Our Work With Sustainable Communities

Through SMHA’s Sustainable Communities Initiative which is interwoven into all its programs and initiatives, Southern Mutual listens to what people say they want and then assists them in obtaining it. In all Southern Mutual’s "listenings" with individuals and groups, all desired a "good" quality of life. Quality of life commonly meant having the basics to live to be happy and have a sense of pride in one’s life. Further queries reveal that people want to be part of a good neighborhood and own their own homes so they can build and grow their assets. SMHA does not presume to deliver all the human development needed to help people obtain the quality of living they desire. Southern Mutual uses the strategies of training trainers and streamlining the work so that more impact can be delivered and measured. SMHA wants to know there is a social return on the investment of its work in its initiatives in both programs — Building Rural Communities and Life Quality.

Our Work with Sustainable Communities

Southern Mutual identifies and trains trainers who understand the value of shared knowledge and skills within a family and community, particularly in making decisions that affect their economy over the long term. Through its training, Southern Mutual:

Provides a basic understanding of the importance of public policy in people’s everyday lives and helps them recognize their power to affect public policy.

Acquaints communities and groups with the way of life of other communities–farmers, farm workers, fishers, bankers, industry or factory workers, service workers–so that there is a broader understanding of who else inhabits the community and of their different economies and realities.

Helps individuals and families recognize how their homes and communities are related to the condition of surrounding natural resources and to the public infrastructure and services–water plants, sewage treatment, roads, garbage disposal, etc.

SMHA also provides materials for trainers–fact sheets, meaningful information and learning tools such as SMHA’s interactive CD-ROM on "Adventures in Citizenship–Making Change Happen."



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