About the VC Collaborative
Functioning as a multipurpose community database, the VC Collaborative, will feature a "Community-Based Research Network." This part of the website will provide online definitions/ explanations of community-based research and participatory action research. In addition, visitors will be able to view summaries of completed projects and search a database of researchers (including faculty from throughout the local colleges and universities).
The goal of this piece is to connect community members and organizations with researchers and resources so that data can be collected and analyzed to help them address social problems they have identified. This part of the website will also provide links to relevant RFPs from local and national organizations that might be likely to fund social-justice oriented projects.
Strengthening Collaboration
A second part of the VC Collaborative will be an online "Social Justice Events Calendar." Ventura and Santa Barbara counties are rich in a variety of events that promote social justice and encourage social action. However, community activists have noted that it is often difficult to keep track of activities and coordinate one organization's events so that they do not conflict with an ally organization's events. This calendar will create greater efficiencies through collaboration among organizations with similar missions, particularly those focused on issues such as immigration, health and violence.
Speakers Bureau & Mentor Program
Other aspects of the VC Collaborative include a "Social Justice Speakers Bureau" and "Social Justice Mentor Program." The online Speakers' Bureau will allow community-based experts and academic speakers to advertise their areas of expertise. This will enable events planners from the many social-justice focused organizations to have easy access to a wide array of local talent when planning conferences, forums, panel discussions, etc. It will also be a resource for local media who whish to interview social justice activists and scholars.
The mentor program will facilitate connections between those who are experienced in fields that support social justice goals (e.g., members of local private and public organizations, activists and educators) with students, unemployed and underemployed adults. Initially the Social Justice Mentor Program will be a database of mentors. Over time, we will develop a mentor-matching program where mentors and mentees will enter their data and be matched according to interests. The program will coordinate with career services offices at local higher education institutions to create new opportunities for students and ultimately, to a well-prepared corps of non-profit leaders.
Other Resources
Finally, our website devoted to local social justice issues will include at least one initial listserve and several blogs. These will help keep community and university partners informed about upcoming events and opportunities for collaboration. We envision that the blogs will initially be sponsored by the institutes and corresponding working groups, but we would like to expand the topics covered as members of the community provide input about their interests and needs.