Des Moines Identifies Needs
Des Moines identified neighborhood needs: youth activities, parent resource center and resident resource lists.
This paper describes using study circles to engage residents in family and neighborhood strengthening efforts in three Making Connections initiative neighborhoods--Des Moines, Iowa; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Seattle, Washington. Using the Study Circle Resource Center (SCRC) model, a study group progresses through three steps: sharing how the concern affects each resident, exploring how other residents are affected and identifying immediate actions that can be taken. This paper describes how Des Moines, Indianapolis and Seattle adapted their approaches from the SCRC model.
Those interviewed agreed that the SCRC Study Circles model was effective in engaging residents to strengthen families. The participants also acknowledged the challenges faced by the programs,such as difficulty connecting with policy and funding partners and trouble finding common ground. The Study Circles help train the participants so they are well-prepared to overcome these and other challenges.