Grove 3547 is a social lab convened around the challenge of creating more resilient livelihoods for young people in underserved areas of Chicago. The team at Roller Strategies approached me to create a full set of copy for a four page microsite, designed to invite and encourage participants to sign up and get involved in making change in their community.

The deadline for this project was tight with a two day turn around from start to finish, but the client was very happy with the end result and the programme is now launched with a full contingent of participants and looks to be off to a flying start! I loved the challenge of researching and getting into the headspace of the community and understanding the context and audience I was writing for.

“Lucy writes copy fast, effectively and with verve. If that’s what you need, work with her.” – Zaid Hassan, CEO & Co-Founder, Roller Strategies

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Homepage

Step up to a new way forward – help blaze a trail for young people in Chicago!

This is a once in a lifetime invitation to bust out of the box and make a difference to the lives of young people in your community, who deserve better than what they are getting. How can we support them to create a more resilient life? Here is your golden opportunity to take action, with all the support and resources you need to make it happen. 

We are seeking folks with a strong commitment to change in your community. Does it frustrate you that the same situations seem to go around in circles without ever being solved? You’ve seen what hasn’t worked, now try something new. Take the future into your own hands and shake it up a little!

Is there a better approach than another five year plan from City Hall? Yes! Change begins at home, in the beating heart of your community, where the knowledge and passion to turn things around can be found. You know life in your neighbourhood better than anyone and you hold all the keys to unlock your future. This is your time to shine!

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FAQs

Down to the nitty gritty – what’s it all about?

So, you’re feeling pretty good about getting involved in making some changes for young people in your area, but maybe you have a couple of questions about how it all works and what will happen… We have done our best to answer these for your below, but if there’s anything else you need to know before you step forward and sign up for action, please get in touch with us.

Why me? How can I change anything?

We want you to be a part of this team because you are special, you have a real desire to make change in your community and a passion for improving the lives of young people in Chicago. You hold a commitment to collaborating with others from your community to turn great ideas into real solutions on the ground, and your deep understanding of the challenges faced by young people and the situations which affect them where you live make you the ideal person to tackle these issues and really make a difference.

So what do I need to do?

Just say yes 🙂 Tell us a bit about yourself and your passion for supporting young people by filling out the form here [link to application form] and wait for us to get in touch about joining the Team at Grove 3457 and starting to make some changes! We will have many applicants and only a limited number of places on the team, so don’t be shy to let us know why you’re the right person to get involved and make this happen!

How much time will I have to give?

We ask each person to give 15 days of their time over a period of 4 months starting from September 2016, which includes a commitment to attending all of the events on the programme (4 events making up 7.5 days in total) as well as about 5 hours of work each week.

Will I get paid?

Residents of Grand Boulevard, Douglas and Oakland who are selected to join the team will receive an honorarium of $1000 to support your work with Grove 3457 and there will be funds available to bring your prototypes to life and put ideas into action.

When will it happen?

The programme will launch with a full team in September this year. Before that there will be an application and selection process with the following key dates.

– Interviews with potential team members between 6th and 20th July

– Phone interviews between 1st and 4th August

– Letters of confirmation sent out to selected team members 6th August

– Orientation of team members between 8th and 31st August

Where will it happen?

[need info]

Who else will be there?

The Grove 3457 team will be made up of a diverse mix of 35 participants from different backgrounds and age groups within Chicago – all passionately committed to young people and with at least 15 residents from Grand Boulevard, Douglas and Oakland taking part. A good choir needs a range of voices to make sweet harmonies. One thing you will have in common is a passion for creating a better future for young people in Chicago. Team work makes the dream work! We can solve our own problems our own way when we collaborate, listen to each other and take action to try out solutions.

Isn’t it just a load more meetings and hot air?

This is not just a talking shop but a living, learning laboratory where things get done and impacts are tangible. You will learn and be supported to practice real, transferable, practical skills for working with others to create change in your life and your community.

What if I change my mind or don’t like it?

We’re pretty sure you will like it 🙂 If something isn’t working for you, the power is in your hands to make the experience what you want it to be. You will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions and raise concerns and address them together as a community to try and make it work for everyone involved.

Who is in charge?

You are. Well, you and 34 other people from your community. You will set the direction, come up with the ideas, try them out, play with them, learn from your mistakes, improve them and decide what actions to take to make real change for young people in your community. 

35 heads, hearts and pairs of hands are better than one. You will be the dream team, bringing dreams alive and putting young people’s futures back into their own hands.

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Application form

Get involved to make change happen – apply now to join the team at Grove 3475!

So you’re ready to join the adventure? Awesome! Just let us know a bit about yourself using the form below and we will be in touch with more information. We look forward to getting to know you and getting down to action!

Name:

Contact number:

Email address:

Are you a resident of Grand Boulevard, Douglas or Oakland?

How did you hear about Grove 3457? 

What do you do with your time?

What excites you about this invitation and why do you want to get involved?

What scares you about this invitation and what concerns or questions do you have?

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Background

Where did the idea for Grove 3475 come from and who’s behind it?

Grove 3475 has emerged from a journey of community consultation and prototyping for developing “collaboratories” which was led by the Chicago Community Trust, who will also be taking the lead in designing and delivering this project.

The Chicago Community Trust is a community foundation dedicated to improving the Chicago region through strategic grant making, civic engagement and inspiring philanthropy. As the Trust enters its second century, the current challenge, as stated by president and CEO Terry Mazany, is “to balance the stability and reliability you expect with the courage and innovation demanded by the times in which we live.”

Through it’s 2014 “On The Table” process, involving broad consultation across the community the Trust created a new initiative, the “collaboratories.” This served to take six promising ideas originated through On The Table into action. The Chicago Lab 2016 builds on learning and lessons from the first-generation of collaboratories

CCT are collaborating with Roller Strategies [link to http://www.roller.sg] to design and deliver Grove 3475. Roller Strategies is a professional services firm focused on next-gen solutions to the world’s most complex challenges. They believe that people want to solve their own problems and their purpose is to support this drive to its highest potential. 

For more information about the Chicago Lab please contact Cheryl Hughes, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives, Chicago Community Trust 312-616-8000 ext. 196 or chughes@cct.org