Difference between revisions of "Community Development Network"

From Social Collaborative Singapore
Jump to: navigation, search
(Created page with "== Purpose == === Vision === A strong, self-mobilised and collaborative disability community that appreciates the needs of the disability sector and takes collective actio...")
 
 
(152 intermediate revisions by 4 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
== Purpose ==
+
[[File:Shane-rounce-DNkoNXQti3c-unsplash sm.jpg|thumb|Photo: Many different hands placed on a log, by [https://unsplash.com/photos/DNkoNXQti3c Shane Rounce on Unsplash]]]
 +
This public page is a work in progress and will be updated with information that participants have consensus on. For issues yet to be discussed, they will be in Google Docs that are accessible only to participants.
  
=== Vision  ===
+
Attend the [https://communitynetworksg.wordpress.com/community-forum-2020/ Community Forum 2020]
  
A strong, self-mobilised and collaborative disability community that appreciates the needs of the disability sector and takes collective action to improve the lives of people with disabilities.
+
Request to join our [https://www.facebook.com/groups/848734845497116/ Facebook Group - Community Development Network SG]
  
===Mission===
+
Request to join our [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/community-development-network-sg Google Group - Community Development Network SG] (for group discussions and collaborations)
A coherent network of disability organisations, VWOs and other relevant community assets that truly and authentically represent the interests of the disability community. This network will also democratise knowledge production (as knowledge is power, it puts power back in the hands of those close to the ground) and strengthen civil society (by allowing collective action without the need to rely on government resources).
 
  
=== Objectives ===
+
Request to contribute to our [https://communitynetworksg.wordpress.com/ Collective Blog] - for longer form reflections and essays
* Collectively mapping out the needs and gaps of the disability sector
 
* Providing inputs to the government on existing or emerging issues
 
* Peer exchange, learning and collaboration among partners
 
===Products of the Network and Its Uses===
 
# '''Knowledge Work''': Take stock of information and updating the knowledge base through '''Wiki Pages'''
 
#* Collective understanding of the sector is more comprehensive and robust than individual vantage points by themselves
 
#* Information on needs, community resources and gaps allows strategic planning for partners' own organisations, in response to and coordination with other organisations
 
#* Partners will get user ids that allow them to directly edit the wiki pages if they want to. This allows the wiki pages to be constantly updated with new information partners think will be pertinent to share with one another.
 
# '''Policy Advocacy'''
 
#* Deliberate on issues & write '''Policy Briefs''' representing the views of partners
 
#* Partners will get reports of the issue to be discussed before every Roundtable to establish an overview of basic information. This will allow the facts to be quickly established and corrected before moving on to the deliberation of key issues.
 
#* Instead of Enabling Masterplan led by MSF that consults the sector every 5 years, this can culminate in an '''Annual Needs & Gaps Report''' based on research and deliberation with other partners that can be surfaced to relevant stakeholders. Such analyses is more likely to be taken seriously by government if they represent the collective wisdom of disability organisations and groups, and especially if they arrive at consensus on certain positions
 
# '''Collaboration Among Partners'''
 
#* Partners have access to one another's contact information, possibly start a '''LISTSERV''' or other modes of communication among partners
 
#* Partners can share resources and collaborate on projects without the need to rely on a central authority (e.g. joint research projects, collective fund-raising, sharing venues or pooling manpower etc)
 
  
===How Will the Network be Run===
+
Look here for our current collective understanding of community development in Singapore - [[Community Development|Comm Dev Wiki Page]]
# Participants will submit agenda items, and Facilitators will help structure each meeting based on the agenda.
 
# Issues selected for discussion should be broad themes (e.g., Employment or Education). These will be spread out over 4 main Roundtables (one per quarter).
 
# Those with an interest in niche issues (e.g Deaf culture, Disability Arts etc) can host subsidiary meetings pulling together those with common interests. Their findings and proposals can then be shared with the main network.
 
# For those who are keen, Planning Meetings can also be convened to discuss the content and structure of subsequent Roundtables.
 
  
=== General Guiding Principles ===
+
Look here for our repository of useful articles and information - [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ckJEsGOmF42fkfkLBFU40okO1pqvu0NR Google Drive]
* '''Play-testable; not need to get it all right in the beginning''': These principles and rules should be work in progress and seen as such. There is no need to be overly concerned with getting them right if they will continuously be reworked and refined. More important to focus on the work itself, and getting to a set of principles that allow the work and objectives to be done. We expect these principles and rules to be more functional after a year of experimentation.
 
  
* '''All-can-contribute''': it doesn’t matter who you are, as long as you are interested and have something to contribute, we aspire to find a place and role for you to play that you feel comfortable with
+
==Purpose==
  
* '''Collaboration across community assets''': empowering individuals and organisations to mobilise others operating in their sector, overcoming artificial boundaries (VWO, NGO, social enterprise, self-help groups, cooperatives, faith-based organisations etc) and competition as the only viable operating principle.
+
===Opportunities for Collaboration===
 +
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YdeClZoaS25KA3UNkAOLZb5wEBajK4px8wQsHltE8H8/edit?usp=sharing Getting to Know One Another] - to help participants know one another, articulate a vision, dream, values and what we should do together.
  
* '''Persuasion instead of politics''': No need for politics or power plays if there is no need to have one view and everyone move towards it; we can capture the diversity of views
+
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HrHykpT-WEoER8nyY5Vk7Ehunmt0J_yb_Y39qkm09ac/edit?usp=sharing Creating a Shared Knowledge Base] - to collate and make sense of information about community development (best practices, case studies, research etc) that is relevant to practitioners, organisations and policymakers.
  
=== Facilitator(s) ===
+
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FRRnB8mLHBS6e-XXnwtb3Y04IGs2N9n1unJdtlHze0U/edit#heading=h.kmtlfrc9cbzy Community Fellows] - to conduct solutions-focused research together with their communities
  
Institute of Policy Studies - Justin Lee (email: justin.lee@nus.edu.sg)
+
[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PVyLWf1B4FfnCygBvb0lB-9muYi7yoBExDgqDuPqsRw/edit?usp=sharing Community Currency] - concept paper to start a local exchange trading system / community currency
  
We welcome other disability organisations or groups who would like to co-facilitate the Network
+
===General Guiding Principles===
 +
====Openness sustained by trust, and balanced by integrity====
 +
The network should be a safe space for participants to share honest views and constructive feedback. Openness creates vulnerability too, so it should be sustained by trust and integrity among participants, so that new or diverse ways of thinking are not dampened.
  
====Facilitators of Niche Networks====
+
====Consensus-driven balanced by respect for diverse viewpoints====
 +
Through dialogue, participants should aspire to consensus on network matters. Where there is disagreement and collective decisions need to be made, voting can be the less preferred option.
  
Hearing Impairment: ExtraOrdinary Horizons - Lily Goh
+
====Contributions should be participant-led and strengths-based====
 +
Network matters should be defined and led by participants themselves, tapping into their areas of expertise.
  
Arts & Disability: Very Special Arts - Maureen Goh
+
Everyone is encouraged to propose and take on projects or activities, and the network should reduce barriers to initiating and mobilising participation where possible.
  
[Add link to facilitators' contact information (only accessible to partners)]
+
====Fun and informality====
 +
The network should be fun because community is built upon informal relationships and we should invest in those relationships.
  
==== Associates and Contributors ====
+
(Note: These are working principles and will be reviewed and refined as we go along. Possibly new ones will be introduced and old ones removed. They will also be up- or down-voted by participants so that the most relevant ones go to the top, indicating a sense of priority. Guiding principles are only useful to the extent that they are useful reminders to achieve core ideals we tend to forget or overcome key habits we find hard to break; they are less useful when internalise them or already take them as given. They also become more useful when they articulate the relationship to alternative or competing values, providing an indication of how these conflicts might be resolved)
* Victor Zhuang - PhD Candidate at Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago
 
* Roshini Prakash - NVPC's Disability Colabs
 
  
== Network Agenda for 2018 ==
+
====Share unpolished work early====
 +
"Waiting too long on “polish” can slow down the process of getting to the best idea. Encouraging the sharing of unfinished work creates a new social norm." If there is a culture where unpolished work is deemed as unprofessional, people will wait to share work until it’s near-perfect. But because it’s so far along, people may provide frivolous platitudes instead of feedback on the core idea. The initial idea keeps steamrolling ahead, irrespective of quality. Much better if you encourage people to share work that’s in progress and a little rough. [paraphrased from this [https://www.fastcompany.com/90414459/3-ways-to-improve-teamwork-in-the-workplace?utm_campaign=eem524%3A524%3As00%3A20191013_fc&utm_medium=Compass&utm_source=newsletter article]]
  
Main meetings should be based on broad themes of general relevance to most of our partners. For example: Early intervention, education, employment, caregiving, community inclusion etc. Specific or niche issues can also be studied by sub-groups of the network and brought to the Network for incorporation to the annual Disability Needs & Gaps Report.
+
===Network Membership Rules===
  
<div style="width:100cm">__TOC__</div>
+
=====Radical Inclusion, For Now=====
 +
Currently, we operate on a 'radical inclusion' basis where we accept anyone who is referred by a member. We will post an update for member inputs if we ever come across requests to include people who might create some discomfort. At Meet-Up 3, we agreed that we will continue to do this until it poses a problem of some sort--e.g. if it dilutes the value or fragments the network in some way--then we will review this policy.
  
