LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES

7 STEP EMPOWERMENT PLAN
1. Employment and Entrepreneurship
2. Education and Youth Development
3. Sustainable Neighborhoods (Housing, Neighborhoods, and Transporation)
4. Faith and Hope
5. Violence Intervention and Prevention
6. Health and Healthy Families
7. Arts, Culture, History, and Media/Communications

CORE LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES
Setting the Environment for Transformation:
Personal Responsibility, Leadership Accountability, and Comprehensive Collaboration

A. Engage Residents, Leaders, & Elected Officials regularly on issues, solutions, decision-making, and implementation: Active engagement in development, implementation, and evaluation of strategies
B. Encourage active Neighborhood Involvement, Engagement, and Leadership
C. Increase Civic Engagement - Volunteering, Service, Mentoring
D. Increase Voter Education, Participation, and Empowerment
E. Support Positive Media Outlets, Channels, and Balanced Coverage of North Omaha and African-Americans
F. Advocate for Urban Policies to support community priorities: including jobs, education, justice, health, etc.

LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES IN DETAIL

7 STEP EMPOWERMENT PLAN:
Coordinated, Comprehensive Community Development

1. Employment & Entrepreneurship - Employment & Entrepreneurship Collaboration
Sustainable, Living Wage Work - Everyone that wants a job, career, and/or run a successful business
A. Summer Jobs and Internships
B. Targeted Job Training (Category-specific, high growth) and On-Ramp Programs
C. Career Development - Pipeline and Pathways - Entry Level and Mid/Senior Advancement
D. Business Development through Bus. Recruitment, Expansion and Entrepreneurship
E. Wealth-Building and Human Capital Development Investments
F. Access to Credit and Capital

2. Education & Youth Development - North Omaha Cradle to Career Collaboration
Graduation with Marketable Skill and Prepared for Post Secondary
A. Early Childhood - High Quality Childcare and Assessment
B. Schools - Teacher Effectiveness, Building Leadership, Curriculum - Challenging/Interactive,
Extended Learning Time - Day and Year
C. Integrated, Coordinated Services and Support - Teams, Needs Assessments, Services Delivery - including Mentoring, Data Management, Evaluation
D. Parental Involvement and Engagement - Early Childhood, Outreach, Communication, Shared Decision-making
E. Student Attendance, Engagement & Leadership
F. Access to Computers, Technology, and Internet
G. Curriculum - Challenging, Aligned, Relevant, Interactive, Engaging - Inside and Outside of the Classroom
H. Careers - Assessment, Exploration, Career Days, Camps, Internships, Entrepreneurship
I. Data/Collection/Evaluation

3. Sustainable Communities - Housing, Neighborhoods, and Transportation
North Omaha Village Zone Revitalization - Living in a Healthy Home and Neighborhood
A. Home Ownership Training & Preparation, Financial Literacy, Budgeting, EITC/IDA's, DebtFree Living
B. Mixed-Income & Mixed-Type Housing and North Omaha Village Zone Revitalization;
Sustainable/Green Strategy
C. Civic and Commerical - Neighborhood Businesses & Retail, and Recreation
D. Improved Transportation - Access to Work, School, and Support Services
E. Environmental Justice - Lead, Water, Waste, and other environmental issues
F. Demolition and Housing Rehab Strategy

4. Faith & Hope - Pastors, Ministers, and Faith Leaders Alliance
Exposed to Message and Examples of Hope through active Community Engagement
A. Adopt-A-Block Neighborhood Partnerships, PrayerWalks, Family Support; Adopt a School
B. Youth and Adult Outreach, Events, and Ministries
C. Church-based Economic Strategies - Support North Omaha Businesses and Development
D. Common Language - Gallup HOPE Model, 40 Developmental Assets, CIS 5 Basics,
and Empowerment Covenant

5. Safe Communities (Reduce Violence) Omaha 360 Violence Intervention and Prevention Collaboration
Living in a Safe and Secure Community
A. Prevention - School Outreach, Employment, Conflict Resolution, Positive Activities
B. Intervention - Street Outreach, Gang Intervention, Emergency and Crisis Response, Family Support
C. Enforcement and Community Involvement - Suppression, Remove Guns, Arrests,
Prosecution, Community Support
D. Reentry - Pre-release Training, Education, and Employment Training, One Stop, Resources, Coaching
E. Support Services - Housing, Counseling, Transportation, Substance Abuse Treatment

6. Healthy Families - North Omaha Health and Healthy Familiy Initiative

Living in a Strong and Healthy Family
A. Basic Services and Family Support - Neighborhood Village Centers - Coordinated, Integrated Services Model
B. Physical Health - Primary Health Home, Access to Healthy Foods/Obesity, STD/HIV,
Heart Disease, Active Lifestyles
C. Mental/Behavioral Health - Substance Abuse, Post Traumatic Stress, Conflict Resolution
D. Relationships, Marriage, and Parenting - Fatherhood, Teen Pregnancy, Relationship,
Marriage & Parent Training
E. Self-Suffiency Initiatives (Moving from Poverty to Prosperity)

7. Arts, Culture, Recreation, and Media - North Omaha Arts Alliance
Easy Access to Culture, Arts, Positive Media, and Technology
A. Strengthen the African-American and North Omaha Arts, Culture, and Entertainment Community
B. 24th and Lake Arts, Culture, and Entertainment District and Malcolm X International Center
C. Arts industry as an economic engine/Integrated into the North Omaha Village Zone Revitalization Plan
D. Integrate the Arts into each of the other areas

ORIGINAL LEADERSHIP COVENANT

In 2006 and 2007, the Empowerment Network developed an initial list of strategies based on input from residents, leaders, and review of best practices. This is a portion of the original list.

