Resident Leadership

Residents in the West Side know what their neighborhoods need. They know what it takes to create change. One way that residents create transformation is by working in community-based organizations that advocate on behalf of neighborhood residents. Through these organizations, residents develop strong relationships with one another and links to vital information or resources. We call this social networking, and it is the lifeblood of MC-SA.

One requirement of strong and supportive neighborhoods is that residents have authentic engagement and participate as decision makers in the West Side. It is also vital that leaders are well-equipped and trained to serve their communities. Making Connections supports strategies that promote resident engagement and leadership development in a number of ways.

The West Side Center for Resident Engagement in Community Evaluation Research (WS-CRECER) was created at The Neighborhood Place-Edgewood, 3014 Rivas, to develop resident skills in applied research and evaluation. The Center supports community efforts to mobilize West Side residents by developing data-driven strategies to bring changes that improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods. WS-CRECER staff works with resident organizations to develop policies and programs that will sustain the neighborhood transformation process: social network development, policy analysis, a Family Financial Success coalition and neighborhood surveys.