Listening to the Community
United Way works to help people in need reach their potential.
Listening Team
Who are we?
United Way has a dedicated group of volunteers that are interested in collecting public knowledge. The Listening Team works to hear and amplify the voices of individuals who are less likely to be heard in community forums.
How do we listen to the community?
The Listening Team facilitates community conversations to receive community member input and attends events and meetings in the community to hear more about what is going on.
What do we do with this information?
Information that the Listening Team gathers throughout the year is collected, synthesized, and summarized into annual reports. Community members or organizations can use these reports to inform their work. United Way uses these findings to make decisions on future funding opportunities and grant offerings.
What are the expectations to be a Listening Team member?
- Attend Listening Team meetings every two months
- Get trained in hosting community conversations
- Facilitate community conversations with another team member
- Attend community events and meetings
- Share findings with the team!
*Commitments are 1-year with the option to renew at the start of the new year!
To learn more about the Listening Team contact Kristin Block at kristinb@uwolmsted.org. Interested in joining our team? Volunteer! To help us get to know you better, please complete our form and send it to Kristin.
Click below for Listening Team Summaries from previous years.
Community Conversations
What are they?
Community conversations are kitchen table style conversations that focus on the community as a central topic. They are facilitate by Listening Team members and encourage members to share about their understanding of our community!
How do they work?
United Way and organizations work together to host these conversations in varying locations in our community. Conversations include anywhere from 8-15 people and last anywhere from 1.5-2 hours. Listening Team members are trained to guide these conversations.
Host a Conversation
If you or your organization is interested in hosting a community conversation, please contact our Impact Team at impact@uwolmsted.org for more information.
We will need:
- A quiet space to host the conversation (ex. conference room)
- 8-15 participants
- At least a 3 week notice before desired conversation
After the conversation, we will share a generalized summary of the information collected in the conversation and share the final year-end report.
Participate in a Conversation
Interested in sharing your perspective about our community? Please contact our Impact Team at impact@uwolmsted.org for more information.