220 The Village Concept | HCBS-5300-MANUAL
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Georgia Division of Aging Services |
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Chapter: |
200 |
Effective Date: |
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Section Title: |
The Village Concept |
Reviewed or Updated in: |
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Section Number: |
220 |
Previous Update: |
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220.1 Purpose
This section discusses the definition of the Village concept and offers guidance in consistent and successful implementation.
220.2 Village Definition
The Village is a membership-driven, grass-roots organization developed by and for older adults. A Village coordinates access to affordable services and vetted/discounted providers for goods and services, all of which are based on the needs of the community served. The organization’s main goal is to help members remain independent in their homes and community.
220.3 Background
The first Village was created in 2001 by a group of seniors living in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts who were seeking a way to help one another age in place. That entity is now an independent non-profit that is governed by the members themselves and supported by member dues and external donations. In the following decade, nearly 100 more Villages opened around the country based on the original ideals of Beacon Hill Village.
DAS recognizes the success of these Villages and endorses the concept as a community-based program to help individuals age in place. While funding may not always be available to assist in the initiation of a Village, DAS can provide technical assistance during the beginning of the project.
220.4 Basic Considerations
The Village is meant to be a dynamic organization uniquely crafted by the population it serves, but the following are definitions of the specific requirements that must be met in order to sustain a successful endeavor.
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Self-governing - A minimum of 50% of board members must be village members. This ensures voices from the community are heard and the organization is responsive to its member’s needs.
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Grassroots - The organization has to develop from the ground-up, emanating from the groundswell of the community. This ensures that the community is demand-driven and not supply-driven.
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Community-based - The organization must serve its local population with well-established geographical boundaries.
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Affordability - The Village is a self-sustaining entity funded primarily by paid dues and fundraising. Dues should be affordable to each and every member though; this means discounts being offered to those with low-income or offering couples/families discounts if they join as a group.
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Offer vetted/discounted providers - The organization must serve as a service broker/consolidator by maintaining information on community services and helping connect members to the information and services they request. The organization should also be able to use its clout to leverage group discounts on services. This provides an economic incentive for the aging population to join and support the organization.
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Transportation - This service is a high demand need within most villages and can be made available through either paid staff or volunteers. Some examples of transportation services are to and from grocery stores, medical appointments, etc.
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Be highly responsive to requests of members - The Village will have to adapt to the unique requests of its members.
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Membership - Qualifications for membership can be uniquely determined by Villages but it is recommended that they allow individuals with disabilities to join, regardless of age. Also, a Village that discriminates based upon protected categories is explicitly excluded from what is defined as a Village within this policy.
220.5 Helpful Information
The suggested first step for creating a Village is to understand the targeted population which will ensure that the demand for the Village exists. This is crucial as the organization is demand-driven, not supply-driven. Ideally, this should be data-oriented with polling to gauge interest.
The School of Social Work at Rutgers University conducted a national survey in 2012 entitled A National Overview of Villages: Results from a 2012 Organizational Survey to provide a “snapshot” of 69 Villages in regards to finances, community setting/membership characteristics, services, and organizational governance and collaborations. The study can help guide the creation of a new Village by showing how others have set up their organization.
While it is helpful to look towards successful Villages for guidance, each Village is meant to naturally develop from the groundswell of the community and become uniquely tailored to its members.