Those of you who established positive relationships with former teachers or professors have the ability to approach them for guidance on key questions or concerns that can further your project objectives. Remember that you and your teammates have decided on a goal you have already identified. Your scholar contact may suggest other relevant goals or may be able to assist in refining your short- and long-term plans for change. Try your best to remain focused on your original objective. Have your group members weigh the possibilities, include what they feel is relevant; adapt that which is useful to the project design; table the rest for the group’s potential long-term visions.
Your Social Solutions Group of Change Agents may be able to receive key statistical information about your chosen challenge at your local Public Library. The Librarian can assist you in getting the background information on local statistics. For example, African American population adult men and women, adolescents, children; Housing quality and needs; school age population; education levels; Jobs and employment; or, Shortages of skilled labor.
In addition to identifying local needs and deficits, there is also information on local development plans for social and economic improvement. Your Public Library has a data base of resources for scholarships and grants to identify availability and locations for vocational training and certification in the skilled trades.
In addition to the Public Library, Municipal Records are available to the public. Once you have an address or lot location, Social Solutions Group members can inquire about the status of occupied or vacant buildings or vacant lots when seeking to acquire property for reconstruction or renovation. You can discover the costs for acquiring properties for private or business purposes.
If your Social Solutions Group members are registered college students, there are campus resources to access for innovative ideas for targeted change objectives. College students can work with their professors to receive credit for research and planning targeted projects for social improvement. Students would share their findings with the Group to plan next steps and develop long-term objectives.
You are likely to be surprised about the amount of information you will be able to acquire to assist you in bringing about solutions that will solve individual, family and community needs as we continue to Save-Our-Selves.