Several years ago, this blog featured insightful comments made by the Charles Schroeder, director of the Nebraska Rural Futures Institute.
Schroeder was talking about developing the state’s small, rural towns. The biggest challenge in doing that, he said, was changing a community’s low confidence level.
According to Schroeder, a town's perceptions about the years to come were the key to its success or failure. He noted that 85% of people would agree they would like to see communities of 500 and fewer population survive and thrive going forward. Yet when were asked if they believe those towns of 500 would still be around 20 years from now, only 35% said yes.
Schroeder added: Each community faces challenges -- and they vary from one town to the next. Issues include education, youth engagement, health care, transportation, housing, infrastructure, and immigration. The one fundamental issue critical to a town’s growth and development is that the leaders have confidence in tomorrow.
"It was teachers and farmers and students" who must possess that confidence, he noted. "It was young people and old people, librarians, business leaders who had a vision for that community.”
Fast-forward to 2022. How does Dorchester (and other rural communities) build the necessary confidence in its residents so they contribute to building a brighter future?
Schroeder added: Each community faces challenges -- and they vary from one town to the next. Issues include education, youth engagement, health care, transportation, housing, infrastructure, and immigration. The one fundamental issue critical to a town’s growth and development is that the leaders have confidence in tomorrow.
"It was teachers and farmers and students" who must possess that confidence, he noted. "It was young people and old people, librarians, business leaders who had a vision for that community.”
Fast-forward to 2022. How does Dorchester (and other rural communities) build the necessary confidence in its residents so they contribute to building a brighter future?
Once possible answer resides at UNL.
The University of Nebraska, for all of its shortcomings, provides an excellent taxpayer service in its Rural Nebraska Prosperity initiative. Readers can check it out here. The initiative of focuses on key areas, including:
Dorchester leaders (including educators) would be wise to share the initiative's findings and resources with residents, especially those in our school. Also, Dorchester residents may wish to consider attending the "Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities" conference in Columbus on April 27-28. (Information will soon be posted on the initiative's site.
The time to start planting seeds of confidence is now.
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