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Description
Together with the Local Community Organizer we have diagnosed the needs of the Dębiec neighborhood, located at the edge of the city. Our expertise in the issue was also informed by our previous interactions with the community members from that part of Poznań. The community needs more integration, greater involvement and more local activities and a greater sense of agency. The neighborhood faces stereotyping and a risk of being excluded due to its localization, poor access to arts and culture, education, as well as poverty. We have also noticed conflicts cropping up within the community. There are not enough communal spaces and those available do not meet the needs of the people. We would like to address these issues by supporting and developing two already existing institutions located in Dębiec: the Neighbor’s House and the Civic Garden. We would like to organize a series of cultural and educational meetings, as well as gardening workshops and community integration meetings (e.g. arts workshops, theater plays, neighborly dinner parties). The offer will be consulted with the community members and we would like to encourage everyone to engage in their own, original initiatives. These places and programs will enable self-organization and integration of the local population through network building, neighborly cooperation, and creation of a common space.
Summary of project results
Together with the Community Organizer from the Municipal Family Support Center in Poznań, we created a needs assessment for the Dębiec neighborhood, located on the outskirts of the city. We also drew on our previous experiences with the residents of this part of the city. In this community, there was a need for stronger integration, increased activity, and a sense of agency within their environment. The area faced stereotypes and the risk of exclusion due to its location, limited access to cultural and educational offerings, and relatively low socioeconomic status of its residents. We also noticed emerging conflicts within the community.To address these issues, we developed and supported the activities of two existing places in Dębiec - a neighborhood house and a community garden. We organized a series of cultural, educational, gardening, and integration-oriented meetings in these spaces, such as art workshops, theatrical performances, neighborhood dinners, and culinary gatherings. We consulted with the residents regarding the meeting offerings and encouraged them to pursue their own ideas for activities.These places and our activities facilitated self-organization and integration within the local community, including the establishment of a lasting network of contacts, neighborhood cooperation, and the creation of a shared meeting space. In total, we conducted 130 meetings and 4 concerts. The residents became more active, and their sense of self-worth increased.Thanks to the numerous meetings and concerts, residents had the opportunity and space for integration, self-organization within the local community, and simply greater activity during their free time. And because the topics of the meetings were diverse, everyone could find something for themselves and, in the process, strengthen their skills.
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