From Idea to Reality

Just a few more days and I will take ownership of the community houses.  I am so excited and ready for the challenge in front of me.  It will be a test of my belief in people's ability to co-create effective change together in community.  It will be an opportunity to bring together people who care about their community and their children.  I have many people on my side here, and I also have some training in leadership and organization.  But moving from and idea into reality is always much trickier than it seems.

A colleague of mine and I have been working on a leadership program focused on moving an idea into action.  It has taken many forms over the past year or so, but ultimately the purpose is to discover what issues are calling to you.  What is it that you are drawn to do?  What problems are close to your heart? Once identified the course which we are calling "Inspired Action" guides each individual from the problem space into the solution space.

As I have been working with this approach, I have had the opportunity to apply it.  I have seen what problems we face in our community and an opportunity to do something meaningful by way of solution has been presented.  The Community House Network was thus born.

Now that I am moving from problem to solution, I can only begin to imagine all of the details of how this might unfold.  The responsive action that will be part of the process of engaging community in this project will put our program to the test.  

Can we truly grow together organically through shared interests?  Can we co-create this community project without a hierarchy?  Can we share leadership and ideas?  Or will the whole thing dissolve into a heap of chaotic confusion?

Only time will tell.  I know I am up for the challenge.