Feb 10, 2012. Snapped at the Department of Public
Health office at 1203 Maple Street, Greensboro NC
Health office at 1203 Maple Street, Greensboro NC
A thought experiment inspired by the trend for academia and nonprofits to produce “products”. It flips the roles of experts and refugees based on the notion that (1) top-down plans, projects and initiatives are expensive and have a mixed to poor track record and (2) experts need refugees to collaborate if both sides are to achieve their goals.
So, instead of the usual suspects (nonprofits, professionals, service providers, etc.) organizing conferences and workshops for each other about how to treat refugees, why not such a gathering organized by the community itself, with an invitation to “experts” to listen. And if the two sides are to work together, why not work as equals? Instead of service providers and academics presenting refugee communities to policy makers, businesses, religious organizations, and foundations, why not the community members themselves? In Greensboro, this is considered a revolutionary concept (!).
On the left column (below), language from the Chamber of Commerce, Action Greensboro, Greensboro Partnership and Mental Health Association of Central Carolinas. On the right, similar language refiltered through the refugee perspective that frames community knowledge as valuable information for American agencies, businesses and government offices tasked with delivering services and goods to the Montagnard population while reducing their costs. By rejecting the charity model and proposing a dollar value for refugee time, experience and information, a fee-based series of workshops redefines providers as sellers and refugees as savvy consumers. In this new model, sellers are accountable and responsive to consumer needs, and consumers have choices.
Entrepreneurship — the latest clarion call from cash-strapped sectors — means many things, from innovation and out-of-the-box thinking to plain old business planning, management and careful accounting. Entrepreneurship starts with a particular mindset involving value and risk and a willingness to make big changes in response to consumer demands — none of which characterize our approaches to regional refugee resettlement.
Entrepreneurship — the latest clarion call from cash-strapped sectors — means many things, from innovation and out-of-the-box thinking to plain old business planning, management and careful accounting. Entrepreneurship starts with a particular mindset involving value and risk and a willingness to make big changes in response to consumer demands — none of which characterize our approaches to regional refugee resettlement.
(Chamber of Commerce) Greensboro is a diverse community located halfway in between the mountains and the coast. Today, our residents enjoy a rich quality of life flavored by a vibrant downtown, 80 miles of walking and biking trails, close access to state-of-the-art healthcare, and a variety of cultural opportunities. If shopping is your bag, Friendly Center, The Village at North Elm, and Four Season’s Town Centre offer a nice blend of upscale and everyday options. Sensible, steady weather with four distinct seasons describes Greensboro well. Truly living up to its name, Greensboro comes alive in the spring with waves of blooms and green, tree-lined streets framing the community with new life. There is something about the brilliant Carolina blue skies, reverence for history, and our can-do attitude that makes Greensboro a unique and forward-moving city. Because we fully embrace our creative character, we value the contributions of students and young professionals, growing families, and retirees with lifelong wisdom to share. (Action Greensboro) A comprehensive strategic plan... urban livability, civic engagement, K-12 educational advancement, and initiatives to attract and retain young professionals in Greensboro... (MLA Central Carolinas) Comprehensively provide culturally competent services to local refugee and asylee populations. Effectively utilize interpretation services and local resources. Discern mental health disorders present in certain cultures and apply best practice methods Create a network of providers to meet regularly for ongoing training and relationship building with the refugee community and consultant (each agency that participates will be listed in a resource guide that will be promoted within the refugee communities for information and referral; continued Technical Assistance and evaluations will be integral as new arrivals of refugees & asylees will change and continued training will be necessary for the provider agencies) (Greensboro Partnership) This plan guides our work to increase the amount of capital investment in Greensboro and Guilford County and helps us to leverage the creation of high technology, high wage jobs. We accomplish our mission not only through traditional business recruitment and expansion services, business networking, and advocacy, but also through making Greensboro a more livable, culturally diverse place. | New Americans, New Markets: The Montagnard Perspective A 2-Day Series of Workshops About How Private, Public and Voluntary Sectors Can Deliver Quality Services and Products to New Markets Who should attend Clinical and direct care staff; school student support staff; interpreters; refugee resettlement and post-resettlement agencies; primary care provider staff; health clinic staff, academic scholars, businesses, government, faith-based organizations Come To Our City Greensboro is a culturally rich and diverse community located halfway between Raleigh and Charlotte. It is a place of new neighborhoods and residents who have changed the city's demographics, culture and old way of life. It is also proudly home to the largest Montagnard community outside the Central Highlands of Vietnam. If supporting local business is your passion, then your patronage will be welcomed at Montagnard and other Southeast Asian independently owned stores and shops. Ethnic businessmen continue to invest in neighborhoods and improve the city even during tough economic times. And Montagnard streets come alive in the spring with the smell of freshly turned dirt and newly planted vegetable gardens. There is something about the brilliant Carolina blue skies, reverence for history, and our can-do attitude that makes Greensboro a unique and forward-moving city. Because we fully embrace our creative character, we support the contributions of our young professionals, growing families, and retirees with lifelong wisdom to share. Come and Learn About... Learn about our comprehensive strategic plan for urban livability, civic engagement, better health, and investments in youth, education and community-based projects. When You Leave, You Will Be Able To... Understand the Montagnard community and how to collaboratively work with our members and partner with them to implement our strategic plan. You and your organization will appreciate how we provide the critical services — culturally competent knowledge— to private, public and voluntary sectors that makes new communities the driving force in community building and sustainable living in 21st Century Greensboro. You will understand the problems of interpretation services and local resources and learn how to effectively employ them. You will learn to avoid strategic blunders and other costly mistakes and inefficiencies inherent in old school charity models. As an example, you will learn to discern bottlenecks in the health system and apply best practice methods to obtain cost savings and positive patient outcomes. You will learn how you and your organization fit into a network of essential services required by the community, and you will have opportunities to meet regularly for ongoing training and relationship building with its members and consultants. By your participation and training, your organization will then be listed in a community resource guide that will be promoted to community members for information and referral. You can receive continued technical assistance and feedback from the community about how to best serve it and provide effective services and products. (more to come) |
