NETWORK CONNECTOR NEWSLETTER
Volume 2, Issue 9; November 2015
In This Issue:

I.     Save the Date!
II.    Bright Spots
VI.   Research
VII.  Useful Tools
Save the Date:savedate
Upcoming Network Connection Meetings!
RSVP ahead of time by clicking on the dates below:


When & Where: 6:00-8:00pm, FGH Building, Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118
Chi ldcare, dinne r, and pa rking validation for the 71 0 Alban y Garage will be provided.

Vital Village Network Leadership Summit 2015
We are excited to invite you to the 2nd annual Leadership Summit! This year's conference will focus on empowering participants to: develop improvement plans, build collaboration, understand barriers and assets, measure and document success, and strengthen existing capacities as team leaders and community members. Join us and learn essential skills to improve your projects and achieve greater impact in your work to promote well-being for children, youth, families and healthier communities. Registration for this in credible 2-day summit is free!


When : December 8th 11am-3pm, and December 9th 9am-6pm
Where: BU School of Medicine. 88 East Concord Street. Hiebert Lounge, 14th Floor. Boston, Ma 02118
Bright Spots:bright
Social Justice Mediation Institute
Congratulations to the 2015 Graduates of the Social Justice Mediation Institute (SJMI)! 20 engaged individuals from diverse sectors of our community came together to learn how to peacefully resolve conflicts and advocate for social justice. A big thank you goes out to the graduates for their participation and enthusiasm, and to the many SJMI sponsors and collaborators (Peer Advocate Action Roundtable (PAR), DSNI, Medical-Legal-Partnership (MLP) Boston, and the Boston Promise Initiative. We look forward to sharing stories on all of the amazing social justice work they will continue to do in their communities!

Around the Network:network
#StraightOuttaHighSchool:
2nd Annual Boston PromiseFest
This year's Boston Promise Initiative PromiseFest focuses on the success for ALL young people in and after high school. Whether you are a parent, high school student, and/or young adult, the event will expose you to pathways by which you can complete high school, enroll in post-secondary programs, attain credentials, connect to what you are interested in, and have a successful career. There will be FREE food, giveaways, activities, resources and more!

When: Tuesday November 10th 4-8pm
Where: Roxbury Community College Student Center. 1234 Columbus Ave. Roxbury Crossing, MA 02120

Click HERE for more information, and to RSVP!
Public Art and Land
Join us for an evening of food and live music to celebrate a public art unveiling! As you may know, Public Art and Land are two ways that the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) have engaged in community development. This art unveiling is their most recent installation!

#DSNIreclaimourland

When: Friday November 6th, 5:30-8pm
Where: 585 Dudley St, Roxbury, MA


Trauma, Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence, & Resilience: A Training for Home Visitors
Attention all those who work with parents, caregivers, families and children!  In this interactive, skills-based training, you will l earn about the impact of trauma & violence, and ways  to increase safety for clients and their  children experiencing domestic partner violence. You will also d evelop strategies to support resilience  and practice self-care at work, s trengthen advocacy skills, and c onnect to local resources and support!

When: Thursday November 5th and 12th, 9am-3pm
Where: 785 Albany St. Boston, MA. 02118

For more info and to register:
Contact Bronwen White at (617)416-2699 or bwhite@bphc.org
MLP Conference
Get excited for the 6th annual Medical Legal Partnership (MLP) Conference: "Going Upstream: How Doctor's Notes and Medical Certifications Influence Health, Healthcare Quality, and Health Equity". Learn more about the role of healthcare providers, the landscape of public benefits and services, promoting health equity, and more! Note: A limited number of scholarships are still available for members of the Vital Village community who will be participating under their own power and are not attending in a professional role!

Register HERE!

When: Tuesday, Nov. 3rd, 8:30am-4pm
Where: Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Boston, MA

Around the City: city
Community Yoga
Come out any Saturday this month for free Community Yoga at the Boston Public Library Dudley Branch! All families and levels of experience are welcome to participate in this yoga practice. If you are able, please bring your own mat.

When: Saturdays, 11:30am-12:30pm
Where: Dudley Branch of the Boston Public Library
65 Warren St. Roxbury, MA 02119
Spread the Warmth
The Family Independence Initiative's "Operation Keep Warm" is collecting new hats, gloves, and socks this season! Their goal is to collect as many new items for those in need. 

Donations can be dropped off during normal business hours at Dudley Square Branch Library, OR Mattapan Square Branch Library 

Pick-ups also can be arranged by emailing operationstaywarm@outlook.
com 
Soweto Gospel Choir
Soweto Gospel Choir and Boston City Singers perform in a free choral workshop at the Blue Hill Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester as part of the Celebrity Series of Boston's Arts For All community outreach.

The workshop takes place prior to the Soweto Gospel Choir's Symphony Hall Performance on Nov. 15th (tickets for sale  here)

When: Sat. Nov 14, 4pm
Where: Blue Hill Boys and Girls Club of Dorchester
Mothers Against Violence: Empowering Women to Action National Conference
Mother's for Justice and Equality believes that empowered and engaged mothers are the key to ending the escalation of violence in our neighborhoods. Join them this year for their national conference, focused on empowering women to action! Accomplished motivational and political speakers and trainers will help mothers from around the country share their success, gain technical assistance, and build an alliance to further their work in ending senseless street violence.

When: November 12-13, 2015
Where: Seaport Hotel, Boston, MA

Click HERE to register!
Research: Research
Research supports that parent-reported neighborhood conditions are associated with common child mental health disorders. Strongly influential factors include neighborhood amenities (e.g., recreation center), poor physical characteristics (e.g., dilapidated housing), social support/trust, neighborhood safety, and school safety. Learn more about how neighborhood conditions may be important for understanding and addressing children's mental health  HERE!
Too ls:Tools
Parents are shown to be most effective in raising healthy children if they feel confident in their abilities to parent, have a support system, and have positive attitudes toward parenting. By measuring indicators of parenting knowledge, attitudes and perceptions, we can learn more about how to better prepare parents for the responsibilities and challenges of parenthood.  Click here  to learn more about how to use data measurement tools to better empower parents, and thereby improve childhood outcomes!
The Scoop on Stats:stats
staying up to date with data measurement!
Neighborhood belonging and engagement have been shown to help build positive outcomes for health and well-being. In a 2011 study published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, people who reported knowing and trusting their neighbors were also more likely to report higher rates of health and well-being, in comparison with those who said they did not know or trust their neighbors. Further, parents and caregivers in "close-knit neighborhoods" are more likely to exchange information, support one another, and work together to achieve common goals (Commission to Build a Healthier America). In the context of our communities, Vital Village has surveyed a convenience sample of caregivers of BMC pediatric patients on how they perceive their neighborhoods. Early data analysis shows that residents believe that their neighborhoods are close-knit and that, in general, people are willing to help one another. However, very few report feeling comfortable relying on neighbors themselves. 41% of community members surveyed said that they could not ask any neighbors for help with childcare. How does this resonate with your experiences? What can we do, as Boston residents and organizations, to help community members feel a stronger sense of support and belonging?

Learn more about the effects of neighborhood 
engagement  on  positive health and well-being HERE.
V ITAL VILLAGE NETWORK
Stay Connected
88 East Newton St. · Vose Hall, 5th Floor ·  Boston, MA · vitalvillage@bmc.org · 617.414.3674