#377 Bridging the Gap: Changing Power Dynamics in Community Partnerships

Chicago is home to a rich network of community-based organizations and a large number of socially committed researchers, designers, and data people, however connecting them and setting them up for successful partnerships presents a challenge that extends beyond coordination. Organizations in greatest need of data support frequently also have time and resource constraints and data quality challenges. Potential helpers may have limited content knowledge and may not know how to ask the questions needed to gather key information. Both sides may find that they are grounded in their own technical expertise without a way to find common ground.

Thrive Chicago creates collaborative networks of people and data that accelerate innovation for Chicago’s youth. Drawing on its experience providing capacity building support and technical assistance to a variety of youth serving community-based organizations and city agencies, the Thrive Data Team will share characteristics of high quality working partnerships as well as emergent best practices for scoping work, designing/refining, and co-creating compelling and useful tools and products. By focusing on partnership quality factors like communication and power dynamics, this conversation will reach across fields and methods to start conversations about how to create equitable partnerships. The team is also excited to find partners in the civic tech community who can continue to build off these ideas to create more guidance and tools to bridge the gap.

RSVP required Braintree now requires all attendees to RSVP beforehand by 12:00 PM (noon). Walk-ins will not be allowed!

ASL This event will not have an American Sign Language interpreter.

Food Food and drinks will be provided. We encourage attendees to bring their own water bottles to reduce waste.