 |
Ben Warner's Blog
Call for Chapters: Community Quality-of-Life Indicators: Best Practices V
|
Call for Chapters Special Volume on Community Quality-of-Life Indicators: Best Practices V Published by Springer in the new Best Practices in Quality-of-Life Research Book Series Volume Focus: This volume will publish best practices of community quality-of-life indicators projects. The first volume was published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 2004 (edited by M. Joseph Sirgy, Don Rahtz, and Dong-Jin Lee). The second volume was published by Springer in 2006 (edited by M. Joseph Sirgy, Don Rahtz, and David Swain). The third and fourth volumes were published by Springer (visit www.springer.com and type “Community Quality-of-Life Indicators” in the Search window) and the International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (both edited by M. Joseph Sirgy, Rhonda Phillips, and Don Rahtz). For the fifth volume, we are seeking excellent case studies that can be used by community planners, policy makers and others as good examples or “prototypes” of community quality-of-life indicator projects. Papers dealing with theoretical issues in planning, developing, and using community quality-of-life indicators are not suitable for this volume. Instead, they should be sent for review and possible publication in Social Indicators Research (SIR) or Applied Research in Quality-of-Life (ARQOL). The fifth volume will be published in the new book series, Best Practices in Quality-of-Life Research. The book series editor is Dr. Dave Webb of the University of Western Australia.. Volume Editors: M. Joseph Sirgy (Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, USA), Rhonda Phillips (State University of New York-Plattsburgh, USA), and Don Rahtz (College of William and Mary, USA)
Special Invitation: Please consider submitting your idea for a chapter as a paper for the IX Conference of the International Society of Quality of Life Studies, Florence Italy, July 19-23, 2009. This will give us a chance to “see the project in action” and help us make a decision concerning its suitability for the volume. See the conference website at http://www.isqols2009.istitutodeglinnocenti.it/ Submit your abstract to any of the tracks related to community well-being. Submission Deadline: August 31st, 2009 Submit to: M. Joseph Sirgy, Department of Marketing, Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061-0236, USA. Tel: 540.231.5110. Fax: 540.231.3076. E-mail: sirgy@vt.edu Submission Guidelines: - The paper should be typed in either Arial or Times Roman, font size 10-12 with a margin of 1 inch on all sides.
- The paper should be typed either 1½ or double-spaced.
- Paper length should not exceed 30 pages in total including references, tables, and figures.
- Reference style: American Psychological Association (APA) style is preferred.
- E-mail attachment is the preferred mode of submission. Submit paper electronically to sirgy@vt.edu.
- All submissions should be original and not previously published. The submitted paper should not be submitted simultaneously to other publication outlets.
Guidelines for Paper Selection and Final Manuscript Preparation: - Each paper will be subjected to a review by 2-3 referees who are experts in the field.
- The editors in consultation with the referees will make the final decision concerning acceptance or rejection.
- Notification of acceptance or rejection will be sent out by the end of September 2009.
- It is very likely that the editors will request changes to the accepted papers based on the reviewers’ suggestions. These changes should be completed by the end of November 2009.
|
|
| January 30, 2009 | 9:01 AM |
|
|
|
National Accounts of Well-being
|
Here's a note from our friends at the new economics foundation:
National Accounts of Well-being: bringing real wealth onto the balance sheet We are pleased to forward a copy of our latest report, National Accounts of Well-being: bringing real wealth onto the balance sheet, released by the centre for well-being at nef (the new economics foundation) on Saturday 24 January 2009. The report reveals that the UK fares poorly in comparison to a range of European nations and presents some key challenges for policy-makers. On the two headline indicators within the framework devised by nef, the UK ranks only 13th for personal well-being and 15th for social well-being, out of 22 European nations surveyed. The findings also show that people in the UK aged 16-24 report the lowest level of trust and belonging – a key element of social well-being – anywhere in Europe. We believe this is due to a complex web of interrelated factors in part created by an emphasis on maximising economic growth to the exclusion of other concerns. A growing range of academics, commentators and policy-makers have been increasingly calling for new measures of progress; National Accounts of Well-being are the first comprehensive attempt to make this a reality. The report and website, www.nationalaccountsofwellbeing.org were compiled using data collected in the European Social Survey, which carried out over 40,000 interviews with people across 22 nations and provides the most comprehensive international analyses of well-being ever produced. nef is calling for National Accounts of Well-being to be adopted by government as a powerful tool to significantly enhance the effectiveness of public policy-making and to provide a new way of assessing societal progress. The current period of economic, social and environmental uncertainty has thrown into sharp relief the inadequacies of GDP as a meaningful measure of the progress of nations and the well-being of citizens. Where the emphasis on growth-based indicators has led to a narrow measure of human welfare and takes no account of how fairly resources are distributed, or the social and environmental damage caused by a myopic focus on growth alone, introducing National Accounts of Well-being would provide a timely and effective way to refocus policy-making on the things that really matter – delivering a better quality of life for all. We hope you enjoy reading the report, and would welcome your comments. Yours sincerely, Corrina Cordon
nef Public Affairs Manager
|
|
| January 29, 2009 | 8:01 AM |
|
|
|
2009 NAPC Conference Invitation
|
Your invitation, from the National Association of Planning Councils!