{{#widget:Google Calendar
+
<br />
|id=ofph48c2rtsf49b6ohg0j19u6c@group.calendar.google.com
 
|view=AGENDA
 
|color=2952A3
 
|title=Disability Community Network Events & Key Deadlines
 
|border=true
 
}}
 
  
=== Roundtable 1: Employment ===
+
==Network Events for 2023==
 
<br />
 
<br />
Date - '''Friday,''' '''11 May 2018'''
 
  
Time - '''1.30 pm - 5.45 pm'''
+
=== Meet-up 18 - Yishun ===
 +
'''Date''': August (TBC)
 +
 
 +
'''Venue''': TBC
  
Venue - '''Seminar Room 2-2, Level 2, Manasseh Meyer Building, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore (Bukit Timah Campus)'''
+
'''Proposed Agenda''':
  
IPS Newsletter Article [https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/ips/enews_employment-for-persons-with-disabilities_140618.pdf here].
+
* Understand Diverse Yishun Organizations engaged in Community Work and Explore Collaborations (or Just Make Friends) [1.5 hour]
  
[[File:DCN I.jpg|817x817px]]
+
* [[Roving Community Innovation Lab]] – Request for another host organisation so that we can bring the lab to your locality. We have tentative plans to try it with Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, but I need another host because my Jurong hosts got too busy to do it anytime soon. May also work with NUS Comms and New Media Students who may lend their help as part of their Comms for Social Change module. [10 mins]
<br />'''Dr Justin Lee, Research Fellow at IPS and co-facilitator of the event (centre), demonstrating the SocialCollab Wiki platform.'''<br />
+
* Background about [https://futurereadysociety.sg/abundant-community-initiative-giving-circles/ Giving Circles] and request for applicants to apply to be [https://futurereadysociety.sg/action-fellow-application/ Action Fellow] to drive this initiative together with NVPC+IPS+LKYCIC. [10 mins]
 +
* [awaiting suggestions of other items]
  
==== Agenda ====
 
* Update on Network Objectives & partnership
 
* (See substantive agenda items tabled below)
 
  
====  Materials & Presentations : ====
 
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1MV43hH4ThwykSJWMe69drhl78xNhS79l
 
 
<br />
 
<br />
{| class="wikitable"
+
 
!No.
+
===Meet-up 17 - Yoga in the Park / Update and Re-group===
!Agenda Item
+
'''Date''': 15, 17, 22 or 31 May (depends on Doodle poll)
!Presenter
+
 
|-
+
'''Proposed Agenda''': 1 hour yoga, then general updates and catch-up
|<div align="center">1</div>
 
|Facilitated Dialogue to Consolidate a Collective Understanding of the Employment Landscape
 
|IPS
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">2</div>
 
|Special Needs Individuals and Employment Issues
 
|Hope for the Journey
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">3</div>
 
|Exploring Characteristics of Successful Open employment from the Perspectives of Person, Caregiver and Employer
 
|MINDS
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">4</div>
 
|APSN Delta Senior School's new Employment Training Model
 
|APSN Centre for Adults
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">5</div>
 
|Assistive Technology (AT) at Work: How Job Accommodations including AT can Enable Persons with Disabilities to be Productive at the Workplace
 
|SPD
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">6</div>
 
|Studying the Feasibility of an Employment Quota for Persons with Disabilities
 
* See research study [http://dsq-sds.org/article/view/6099/4819 Beyond the Business Case: Different Models of Including People with Disabilities at Work])
 
|IPS
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">7</div>
 
|The IPS-DPA Study on Discrimination in the Workplace
 
|DPA
 
|}
 
 
<br />
 
<br />
----
+
==Network Events for 2022==
 +
<br />
 +
 
 +
===Meet-up 16 - Year of End Gathering===
 +
'''Date:''' Doodle Poll
 +
 
 +
'''Time:''' 2-4pm
 +
 
 +
'''Proposed Agenda:'''
 +
 
 +
*Dancing in the Dark (30 mins) - proposed by Justin, and will be operated by his brother
 +
 
 +
Come and dance like nobody is watching—because nobody ''can'' in almost total darkness.
 +
 
 +
Dancing used to be a natural way of expressing joy at hearing music. Professionals have stylised these movements, created standards and  determined what kinds of bodies can dance. Now dancing is mostly performance and posturing. There are norms on who should be doing what kind of dance, and how they should look, dress and move while participating.
 +
 
 +
What if we took that judgment away? What if we could participate in collective joy again?
 +
 
 +
Come for a 30 min dancing in the dark social experiment. Come dressed in comfortable clothes. Bring the young, the old and the awkward.
 +
 
 +
[Concept inspired by/stolen from [https://www.nolightsnolycra.com/ No Lights No Lycra]]
 +
 
 +
*Participatory Budgeting at Town Council 30 mins - proposed by Justin
 +
 
 +
There is an opportunity to do this, and just need to find an MP who might be keen to take this on. Looking for feedback to the concept, and also connections to possible partners/connections you can refer me to.
  
=== [https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/events/details/disability-community-network-roundtable-ii-education Roundtable 2: Education]===
 
 
<br />
 
<br />
Date - '''Tuesday,''' '''21 August 2018'''
+
===Meet-up 15 - Hosted by Kwek Li Yong @ My Community===
 +
<big>'''SIGN UP HERE''':</big>
  
Time - '''1.45pm - 5.30pm (Registration begins at 1.30pm)'''
+
<big>https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdquCPcLhq-0iVHlgcwhy8om7XiL325b_-x5xXrL7u-Ozm3ig/viewform?usp=sf_link</big>
  
Venue - '''Swensen's Room (Blk E Level 2 Room 2), APSN Delta Senior School, 3 Choa Chu Kang Grove, Singapore 688237'''
+
Date - '''25 June 2022'''  
  
IPS Newsletter Article [https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/ips/enews_disability-community-network-ii-education_at_al.pdf?sfvrsn=6a806c0a_0 here].<br />
+
Time - '''7.30pm to 9.30pm'''
<br />[[File:DCN II.jpeg|921x921px]]
 
  
'''IPS Research Assistant Andrew Lim, sharing about the Needs & Gaps Report on Education'''
+
Venue - '''Museum @ My Queenstown'''
  
==== Agenda ====
+
'''46-3 Commonwealth Drive #01-388'''
* Update on Network Objectives & partnership + Follow-ups from Roundtable I: Employment (11 May)
 
* (See substantive agenda items tabled below)
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
!No.
 
!Agenda Item
 
!Presenter
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">1</div>
 
|Consolidated Views on Employment & Education: The Needs & Gaps Report so Far
 
|IPS
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">2</div>
 
|Proposed Guidelines for Disability Services in Singapore’s Institutes of Higher Learning
 
|SMU
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">3</div>
 
|Views of Parents from ASD Parents Support Groups
 
|Hope for the Journey, CASPER
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">4</div>
 
|Virtual Reality for the Learning of Daily Living Skills
 
|Metta School
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">5</div>
 
|I. Digital Education and Literacy for Persons with Developmental Disabilities
 
  
II. Educational Kinesiology
+
'''Singapore 140463'''
|Society Staples
 
|}
 
  
====  Materials & Presentations : ====
 
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1vsRlBrrMkqeq7MqjhXMgdoWdSOMcN9vP
 
  
{| class="wikitable"
+
'''Agenda'''
|'''No.'''
 
|'''Agenda'''
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">1</div>
 
|The event started at 1.45pm. IPS Research Fellow Justin Lee and Marissa Medjeral-Mills, Executive Director of DPA updated on follow-ups to the first roundtable of the Disability Community Network, which discussed issues pertaining to employment:
 
* A group to study the feasibility of an employment hiring quota for persons with disabilities in Singapore was formed
 
* IPS has started putting together two Needs and Gaps Reports on Employment and Education—with more to come on other issues such as Caregiving.
 
* DPA has soft-launched their study (with IPS) on discrimination faced by people with disabilities in the workplace.
 
* DPA has updated their ‘Achieving Inclusion in Education’ document to incorporate changes to the Compuslory Education Act, which takes effect in practice next year.
 
More details about the first roundtable can be found [https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/ips/enews_employment-for-persons-with-disabilities_140618.pdf here].
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">2</div>
 
|Mr Andrew Lim, Research Assistant at IPS discussed a [[Disability#Early Intervention|Needs and Gaps Report on Education]] compiled from various literature reviews (e.g., NVPC’s Report on Issues faced by Persons with Disabilities in Singapore, Lien’s Inclusive Attitudes Survey, newspaper articles etc.). We discussed gaps in six tentative areas of needs: early intervention, preschool options, trained educators, access to an adequate education, accommodations, and preparedness for work and life.
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">3</div>
 
|Ms Nix Sang, Research Associate at SMU presented a project she's working on to develop guidelines, resources and professional programmes for disability services in IHLs in Singapore. Often lacking guidance, frameworks and guiding principles, Nix and her team conducted interviews with practitioners and overseas experts to talk about challenges, successes and wishes for disability services in IHLs. The substantive findings and report will be published in early-2019.
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">4</div>
 
|ASD Parent Support Groups Hope for the Journey and CASPER presented some parents’ views on a number of issues, such as how parents decide to choose between a SPED or mainstream school for their children, how mainstream teachers need to be trained in special educational needs, and how to better achieve a smooth transition from school to work.
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">5</div>
 
|Ms So Kah Lay, Principal of Metta School presented on the school's use of Virtual Reality in the learning of daily living skills such as road safety (crossing the road at traffic lights or zebra crossings), taking transport, and shopping. According to Ms So, the benefits of VR learning are manifold:
 
* One, everyday scenarios are broken down step-by-step for students to comprehend.
 
