and Activities of PCPN Capacity-Building: Leaders Workshop –Cohort group: Learns Future Search and experiences it first-hand. Begins identifying local planning team members & stakeholder groups. Is matched up with experienced facilitators who support them from planning to follow up. Local Future Search Sessions –Planning support. –Facilitation and documentation. –Follow up and evaluation.

12 Resources and Activities of PCPN Learning Community –Web portal for participating communities – listserve (peer and FSN support) Access to information, action plans, learning, progress, resources of other participating communities On line forum for sharing learning and information among participating communities National Future Search –Roll up of local work; selected participants from each local session participate FSN Staff Support & Coordination: “Glue”

13 The PCPN “At Leasts” We would at least have the whole system working on the systemic issue. Plans that affect the whole system would at least be created by the whole system using information & experiences from the whole system. The high level of commitment to implementation will at least increase the likelihood that the plans lead to real change. The community-to-policy cycles will at least ensure that people making policies directly experience community realities before developing policies.

14 Ready to Roll… We have the: –Methodology. –Network of trained professional facilitators across the country. –Track record. –Organization to glue it together without loyalties or agenda. What we need now is: –You to become involved. –Your communities to participate. –Sponsors to fund participating communities.

15 How to Get Involved Become a community leader-champion. Become an “ambassador” to help engage national sponsors. Become a corporate, public, or NGO sponsor. –Specific community or general support/sponsorship. Become a personal supporter. –Tax deductible. Become a program advisory team member. Join the team of trained facilitators by becoming a member of the Future Search Network.

16 Contact Information Nancy Polend PCPN Program Director (540) Web Site: