Q Neighbors Movement is a project of Local Activity Support Centre – CAL Association in partnership with the Warsaw Center of Civic Cooperation . Our goal is to strengthen neighborly bonds between citizens of Warsaw. We encourage neighbors to act together, to help them organize local initiatives and realize the need to account for their surroundings.
OUR ACTIVITIES
Since 2009, we coordinate two main campaigns :
– Neighbor Day (Dzień Sąsiada)- an event organized at the end of May each year. It can serve a better knowledge of the residents of the block , the revitalization of the yard or just be intimate meeting in the neighboring group .
– Backyard Christmas (Podwórkowa Gwiazdka)- a „winter edition ” Neighbor Day . In Christmas time, we pay special attention to residents who are lonely or are in a difficult situation – and connect the neighborhood with the support of the integration of such persons.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU ?
At our meetings, we educate residents and local institutions how to organize local initiatives and support during the implementation of their ideas . In addition, we organize a series of workshops aimed Neighbors Initiatives Academy to support local leaders who want to pursue such events in your area.
NEIGHBOURS INITIATIVES
Neighbors initiatives are all activities that serve the residents of integration and solving local problems. These events are organized by neighbors for neighbors. They do not require financial investment , but well-intentioned people who have wanted to devote his time and opportunities for the neighborhood.
The host of the neighborhood initiative could be anyone : a group of neighbors , community housing, local coffee house, association, library, shop, and any other entity involved in its preparation and course . The basic value is the cooperation between the neighbors!
Neighborhood initiative are made from the beginning to the end of the same neighbors. No-one assumes what is to be a program who is to come and what to do – in a neighborhood initiative is a joint decision of all neighbors.
Thanks to such initiatives in the neighborhoods has a warm atmosphere , more people trust each other and are able to solve the problems of their own backyards .
What can you do with neighbors?
– The idea for Neighbor Day : barbecue in the backyard , baking contest , games for kids, garage sale , planting flowers , playing boules , an exhibition of photographs of one neighbor.
– The idea for backyard Christmas : dressing the Christmas tree housing estate , making Christmas ornaments , singing carols , herring neighbor , joint modeling of dumplings, participation in charity.
RECIPE FOR NEIGHBOURHOOD FEAST
Do you want to work, but do not know where to start ? You should first follow the three easy steps using the our schema DOM (in polish it’s a wordplay – it means just “home”):
D – Diagnose !
Think about your neighborhood and ask yourself the question: Is it worth it to change something here ? How can I use a common backyard ? Who should direct the action?
O – Look for allies !
Meet with several neighbors , talk about your area and together lay down what you want to do . You can also go to the nearby institution , libraries or local association and get know people who can help you.
M – Make a Plan !
Plan your activities in advance and divide the work so that everyone has some small task. Just that someone will print some flyers with information about the event , someone else bake a cake or neighbors to help set up chairs .
REMEMBER :
– Local initiative is the result of cooperation between neighbors , and not the product of the work of one person or institution.
– Every neighbors meeting have its own specific. It is your own event , so make them as you want!
– Inform neighbors in the area of your initiative , you can notify the local media .
– Do not worry if you come to the first meeting of the little people. It’s not easy to immediately see the participation of all .
– The success of the initiative will be able to tell if it will meet through even one new neighbor or a little better you will know the previous one.
Concept of Q neighborhood (ie the neighborhood of the Highest Quality) occurs among neighbors who want to take local issues into their own hands and organize neighborhood initiatives. This neighborhood is friendly, safe, functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Contact:
E-mail: agatak@cal.org.pl , annaw@cal.org.pl
Stowarzyszenie Centrum Wspierania Aktywności Lokalnej CAL (Local Activity Support Centre – CAL Association)
Paca Street 40, 04-368, Warsaw, POLAND.