* Second, gesture-based interactive experiences appeal to students who are kinaesthetic learners.
 
* Third, students are exposed to scenarios and to face the ‘consequences’ of their poor decision-making without compromising their safety. Aside, social skills are also taught such as choosing non-priority seats, and queuing up before boarding.
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">6</div>
 
|Social enterprise Society Staples shared two items which they are seeking feedback, comments and inputs for.
 
  
The first was a digital literacy course that they are developing to teach persons with developmental disabilities digital literacy, e.g. sending an email, using Google Maps and using the internet. It is funded by the LearnSG Seed Fund, and includes an ‘Inclusive Local Guide’ in local places of interest such as the National Gallery of Singapore and the National Museum of Singapore.
+
*Get to know how [https://mycommunity.org.sg/about/ My Community] does cultural asset mapping, elicit stories from residents, organise tours, 'co-curate' a museum and why they have been extraordinarily successful in attracting young professional volunteers to unearth the heritage of a local community.
 +
*Is 'Hello Dawson' Programme by My Community and [https://www.ourbetterworld.org/about-crt Cassia Resettlement Team] doing what is known as '[https://lacnetwork.org/local-area-coordination/ Local Area Coordination]'? Kwek Li Yong (My Community) and Lim Jingzhou (Cassia Resettlement Team) will discuss how their work may be similar or different (eg regular flat vs rental flats), informally facilitated by Justin Lee.
 +
 
 +
"Our Hello Dawson! team is helping more than 1000 elderly, low-income and physically disabled residents affected by the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) in Tanglin Halt relocate to Dawson. Join us if you have a heart for others, and would like to befriend our Tanglin Halt residents."
 +
 
 +
https://mycommunity.org.sg/volunteer-teams/<br />
 +
 
 +
*Any other issues participants want to discuss
 +
 
 +
===Meet-up 14===
 +
Date - '''27''' '''Apr 2022'''
 +
 
 +
Time - '''2-4pm'''
 +
 
 +
Venue '''- IPS'''
 +
 
 +
'''Agenda'''
 +
 
 +
*Having a '''<nowiki/>'community work clinic' (?''') to practice/train facilitation skills in conducting community meeting/community arts project and also discuss ethics of practice (eg sharing info). [Izzaty/Shiyun] (This was proposed at last round but we didn't have time to get to it)
 +
*'''Paying community members to do research''' '''and information gathering for us?''' Eg, collating and archiving the community or community arts initiatives in Singapore (as Izzaty suggested previously). I'm quite happy to part with small sums of my own money for this, and maybe this is a supplementary source of income for community members who need it? One possibility is to help populate our [[Community Development|wiki page on community development]], which needs a proper update so that we can better tap into the collective intelligence of everyone here. [Justin]
 +
*Inputs on a '''Community-Driven Basic Income''' Concept -- Since Basic Income is unlikely here, how about a community-led version where 10-20 families provide financial support (and other forms of support) to one low-income family and top-up to whatever the income benchmark is for that family to meet its basic needs. [Justin]
 +
*Inputs for '''Non-Profit Conference''' organised by IPS & ToteBoard, theme is "Solutions that Help Us Help One Another" and the focus is on 1) mutual aid, contributing to the commons; 2) new ways of organising social care and social change through cooperatives; and 3) peer-to-peer or collaborative forms of learning that help to unlock a community’s learning capacity. [Justin]
  
The second item is a pilot of 20 movement-based activities based on principles of educational kinesiology, done in conjunction with MINDS MeToo! Club at Kembangan Chai-Chee Community Hub over 9 months. Society Staples shared testimonials about how clients have benefitted from the sessions, and that they are currently enhancing the programme towards another run in the fourth quarter of 2018.
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">7</div>
 
|In closing, Justin invited participants to share their thoughts about how the event did well, as well as areas for improvement. Roundtable 3 on Caregiving will be coming up, and IPS is looking for an event sponsor and host (e.g., CAL, or the Caregivers' Space at the Enabling Village). 
 
|}
 
 
<br />
 
<br />
  
----
+
===Meet-up 13===
 +
Date - '''16 Feb 2022'''
 +
 
 +
Time - '''2-3.30pm'''
 +
 
 +
Venue - Via Zoom
 +
 
 +
See [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QjnUcCGNKnMJHc695eMg6NaTO8fl0PyyjiwaQgDnunA/edit?usp=sharing HERE] for notes
 +
 
 +
'''Agenda'''
 +
 
 +
1. Kangli's doctoral research on civil participation in Singapore- "Builders of Our New (?) Society: Civil Participation in Singapore and the Impact of COVID-19"
 +
 
 +
2. White Paper on Community Development.
 +
 
 +
*Hana update on her findings from research project with SMU students
 +
*Peiyi update on follow-up research
 +
*Kangli's suggestion to use action research or CBPR. "It has always been on my heart to do evaluative research on the different forms of community development in SG, especially those of informal ground-up movements. I think it would be a good addition to the White Paper. It could be CPBR or action research, rather than a traditional top-down approaches."
 +
*Terence's suggestion to "do a broad survey of community developers out there. We could look at it as a spectrum, suggesting trends, common methods or interest to cater to our target readership. By starting the ball rolling, more persons/groups who identify as community developers/aid might surface".
 +
*Khadijah: "Love the idea of the promotion or rather showcasing the citizen/community lead ground up initiatives - plenty had sprouted during the pandemic. Coincidentally A Good Space had reached out and shared their new initiative [Listening Living Labs] that seeks to build on the collaboration among the various entities in the Mind The Gap Collective" [Justin: I've been roped in to their Labs as well, and we can work with them in some way for sure, once we figure out what we want to do]
 +
*Justin: I can offer the support of socialcollab, this wiki itself, and get students to do a wikithon, plus pull together a knowledge management framework to help us make collective sense of the information we have so far, prioritize our knowledge gaps and discuss what areas require more investigation.
 +
 
 +
3. Shiyun: How information about the community members (shared voluntarily by the members themselves) is organized and shared among community workers, in terms of methods and in terms of ethics. [Izzaty adds: "I feel I take such cautiousness for granted and want to understand how consent looks in community development."] 
 +
 
 +
4. Izzaty: 
 +
 
 +
*Methods of Archiving Community Arts For Community?
 +
*Having a circle to practice/train facilitation skills in conducting community meeting/community arts project or anything to do with rallying!
 +
 
 +
5. Community Forum 2022? To do or not? And if so, in what form?
 +
 
 +
6. Do Something Together?
 +
 
 +
==Network Events for 2021==
 +
 
 +
===Meet-up 12===
 +
Date - '''30 Sep 2021'''
 +
 
 +
Time - '''3-5pm'''
 +
 
 +
Venue - via Zoom
  
=== [https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/events/details/disability-community-network-roundtable-iii-caregiver-support Roundtable 3: Caregiver Support]===
+
===Meet-up 11: Welcome to CDN, Tsao Foundation===
 +
Date - '''4 Aug 2021'''
  
Date - '''Thursday, 29 November 2018'''
+
Time - '''3-5pm'''
  
Time - '''1.00pm - 5.00pm (Registration begins at 12.30pm)'''
+
Venue - via Zoom
  
Venue - '''Lighthouse Room, Muscular Dystrophy Association (Singapore), 9 Bishan Place, #06-04, Junction 8 Office Tower, Singapore 579837'''
+
'''Agenda & Discussion Notes'''
  
IPS Newsletter Article [https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/ips/enews_disability-community-network-iii_caregiver-support.pdf here]
+
#Hana Alhadad - Research Project with SMU Public Policy Task Force that will become Community Development White Paper (15 mins)
[[File:Ms Esther Tan, General Manager of SNTC presenting.jpg|thumb|886x886px|'''Ms Esther Tan, General Manager of [https://www.sntc.org.sg/Pages/Home.aspx Special Needs Trust Company], answering questions about trust services.'''|none]]
+
#Community Forum Circle would like to share some initial ideas with the community and get their feedback (20 mins)
 +
#Feedback on Vision, Organizational Structure and Forward Plans of CDN (30 mins)
 +
#Tsao Foundation's experience using realist evaluation of their community engagement programmes / Survey on learning interest in realist evaluation (10-15 mins)
  
====  Agenda ====
+
===Meet-up 10: White Paper and Community Fellowships===
{| class="wikitable"
+
Date - '''4 May 2021'''
!No.
 
!Agenda Item
 
!Presenter
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">1</div>
 
|An Introduction to MDAS and its Caregiver Support Services
 
|Muscular Dystrophy Association (Singapore)
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">2</div>
 
|Q&A Session on Special Needs Trust Services
 
|Special Needs Trust Company
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">3</div>
 
|NUS One Child One Skill
 
|NUS
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">4</div>
 
|[https://issuu.com/fuelfor/docs/fuelfor_i_who_cares_i_caregiving_fo Who Cares? Transforming the Caregiving Experience in Singapore]
 
|National Council of Social Service
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">5</div>
 
|Design Thinking for Disability: Volunteer Run Workshops to Develop Innovative Programmes
 
|Volunteers
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">6</div>
 
|A Consolidation of Needs and Gaps in the Caregiver Support Landscape
 
|Institute of Policy Studies
 
|}
 
  
====  Materials & Presentations : ====
+
Time - 10am -12 noon
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zzLGx8tjrPaM8l9FpDnDKmCL24yBfpUz
 
  
==== Brief Synopsis ====
+
Venue - '''via Zoom'''
{| class="wikitable"
 
|'''No.'''
 
|'''Agenda'''
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">1</div>
 
|IPS Research Fellow Dr Justin Lee explained several updates to the Network:
 
* There will no longer be a membership system for the DCN. Participants will be open to attend Planning Meetings.
 
