With the strategic planning committee in place, the vision is formulating quickly to have Village Santa Cruz function as an intergenerational organization. Intending to bring out the civic mindedness and neighborliness we know is in the heart of Santa Cruz County and supporting a continual age friendly community is primary and a good beginning is in place.
A Village is a non-profit, grassroots, member-driven organization, which relies on members supporting members in various ways, looking out for each other. The Village connects members with each other and with the resources we need to age in our homes and age in community.
Villages are connected through a national organization, Village to Village Network (VtV). Three members of the Village Santa Cruz strategic planning committee (Mary Howe, Jacques Bertrand, & Sandy Cohen) just returned from the Annual VtV National Gathering in Seattle, WA.
All were amazed at the conference –such vibrant energy of 320 participants, all committed to people aging in their community, on their own terms, & in control of what is most important to them. Being part of this grassroots up swelling to change what it means to grow old in our society was inspiring.
Before explaining more what the Village model is, it’s important to clarify what a Village is NOT. A Village is not a brick and mortar place; it’s not a physical place you move to. Neither is a Village a Social Service agency nor a Medical Community. Rather, a Village is a network of support; members helping each other through the transitions of aging. Each stage of life has significance. Our goal for Village Santa Cruz is to keep all of us interconnected. Keeping elders engaged in the community helps elders, but also helps the community as a whole. Aging as a foundation of creativity & insight, and a village can bring the spotlight on this wisdom.
Part of the role of a Village is to counteract the stereotype of old people as having no worth. But at the same time acknowledge that our bodies do decline with age and this can be discouraging and depressing. It takes an inner strength to accept some of the frailties we are faced with due to our aging bodies and I think it’s easier to find this strength when we don’t feel abandoned by our community — a lonely journey.
Fifty, sixty years ago, many neighborhoods had long-term residents who looked out for one another. We’ve lost a lot of that. The Village movement gives us a method to minimize isolation, so we’re sustained emotionally and given a helping hand for those small tasks that may be the difference between feeling secure or overwhelmed in our homes.
Village Santa Cruz is forming as a hub and spoke model, with a county-wide potential. The larger Village Santa Cruz will be the central hub, concentrating on all the back-office administrative details of the organization. Within that will form individual Neighborhood Community Circles. Each Community Circle will take on the flavor of that neighborhood and address the issues most important to members who live there. This way we have economy of scale with the Hub and yet offer assistance and social & civic connections at the neighborhood level.
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