Caldwell County's innovation initiative
Caldwell County's innovation initiative
The following are promising actions identified by the design team that can help create more opportunity for all members of Caldwell County’s community.
After an in-depth exploration process where data and stories were gathered about the current state of Caldwell County, the design team brainstormed 50+ ideas that might hold promise. After prioritizing the most feasible and potentially impactful ideas, the following four emerged as the frontrunners for possible implementation in the coming years.
Youth leaders would be identified and regularly convened to provide input and perspectives on how to generate innovative opportunities for their peers and themselves
There are already so many great initiatives happening, but a lack of awareness among community groups of each other's efforts can lead to "reinventing the wheel"
New events, festivals, and resource fairs that celebrate the diverse cultural landscape of our region while connecting people to beneficial community resources
Speakers from a variety of backgrounds will be scheduled to speak on many topics that could create constructive community conversations about access to opportunity
THE PROBLEM: Young people in Caldwell County expressed a desire for more job opportunities, entertainment, healthy options for food and leisure activities.
THE PROPOSED SOLUTION: Monthly meetings of local youth leaders would be overseen by a governmental or non-profit agency that would systematically gather input on community improvement efforts.
THE PROBLEM: There is already an impressive amount of community improvement work in Caldwell County, but leaders of different initiatives don’t have a regular venue to discuss their diverse efforts to coordinate their efforts.
THE PROPOSED SOLUTION: This project established a useful precedent that could be continued and scaled in the coming years. Regular community meetings brought together a broad coalition from many businesses, non-profits, and government agencies for them to compare notes to identify gaps and overlaps.
THE PROBLEM: Though there are already various excellent events and festivals throughout the year in Caldwell County, they generally aren’t focused on youth, culture, or community resources.
THE PROPOSED SOLUTION: A new festival could be created to cater to and be planned by local youth, explicitly celebrate cultural diversity, and connect people to community resources available to them in inventive ways.
THE PROBLEM: It is hard for any community to address its own issues without seeking inspiration from outside sources who bring new and insightful ideas that could be promising.
THE PROPOSED SOLUTION: By creating a speaker series that brings in nationally and globally renowned problem solvers, innovators, and educators, new ideas could circulate that could allow Caldwell County to find unique paths forward on pressing community issues.