* Decisions at subsequent Planning meetings can be made via these approaches:
 
** '''Consensus''', or a solution that satisfies different interests
 
** '''Compromise''', where there is some give and take
 
** '''Voting''', where majority views prevail.
 
There will be a preference for Consensus, and only where that is not possible, Compromise. We will only resort to Voting when other more desirable approaches are not possible.
 
* A draft FAQ and Theory of Change on the DCN will be shared at subsequent Planning Meetings for participant inputs.
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">2</div>
 
|The first sharing was by Ms Sherena Loh, Executive Director of [https://www.mdas.org.sg/ '''Muscular Dystrophy Association (Singapore)'''] (MDAS). Ms Loh talked about the work that MDAS does to support persons with muscular dystrophy, including support groups, training sessions for sports such as Boccia and Power Soccer, and vocational support services.
 
  
For caregivers, MDAS offers centre and home based respite services, training, and counselling. In particular, MDAS organises an annual two-day caregivers’ retreat, which allows caregivers to meet other counterparts, learn from each other’s experience and to take a break from caregiving duties.
+
'''Agenda & Discussion Notes'''
  
Throughout her presentation, Sherena emphasised the need to understand caregivers’ anxieties and concerns, even when respite care services are available. For example, despite having a chance to rest, caregivers often express deep feelings of guilt when receiving respite care, for not being able to attend to their loved ones.
+
#Forming a central circle and subcircles for CDN
|-
+
#Community Development White Paper (Hana, Justin)
|<div align="center">3</div>
+
#Update on Ngee Ann Kongsi-IPS Community Fellows (Justin)
|Ageing caregivers and the future of their adult children with disabilities constitutes a major concern for caregivers. One aspect is financial planning. In this regard, Ms Esther Tan, General Manager of '''[https://www.sntc.org.sg/Pages/Home.aspx Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC)]''', gave a short presentation about the services that SNTC provides, answering questions from caregivers present on their concerns. She pointed out that the SNTC is designed for low to middle income families, and is focused primarily on safeguarding the money rather than investment returns. She also advised potential clients not to lock up too much of the money with the trust until they pass on.
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">4</div>
 
|Moving to new ground-up initiatives to help caregivers, Ms Aw Pey Ling, a final-year student at the National University of Singapore, presented her experiences as Programme Coordinator of the NUS chapter of the [http://www.come-into-my-world.com/one-child-one-skill '''One Child One Skill'''] initiative, a volunteer project that sends tertiary students to homes to teach autistic children a skill over eight sessions. Each session lasts one to one-and-a-half hours, and serves simultaneously as a source of respite care for parents.
 
  
Some caregivers who benefitted from the initiative praised it as a way for tertiary students to learn more about autism and its forms, while others suggested that students be taught certain skills to manage difficult situations, including self-protection. Ms Aw is keen to explore opening up chapters of this initiative in other tertiary institutions, and welcomes schools to get in touch with her. Parents who are keen to have students visit their kids can also contact her at [mailto:Awpeyling@u.nus.edu awpeyling@u.nus.edu]
+
===Meet-up 9: Reflections on Community Forum===
 +
Date - '''5 Jan 2021'''
  
A vigorous debate ensued over the use of the term “autistic children”:
+
Time - '''3-4pm'''
* Some caregivers felt that the term was insensitive, citing traumatic experiences in the past where their children were mistreated by others who used that label as an insult. These caregivers felt that “persons with autism” was a more appropriate description to separate the medical diagnosis of autism from the personhood of the child
 
* Others disagreed, as their children take pride in being autistic, and as the term “persons with autism” denies neurodiversity and the unique ways in which autism shapes one’s personhood. 
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">5</div>
 
|''[https://issuu.com/fuelfor/docs/fuelfor_i_who_cares_i_caregiving_fo '''Who Cares? Transforming the Caregiver Experience in Singapore''']'' is a publication that documents a project by the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) and design consultancy firm fuelfor, in using a user centric design ethnography process to understand the needs, values, hopes and fears of caregivers. In presenting the project, Ms Stephanie Tay, Assistant Manager at the NCSS Pumpkin Lab, spoke about how the research outputs are being taken forward.
 
  
NCSS is currently working with stakeholders such as Caregivers Alliance and the Institute of Mental Health, to further develop and refine the concepts gleaned. An actionable toolkit has also been developed for professionals working with caregivers. VWOs who would like to adopt or further refine this toolkit can approach Stephanie at [mailto:Stephanie&#x20;tay@ncss.gov.sg stephanie_tay@ncss.gov.sg]
+
Venue - '''via Zoom'''
|-
 
|<div align="center">6</div>
 
|Dr Lee presented an initiative to develop innovative disability programmes through design thinking. Led together with two other volunteers, Ms Denise Liu and Mr Desmond Wong, they called for a host organisation to work with them over three to nine months, to develop a solution to a specific problem that the organisation is facing. Volunteers, especially those with game design experience, are welcome as well. Interested parties can contact Dr Lee at [Mailto:justin.lee@nus.edu.sg justin.lee@nus.edu.sg]
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">7</div>
 
|Mr Andrew Lim, Research Assistant at IPS introduced '''[[Main Page|wiki.socialcollab.sg]],''' an open collaboration initiative working towards a ground-up understanding of social needs, gaps and solutions in Singapore. He discussed a [[Disability#CAREGIVER SUPPORT|'''Needs and Gaps Report on Caregiver Support''']] compiled from various literature reviews (e.g., NVPC’s Report on Issues faced by Persons with Disabilities in Singapore, The Survey on Informal Caregiving, newspaper articles etc.).
 
  
Six tentative areas of needs were raised, along with resources to meet them and gaps to be filled:
+
'''Agenda & Discussion Notes'''
* Respite care
 
* Physical health
 
* Psychosocial wellness and support
 
* Financial support
 
* Future care planning
 
* Caregiving skills and information
 
Several interesting volunteer initiatives were raised such as [http://neurodivercitysg.com/ '''NeuroDiverCity'''], a website which gathers and shares inclusive services and resources, which can be reviewed by other parents. As children with autism can wander off and go missing, a group of parents set up the Facebook page [https://www.facebook.com/reunitemissingchildren/ '''Reunite Missing Children'''], to share information that has led to quicker re-discoveries of missing children. Participants were invited to contribute to the wiki knowledge base.
 
  
If you are interested to contribute your views to these issues, please email Mr Lim at [Mailto:andrew.lim@nus.edu.sg andrew.lim@nus.edu.sg].
+
#Reflections on Community Forum 2020, CDN as a whole, and aspirations for this year<br />[Watch out for a link to the notes]
|}
 
  
 +
==Network Events for 2020==
 
----
 
----
  
=== Meeting 4: Inclusion ===
+
===Community Forum 2020===
 +
Date - '''6 - 21 Nov 2020'''
 +
 
 +
See [https://communitynetworksg.wordpress.com/community-forum-2020/ Community Forum 2020] and [https://communitynetworksg.wordpress.com/2020/10/26/what-to-attend-at-community-forum-2020/ summary of what to attend]
 +
----
  
https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/events/details/disability-community-network-meeting-iv-inclusion
+
===Meet-up 8: on Zoom===
 +
Date - '''2 July 2020'''
  
Date - '''Wednesday, 27 March 2019'''
+
Time - '''2-4pm'''  
  
Time - '''1pm - 6pm''' (Registration at 12.30pm, Planning Meeting at 10am)
+
Venue - '''via Zoom'''
  
Venue - '''SportSG Auditorium, 3 Stadium Drive, Singapore 397630'''
+
'''Agenda & Discussion Notes'''
  
IPS Newsletter Article [https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/docs/default-source/ips/enews_disability-community-network-iv_inclusion.pdf here].
+
#Helping Ubin residents with accessibility needs reach their polling station, shared by Jodie from Artsolute.
[[File:20190327 173534 - Copy.jpg|thumb|979x979px|'''(on stage) Disability studies scholar Victor Zhuang, in conversation with IPS Senior Research Fellow Justin Lee'''.|none]]
+
#*Voting station for Ubin residents is at SUTD, quite a distance
 +
#*There are 3-4 wheelchair users and other seniors with accessibility needs, making a total of about 20
 +
#*Will request for volunteers, transportation sponsors later on if existing channels don't deliver
 +
#Requests for human library volunteer and ideas for [https://www.facebook.com/events/nvpc-towards-a-city-of-good/national-day-ground-up-party-2019/351630465731935/ National Day Ground Up Party], shared by Hilda of OpenJio.
 +
#*Those who want to offer themselves as a human 'book' please approach Hilda
 +
#*Those who have interesting ideas and activities as part of the festivities also approach her
 +
#Soliciting for ideas on the types of volunteering activities to do online, as well as establishing trust and maintaining engagement online, shared by Xinwei of Singapore Children's Society.
 +
#*Difficult to engage online because may not have prior relationships with certain volunteers or donors face to face before.
 +
#*Suggestions include: play online games, or use Tik Tok, which work well with youth.
 +
#Organising [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bJhSSd3GiSwlVB7eCpMHnwxHUqaXqHGXxtZLMSrUK6o/edit?usp=sharing Community Forum 2020], shared by Justin
 +
#*Generally agreeble to have ground-up way of organising Forum where co-organisers take the lead and make independent decisions on specific segments
 +
#*A coordinating committee and set of documents will be shared with those who want to co-organise and plan
  
====  Agenda ====
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
!No.
 
