WE COMMUNITY LABOR CENTER CEDS Plan for ORANGE, NJ
This proposal is prepared by: designing the WE is a social impact design studio. WE facilitate processes that go from community engagement to fully realized multistakeholder projects.
For inclusion in Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS): North Central New Jersey Region The CEDS is submitted to the United States Department of Economic Development for approval. Upon approval the projects within this report will be eligible to apply for EDA funding.
In partnership with
The John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy at Thomas Edison State College in partnership with the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association, who led the overall CEDS.
The University of Orange, who acts as a primary community partner in Orange, NJ, and project leader.
WE
ORANGE, NJ
COMMUNITY DRIVEN SOCIAL+ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ( FULL CITY DEVELOPMENT ) Every city is full of diverse people with many talents, experiences and perspectives that add value to their shared home. Economic development often fails to tap into this potential, however, looking elsewhere for value to bring in to replace what exists now. The partners in this proposal for Orange, NJ, on the contrary, are motivated by the knowledge that everyone is valuable and that our city is full of valuable people who want to realize their shared potential. From this perspective we can understand Full City Development, which seeks CommunityDriven Social and Economic Development projects that grow and connect the value already here both within and without Orange.
This has two parts. We seek to create spaces for different people to co-generate value with inventive projects, businesses and social networks. When development brings external value into Orange, we seek to connect this value to the rich ecosystem being realized in part one. Not only is Full City Development the most equitable way to enrich a city, it holds the most potential for co-generating new value, invention and the richness of daily life in Orange. It creates a collective tide that rises everyone’s boats, rather than a wave that washes us away.
ORANGE, NJ ENGAGEMENT PROCESS The key for successful “Full City Development” projects is to co-create a supportive ecosystem with the community. These relationships are formed with organizations, residents, small businesses like barber shops and cafes, churches and municipal entities. The point of this engagement is to do more than facilitate a single project, but to ensure that this process generates new connections and knowledge that can benefit many people and projects in the area. As we have seen when conducting an informal survey in Orange, there is plenty of untapped community energy that these new connections can share.
COMMUNITY LABOR CENTER
POTENTIAL ENERGY IN ORANGE: Do you know about communitydriven projects going on now?
YES 13% Do you want to get involved in community-driven projects?
YES 80%
(Orange NJ Entrepreneur and Workforce Center )
ORANGE’S ENGINE FOR CO-GENERATING VALUE The Community Labor Center is designed to bring a community center, economic and workforce development, cutting-edge technology, as well as learning and knowledge sharing into one central place: and then allow them to connect and cross-pollinate. A Community Labor Center is for everyone. POTENTIAL VALUE This proposal includes an incubator and invention Lab, makerspace, commercial kitchen, day laborer space, classrooms, community store and cooperative childcare. It will be designed to allow the people using these spaces to get to know each other.
The center will serve diverse types of people in Orange, like day laborers and young and emerging artists. It is also designed to allow these different people to gather, interact and co-generate value. Do the day laborers have trade skills they could teach young artists in the Makerspace? Without these spaces we will never know. The Community Labor Center weaves the social fabric of Orange together. This proposal is for a place that is both ‘high tech’ and ‘high touch.’ As an economic and community driver, it is a town hall for the 21st century.
CO-GENERATING VALUE:
COMMUNITY INCUBATOR
CLASS
KITCHEN
MAKER DAY LABOR
STORE
KEY COMPONENTS INCUBATION AND INVENTION LAB This Lab will provide the platform for everyone in Orange to take part in creating and participating in their own Full City Development projects, launching social impact or alternative businesses, and generating knowledge about their home, the core issues we face, and potential solutions that could benefit everyone in Orange. It will be a town hall 2.0 -bridging common interests with local economies.
DAY LABOR SPACE Lots of people look for gigs. The Day Labor Space will provide the resources, organizing and connections to make sure this work is productive for the laborers. MAKERSPACE AND COMMERCIAL KITCHEN This infrastructure will allow everyone from youth artists to culinary entrepreneurs to scale and experiment with their projects. It may also connect to the community store.
CONTACT designing the WE: info@designingthewe.com