(This is not the complete list of strategies that have been identified by the Empowerment Network Members, but a sample of what leaders will need to do and what we plan to do with some immediacy. There are a number of other significant strategies that are not listed here.)

SUPPORT ORGANIZATION
Establish the African-American Empowerment Network
Activities: Connect, Communicate, Coordinate, Collaborate, Create, Celebrate
Gain AA leadership, organizational and community input, recommendations
Develop and implement the Empowerment Covenant and Action Plan
Host monthly Empowerment meetings, quarterly meetings and annual summit
Host consistent meetings, forums and summits on specific topics
Establish North Omaha Empowerment Network and City-wide Empowerment Network

FAITH AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Quarterly prayer for Covenant, Empowerment Network and Initiatives
Encourage congregation, members and community to “Live the Covenant”
Unite with other churches for city-wide prayer, unity, repentance
Implement church economic strategies – (Partner with Economics Team)
Engage church membership in financial empowerment training
Engage church membership in supporting specific African-American businesses
Support African-American businesses and businesses that support African-Americans
Use and/or pool resources to help spur economic and community development
Implement an Adopt-A-School Strategy (Partner with Education Solution Team)
Implement a Cell Adoption Strategy (Partner with Crime Prevention Team)
Implement Raise the Vote - Help register and get people out to vote (non-partisan)

EDUCATION AND YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
Establish an African-American think tank on education
Support equitable funding, with additional funding for different needs
Support strategies to extend learning time
Year-round school, after school programs, Sat. programs, Summer, longer days
Scholarships and financial support/incentives/Internships, experiential learning
Increase parental and community involvement
Launch an African-American Reading Campaign
Increase participation in Parent/Teacher Conferences - Visits to Schools/Classrooms
Increase the number and involvement of African-American Greeters/Nia Guardians
Increase the number of African-American mentors and tutors (Men & Women)
Support and develop targeted initiatives for African-American Boys
Support and develop targeted initiatives for African-American Girls
Develop an intervention strategy: Kindergarten, 4th Grade Program, 8th Grade Program
Establish a Youth Leadership Council & facilitate entrepreneurship training

ECONOMICS: EMPLOYMENT AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Business of the Week - focused support of businesses by churches and community
TMC (The Money Circle) Card - Discounts, Special Values from Black Businesses
Create an African-American Business Directory - Print and Online
Financial Literacy - Education, Advocacy - Financial Empowerment (with Housing Team)
Create Jobs for African-Americans, Bring Jobs to North Omaha
Develop and implement a capital strategy - Venture, Individuals and Organizations
Omaha 20/20 African-American Economic Initiative and Empowerment Fund
Develop an African-American Business Association or Affiliation

HOUSING & NEIGHBORHOODS
Increase awareness of housing options available in North Omaha
Increase participation in Neighborhood Associations
Offer education and training programs for renters and home owners
Offer classes to help improve budgeting skills, debt/credit management and saving
Home Ownership Program/Campaign - (Based on availability of housing options)
Partner w/ Financing Orgs.-competitive, incentives, etc. to help increase home ownership

HEALTH
Access up-to-date information and conduct inventory of resources
Create a HIV Awareness/Health Awareness Campaign
Introduce primary care behavioral health model to the Omaha community
Address Prevention and Health Behaviors - Assessment, Nutrition, Exercise, etc.
Address Education and Communication regarding Health Issues/Solutions
Get Fit Campaign - Fall Walk, Summer Walk and Encourage Prevention Behaviors
Health Challenge - Partner with Churches
Create a medical Resource Directory for Community - AA Physicians, Dentists, etc.

HEALTHY FAMILIES
Healthy Marriage Day Celebration, Black Family Day Recognition
Singles Conferences (United)
Marriage Conferences/Training (United)
Support and Develop Fatherhood Initiatives
Encourage and Provide Support Groups for Single Mothers

VIOLENCE PREVENTION
Develop an Omaha 10 Point Plan - Prevention, Intervention, Enforcement, Recovery
Work to develop Stronger Relationships between Community and Police
Prevention: Adopt-A-Block, Walk/Engage/Talk, Street Teams
Prevention: Youth Programs - Day, Night, Summer, School Year (after school)
Intervention Programs: Address Truancy
Intervention Programs: Address Gangs
Recovery & Restoration - Programs for those coming out of the system

CIVIL RIGHTS AND JUSTICE
Develop plans to address discrimination - Housing, Education, Employment
Develop a Police Auditor and Oversight Plan that works for community and police

VOTING and POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
Raise the Vote Campaign - Work with churches and other membership organizations
Teach children - Issues, Candidates, Mock Elections
Registration Campaign - Continuous registration of new voters
African-American Candidate Development
Establish an African-American Political Think Tank

MEDIA, COMMUNICATIONS, AND TECHNOLOGY
Develop and Implement a Empowerment Covenant Campaign
Hold media accountable for what they present - Print, TV, Radio, etc.
Support current media: Omaha Star, TV, Radio programs
Internet strategy: omahaurbanconnection.com and empoweromaha.com
Support new media outlets:
New Print Publications, Internet sites, etc.
New TV and Radio Programming, etc.
Increase and Expand Technology Centers in targeted areas
Partner to increase home computer access/Internet use (protected)

ARS AND CULTURE
Establish an African-American Arts Council and/or Cultural & Historical Association
Increase support for existing groups, organizations and venues
Groups: Tuskegee Airmen; Malcolm X Foundation, Community Kwanzaa, etc.
Venues: John Beasley Theater; Love's Jazz, etc.
Events: Native Omaha Days, Juneteenth; Blues and Jazz, etc.