!Agenda Item
 
!Presenter
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">1</div>
 
|The AHEAD (Achieve Higher Employability Through Adapted Development) Program
 
|Francis Tan, CEO of [https://trampolene.org/ Trampolene]
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">2</div>
 
|Inclusion through Inclusive Programming, Physical Accessibility and Sports for Communities
 
|Debra Lam and Bernice Lim, [https://www.societystaples.com.sg/ Society Staples]
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">3</div>
 
|Runninghour: Run to bond, run so others can
 
|John See Toh, Co-Founder of [https://runninghour.com/ Runninghour]
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">4</div>
 
|Not in My Lifetime?: The Process of Building an Inclusive (Theatre) Experience
 
|Tan Beng Tian Director, Not In My Lifetime? & Artistic Director, The Finger Players
 
and Alvan Yap, Freelance Editor/Writer and Playwright, Not In My Lifetime?
 
|-
 
|<div align="center">5</div>
 
|Thoughts on Disability, Sex and Intimacy
 
|Leo Chen Ian, Founder and Partner of Insight N Access
 
|}
 
  
 +
==Network Events for 2019==
 
----
 
----
  
===Regular Facilitator Planning & Social Meetings===
+
===Meet-up 7: South Central Community Family Service Centre===
 +
Date -  '''4 February 2020'''
  
The facilitators of the Disability Network as well as the larger Open Collab initiative will regularly meet to make plans, discuss issues faced, share ideas on how best to run the networks. This will be a relatively informal session where we also get to know one another.  
+
Time - '''2 - 5.30pm''' 
  
However, for those who are new and just want to find out more about the Disability Network or the Open Collab, feel free to drop by and we'll be happy to explain. You are welcome too!
+
Venue -  '''South Central Community Family Service Centre'''  
  
Contact: Justin Lee (email: justin.lee@nus.edu.sg)
+
Address - '''Blk 5 Delta Ave, #01-09, Singapore 160005'''
  
Dates - Last Friday of Every Month, 4-5.30pm (except Good Friday)
+
'''Agenda'''
  
23 Feb 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
#Possibility conversations (Justin, IPS) (see [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AXnQEzLdY7KglOCzJh3SXwLQFVHfCx79VUOX_uuwFRU/edit?usp=sharing link] to discussion at CDN 6 on what this is) & Sharing of reflections and dreams (Vincent)
 +
#Circle of Influence by Chris
 +
#Update on Ubin by Terence
 +
#Update on [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bJhSSd3GiSwlVB7eCpMHnwxHUqaXqHGXxtZLMSrUK6o/edit# Community Forum 2020 / Learning Festival] -- open to collaboration with interested parties; looks like October works for IPS, what about others who are interested? (Justin / Gerard)
 +
#[https://serve.sg/ Serve.sg] beta -- skilled volunteer matching platform has been soft-launched and we are looking for guinea pigs to try so that we can refine the system (Justin, Serve.sg)
 +
#[[Civic Experiment & Wiki Challenge]] -- call for inputs & participation (Justin, socialcollab.sg)
  
29 Mar 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
----
  
27 Apr 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
===Meet-up 6: Ngee Ann Poly===
 +
<br />Date - '''15''' '''November 2019 (Confirmed)'''
  
25 May 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
Time - '''10am -12pm''' 
  
29 Jun 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
Venue - '''Ngee Ann Polytechnic, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, Blk 75-01-02'''
  
27 Jul 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
Address - 535 Clementi Rd, Singapore 599489
  
31 Aug 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
Hosted and made possible by Mathew Wong, Head of Programme for Community Development Diploma, Ngee Ann Poly.   
  
28 Sep 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
'''Agenda'''
  
26 Oct 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
#Ngee Ann Poly's Diploma in Community Development - (Matthew Wong, Head of Programme)
 +
#Project developments & inputs: Community Fund, Community Festival & Community Fellows - (Justin Lee)
 +
#Possible presentation on community development by interested parties at SSR's Seminar Series - (Justin on behalf of SSR) [They say it is very well attended]
 +
#Discuss whether CDN is ready to articulate collective objectives, membership rules and associational norms - (See [https://www.facebook.com/groups/848734845497116/permalink/910440462659887/ Chris Teo's post] )
 +
#Presentation and sign up for a Community Trail in Pulau Ubin - (Terence Tan and Jodi Thiele of [https://www.artsolute.asia/ Artsolute] ‪)
 +
#Insights on Community Development in Singapore - (Abhishek Bajaj)
 +
#Any Other Business
  
30 Nov 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
 
  
28 Dec 2018 - IPS Meeting Rm
+
'''What Was Discussed'''
  
Venue - IPS Meeting Rm is at 1C Cluny Road, House 5, Singapore (259599)
+
*See this [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AXnQEzLdY7KglOCzJh3SXwLQFVHfCx79VUOX_uuwFRU/edit?usp=sharing link] for notes.
  
== Meeting Structure and Rules ==
+
----
  
=== General ===
+
===Meet-up 5: "Who is afraid of community development?"===
 +
<br />Date - '''12 October 2019 (Sat)'''
  
-Aspire to have quarterly meetings per year: partners set agenda and simple polling can be done to prioritise
+
Time - '''10- 3pm''' 
  
-All partners will automatically be invited to attend. Associates will be invited based on the issue at hand and partners can deliberate who they want to invite. e.g. VWOs may not want their funders or regulators present as it may impede forthcoming dialogue or sharing.
+
Venue - '''Goodman Arts Centre (specific room to be updated)'''
  
-Partners will also discuss and source for speakers where their presence is required to shed light on knowledge gaps of interest.
+
Address: 90 Goodman Rd, Singapore 439053
  
-Between the quarterly meetings, partners are free to have separate meetings, commission studies or seek partnerships to investigate or discuss issues not on the main agenda, but will be integrated into the annual needs and gaps report.
+
Hosted and made possible by - '''ArtsWok Collaborative''', as part of their [https://www.facebook.com/thegreenhouseseries Greenhouse Series]. ArtsWok says they are open to co-facilitation with partners.  
  
-All reports will be sent to partners for their inputs and final approval before it becomes 'official' and published online.
+
'''Agenda'''
  
-Where a partner is not able to make a meeting, they should aspire to send a deputy. Reports will be sent to all partners so that they get a chance to provide inputs even if they were unable to attend. (In order not to hold back publication dates, reports will reflect which partners who were unable to provide inputs in time, and these rpeorts be amended once they are able to).
+
#See https://www.facebook.com/events/2427241927519582/
  
-Where partners disagree on the content or position taken by the paper there are various options:
+
----
  
1) If there is a majority view, the paper can be written to reflect that, but capturing the organisations who dissent and their reasons.
+
===Meet-up 4: Frank Früchtel on "The Value of Dependency in Community & Community Work"===
 +
<br />Date - '''6 September 2019 (Friday)'''
  
2) Not publish a position paper if the opinions are relatively split.
+
Time - '''2-5pm'''
  
3) Publish a paper that reflects the diversity of views and their rationale, so that there is a documentation of the report.
+
Venue - '''Deutsche Bank, Level 17'''
  
=== Meeting Structure ===
+
Address: Deutsche Bank AG, Asia Pacific Head Office, One Raffles Quay, South Tower, 048583 Singapore 
  
 +
Hosted and made possible by - '''Beyond Social Services'''
  
PRE-MEETING:
+
'''Agenda'''
  
1-Take Stock of Needs and Gaps
+
#Talk by Frank Früchtel on "The value of dependency in community and community work" (30 to 45 mins) followed by a discussion and interaction. Frank is the Dean for Social and Educational Sciences at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences.
 +
#Any Other Business
  
2-Convene to Prioritize Knowledge Gaps
+
===="The Value of Dependency in Community and Community Work" by Frank Früchtel====
 +
See notes here:
  
3-Set Meeting Agenda for the Year
+
https://communitynetworksg.wordpress.com/2019/10/15/the-value-of-dependency-in-community-and-community-work-notes-from-a-talk-by-frank-fruchtel/
 +
----
  
 +
===Meet-up 3: "Meanings of community & community work"===
 +
<br />Date - '''30 August 2019 (Friday)'''
  
EACH MEETING:
+
Time - '''10am - 1pm'''
  
1-An issue brief will be sent out to partners before convening
+
Venue - Meeting Room, '''Institute of Policy Studies''', 1 C Cluny Road, House 5 S(259599)
  
2-Take stock of knowledge gaps and prioritise them
+
Facilitated by - '''Abhishek Bajaj'''
  
3-At the meeting, partners will deliberate on proposed policy recommendations or advocacy positions: policy or position paper will be written based on deliberations
+
'''Agenda'''
  
4-Decide on how to present position if there is no consensus
+
#The personal meanings of community & community work to members (Abishek Bajaj)
 +
#Su-Lin on Oct Meet-Up
 +
#Sharing by Bee Leng & Hana on MSF's Comm Dev Framework
 +
#NVPC to share about 'Community Matters' initiative to map out what makes a good community and develop a framework (Grace, Joel)
 +
#Agree on the scope of the Participatory Research Project, timelines, responsibilities and implementation (Hana + Justin)
 +
#Opportunity to run experiential workshop for SBFF's 'CSR in Action' (Justin)
  
5-Coordination and division of labour: Follow-up items; who will investigate what?
+
'''What Was Discussed'''
  
