Create a supportive and peaceful environment in your neighborhood!!!

[Samia Taoulost]

Change should start from within. We can't dream of a clean neighborhood before cleaning our own block or asking for neighbors to be a little more involved if we don't show our own interest and efforts. One person can inspire many and a small group of dedicated neighbors who share a common vision of an improved community can make a sustainable change.
So, instead of waiting for someone else to start that change or for time to get rid of our problems, we should act now!!!

These are some ideas of how we can make our neighborhood a better place to live. They are simple but can reach people's hearts and motivate them to open up and work for change.

1. Reach out by speaking to the neighbors or planning a gathering to discuss the neighborhood's issues.
2. Get involved by showing that you truly care about your neighbors. One could discuss emergency measures or set up volunteering programs to clean the neighborhhod, help the elderly or babysit the children.
3. be considerate of others by keeping our yard clean, respect our neighbor's privacy or maintain peace and quiet at night or early in the morning.

[Corinna Moebius]

If you want some great ideas for bringing neighbors together to "Adopt Your Block," check out our guide: http://wiki.imaginemiamidemo.org/index.php/Adopt-Your-Block. There are easy and fun ways that you can get neighbors talking to each other, as well as "deeper" ways you can start a series of conversations that start neighbors *working* together to improve the neighborhood.

This really works. The Neighborhood Leadership Program of the Human Services Coalition has been working with neighbors in several different low-income Miami-Dade neighborhoods, using an amazing dialogue technique called "Study Circles." This is the "deeper" stage of working with neighbors. But it's been used successfully across the U.S.! Learn more about Study Circles at www.everydaydemocracy.org.