What is Turning Outward?

The Turning Outward approach was developed by Rich Harwood and the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. Harwood notes that when discussions among businesses, nonprofits, government and philanthropic organizations take place concerning community impact, a key voice is often left out of the conversation: members directly representing different groups in the community who have active roles in creating effective and lasting community solutions.

Turning Outward is a fundamental orientation and practice of making the community the reference point for growing civic faith and creating change, where one keeps people and the community always in their line of sight.

Learn more from the source! Visit theharwoodinstitute.org.

United Way of Southwest Michigan was proud to collaborate with Berrien Community Foundation to bring partners from across Southwest Michigan together to hear from Rich Harwood, renowned speaker and founder of the Harwood Institute for Public Innovation. Rich has authored a groundbreaking new report, Civic Virus: Why Polarization Is a Misdiagnosis and is touring the country to help Americans make sense of what’s really going on, and create a hopeful path forward together. This was an incredible opportunity to bring our community together, focus on what matters most, and get in motion to create meaningful, lasting change.

Through the sharing of our community member's stories, we hope to remember that none of us do this life alone. Because at the most basic level of humanity, that's what we all are to each other: neighbors helping, supporting, and encouraging one another.

We asked people in Southwest Michigan to share their stories. Then we had community members read them for the first time. Watch to see what happened.

Listen to Alicia’s story as she experienced her first Turning Outward Session. The participants included those whose voices have been underrepresented and those who have perspectives that UWSM felt needed to be heard.

Want to learn more, get involved, or host a Community Conversation?

Email Heather Cole at heather.cole@uwsm.org.