6-At the end of each session, there will be an opportunity for partners to reflect on and suggest amendments to all the various the guiding principles and rules of the Disability Network.
+
*Abhishek facilitated a dialogue session to elicit views about the meanings and values of community work and how that intersects with individual identity and experiences.
 +
*ArtsWok agreed to Host Meet-Up 5 (Oct 12) as art of their Greenhouse session.
 +
*Su-Lin also said that MOH Transformation Team (something like an innovation unit) would like to join CDN. They care about healthy living and community development and would like to come and see if there are any synergies with the groups here. Explore the relationship between the Health and Social sectors. She wanted to see what the network felt about including them.
 +
*[Network rule] Currently, we operate on a 'radical inclusion' basis where we accept anyone who is referred by a member. We will post an update for member inputs if we ever come across requests to include people who might create some discomfort.We agreed that we will continue to do this until it poses a problem of some sort--e.g. if it dilutes the value or fragments the network in some way--then we will revisit this policy.
 +
*Ng Bee Leng and Hana shared about their roles and experience in MSF’s ongoing consultation for developing guide on community work for FSCs. See [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PWctTEn08FOw_LmN8Ndgqhgu2VokuoF-GTlqQXQZVn8/edit?usp=sharing summary here]. '''Request''': The committee is looking for people to be part of this consultation process, through cluster conversations, or even step up as facilitators of that process. Contact Ng Bee Leng (AMKFSC) if interested.
 +
*NVPC shared the objectives and process of the [https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ckJEsGOmF42fkfkLBFU40okO1pqvu0NR Community Matters Series] - 5 sessions of dialogue / research will run from 25 Sep - 16 Jan 2020. Broadly speaking, the goal is to arrive at insights about community development for community developers. '''Request''': Participation or as co-facilitators. Contact Grace at 96345511 or graceannchua@nvpc.org.sg
 +
*[IMMEDIATE – by December] Hana’s $4k faculty development fund. '''Offer''': you can use this to collect data from community developers in Singapore (by December) – refreshments, vouchers & transportation cost (can defray costs for others interested to do research).
 +
*[Future plan] To write a white paper on community development, define it, map out landscape, understand needs and challenges in Singapore, present collective positions where there is consensus and make policy recommendations.
 +
*SBBF's CSR in Action: Various organisations that expressed interest will be connected to SBBF.
  
 +
(Members in Google Group at this time = 90)
  
AFTER LAST MEETING:
+
----
 +
 
 +
===Meet-up 2: Let's Get to Know One Another First + Organise a Community Festival?===
 +
<br />Date - '''30 July 2019 (Tuesday)'''
 +
 
 +
Time - '''2.00 pm - 5.00 pm'''
 +
 
 +
'''Venue - Meeting Room, Institute of Policy Studies, 1 C Cluny Road, House 5 S(259599)'''
  
1-Consolidate all findings for Annual Needs and Gaps Report
+
'''Agenda'''
  
2-Facilitator will write up and send to all partners
+
#Getting to Know One Another - 20 mins
 +
#Co-Design and Collaborate on [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bJhSSd3GiSwlVB7eCpMHnwxHUqaXqHGXxtZLMSrUK6o/edit?usp=sharing Community Festival / Forum] (so far: IPS & Beyond Social Services) - 1 hour
 +
#[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FRRnB8mLHBS6e-XXnwtb3Y04IGs2N9n1unJdtlHze0U/edit?usp=sharing Community Fellows]: Invitation for inputs and partnerships (IPS) - 30 mins
 +
#Contributing to MSF's / MCCY Community Development Framework - 30 mins
  
3-Once approved by partners, report will be published online
 
  
=== Deliverables and Products ===
+
Other possible agenda:
  
1-Issues briefs prior to each session
+
*clarify the definition of community & community development
  
2-Position papers or policy briefs as a result of each session. There can also be feasibility studies, programme proposals, collective impact plans depending on the interests of the partners.
+
'''What Was Discussed'''
  
3-A needs and gaps report to be written at the end of the year
+
*[https://www.instagram.com/openjio/ Openjio] (see this [https://www.todayonline.com/commentary/how-singapores-youth-are-changing-social-sector-going-beyond-volunteerism op-ed] also) came to share about what they do. They have [https://t.me/OpenJio a Telegram channel] where they publicise events that they consolidate from Peatix, Eventbrite, [https://www.agoodspace.org/ A Good Space], Facebook, and [https://www.youthcorps.sg/en Youth Corps] newsletters
 +
*Possible Community Forum/Festival 2019 - up from [https://lkyspp.nus.edu.sg/ips/events/details/ips-community-forum-2018-here-comes-everybody-and-all-can-contribute last year's IPS Community Forum]
  
 +
----
  
==Useful References ==
+
===Meet-up 1: On the Design of the Network===
 +
<br />Date - '''Friday,''' '''31 May 2019'''
  
===On building networks===
+
Time - '''10.00 am - 12.00 pm'''
  
http://www.networkimpact.org/
+
Venue - '''Credit Suisse'''
  
===On how to facilitate good conversations===
+
'''Agenda'''
  
Some principles of facilitating group dialogue
+
*What are our objectives? What value can we get out of it?
https://www.icasc.ca/resources/holding-space
+
*Who will co-organise and participate, and in what way?
 +
*Are there other existing networks already relevant to community work?
 +
*Based on objectives and existing circumstances, how should we structure the network, and decision-making?
  
===Disability Councils and what they do===
+
'''What Was Discussed'''
  
http://www.disabilitycouncil.nsw.gov.au/
+
Link to the [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fAu0y2LgDEIdcS7Hb4xDpQHrRHVVE4GAWT1w5hravrE/edit# consolidated inputs] from participants about the objectives and design of the network
  
===On referendums and democratic decision-making===
+
Link to Ijlal's [https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DeSB99bkEqRBtMcmSekC06z6oO82E2OqPzxWIhoD_bg/edit?usp=sharing fieldnotes on the meeting].  
Switzerland's unique form of direct democracy allows groups of citizens to call for national referendums on specific policies if validated signatures of 100,000 Swiss citizens are collected in support of a proposal. Possible to consider a similar mechanism for networks here.
 
  
===Justifications for running networks like this===
+
This is meant to be a collective document so please add points or reflections to this document. You can comments within [brackets] and also identify yourself.
From Steven Johnson (2001) Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities and Software: complex systems exhibit emergence because they “solve problems by drawing upon masses of relatively (simple) elements, rather than a single, intelligent “executive branch.” They are bottom-up systems, not top-down. They get their smarts from below. In more technical language, they are complex adaptive systems that display emergent behavior. In these systems, agents residing on one scale start producing behavior that lies one scale above them: ants create colonies; urbanites create neighborhoods; simple pattern-recognition software learns how to recommend new books. The movement from low-level rules to higher-level sophistication is what we call emergence” (Johnson 2001: 18)
 
  
===Tips for giving good feedback at Networks===
+
'''Key points'''
  
-be honest
+
*Background to the meeting:
 +
*Participants agreed to meet monthly
 +
*We can take our time to get to know one another better--through play--before deciding how to run the network
 +
*Those who have ideas and want to do something can already start forming groups and starting discussions. Please create project pages or documents and post links to the 'Projects' header above, or start a discussion at the [https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/community-development-network-sg Google Group - Community Development Network SG] 
  
-be specific (explain what you disagree with or don't understand)
+
----
  
-be constructive (suggest how to improve)
+
===Resources===
 +
[http://ncdd.org/rc/item/2142/ NCDD’s Engagement Streams Framework] - to help navigate the range of dialogue and deliberation approaches available. How are Citizens Juries are different from Deliberative Polling?  When should you use World Cafe, rather than Open Space? 
  
-comment on the most important things first
+
[https://www.citizenlab.co/ Citizen Lab]'s [https://www.citizenlab.co/ebooks-en/inclusion-in-e-democracy?utm_source=CitizenLab+Newsletter+%28GDPR+optin%29+EN&utm_campaign=a6e7d41f03-en-newsletter-June19&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49e1e8647d-a6e7d41f03-198993133&goal=0_49e1e8647d-a6e7d41f03-198993133 guide to inclusive participation on a digital platforms]

Latest revision as of 03:56, 12 July 2023

Photo: Many different hands placed on a log, by Shane Rounce on Unsplash

This public page is a work in progress and will be updated with information that participants have consensus on. For issues yet to be discussed, they will be in Google Docs that are accessible only to participants.

Attend the Community Forum 2020

Request to join our Facebook Group - Community Development Network SG

Request to join our Google Group - Community Development Network SG (for group discussions and collaborations)

Request to contribute to our Collective Blog - for longer form reflections and essays

Look here for our current collective understanding of community development in Singapore - Comm Dev Wiki Page

Look here for our repository of useful articles and information - Google Drive

Purpose

Opportunities for Collaboration

Getting to Know One Another - to help participants know one another, articulate a vision, dream, values and what we should do together.

Creating a Shared Knowledge Base - to collate and make sense of information about community development (best practices, case studies, research etc) that is relevant to practitioners, organisations and policymakers.

Community Fellows - to conduct solutions-focused research together with their communities

Community Currency - concept paper to start a local exchange trading system / community currency

General Guiding Principles

Openness sustained by trust, and balanced by integrity

The network should be a safe space for participants to share honest views and constructive feedback. Openness creates vulnerability too, so it should be sustained by trust and integrity among participants, so that new or diverse ways of thinking are not dampened.

Consensus-driven balanced by respect for diverse viewpoints

Through dialogue, participants should aspire to consensus on network matters. Where there is disagreement and collective decisions need to be made, voting can be the less preferred option.

