Building a Democratic Neighborhood Citizens Organizational Structure

MaGS – Malstatt Strong TogetherSaarbrücken, Germany

May, 2015

Introduction and Background

• Malstatt Neighborhood – 30,000 residents, many migrants, low-income, and unemployed.• Neighborhood office of Diakonie (German

Protestant Church social service organizatioin) began community organizing in 2007. • Victories 2008 - 20111. 1.1 million Euro footbridge2. Major clean-up and infrastructure renovations

to “Kirchberggelände“ - large neighborhood green space

But – no official citizens organization

Wilhelm Meyer Footbridge 2008-2010

Kirchberggelände

2012-2013 “Bottom-Up” Project

• Financial support from German national government to organize and involve citizens in more systematic way.• Follow 4 step community organizing process of 1. Listening2. Research3. Solving Problems4. Parallel to these steps, develop a democratic

and sustainable citizens organization

Process of Developing an Organizational Structure1. September, 2012 – Initial discussions of 25 residents,

with help of CO consultant, about organizational structure elements (written rules, leadership roles and responsibilities, board and committee structures, election processes, membership requirements, guiding values, etc.)

2. Committee formed to develop3. Challenges• No good models• Typical German “Verein” structure is often bureaucratic

and does not involve lots of people.• Should we become legally incorporated?

October 15, 2013 Founding Meeting

20 residents debate and vote on organizational structure and written rules. They also elect a Board of DirectorsOver a dozen persons pay membership dues at Founding Meeting

Malstatt Gemeinsam Stark (MaGS) Structure• 5 Person Board of Directors – elected by

membership for two year term. Meet regularly to make ongoing decisions.• Currently 40 dues paying members, a number of

whom represent organizations in which they are leaders (churches, civic groups, etc.).• Bank account and occasional fundraisers• Not yet “incorporated” – using present time to

“test” the current structure.• Active member of Forum Community Organizing

(FOCO)

MaGS Current Board of Directors

Reactions to the MaGS Structure• “Since the establishment of a formal citizen organization

in the Malstatt neighborhood, the city politicians and administration take the concerns of residents more seriously.” • “We still need to develop our organizational structure.

For example, at the moment our Board does too much of the work without an effective committee structure. But we just opened an office, we are organizing around a number of themes, and we are very excited about the improvements which will come with the Social City program.” • “Now the residents, not staff, lead neighborhood efforts.

It was not easy establishing an organization, but we are already seeing benefits.”

For more information, please contact Siegfried Gress siegfried.gress@kabelmail.de or Anne-Marie Marx a.marx@quarternet.de, Malstatt Gemeinsam Stark