Community participation forms the foundation for all of Bickerdike's work. Residents and neighbors identify our community's needs and directly guide Bickerdike's efforts to fulfill these needs. Empowered residents are engaged residents; residents who see that they can improve their own lives develop an understanding that they can change their communities. Bickerdike residents, members and other community residents participate in directing Bickerdike's work and help determine program priorities through about 10 volunteer committees, which govern everything from tenant selection to house rules, to our public safety initiatives.

Residents Council. Bickerdike's residential properties are grouped into 17 clusters, each of which elects a site representative to serve on the Residents Council. The Residents Council addresses tenant concerns, organizes tenant activities and disseminates information about Bickerdike events, community issues and opportunities to our tenants. There are five subcommittees of the Resident Council which are open to all Bickerdike residents: Garden Committee, Newsletter Committee, Welcoming Committee, Events/Fundraising Committee, and the Bickerdike Youth Council (BYC).

Leadership Development.The development of local leadership underpins all of Bickerdike's work. Tenants and other community residents often start out by volunteering for a garden activity or by getting involved in issues concerning their building. From there, they often come to see affordable housing issues in a broader context, and get involved in organizing efforts around issues affecting the whole community. By volunteering on committees and participating in organizing campaigns, residents work together to address their own interests and improve their community.

Community Issue Organizing. Bickerdike is a vehicle for residents to identity neighborhood priorities and work to address those priorities. Bickerdike's leadership development and organizing initiatives further the cause of affordable housing, neighborhood safety, and other issues community residents most want to address. Our organizing initiatives have celebrated a number of important victories, and are one way that residents and neighbors begin to realize their full potential as members of their community.

Our local organizing and citywide leadership have helped advance such issues as the Chicago Affordable Housing Set Aside, and winning set asides of affordable units in local market rate developments. These victories were the direct result of the widespread grassroots involvement of area residents.

For more information about Bickerdike's Leadership Development and Organizing programs call 773-278-5669.