Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Center for Justice Innovation Engagement Coordinator Training Series

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Empowering NYCHA Resident Leaders Through Human-Centered Design & Community-Based Planning

TYTHEdesign partnered with the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) and Center for Justice Innovation’s (CJI) Neighborhood Safety Initiatives (NSI) to co-design and facilitate a comprehensive training series for Mayor’s Action Plan For Neighborhood Safety Engagement Coordinators (MECs) and NYCHA resident leaders. MECs are responsible for identifying resident stakeholders and developing relationships and partnerships at each site. The training series supported residents in leading change within their own communities by equipping them with accessible tools, shared language, and strategic mindsets to co-create solutions in partnership with City agencies and community-based organizations.

OUR STRATEGY

With the goal of fostering a human-centered mindset for community organizing that supports collaborative strategic planning, each session offered tools to equip MECs and resident leaders to design and facilitate engagement experiences, building their confidence and skills for effective facilitation in neighborhood decision-making spaces. TYTHEdesign utilized an iterative, participatory process to develop four customized training modules. Each module combined real-world tools, community organizing practices, and adult learning strategies and was framed by field sessions facilitated by CJI staff to support the practical application of principles learned in the trainings.

Using a backwards planning approach grounding strategy in community knowledge, the series culminated with skill-building in facilitation, preparing residents to guide conversations, manage dynamics, and hold space for collaboration. All sessions emphasized empathy, collaboration, and iteration supporting participants to apply HCD to placemaking and NeighborhoodStat (NStat)–an initiative that brings together neighbors, community organizations and government agencies to support safer, more vibrant community action planning.

THE OUTCOME

Participants left the four sessions (Human-Centered Design, Community-Based Planning, Intentional Stakeholder and Community Engagement, and Leading Through Facilitation) with comprehensive handouts, replicable worksheets, and confidence in leading meaningful community conversations, strategic planning, and collaborative problem-solving. TYTHE is continuing to offer trainings to NSI’s community leaders with an emphasis on storytelling in data analysis, fundraising, and grant-writing.

As with all of TYTHEdesign’s trainings, the focus was on shared power, reflection, and community voice as drivers of effective neighborhood change. The training series laid a foundation for more sustainable, resident-led community change initiatives by empowering NYCHA resident leaders with tools for equitable collaboration and problem-solving. This project demonstrated the power of combining capacity building with human-centered design.

Client: Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Center for Justice Innovation

Collaborators: Kristina Drury, Aliza Sarian, and Toby Gardner

Year: 2024