Partner Interview: Colette Ramirez-Maddock
Recreation Program Assistant at City of Eugene Outdoor Program at the River House
What Community Service Center program(s) did you work with
The Community Planning Workshop (CPW)
Briefly describe the project(s) you work on with the Community Service Center (CSC).
The Inclusivity Assessment was created to examine the Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services department in the city. We wanted to analyze our service delivery and to identify how we could improve our services. The process identified barriers for participants including physical and cultural. The assessment facilitated us using the lens of cultural awareness to make our facilities and programs as inclusive and accessible as possible.
Why did you decide to work with the Community Service Center (CSC)?
The Community Planning Workshop has done comprehensive work for the City of Eugene. They have a good reputation for process, defining next steps and a high level of work that comes from the CPW team. Bethany Steiner, CPW Associate Director helped us set the foundation, including developing questions for assessment, and building relationships in the community that otherwise would be difficult without them. CPW was very thorough in the work they did throughout the process.
What were the benefits of engaging the CSC program?
I enjoyed the collaboration of the process, we benefited from the shared resources that could be exchanged with the City of Eugene and the Community Services Center.
What role did CSC staff/students/members have in the project?
Bethany Steiner, CPW Associate Director was a valued component of the project along with the project managers and students. They facilitated the process including organization and forward momentum, this included developing surveys, survey implementation, interviews, listserv creation and data entry. After collection they analyzed the data and presented the recommendations and next steps from beginning to end, all the while being collaborative and accessible in the process.
How did the engagement of the CSC program(s) increase your organization capacity to complete the project?
The project would not have been the same without them (CPW). We had a sense of what we wanted completed but not the experience to carry out such a comprehensive project or the capacity to do it. The Community Planning Workshop kept the process moving throughout the summer (our busiest time), they checked in, set deadlines, and built groundwork for future projects.
What advice do you have to other potential community partners about working with the CSC?
I would suggest an open mind; CPW is for those that would like to work collaboratively with a team and be involved in the process.
Plug Something!
We have so many amazing programs and services at the City of Eugene – Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services Department. You can find more information about our programs at http://www.eugene-or.gov/index.aspx?nid=127. We hope you get a chance to discover, create, and grow with us this year!
More about the Community Planning Workshop(CPW)