October 4 to 9, 2010, New York City
The International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers (IFS) and University Settlement Society of New York are honored to partner with United Neighborhood Centers of America (UNCA), United Neighborhood Houses of New York (UNH), New York University (NYU), and several other New York City settlement houses to produce an historic international conference for settlement house practitioners and leaders, and like-minded NGOs, that work daily to create strong communities in local settings throughout the world.
The Settlement Summit: Inclusion, Innovation, Impact is scheduled for October 4th to 9th, 2010, with a goal to bring together between 400 and 600 people, focusing our activities physically within New York City’s Greenwich Village and the Lower East Side to celebrate the birthplace of the settlement movement in the United States nearly 125 years ago.
The International Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers (www.ifsnetwork.org), is the only organization in the world that brings together an active international network of community-based neighborhood centers. The bi-annual conference is the primary vehicle for exchanging best practices, expanding and critiquing program models, addressing sustainability, and increasing in size, scope and diversity. IFS has more than 75 independent members, including umbrella groups, representing a total of 450 organizations in 25 countries on five continents.
Never before have the memberships of IFS, UNCA and UNH come together in this type of gathering. This unique effort celebrates the convergence of several significant anniversaries. University Settlement’s 125th anniversary as the first settlement in the United States, UNCA’s 100th anniversary, and UNH’s 90th anniversary will be celebrated by sharing a sampling of the powerful grassroots artistic efforts of New York City children, youth, adults and elders who create incredible drama, dance, spoken word and visual art in our programs every day.
The Settlement Summit: Inclusion, Innovation, Impact will include many opportunities for small workshop and exchange sessions with community workers from all over the world, led by skilled facilitators, academics and practitioners. There will also be several opportunities to visit New York City settlement houses for tours, meals, program discussions and further exchange. In a Special Session for conferees at the United Nations, the Chair of the NGO Committee on Human Rights will host a discussion focusing on human rights and the role of settlements and neighborhood centers.
Finally, we will enjoy several opportunities to celebrate our shared visions for a just, safe and vibrantly interconnected world --- one that begins with each person and each community.
During our Opening Plenary Session we will discuss and debate the trends, pros and cons of International Philanthropy, as articulated and practiced by organizations such as the Open Society Institute, Bloomberg Philanthropy Foundation, Clinton Global Initiative, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Atlantic Philanthropies, Ford Foundation, and Rockefeller Foundation.
CEOs and other leaders from these foundations will be invited to participate in a lively discussion of what they do, why and how, and to articulate their understanding of how their global perspective and reach intersects with local communities, especially those communities that have (or need) local institutions such as settlements, neighborhood houses and community centers. These foundations will also be asked to co-sponsor the conference, particularly to underwrite the cost of bringing participants who would otherwise be unable to attend due to cost, especially from those countries that are served by the foundations in question.
A key goal of the conference is to expand representation and active participation within IFS from Central American, South American, Caribbean, Asian and African nations, where community-based organizations may be focusing on very different immediate issues than North American or European settlements. Even with obvious differences there is a powerful shared commitment to expanding justice and opportunities for the poorest neighbors in order to lift all people through “development;” to knitting together strong, inclusive communities; and to recognizing the strengths inherent in all people and the power of civic and democratic engagement.
One thing that already unites “developed” world and “developing” world settlement houses and like-minded NGOs is the massive worldwide flow of populations through migration and immigration, where the needs, strengths and cultures of “sending” regions or countries intersect with the resources, social policies, economies and attitudes of “receiving” countries. Settlement houses are often the first source of support and access for migrants, refugees and immigrants throughout the world, again at a physical and historical nexus, with an important development role to play. And uniquely positioned to serve all ages and multiple generations, settlements often continue to be a “living room” for immigrants as they settle, assimilate, build local connections and power, and bring up their children and children’s children with the partnership of settlement programs.
Deliberately increasing the diversity of participants in the bi-annual IFS conference and ongoing membership will serve to make all settlements stronger, better informed, and sustainable. Likewise, conferees and practitioners will have important perspectives to offer the philanthropic representatives and academics who participate. The opportunity to meet one another, experience New York City and New York University, and visit NYC settlement houses will contribute to learning on many levels, and facilitate ongoing communication through relationships that will extend beyond the conference.
Sponsoring organizations currently include: IFS, University Settlement as the Coordinating Sponsor, United Neighborhood Centers of America, United Neighborhood Houses of New York, New York University, Hamilton Madison House, Henry Street Settlement, Goddard Riverside Community Center, Queens Community House, and Lenox Hill Neighborhood House.
Please continue to check this site for updated information on The Settlement Summit: Inclusion, Innovation, Impact including fees, the availability of potential subsidies, call for presenters notice, etc.
For additional information, contact Yvonne Olsen, Executive Director, IFS, (olseny@mcwmn.org), or Melissa Aase, Director of Community Development, University Settlement (maase@universitysettlement.org).