2009 NAPC Conference: March 2-4, in Austin Community Planning in Turbulent Times
...staying on top when the bottom falls out Register today! Conference website Flyer Registration form Community planning leaders and practitioners, come and enjoy outstanding national keynote speakers...three full days of conference sessions...networking and resource fair... Austin, one of America’s favorite cities!
QUICK OVERVIEW: MONDAY, March 2nd: The new Census changes and their impact..."Community Planning 101"...Mature workers seeking encore careers in nonprofits...Welcome session for newcomers...Opening reception...Dinner on the town
TUESDAY, March 3rd: The new "big picture"--drivers of community change ...featuring Jerry Friedman (Director, American Public Human Services Association) and Larry Mischel (Director, Economic Policy Institute)...plus three topical roundtables...the NAPC Annual Meeting...the Judith Rothbaum Award recognizing excellence in using indicators for community action...Networking dinner
WEDNESDAY, March 4th: Using 21st century technology to solve 21st century problems ...tools you can implement immediately to improve information gathering, analysis, policy development, presentation of information to the community, advocacy, and community engagement...plus topical roundtables and networking
Make hotel reservations by February 2nd for the special rate…call 512-477-1234, the downtown Hyatt Regency. Space is limited; register soon!
Past attendees say, "I come to learn, to be inspired, and to build valuable networks with colleagues in other communities." “Even in years when budgets are tight and I can only go to one conference, this is the conference I never miss.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * MORE DETAILS: SCHEDULE, TOPICS AND SPEAKERS MONDAY, MARCH 2 9 am-Noon, at City Hall, 301 West 2nd Street
Preparing for the impacts of the new Census changes on community planning
Speaker: Thomas L. Mesenbourg, Acting Director, U.S. Census Bureau (Washington, D.C.) or designee, and panel The coming changes in the Census and American Community Survey; broad impact (policy, programs, funding); federal coordination; impact on local communities; how do we as local leaders prepare for these changes.
2-4 pm, your choice of two simultaneous sessions, at the hotel: A. Community Planning 101 Speaker: Ben Warner, President, NAPC; Deputy Director, JCCI (Jacksonville, FL)
…and other NAPC Board members
For: all who are new to the field, new to NAPC, new executive directors of member organizations, or curious about how NAPC and its most-experienced practitioners view “the basics” essential for success…core values and competencies, key elements, strategies, models, and methods.
B. Tapping the Mature Workforce—Baby Boomer Retirees Seeking Encore Careers in Nonprofits
Speaker: Martha Blaine, leader of NAPC’s Mature Workforce Initiative; Board member, NAPC; Executive Director, Community Council of Greater Dallas (Dallas, TX)
For: NAPC members and others interested in this new social movement and ways to prepare their organizations and communities to welcome and benefit from this workforce. The session will include reports on NAPC’s work with The Conference Board and Civic Ventures; new research and resources; and sharing among NAPC organizations about their communities’ initial efforts. 5-6 pm, at the Hyatt: Welcome Session for New Members and First-Time Conference Attendees
Newcomers will learn more about NAPC and the conference, meet one another and some NAPC Board members, and exchange information about their work and interests
6-7:30 pm, Hyatt Terrace and Lobby:
Conference Opening Reception Welcome to the conference and to Austin
Participant introductions
Conversation…hors d’oeuvres…cash bar
7:30 pm Dine Arounds
Enjoy nearby Austin restaurants in groups with others from the conference
……………………………………….. TUESDAY, MARCH 3…
The new "big picture" -- drivers of community change
The focus for Tuesday will be on better understanding drivers of community change -- “big-picture” issues affecting our world and our work. Two national keynote speakers will challenge and inform us. Respondent panels will relate these issues to aspects of community planning work important to local communities, including community engagement, new models, new partners, advocacy, and more. Special emphasis will be on changes as a result of the election and implications for community planning work.
