January's KTA

January 2004 Activity

Reflections For The New Year

Why This Activity?

The new year is a time when many of us reflect on the past year and set our intentions for the year to come. Why not extend these traditions to your organizing? ROP is about building the strength of grassroots democracy throughout rural Oregon. To create a vibrant, democratic culture, we need healthy, strong and growing organizations. How did your group get stronger in 2003? What would strengthen your work in 2004? This month’s KTA is to evaluate the past year and think toward building on strengths for the coming year.

What Is This Activity?

Think back over 2003. What were your group’s biggest accomplishments? How did these strengthen your organization? Did your group make new contacts during the year or enhance the skills of your leaders? Now think about 2004. What issues or organizing opportunities seem most important to your group’s mission in the coming year? What needs to happen to bring your organization to the next level of effectiveness? Choose 1-3 key goals and resolve as a group to reach them by the end of 2004. Individual members can also make personal resolutions for how they would like to contribute to those larger goals.

Steps To Complete The Activity

Decide whether your group wants to do this activity.
Identify someone to facilitate the discussion and someone to keep track of the ideas that emerge.
Spend about 30 minutes going over the past year. What stands out as significant accomplishments? Can you identify specific areas in which your group increased its capacity? For example, did you identify new people who care about your issues? Create better systems for keeping in touch with supporters? Build leadership skills within the group? Increase the size of your database?
Now step back and think about what your group needs to become more effective at getting your message out and influencing the issues you care about. Where does your group need work? Are there areas that stand out as needing attention? Identify areas your group would like to improve over the coming year.
If needed, schedule a strategy session to think through step by step how to implement the goals you’ve identified and delegate responsibility for various projects. ROP can help with this process. Call us to schedule a phone consultation or a personal visit.
Pick a time to come back together to evaluate your progress.

Important Dates in January

• January 19th: Martin Luther King Day. How will your group honor Martin Luther King Day?

• January 22nd: Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. Consider writing a letter to paper or holding a candlelight vigil to commemorate women’s right to choose.

Previous KTAs are now located in the KTA Archive.

Questions? Contact ROP at P.O. Box 1350 * Scappoose, OR 97056
503 543-8417 or via e-mail at cara@rop.org