Contributions should be participant-led and strengths-based

Network matters should be defined and led by participants themselves, tapping into their areas of expertise.

Everyone is encouraged to propose and take on projects or activities, and the network should reduce barriers to initiating and mobilising participation where possible.

Fun and informality

The network should be fun because community is built upon informal relationships and we should invest in those relationships.

(Note: These are working principles and will be reviewed and refined as we go along. Possibly new ones will be introduced and old ones removed. They will also be up- or down-voted by participants so that the most relevant ones go to the top, indicating a sense of priority. Guiding principles are only useful to the extent that they are useful reminders to achieve core ideals we tend to forget or overcome key habits we find hard to break; they are less useful when internalise them or already take them as given. They also become more useful when they articulate the relationship to alternative or competing values, providing an indication of how these conflicts might be resolved)

Share unpolished work early

"Waiting too long on “polish” can slow down the process of getting to the best idea. Encouraging the sharing of unfinished work creates a new social norm." If there is a culture where unpolished work is deemed as unprofessional, people will wait to share work until it’s near-perfect. But because it’s so far along, people may provide frivolous platitudes instead of feedback on the core idea. The initial idea keeps steamrolling ahead, irrespective of quality. Much better if you encourage people to share work that’s in progress and a little rough. [paraphrased from this article]

Network Membership Rules

Radical Inclusion, For Now

Currently, we operate on a 'radical inclusion' basis where we accept anyone who is referred by a member. We will post an update for member inputs if we ever come across requests to include people who might create some discomfort. At Meet-Up 3, we agreed that we will continue to do this until it poses a problem of some sort--e.g. if it dilutes the value or fragments the network in some way--then we will review this policy.


Network Events for 2023


Meet-up 18 - Yishun

Date: August (TBC)

Venue: TBC

Proposed Agenda:

  • Understand Diverse Yishun Organizations engaged in Community Work and Explore Collaborations (or Just Make Friends) [1.5 hour]
  • Roving Community Innovation Lab – Request for another host organisation so that we can bring the lab to your locality. We have tentative plans to try it with Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre, but I need another host because my Jurong hosts got too busy to do it anytime soon. May also work with NUS Comms and New Media Students who may lend their help as part of their Comms for Social Change module. [10 mins]
  • Background about Giving Circles and request for applicants to apply to be Action Fellow to drive this initiative together with NVPC+IPS+LKYCIC. [10 mins]
  • [awaiting suggestions of other items]



Meet-up 17 - Yoga in the Park / Update and Re-group

Date: 15, 17, 22 or 31 May (depends on Doodle poll)

Proposed Agenda: 1 hour yoga, then general updates and catch-up

Network Events for 2022


Meet-up 16 - Year of End Gathering

Date: Doodle Poll

Time: 2-4pm

Proposed Agenda:

  • Dancing in the Dark (30 mins) - proposed by Justin, and will be operated by his brother

Come and dance like nobody is watching—because nobody can in almost total darkness.

Dancing used to be a natural way of expressing joy at hearing music. Professionals have stylised these movements, created standards and  determined what kinds of bodies can dance. Now dancing is mostly performance and posturing. There are norms on who should be doing what kind of dance, and how they should look, dress and move while participating.

What if we took that judgment away? What if we could participate in collective joy again?

Come for a 30 min dancing in the dark social experiment. Come dressed in comfortable clothes. Bring the young, the old and the awkward.

[Concept inspired by/stolen from No Lights No Lycra]

  • Participatory Budgeting at Town Council 30 mins - proposed by Justin

There is an opportunity to do this, and just need to find an MP who might be keen to take this on. Looking for feedback to the concept, and also connections to possible partners/connections you can refer me to.


Meet-up 15 - Hosted by Kwek Li Yong @ My Community

SIGN UP HERE:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdquCPcLhq-0iVHlgcwhy8om7XiL325b_-x5xXrL7u-Ozm3ig/viewform?usp=sf_link

Date - 25 June 2022

Time - 7.30pm to 9.30pm

Venue - Museum @ My Queenstown

46-3 Commonwealth Drive #01-388

Singapore 140463


Agenda

  • Get to know how My Community does cultural asset mapping, elicit stories from residents, organise tours, 'co-curate' a museum and why they have been extraordinarily successful in attracting young professional volunteers to unearth the heritage of a local community.
  • Is 'Hello Dawson' Programme by My Community and Cassia Resettlement Team doing what is known as 'Local Area Coordination'? Kwek Li Yong (My Community) and Lim Jingzhou (Cassia Resettlement Team) will discuss how their work may be similar or different (eg regular flat vs rental flats), informally facilitated by Justin Lee.

"Our Hello Dawson! team is helping more than 1000 elderly, low-income and physically disabled residents affected by the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) in Tanglin Halt relocate to Dawson. Join us if you have a heart for others, and would like to befriend our Tanglin Halt residents."

https://mycommunity.org.sg/volunteer-teams/

  • Any other issues participants want to discuss

Meet-up 14

Date - 27 Apr 2022

Time - 2-4pm

Venue - IPS

Agenda

  • Having a 'community work clinic' (?) to practice/train facilitation skills in conducting community meeting/community arts project and also discuss ethics of practice (eg sharing info). [Izzaty/Shiyun] (This was proposed at last round but we didn't have time to get to it)
  • Paying community members to do research and information gathering for us? Eg, collating and archiving the community or community arts initiatives in Singapore (as Izzaty suggested previously). I'm quite happy to part with small sums of my own money for this, and maybe this is a supplementary source of income for community members who need it? One possibility is to help populate our wiki page on community development, which needs a proper update so that we can better tap into the collective intelligence of everyone here. [Justin]
  • Inputs on a Community-Driven Basic Income Concept -- Since Basic Income is unlikely here, how about a community-led version where 10-20 families provide financial support (and other forms of support) to one low-income family and top-up to whatever the income benchmark is for that family to meet its basic needs. [Justin]
  • Inputs for Non-Profit Conference organised by IPS & ToteBoard, theme is "Solutions that Help Us Help One Another" and the focus is on 1) mutual aid, contributing to the commons; 2) new ways of organising social care and social change through cooperatives; and 3) peer-to-peer or collaborative forms of learning that help to unlock a community’s learning capacity. [Justin]


Meet-up 13

Date - 16 Feb 2022

Time - 2-3.30pm

Venue - Via Zoom

See HERE for notes

Agenda

1. Kangli's doctoral research on civil participation in Singapore- "Builders of Our New (?) Society: Civil Participation in Singapore and the Impact of COVID-19"

2. White Paper on Community Development.

  • Hana update on her findings from research project with SMU students
  • Peiyi update on follow-up research
  • Kangli's suggestion to use action research or CBPR. "It has always been on my heart to do evaluative research on the different forms of community development in SG, especially those of informal ground-up movements. I think it would be a good addition to the White Paper. It could be CPBR or action research, rather than a traditional top-down approaches."
  • Terence's suggestion to "do a broad survey of community developers out there. We could look at it as a spectrum, suggesting trends, common methods or interest to cater to our target readership. By starting the ball rolling, more persons/groups who identify as community developers/aid might surface".
  • Khadijah: "Love the idea of the promotion or rather showcasing the citizen/community lead ground up initiatives - plenty had sprouted during the pandemic. Coincidentally A Good Space had reached out and shared their new initiative [Listening Living Labs] that seeks to build on the collaboration among the various entities in the Mind The Gap Collective" [Justin: I've been roped in to their Labs as well, and we can work with them in some way for sure, once we figure out what we want to do]
  • Justin: I can offer the support of socialcollab, this wiki itself, and get students to do a wikithon, plus pull together a knowledge management framework to help us make collective sense of the information we have so far, prioritize our knowledge gaps and discuss what areas require more investigation.

3. Shiyun: How information about the community members (shared voluntarily by the members themselves) is organized and shared among community workers, in terms of methods and in terms of ethics. [Izzaty adds: "I feel I take such cautiousness for granted and want to understand how consent looks in community development."]

4. Izzaty:

  • Methods of Archiving Community Arts For Community?
  • Having a circle to practice/train facilitation skills in conducting community meeting/community arts project or anything to do with rallying!

