Our Organizing Model

Basic Organizing Model - this is just the beginning

In CCOP's congregation-community model congregations of all denominations and faiths serve as the institutional base for community organizations. Rather than bring people together simply based on common issues like housing or education, the faith-based or broad-based organizing model makes values and relationships the glue that holds organizations together.  This picture shows an example of how this model is practiced.  This is just an example however, each faith community must work with it and turn it into something that truly speaks and serves their own people.

The Model

CCOP builds community organizations based on religious congregations, schools and community centers, which are often the only stable civic gathering places in many neighborhoods. As a result CCOP is able to engage thousands of people and sustain long-term campaigns to bring about systematic change at all levels of government.

CCOP helps congregations identify and solve local neighborhood issues before addressing broader issues at a city, state or national level. As a result CCOP is deeply rooted in local communities.

CCOP provides intensive leadership training that teaches people how to use the tools of democracy to improve their communities. As a result CCOP is led by ordinary people who have learned to successfully use the levers of power to bring resources and political attention to their communities.

CCOP brings people together based on faith and values not just issues or anger. As a result CCOP has the ability to act on a comprehensive vision for their communities, cities and regions.

CCOP challenges its leaders to listen to the concerns and ideas of their neighbors through individual one-on-one meetings, house meetings and listening campaigns. As a result, CCOP has established a broad following and chooses issues that matter most to their communities.

CCOP takes the time for leaders to meet with public officials and policy experts to research how things work and who really has the power to make changes. As a result CCOP leaders become the experts and are able to get to the root causes of problems facing their communities.

CCOP teaches the art of compromise and negotiation. As a result CCOP finds the common ground with public officials who are both Republican and Democrat, conservative and liberal, to bring needed changes to communities.

CCOP does public business in public through large action meetings. As a result, CCOP gains the reputation for being able to gather together large numbers of people over and over to hold themselves and public officials accountable.

CCOP influences public policy from the ground up by starting with local problems faced by families and then doing careful research. As a result CCOP has created some of the most valuable policy innovations in housing, education, health care and public safety in Camden.