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Greetings,
I have a sticky note at my desk that says:
Ask & Listen don’t Fix & Tell.
It reminds me it’s not about giving advice or problem solving for others. Instead by being curious, asking questions and centering people instead of issues, I can support our students and families as they create their own solutions.
Our Resident Steering Committee met in August to do strategic planning for this coming year. Affordable housing for larger families (3 and 4 bed units), employment supports to afford increased household costs, and safe engaging after school activities for youth were the priorities they are focusing on this year. Sub-committees were formed by topic and are working alongside our ZONE staff as we advocate and develop programs to meet the needs of our children, youth, and families.
Our Resident Steering Committee continues to inform systems. In October, the Federal Reserve met to consider raising interest rates to fight inflation. Our Northeast Spokane families were asked now that pandemic income supports are gone, how does this impact your employment decisions? What is impacting maximum employment for your household? We answered. Affordable childcare evenings and weekends is the barrier to working more hours. The amount of job openings doesn’t necessarily indicate people can work if they want to. Can they work and keep their children safe? We were told our input was ‘perfect’.
Our Housing Stability program has its first households enrolled with ZONE Case Managers, Amanda and Lavonnie. We are working with the Northeast Public Development Authority on affordable housing for families in Northeast Spokane as well as increased non-traditional childcare for swing shifts and weekends. We are supporting a new cohort of community-based youth serving organizations as well as our staff embedded in schools thanks to generous funding partners. These programs have asked for behavioral health training for staff, and tools to serve the social and emotional needs of our youth more deeply.
Our Behavioral Health Clinic opened 10/4/23 and is a wonderful new partner on our campus fulfilling the resident need and goal of increased mental health access in Northeast Spokane. You can reach them at 509.530.4230.
I recently spent time in a 5th grade classroom at Lidgerwood Elementary. I saw engaged innovative learners ready to connect and create solutions for our community’s biggest challenges. Our future is in good hands.
It’s our work to create systems of support so that our students and families thrive in The ZONE. We all belong. Regardless of how we show up, together we can hold space for the humanity in each of us. We can suspend judgement. We can assume there is a story. We can lean into Ask & Listen (What are you feeling? What do you need?), and away from Fix & Tell (Take Over & Do). Try it. It humbles you and you learn so much.
Check out our refreshed website to explore more.
I’ll send another letter in January. If you’d like to connect before then please do!
Warmly,
Jene Ray
JRay@NECommunityCenter.com
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