5. Community Forum 2022? To do or not? And if so, in what form?

6. Do Something Together?

Network Events for 2021

Meet-up 12

Date - 30 Sep 2021

Time - 3-5pm

Venue - via Zoom

Meet-up 11: Welcome to CDN, Tsao Foundation

Date - 4 Aug 2021

Time - 3-5pm

Venue - via Zoom

Agenda & Discussion Notes

  1. Hana Alhadad - Research Project with SMU Public Policy Task Force that will become Community Development White Paper (15 mins)
  2. Community Forum Circle would like to share some initial ideas with the community and get their feedback (20 mins)
  3. Feedback on Vision, Organizational Structure and Forward Plans of CDN (30 mins)
  4. Tsao Foundation's experience using realist evaluation of their community engagement programmes / Survey on learning interest in realist evaluation (10-15 mins)

Meet-up 10: White Paper and Community Fellowships

Date - 4 May 2021

Time - 10am -12 noon

Venue - via Zoom

Agenda & Discussion Notes

  1. Forming a central circle and subcircles for CDN
  2. Community Development White Paper (Hana, Justin)
  3. Update on Ngee Ann Kongsi-IPS Community Fellows (Justin)

Meet-up 9: Reflections on Community Forum

Date - 5 Jan 2021

Time - 3-4pm

Venue - via Zoom

Agenda & Discussion Notes

  1. Reflections on Community Forum 2020, CDN as a whole, and aspirations for this year
    [Watch out for a link to the notes]

Network Events for 2020


Community Forum 2020

Date - 6 - 21 Nov 2020

See Community Forum 2020 and summary of what to attend


Meet-up 8: on Zoom

Date - 2 July 2020

Time - 2-4pm

Venue - via Zoom

Agenda & Discussion Notes

  1. Helping Ubin residents with accessibility needs reach their polling station, shared by Jodie from Artsolute.
    • Voting station for Ubin residents is at SUTD, quite a distance
    • There are 3-4 wheelchair users and other seniors with accessibility needs, making a total of about 20
    • Will request for volunteers, transportation sponsors later on if existing channels don't deliver
  2. Requests for human library volunteer and ideas for National Day Ground Up Party, shared by Hilda of OpenJio.
    • Those who want to offer themselves as a human 'book' please approach Hilda
    • Those who have interesting ideas and activities as part of the festivities also approach her
  3. Soliciting for ideas on the types of volunteering activities to do online, as well as establishing trust and maintaining engagement online, shared by Xinwei of Singapore Children's Society.
    • Difficult to engage online because may not have prior relationships with certain volunteers or donors face to face before.
    • Suggestions include: play online games, or use Tik Tok, which work well with youth.
  4. Organising Community Forum 2020, shared by Justin
    • Generally agreeble to have ground-up way of organising Forum where co-organisers take the lead and make independent decisions on specific segments
    • A coordinating committee and set of documents will be shared with those who want to co-organise and plan


Network Events for 2019


Meet-up 7: South Central Community Family Service Centre

Date - 4 February 2020

Time - 2 - 5.30pm

Venue -  South Central Community Family Service Centre

Address - Blk 5 Delta Ave, #01-09, Singapore 160005

Agenda

  1. Possibility conversations (Justin, IPS) (see link to discussion at CDN 6 on what this is) & Sharing of reflections and dreams (Vincent)
  2. Circle of Influence by Chris
  3. Update on Ubin by Terence
  4. Update on Community Forum 2020 / Learning Festival -- open to collaboration with interested parties; looks like October works for IPS, what about others who are interested? (Justin / Gerard)
  5. Serve.sg beta -- skilled volunteer matching platform has been soft-launched and we are looking for guinea pigs to try so that we can refine the system (Justin, Serve.sg)
  6. Civic Experiment & Wiki Challenge -- call for inputs & participation (Justin, socialcollab.sg)

Meet-up 6: Ngee Ann Poly


Date - 15 November 2019 (Confirmed)

Time - 10am -12pm

Venue - Ngee Ann Polytechnic, School of Humanities & Social Sciences, Blk 75-01-02

Address - 535 Clementi Rd, Singapore 599489

Hosted and made possible by Mathew Wong, Head of Programme for Community Development Diploma, Ngee Ann Poly.

Agenda

  1. Ngee Ann Poly's Diploma in Community Development - (Matthew Wong, Head of Programme)
  2. Project developments & inputs: Community Fund, Community Festival & Community Fellows - (Justin Lee)
  3. Possible presentation on community development by interested parties at SSR's Seminar Series - (Justin on behalf of SSR) [They say it is very well attended]
  4. Discuss whether CDN is ready to articulate collective objectives, membership rules and associational norms - (See Chris Teo's post )
  5. Presentation and sign up for a Community Trail in Pulau Ubin - (Terence Tan and Jodi Thiele of Artsolute ‪)
  6. Insights on Community Development in Singapore - (Abhishek Bajaj)
  7. Any Other Business


What Was Discussed

  • See this link for notes.

Meet-up 5: "Who is afraid of community development?"


Date - 12 October 2019 (Sat)

Time - 10- 3pm

Venue - Goodman Arts Centre (specific room to be updated)

Address: 90 Goodman Rd, Singapore 439053

Hosted and made possible by - ArtsWok Collaborative, as part of their Greenhouse Series. ArtsWok says they are open to co-facilitation with partners.

Agenda

  1. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2427241927519582/

Meet-up 4: Frank Früchtel on "The Value of Dependency in Community & Community Work"


Date - 6 September 2019 (Friday)

Time - 2-5pm

Venue - Deutsche Bank, Level 17

Address: Deutsche Bank AG, Asia Pacific Head Office, One Raffles Quay, South Tower, 048583 Singapore 

Hosted and made possible by - Beyond Social Services

Agenda

  1. Talk by Frank Früchtel on "The value of dependency in community and community work" (30 to 45 mins) followed by a discussion and interaction. Frank is the Dean for Social and Educational Sciences at the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences.
  2. Any Other Business

"The Value of Dependency in Community and Community Work" by Frank Früchtel

See notes here:

https://communitynetworksg.wordpress.com/2019/10/15/the-value-of-dependency-in-community-and-community-work-notes-from-a-talk-by-frank-fruchtel/


Meet-up 3: "Meanings of community & community work"


Date - 30 August 2019 (Friday)

Time - 10am - 1pm

Venue - Meeting Room, Institute of Policy Studies, 1 C Cluny Road, House 5 S(259599)

Facilitated by - Abhishek Bajaj

Agenda

  1. The personal meanings of community & community work to members (Abishek Bajaj)
  2. Su-Lin on Oct Meet-Up
  3. Sharing by Bee Leng & Hana on MSF's Comm Dev Framework
  4. NVPC to share about 'Community Matters' initiative to map out what makes a good community and develop a framework (Grace, Joel)
  5. Agree on the scope of the Participatory Research Project, timelines, responsibilities and implementation (Hana + Justin)
  6. Opportunity to run experiential workshop for SBFF's 'CSR in Action' (Justin)

What Was Discussed

  • Abhishek facilitated a dialogue session to elicit views about the meanings and values of community work and how that intersects with individual identity and experiences.
  • ArtsWok agreed to Host Meet-Up 5 (Oct 12) as art of their Greenhouse session.
  • Su-Lin also said that MOH Transformation Team (something like an innovation unit) would like to join CDN. They care about healthy living and community development and would like to come and see if there are any synergies with the groups here. Explore the relationship between the Health and Social sectors. She wanted to see what the network felt about including them.
  • [Network rule] Currently, we operate on a 'radical inclusion' basis where we accept anyone who is referred by a member. We will post an update for member inputs if we ever come across requests to include people who might create some discomfort.We agreed that we will continue to do this until it poses a problem of some sort--e.g. if it dilutes the value or fragments the network in some way--then we will revisit this policy.
  • Ng Bee Leng and Hana shared about their roles and experience in MSF’s ongoing consultation for developing guide on community work for FSCs. See summary here. Request: The committee is looking for people to be part of this consultation process, through cluster conversations, or even step up as facilitators of that process. Contact Ng Bee Leng (AMKFSC) if interested.
  • NVPC shared the objectives and process of the Community Matters Series - 5 sessions of dialogue / research will run from 25 Sep - 16 Jan 2020. Broadly speaking, the goal is to arrive at insights about community development for community developers. Request: Participation or as co-facilitators. Contact Grace at 96345511 or graceannchua@nvpc.org.sg
  • [IMMEDIATE – by December] Hana’s $4k faculty development fund. Offer: you can use this to collect data from community developers in Singapore (by December) – refreshments, vouchers & transportation cost (can defray costs for others interested to do research).
  • [Future plan] To write a white paper on community development, define it, map out landscape, understand needs and challenges in Singapore, present collective positions where there is consensus and make policy recommendations.
  • SBBF's CSR in Action: Various organisations that expressed interest will be connected to SBBF.

(Members in Google Group at this time = 90)


Meet-up 2: Let's Get to Know One Another First + Organise a Community Festival?


Date - 30 July 2019 (Tuesday)

Time - 2.00 pm - 5.00 pm

Venue - Meeting Room, Institute of Policy Studies, 1 C Cluny Road, House 5 S(259599)

Agenda

  1. Getting to Know One Another - 20 mins
  2. Co-Design and Collaborate on Community Festival / Forum (so far: IPS & Beyond Social Services) - 1 hour
  3. Community Fellows: Invitation for inputs and partnerships (IPS) - 30 mins
  4. Contributing to MSF's / MCCY Community Development Framework - 30 mins


Other possible agenda:

  • clarify the definition of community & community development

What Was Discussed


Meet-up 1: On the Design of the Network


Date - Friday, 31 May 2019

Time - 10.00 am - 12.00 pm

Venue - Credit Suisse

Agenda

  • What are our objectives? What value can we get out of it?
  • Who will co-organise and participate, and in what way?
  • Are there other existing networks already relevant to community work?
  • Based on objectives and existing circumstances, how should we structure the network, and decision-making?

What Was Discussed

Link to the consolidated inputs from participants about the objectives and design of the network

Link to Ijlal's fieldnotes on the meeting.

This is meant to be a collective document so please add points or reflections to this document. You can comments within [brackets] and also identify yourself.

Key points

  • Background to the meeting:
  • Participants agreed to meet monthly
  • We can take our time to get to know one another better--through play--before deciding how to run the network
  • Those who have ideas and want to do something can already start forming groups and starting discussions. Please create project pages or documents and post links to the 'Projects' header above, or start a discussion at the Google Group - Community Development Network SG 

Resources

NCDD’s Engagement Streams Framework - to help navigate the range of dialogue and deliberation approaches available. How are Citizens Juries are different from Deliberative Polling?  When should you use World Cafe, rather than Open Space? 

Citizen Lab's guide to inclusive participation on a digital platforms