Connected Congregational Education, Part 1

Lisa ColtonPresident, Darim Online

Chief Learning Officer, See3 Communicationslisa@see3.com @lisacolton #connectcongs

This presentation is adapted from materials developed through Connected Congregations: A UJA-Federation of New York Initiative with Darim Online

A Little About Me

TODAY… Think Connected.

• Think big• Take risks, push yourself• Challenge each other (and me!)• Be ACTIVE!• Question your assumptions• Yes, AND… (not yes, but…)

The Game Plan

1. What is a Connected Congregation?2. Demographic Trends3. Attributes & Examples

- What is “Community”?- Values are everything- Designing for social

Traditional Mindset: Hub & Spokes

“Institution as organizer and mediator” “Command and control leadership”

Connected Mindset: Social & Networked

Hubs are focus on influence, not the center. Currency are relationships and social capital.

Strength of network is the shape and maturity of the network, not # tushes in seats

We need to matter to each other, and the collective.

Why Social Connection?

What is a Connected Congregation?

A connected congregation is one that deeply understands the meaning of community, and works explicitly to build a strong, meaningful and engaged Jewish community.

Connected congregations prioritize relationships and shared values, and align all aspects of institutional management in service of the community.

Those within connected congregations feel a sense of shared ownership and responsibility for each other and the collective, and are empowered to contribute their ideas, energy and resources.

#1. BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE: A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF “COMMUNITY”

A connected congregation is one that deeply understands the meaning of community, and works explicitly to build a strong, meaningful and engaged Jewish community.

What is “Community”?

What does your Community Look

Like?

How can you use data differently?

What impact does a program like Shabbat Connections have on this map?

Who Are You Designing For?

Generational CharacteristicsBOOMERS GENX MILLENNIALS PLURALS

1946-196478 million

1965-198048 million

1981-199580 million

1996-200957 million

• Directive, command & control leadership.

• Raised to pursue the American Dream.

• Appreciate meetings

• Loyalty pays off.• Focus on money

and savings.

• Independent, consensual leadership.

• Pay your dues to advance.

• Time is precious, value flexibility.

• Focus on getting it done.

• Loyalty to people not necessarily organizations.

• Creating meaningful work and life.

• Flatter mgmt based on skill, not seniority.

• Moves jobs and location.

• Focus on fulfillment.

• Wary of institutions and bureaucracy

• Hyper global and hyper local focus.

• Multi-faceted identity as normative.

• Realistic and creative.

• Focus on skills more than information or tools.

• Their careers likely do not exist yet today.

• Influence family purchasing.

Jewish Community: Pew Report

“Engagement” is the Process of Evolving the Network Map

• What IS engagement?• What’s the goal of engagement?• Who or what are we designing for?• What does it feel like to be engaged?• Whose job is engagement?• What kinds of cultural, programmatic or other

shifts are needed to enrich a culture of engagement?

At each step of design and decision making, we can ask ourselves

“is this in service of the community or the institution?”

#2. VALUES ARE YOUR

CONGREGATIONAL DNA

They areexpressed

everywhere

Where are you now, and where do you want to be? Complete on your own, then you might want to compare later with others from your congregation.

You can download the blank worksheet for your own use athttp://connectedcongregations.org/organizational-values-worksheet/

Organizational Values Worksheet

LIVING YOUR VALUES, EVERYWHERE

Pam Schuller

on the real meaning of “inclusion”.

OPERATIONALIZINGCONNECTEDNESS

MEANS DESIGNING FOR SOCIAL

Be Social. Personally and Organizationally.

Mike Moxness with Debbie Echt-Moxness On Living On After a Diagnosis of Cancer

Our Challenge:

What does this look like in an educational context?

And what is the role of the educator in becoming a Connected Congregation?

• An explicit goal: Build relationships• Design for social: Family education• Kehillah is the curriculum

DESIGN FOR SOCIAL WITH EMPATHY

Family Education

What have been your goals? What “connected” goals

might you add?

The Kehilla is the Curriculum“Instilling a sense of responsibility for keeping a community strong begins at a young age. The goal is to manage a shift from “me” to “we”. This is where creativity, innovation and experimentation come in, building upon one pedagogical foundation: the kehilla (community) is the curriculum.

“In moving from the mission of building community to an actual curriculum, the educational program serves the purpose of the kehilla; it provides the skills, context and meaning for the learners who are part of that community’s life. - Rabbi Jim Rogozin

http://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-kehilla-is-the-curriculum/

We have to walk the walk

What’s Next?

• August 13th and Aug 20th 1-2pm eastern• Looking at practical work and examples.• What are you doing? Want to share?

• Recording, slides and links will come via email shortly.

Q&A