Activating moments for change with Cohorts
A mini case study on how agency leaders are working to engage in neighbor centered design.
Over the past couple of years, we have seen organizations addressing food insecurity across the country partner with each other to engage in neighbor centered design. At SWIM we like to think of neighbor centered design through the lens of implementing “neighbor centered practices” or equity practices.
Offering services that match the needs and desires of neighbors facing food insecurity can be challenging, but when neighbor centered design is not prioritized we leave people out - often those who are the most vulnerable.
How can we start engaging in neighbor centered design?
How can we start engaging in neighbor centered design?
For Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Transforming Access Together Cohort, the first step is an all day in-person Ideathon design session.
You may be wondering, “What in the world is an Ideathon?” Don’t worry you are not alone, our “Ideathon” was inspired by the tech-style hackathons from Silicon Valley. Our Ideathon was an all day design session where organizations connected with one another, brainstormed what a transformed community would look like, and created a final product for what they wanted to accomplish by the end of the cohort.
As Ideathon participants began to prototype, they were asked to follow SWIM’s 5 network leadership mindsets:
Centering our core cause vs Losing our focus.
Focusing on assets vs Distracted by deficits.
Designing for inclusion vs One-Size-Fits-All.
Equity in practice vs. Equity on the sidelines.
Practicing trust vs. Waiting for trust.
The day was made up of 5 sessions
What is "neighbor centered"?
We started our day by focusing on the strengths of neighbors in our communities and the diverse wants and needs of neighbors to ensure the person facing hunger is at the center of the design. Throughout the cohort, we will continue to ask the question "Who are we missing?" and reflect on our prototypes to see who our designs work for and who they are leaving out.
Understanding neighbors
Understanding the barriers to accessing food is part of how we can understand equity. Through an activity we call, the Tour of Who is Missing, learned more about underserved populations. Each agency partner reflected on their organization to see if their current design choices are a match for the populations they may be missing.
Uncovering the challenge
While food insecurity affects many individuals, it does not affect all equally. Many communities of color have experienced food insecurity at disproportionate rates. Each cohort participant was given community level data specific to their communities to see where there may be disparities in access. Together we discovered how their organization may work to address the gap in services.
Outlining a Plan
We wrapped up the Ideathon with an activity to envision what the future will look like at the end of this cohort. During this activity agency leaders drafted a plan outlining the specific challenges they would like to focus on addressing throughout the cohort.
Network of support
As a cohort, we know we create a larger impact when we work together. Cohort members posted their plans around the room and we all ended the day with a “gallery walk”. Participants were given sticky notes and were prompted to note any partners and resources they knew of that could help push a plan in the gallery forward.
The Ideathon was a packed day full of learning and discovery, however you may be wondering: What comes next?
Stay tuned for our next blog - “It’s time to prototype!”. Over the next 6 months these agency leaders will prototype their ideas to reduce barriers for those facing hunger.
Are you looking to activate moments for change with a cohort? Click below to learn more!