Why Now? the Urgency of Local Action in a Time of Limited Resources

Every day, community members are surrounded by complex problems that don’t seem to have timely resolutions. Local governments often have very limited resources available for new initiatives. It is now more important than ever to analyze public problems, engage communities and work together to identify possible paths forward—together. 

How Changemakers for Community Impact is Working Toward Empowering Communities 

Tufts Changemakers for Community Impact programs aims to empower a cadre of residents, community members, and business owners with the tools, skills, and networks necessary to implement short, medium, and long-term interventions that result in a better quality of life for all.  

What skills or outcomes can participants expect to walk away with?  

Participants will walk away with increased skills in: 

• generous listening 

• coalition building 

• public speaking 

• community advocacy  

• data analysis 

• AI for public problem solving 

• prototyping  

Each section of the curriculum invites participants to engage in reflection so that they can think about how the theories, tools, and resources can be applied in real time to their lives and their own local communities. 

What Community Challenges May be Tackled?  

Participants will learn from local leaders working on timely real-world problems.  While hearing from speakers, participants will also engage in a curriculum that allows them to identify unique assets and issues in their community that they would like to act on.  Changemakers invites each participant to “be the change” agent in their own lives and will prioritize projects identified by the group as ripe for action. Projects could involve a wide range of local challenges that require new ideas, collective interventions and innovations that may include: 

• bridging divides between existing residents and new members of the community 

• small business responses to shifting neighborhood demographics 

• workforce development 

• public transit access and inclusion strategies 

• public spaces and uses 

Applying What’s Learned 

This program will be practical. It is intended to help participants consider and evaluate options for change. To that end, each section of the curriculum invites participants to engage in reflection so that they can think about how the theories, tools, and resources can be applied in real time to their lives and their own local communities.  

To learn more about the Changemakers for Community Impact program or how you can apply, visit our website.