I want this community to do better than being known as the infamous prison town that it is. With a median household income of about 39000.
Thank you for your help.
Hi Austin, and thanks for contacting CTB.
It sounds to me like you face a community organization challenge that will involve identifying other people (including parents and youth) and organizations concerned about the future well-being of children raised in your community, seeing whether they are interested in this issue/need, and recruiting them as allies to help expand educational resources in your community. Other potential allies might include your school district, employers who need well-educated employees, your community college and vocational training organizations, labor unions, workforce development programs, the library, youth serving organizations, pastors and others.
An important first step might be to just get acquainted with key leaders of those organizations. Consider writing a brief (one page) statement describing the need as you see it, and ask others to help refine it. Approach the effort as a collaboration to expand educational success, rather than as criticism of current efforts.
I have checked three competencies that will help you get started. As you go, others will come into play. Community-building process does not follow a straight line. Feel free to continue using CTB and to ask follow-up questions.
Expect that all this will take time and energy. Be patient but persistent. If you learn that the effort may succeed better under the lead of another ally, be willing to shift formal leadership but continue to participate. What you hope to accomplish is very important ,and more than one person can accomplish alone.
We wish you success and appreciate your coiurage.