Topics:
Tags: AARP, ACT2, building leadership, capacity building, Transit
Originally published on railvolution.org. Rail~Volution is now Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility.
There’s no doubt that we are at a time of changing mobility, with an urgent need to respond to systemic inequities and ever more frequent extreme weather events. In addition, the roll out of the US infrastructure bill puts a billion-dollar opportunity before us: can we marshal our efforts to ensure that this transformation results not only in infrastructure improvements but also greater opportunity for residents and resiliency for their communities?
MOVE Roundtables, a new initiative from Rail~Volution, hopes to meet this moment by offering a high-value training experience that connects, equips and activates local stakeholder groups to pursue transit-related transformative change.
Rail~Volution is proud to be partnering with AARP Livable Communities in 2022 to conduct MOVE Roundtables in four locations:
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Indianapolis, IN
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Miami-Dade County, FL
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Milwaukee County, WI
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St. Louis, MO
Each location chooses a framing question or topic to explore based on local context and needs. Roundtable groups, which are comprised of a dozen participants from various sectors, each meet 2 hours a week for 6 weeks to examine their question or topic from four vantage points:
Mobility,
Opportunity
Voice, and
Equity.
Roundtable meetings include a mix of specific learning objectives, with input from experienced practitioners, and facilitated discussion and group interaction. Over the course of the program, participants illuminate how the MOVE elements are interconnected. They explore how to make integrated decisions that yield better places and stronger communities. The Roundtables also foster greater connectivity among participants and their organizations, building new partnerships across sectors, from transportation to housing, from community development to economic development.
Rail~Volution works to energize and equip leaders to leverage transit and mobility investments for community impact. Similarly, AARP Livable Communities supports the efforts of neighborhoods, towns, cities and rural areas to be great places for people of all ages.
“At AARP, we believe that transportation is a vital link that connects people to their communities. Older adults – and people of all ages – need a variety of safe and convenient transportation options to get around and ensure that they can continue to live in their communities over time. By partnering with Rail~Volution on MOVE Roundtables, we are creating a different vision for what infrastructure investments can bring to the community grounded in authentic engagement and collaboration,” said Rebecca Delphia, Advisor with AARP Livable Communities.
Contact Sarah Rudolf at sarahr at railvolution.org to explore how MOVE Roundtables could help meet the moment and build capacity in your community. Read more about regional capacity building initiatives at Rail~Volution.