8-8:50 am Breakfast roundtables and continental breakfast (lobby level) Choice of three simultaneous small-group sessions on these topics: A. “The Perfect Storm” – Community Engagement
What are local communities doing to better understand the enormous demographic, economic, and social changes now under way, and to engage people in community planning and action based on this understanding?
Presenters: Phil Dessauer, M.A., Executive Director, and Jan Figart, M.S.N., R.N., Associate Director, Community Service Council (Tulsa, OK) B. Funders roundtables
Funders in a community sometimes work together in innovative ways to share information and coordinate their efforts to support work to meet community needs. A case example from DuPage, Illinois will be presented, then participants can briefly describe models in their communities.
Presenters: Candace King, Executive Director, and Philip R. Smith, President, DuPage Federation for Human Services Reform (Villa Park, IL)
C. Disaster preparedness for your organization, and for your community
Inevitably, natural or man-made disasters will happen. This session will cover key questions, how-to’s, useful planning tools, lessons learned, and the valuable roles a planning council can play as a community plans for and responds to emergencies.
Presenter: Martha Blaine, MBA, Executive Director, Community Council of Greater Dallas (Dallas, TX) 9:15-10:30 am Morning keynote speaker and discussion:
Drivers of change and what they mean for human services and local communities
Keynote speaker: Jerry Friedman, Executive Director, American Public Human Services Association
10:45 am-noon After the election...
Facilitated discussion on the emerging scene following the national elections, and local community implications and responses
12:30-1:30 pm Luncheon and NAPC Annual Meeting
(Everyone welcome…luncheon included with conference registration) Presentation of the Judith Rothbaum Award…using social indicators for community action
Review of the year’s highlights; NAPC elections; member recognition; celebrations 1:45-4 pm Afternoon keynote speaker and discussion:
“It’s the Economy, Stupid!” U.S. and Global Changes and What They Mean for Local Communities
Keynote speaker: Larry Mishel, President, Economic Policy Institute (EPI), Washington, D.C.
4-5:30 pm Small-group discussion sessions 6:30 pm Dine Arounds…enjoy nearby Austin restaurants in groups with others from the conference ……………………………………….. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4 Using 21st century tools to address 21st century problems
This day’s discussions will be about becoming more effective, efficient, and persuasive using technology that is primarily free online or downloadable. In tight economic times, how can we address the problems in our communities better, easier, and without a negative impact on our bottom line? These sessions will introduce tools you can implement immediately to improve information gathering, analysis, policy development, presentation of information to the community, advocacy, and community engagement. We will learn when to use them, when not to use them, what their advantages and minefields are, and what it takes to make them effective.
8-8:50 am Breakfast roundtables and continental breakfast (lobby level) Choice of simultaneous small-group topical sessions:
A. Developing new strategies in bad economic times
Some community planning organizations and other nonprofits have begun operating differently in order to survive and succeed during challenging economic times. Several specific approaches will be presented, then participants can describe their experiences and ideas.
Presenter: Patrick Linnane, retired Executive Director, The Planning Council (Milwaukee, WI)
B. Building Systems of Care for Children and Families
This session will discuss the process for building systems of care for school readiness, family counseling, neighborhood family support, and out of school time services. Governance, access, consumer choice, and development strategies will be described.
Presenter: H. Browning Spence, Ph.D., Deputy Director, Juvenile Welfare Board--the Children's Services Council of Pinellas (Pinellas, FL)
9 am Opening session
Speaker: Ben Warner
How comfortable are we with new technology? In this session we'll use multi-input instant survey tools to discover how well we're using the web, and our current comfort levels with new tools and online social networking. 9:30 am-10:45 am Increasing effectiveness in public policy development, research, and analysis
Moderator: Vanessa Sarria, Executive Director, Community Action Network (Austin, TX)
- Presenting to Affect Public Policy
Speaker: Dr. Philip Huang, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Austin/Travis County Health & Human Services Department
- Using CLIKS to Chart Trends and Save Time
Speaker: Frances P. Deviney, PhD, Texas KIDS COUNT Director, Center for Public Policy Priorities - Mapping Data Using Accessible, No-Cost Tools for Assessment and Planning
Speakers:
Sean Moran, Center for Regional Development Director, Capital Area Council of Governments
Ilyanna Kadich, GIS Analyst, Center for Regional Development, Capital Area Council of Governments 11:00-11:30 am Data Displays – 30 Examples in 30 Minutes
Speaker: Ben Warner
11:45- 12:45 pm Luncheon 1:00- 2:00 pm Using Visual Imagery to Describe the World
Interactive game showing new possibilities through new technology.
