Good Work’s Collaborative and Group Work

Beyond our direct services, we connect people to appropriate resources, coach within the service gaps, organize collaborative and group work, and train others how we do what we do. We nurture collaborative and group work by encouraging people to come together in a spirit of cooperation around the common interest of working together for mutual social and economic benefit.

Developing good groups take time and skill.  We believe groups will be more viable if their participants are reliable, communicate skillfully, support others in the group, and work together to develop, maintain, and renew the group’s work. Based on our experience we believe good groups:

1. Are open, inclusive, empowering, and democratic
2. Make sure that everyone feels welcome, informed, and involved
3. Cooperatively identify common vision, purpose, and goals
4. Create an environment that fosters trust and builds commitment to the group
5. Allow differences of opinion to be discussed and handle conflict directly and civilly
6. Examine biases that may be blocking progress
7. Continue to clarify expectations of individuals and of the group, revisiting purpose and renewing commitment
8. Celebrate individual and group accomplishments and find renewal in relationships
9. Develop a schedule and rhythm that works best for the group
10. Encourage and empower members to learn new skills and share roles and decision-making
11. Leverage the strengths of civic, cultural, historical, political, community, and environmental contexts
12. Draw leadership, knowledge, talent, strengths, and resources from relationships with government, business, faith communities, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and resourceful individuals as needed

For assistance with your collaborative or group work, contact us through our website or give us a call at 919-682-8473.

Below is a list and a point of contact for some of our collaborative work.

1. green enterprise: Chris Rumbley
2. the growing good food movement: Rob Jones
3. community service and social entrepreneurship: John Parker
4. youth entrepreneurship: Brandon Hudson
5. re-entry services, issues, and policy:  Dennis Gaddy with Community Success Initiative or Lousia Warren with the NC Justice Center and the NC Second Chance Alliance
6. Durham-based work and the John O’Daniel Exchange Business Center: 919-682-8473, email Good Work
7. Statewide and regional entrepreneurship development in partnership with the NC Rural Center’s Institute for Rural Entrepreneurship, and through the NC Entrepreneurship and Innovation Alliance (formerly the Business Resource Alliance)
8. Southeast Entrepreneurship Alliance: Kim Pevia, kim.pevia@uncp.edu at UNC-Pembroke’s Regional Center, serving Robeson, Bladen, Columbus, Hoke, and Scotland Counties
9. Northeast Entrepreneurship Development System Project: Erica Ramjohn at River City Community Development Corporation, serving Pasquotank, Camden, Perquimans, Chowan and Gates Counties