Community Power & Participatory Decision-Making refers to the direct participation in, ownership of, and sharing of collective benefits from social and political projects, by and for a local community. It can be accomplished through participatory decision making, or a creative process to give ownership of decisions to the whole group, finding effective options that everyone can live with.
What does Community Power & Participatory Decision-Making look like?
Setting recurring engagement opportunities for student leaders and affinity groups and routinely incorporating their thoughts and concerns into decision making at the School.
Resources
Equity Not Charity: Food Studies Alum Leah Kirts on Organizing Community Food Relief
As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, Leah joined a mutual aid group in Queens and began organizing mobile food pantries that have since grown to serve 150–200 people weekly. “It’s really simple: anyone who shows up can get food.”
Community Schools Parent Organizing Toolkit
This curriculum includes facilitators agendas and materials for 13 workshops covering key topics on Organizing Skills, Education Policy and Political Education.
Research on Participatory Budgeting Highlights Community Priorities in Public Spending
New research finds that spending priorities shift when community members play a direct role in city budgeting decisions.