By: Emily Reed, Community Services Intern
Finding ways to stay engaged in our community and continue work towards a better Oakland is more important than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our approach to communication and involvement with the neighborhood. The challenges of respecting social distancing and working remotely has required us to change the ways we are connecting when in-person engagement is not an option. We have been doing our best to find creative ways to continue sharing resources, providing services, and interacting within the community and to cultivate a sense of togetherness.
A great way to facilitate real time, face-to-face conversations from afar is expanding knowledge of virtual outreach. Using the video conferencing service Zoom has allowed us to maintain some normalcy in discussions, even though it does not replace the feeling of an in-person meeting. We stay connected with neighbors through social media, web updates, and e-mail outreach.
Internet-based outreach does have limitations, especially for reaching those without regular access, and we want to make sure we are able to engage with everyone in the neighborhood. We make and respond to phone calls and mail newsletters to residents. Later this summer when you’re walking around your neighborhood you may see one of OPDC’s forthcoming bulletin boards. These place-based information boards are timeless and an easily accessible way to stay up to date on the latest neighborhood news and provide opportunities for community members to give feedback through polls, discussions, and activities located on the bulletin boards.
Although, COVID-19 has certainly changed our interactions with the community, it has allowed us to develop some promising opportunities for improving and expanding relationships between OPDC and the neighborhood as we work to keep community together even when we are apart.
As always, please reach out to Community Services Director, Andrea Boykowycz, at 412.621.3821 x17 or aboykowycz@opdc.org if you have any questions or need assistance.