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What Do Forests Have to do With Trauma and Resilience?
Dr. Wendy Ellis outlines creating opportunities for community healing and fostering equity through a framework inspired by nature.
Scientist Suzanne Simard proved that resource sharing is how resilient forests thrive. Her research flew in the face of popular scientific theories that healthy trees were a result of competition and resource hoarding. Prior to Simard's research, forest service practices reflected a belief that the oldest trees, also known as Mother Trees, were best cut down, so the younger generation of trees could thrive. Simard proved that, instead, Mother Trees pass along excess nutrients to seedlings through fungal networks in the soil.
Why the biology lesson on a blog dedicated to family engagement?
Dr. Wendy Ellis, who created the Building Community Resilience process, found inspiration in forests as an analogy for supporting the children and families who are most in need.
First, let's start with the soil. Simard's research proved that where Mother Trees were present, the soil was healthier and had more fungal networks present to transfer nutrients. Without that healthy soil, seedlings' leaves and branches were malnourished.
A child's community environment is as important to their development as the soil is to the seedling's growth. Adverse community environments--like food insecurity, racist policies, or community violence--lead to adverse childhood experiences, such as trouble learning in school or substance abuse.
Dr. Ellis described a very real scenario of an adverse community environment: “During COVID, the only full-service grocery store closed on the Southside. On top of that, bus lines and metro service were cut because of the pandemic, making it harder for families to get healthy groceries. The corner stores don’t sell nutritious foods. When the city appealed to grocery store chains, requesting they open on the Southside, corporate declined, citing high poverty and low homeownership.”
How can we add nutrients back to the soil?
As the Mother Trees teach us, strong networks are vital to a community where resources are shared, and all can thrive. Yet when trust has eroded over the years, community healing must be a central part of the process. Dr. Ellis notes that individuals with lived experiences must be centered in discussions, and city leaders must formally acknowledge systemic inequities, and develop incentives that foster social and economic mobility.
Using the grocery store example, Dr. Ellis' outlines three steps toward long-term change:
- Program: Developing a community-driven local food system with new licenses for small businesses like a co-op or farmers market. This would create networks among the urban shoppers and nearby farms.
- Practice: Stores that sell high quality, nutritious, affordable food improve the health of the community, while the new jobs at the co-op provides living wages.
- Policy: City leaders provide incentives for grocery stores to open on the Southside and plan for public transportation routes to run near grocery stores.
Resilient communities, rich with networks of family supports, foster thriving children and families.
Share in the comments how residents in your area enrich their "soil" to build a thriving community!
The ReachWell app makes emergency alerts available in more than 130 languages, ensuring that emergency information reaches diverse communities effectively
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters
Explore the importance of language data and learn how ReachWell powerful analytics can help leadership deliver actionable insights.
A study has found that emergency alerts in Colorado need to be more inclusive to warn over 250,000 Coloradans who primarily speak a language other than English and more than 500,000 people with hearing and visual disabilities.
Jesse Martinez CEO and Chief Social Impact Strategist for Empowered People offers advice to ReachWell clients to help make 2024 the best year for family engagement. Read on for five tips to help you drive meaningful family engagement with those around you.
ReachWell is excited to announce the Colorado Migrant Education Program (MEP) will now be using ReachWell to connect with Colorado’s five Migrant Education regions across the state, as well as with students and their families. The Office of Migrant Education at the Colorado Department of Education Migrant Education Program, federally funded under Title I, Part C of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), provides supplemental support to eligible migrant children and youth.
In this actionable workshop we walk community leaders and communication directors through our winning approach to build and share a one-page communication plan. Join us for a 30-minute workshop where you'll walk away with an effective communication strategy you can begin implementing immediately. Tap here to register to watch instantly.