Presenter: Sunni Brown, M.P.A., BrightSpot Information Design 2:15- 3:45 pm Community Planning in a Digital World: New Methods of Community Engagement
Moderator: Taylor Willingham, Founder of Texas Forums and Adjunct Associate Professor for Graduate Library Schools at the University of Illinois
Using blogs, Facebook, and other social media tools (bulletin boards, discussion boards, MySpace, Change.org, etc.). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Register today! Conference website Flyer Registration form
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * National Association of Planning Councils (NAPC)
11118 Ferndale Road - Dallas, TX 75238 - 214-341-3657
www.communityplanning.org NAPC is the national association that fosters the unique profession of community planning.
NAPC is committed to advancing the process of bringing people together to identify needs and work toward solutions.
|
|
| January 29, 2009 | 8:01 AM |
| January 28, 2009 | 4:01 AM |
|
|
|
PPMRN Conference: Other Thoughts
|
I was excited about one session in particular on Saturday morning at the PPMRN conference. The session was entitled “Citizen Engagement,” and the teaser promised that we would hear the panel “discuss their innovative programs that encourage governments to involve citizens in performance measurement and reporting processes.”
What I heard was some really good work in enhancing the way governments provide information to citizens (or residents or people -- the nomenclature has been changing as communities struggle with inclusivity and their non-citizen populations.) There's also interesting work in surveying citizens to see what they want and what's important to them.
Both of these communication strategies are critical in how we link people to the governments that serve them, and how we promote increased information-sharing from government to the people and from the people to government.
The challenge is to move beyond information-sharing to this thing we call “citizen engagement.” We're dealing in communities with disconnects, dissatisfaction, distrust, and powerlessness. Engaging citizens in community governance is both a logical and a necessary strategy to resolve these concerns and create more effective governance. But engaging requires more than an information exchange, especially if the information exchange occurs through an intermediary.
The difficulty is that we can't overcome powerlessness without a willingness to share or transfer power. Real engagement requires shared conversations -- not just surveys -- and participation in the decision-making processes. For those of us in the measurement business, that can be as simple as bringing people and government together in a room and deciding together what is important, what good government looks like, and how to measure progress on reaching a shared vision for effective governance.
One benefit to this kind of approach is to reconnect citizens and government and to begin building trust. A second benefit is to involve citizens in creating the solutions -- how can people help improve their community on their own or in voluntary associations? (See de Tocqueville for our history with these kind of associations and their critical function in making communities work.)
The good news is that this is more than just a theoretical discussion. Across America, these kinds of discussions are taking place -- in Sheriff's Advisory Committees, in committee meetings, and in organizations like the one I work in.
As we continue to enhance the amazing work being accomplished in government performance measurement in reporting, we need to bring the people into the picture. Is it hard to understand? Let's take a moment and talk it through together. Does government have limits? Of course it does, and through shared conversation we can move from wishful thinking to the practical. But those conversation need to happen in order to help both citizen and government understand what good government looks like.
Last story and I will stop musing on the topic: We had, in one community, a named storm come through. Trees fell. Power was knocked out. Our Emergency Operations Center went into action. Plans were put into effect. Goals were met, and the lights were back on and the street debris was all gone within 48 hours. High-fives and congratulations abounded within the EOC. That is, until they started hearing citizen complainst that it took two days for the power to be back on and the debris removed.
The problem wasn't government efficiency. The problem was in developing a shared understanding with the citizens on what efficient government was. The real challenge wasn't the performance measures, but the lack of engagement.
I'd appreciate your thoughts and reactions on this topic. What am I missing? Oversimplifying? Let me know if you want to talk further about the roles outside help can bring to engaging your community with government.
|
|
| January 27, 2009 | 10:01 AM |
|
Latest Posts
Monthly Archive
Change Language
Tags Archive
callforpapers childrensindicators community communityindicators conferences data datadisplaytools datasources display economicindicators educationindicators employmentopportunity governmentperformancemeasures healthindicators indicatorblogs indicators indicatorshumor mapping measuringhappiness neighborhoodindicators poverty qualityoflife reportreleases socialindicators socialnetworks sources storytelling sustainability tools webinars
Friends
Links
66592 views
|
|
