Assignment 1: Discussion—Community Cooperation

Understanding how the various parts of a community work together is vital to the success of any community-based initiative. This exercise will encourage to you explore the forces at work both within and between the various parts of a sample community.

In this assignment, you will discuss how communities function. Read the description of the community below and respond to the questions that follow.

Forest Hills is a community that is made up of both renters and homeowners occupying a mix of single and two-family style homes. Although most residents have weekday work schedules, there are a handful of residents who work weekend shifts. About half of the households have children, most of whom are very active in the town’s various intramural sports. At least a third of the residents are active in their religious communities.

The Forest Hills Neighborhood Association has decided to organize a block party for an upcoming weekend. They hold a meeting to discuss a proposed ban on street parking that they hope to establish for the entire duration of the block party weekend. Imagine the discussion that might arise regarding this proposal.

Now, consider the following questions:

• How are the goals and needs of residents different from one another? In your response, please consider how individuals living in different houses may have different needs from one another as well as how the needs of individuals might differ from one another within their respective households.
• Based on this information, suggest a solution to address the parking dilemma that allows individuals to have their private concerns addressed while still making the overall goal of the neighborhood block party possible. Be sure to clarify how cooperation and compromise will actively figure in your proposed solution.

Write your initial response in 3–4 paragraphs. Apply APA standards to citation of sources.

By Saturday, February 25, 2017, post your response to the appropriate Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, March 1, 2017, review and comment on at least two peers’ responses.

Grading Rubric

All discussion assignments in this course will be graded using a rubric. Download the discussion rubric and carefully read it to understand the expectations.