Amidst the excitement and anticipation of the back-to-school season comes the anxiety and fear of engaging our hard-to-reach families. For low-income and migrant families, this time can bring unique challenges that schools and nonprofits play a crucial role in addressing. Here are ten valuable back-to-school tips for schools and nonprofits committed to serving low-income and migrant families. 1. Collaborate with Local Schools and Nonprofits Nonprofits can forge partnerships with local schools to understand their specific needs and collaborate on programs that cater to low-income and migrant students. Schools can build and share their community partner directory with categories based on services (Legal, Housing, Food, etc.). Keeping this in a simple digital format assures next year's team will be able to own and update it. ReachWell Tip: ReachWell schools and nonprofits promote one another via banners and resources to double their impact on families. 2. Provide Educational Workshops Host workshops for parents and caregivers that focus on navigating the education system, helping with homework, and supporting their children's learning journey. These workshops can empower parents to actively participate in their children's education. Schools can share their space with nonprofit partners to run a Parent Academy workshop before drop-off and after pickup. Parent Academy content should focus on navigating the education system, helping with homework, and supporting their children's learning journey. These workshops can empower parents to actively participate in their children's education. Utilize AI or live language translation tools to make it an inviting environment. Record the sessions for later viewing. ReachWell Tip: Add these events to both the school and nonprofit calendars. Send announcements three weeks ahead of time with weekly reminders to RSVP and include translation as an RSVP option. Share the recording community-wide after the session to reach those who are unable to make it. Set the expectation that all families do this. 3. Language and Cultural Support For migrant families, language barriers and cultural differences can be significant challenges. Offer language assistance services and culturally sensitive resources to ensure that parents can communicate effectively with teachers and school administrators. 4. Offer Financial Assistance Low-income families often struggle to afford school-related expenses. Schools can partner with nonprofits to provide financial assistance for items like uniforms, textbooks, and extracurricular activities. Create a transparent application process to ensure those in need can access this support. ReachWell Tip: Expect no family to fill this out. Combat that by setting the expectation that all families complete this regardless if they need it or not. ReachWell can translate this form and push translated messages with instructions to families via the app, text, and website. 5. Start Early and Raise Awareness Launch your back-to-school initiatives well before the academic year begins (though it's never too late). As a nonprofit, raise awareness in the community about available resources, such as school supplies, educational workshops, and health services. As a school promote back-to-school night, first day, and registration deadlines with clear instructions. ReachWell Tip : Leverage messages, banners, texting, website, and social posts with ReachWell to get the word out. Verify the calendar is updated with all relevant times and locations. 6: Offer Tutoring and Homework Help Create after-school tutoring programs or homework help sessions for students who may need additional academic support. Enlist volunteers, including high school or college students, to provide one-on-one assistance. 7. Promote Health and Well-being Good health is crucial for effective learning. Arrange health check-ups, vaccinations, and eye exams for students, especially those from families without access to regular healthcare. Provide resources on nutrition and physical activity as well. ReachWell Tip: Incorporate your community partners in your ReachWell banners, resources, and calendar events to increase community awareness. 8. Digital Access and Literacy In the digital age, having access to technology is essential for education. Work to bridge the digital divide by providing laptops, tablets, or internet connectivity to families who cannot afford them. Additionally, offers digital literacy workshops to ensure both students and parents can effectively use technology for learning. 9. Foster a Positive Learning Environment Create a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for students and their families. Organize back-to-school events that celebrate diversity and encourage community bonding. When families feel connected and valued, students are more likely to thrive academically. ReachWell Tip: Update the colors, icons, and banners on the app to celebrate the diversity in the community. 10. Rinse and Repeat Learn from your activity during back-to-school and apply those changes to next semester's activities. Engagement is not a once-a-year event, to build trust and resilient relationships consistent events throughout the year are needed. ReachWell Tip : Try offering meetings at different times of the day on different days of the week to learn what works best. Before school vs. after school will draw different families. The back-to-school season is a time of promise and excitement for all children, regardless of their background or circumstances. Nonprofits serving low-income and migrant families have the incredible opportunity to ensure that these students have the support and resources they need to succeed. By following these 10 back-to-school tips, these organizations can make a lasting impact on the lives of these families, promoting equity, education, and empowerment in their communities.
The pilot recites the checklist, "Altimeter – set. Engine idle – checked. Flaps – checked. Fuel gauges – checked..." This simple procedure assures that things will go as planned and issues are identified early. Like the checklist, a communication plan assures the path ahead is free of preventable issues and all involved are confident and prepared when turbulence hits... and it will always hit. Here are five reasons why a plan is a big deal for you and your community. 1. Consistent information wherever they need it. Imagine if everyone was informed with the same information regardless of where they accessed it. A communication plan will ensure that information is consistent across mediums avoiding pitfalls and confusion. TIP: Do not use Instagram or Facebook for timely information. Their marketing algorithm doesn't list messages chronologically which could create confusion. 2. Build Trust Trust is like a secret ingredient that makes communities resilient and brings everyone together. A transparent communication plan can build trust by informing who will be informed with what content on what schedule. TIP: Send your communication plan to your community and publish it in a publicly accessible place for all to see. 3. Managing through Crisis All agencies and organizations face crises. That's where your communication plan is a superhero. A good plan will be a guide for staff and set expectations for your community. If something fails or things don't go as planned, the community should reflect on the plan to understand what what wrong, not any one individual. Learn from these experiences and adjust your plan to be better next time. TIP: Keep the plan public and easy to access to allow for modifications. Review those changes at your community and team meetings. 4. Rally the Community Who doesn't like to know about the great news happening in your community? It boosts your brand, and morale, and builds resiliency. Your communication plan helps spread the word about the amazing events and strong work that is happening. Families and residents can feel proud when they know about their achievements. Everyone's in the loop and feeling pumped! 5. Sharing Cool Ideas Everyone has cool ideas, and your communication plan is like a suggestion box. It helps you listen to residents, students, teachers, and parents. Filtering the most appropriate ideas that align with your goals and promote those. A wonderful side effect is the encouragement others feel to share their ideas. An additional benefit is that publishing your community's voice avoids the dark, unproductive comments lurking in social media. TIP: Make it easy to capture "Good News" from the team and community. A simple comment form or prompt in a footer can drive great content and accolades. A communication plan isn't just a task or a document you file away. It's your pre-flight checklist to manage through crisis, rally your community and build trusting relationships. Reach us to get help building your communication plan to elevate your community engagement.
Pitkin County unveiled a new app on Jan. 25 that will deliver Pitkin Alerts in 100 languages.
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