NICE Neighborhood Guide | Page 10

Some Recommended Steps to Follow Why should you organize ?

1 . Meet your neighbors and think about your shared goals or what you want the group to accomplish in the long term and the short term . Determine your core group of leaders and / or volunteers .

2 . The City and the NICE Program have already defined and named your neighborhood . Make a list of your group ’ s defining characteristics . Then , give your group a name and make sure everyone agrees or votes on the name .

3 . Hold regular meetings . Create a plan for projects such as cleanups , block parties , gardening , planting trees and fundraisers .

4 . Get the word out about your group . Input your group ’ s contact information in the City ’ s Neighborhood Directory . Share your new group on social media such as Facebook and Nextdoor . The City conducted a neighborhood social media training course and you can watch it online . Find more information here : https :// www . cityofpsl . com / government / departments / neighborhoodservices / nice-program / neighborhood-training

• Address common concerns and needs .

• Advocate for something . Create a unified voice .

• Create a sense of community .

• Be stronger as a community .

• Protect your investment . Make your neighborhood safer .

• Celebrate your neighborhood and your City and why you chose to live there .

The list goes on and on …

If you would like to learn more about improving your neighborhood , come to your NICE Neighborhood Meeting and join others from your Neighborhood Group . The bi-annual meetings are always in May and November . Learn about where the next one will take place at www . CityofPSL . com / NICE .

COVID-19 has prevented us from meeting and doing things we have done in the past . If you have questions or need assistance in utilizing digital tools to assist you in reaching members of your neighborhood , contact us .

Be sure to check out a helpful digital publication Community Engagement During the COVID 19 Pandemic and Beyond : A Guide for Community-Based Organizations ”, by Martha Fedorowicz with Olivia Arena and Kimberly Burrowes at the Urban Institute .

https :// www . urban . org / sites / default / files / publication / 102820 / community-engagement-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-and-beyond . pdf

5 . If you enjoy training , want to build your skill set and learn more about community organizing , our counterparts at the City of Orlando have developed a patented and successful neighborhood training source called iLead : http :// www . cityoforlando . net / ocnr / ilead /. Additional information including guides and videos of webinars and workshops are available at this link .

Read more about how neighborhoods have implemented the City of Orlando ' s program and training : https :// www . orlando . gov / Our-Government / Get-Involved / iLead- Neighborhood-Leader-Training

For additional information on how to get started , please contact the NICE Office at 772-871-7395 or email NICE @ cityofpsl . com .

10 Neighborhood Resources Guide | City of Port St . Lucie