At the heart of SWOP’s work is community organizing; a strategy of building relationships between people who share common interests and concerns so they can work together to build power to achieve their goals. SWOP’s organizers and leaders work through member institutions to connect with people that have an interest in public life. These organizers and leaders conduct one to one meetings to build an understanding of what motives each person and to invite them to participate in collective action on issues they care about.
SWOP works to build the capacity of individuals so they can fully participate in the public life of the community. The organization provides formal leadership development training twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. This four-session training builds participants’ skills to conduct one to one meetings, undertake a power analysis, break problems down into actionable issues, and implement actions to improve the community. SWOP also provides an advanced leadership training once a year to help leaders take their skills in planning and running meetings and actions to a new level. SWOP provides leadership development as part of the Parent Mentor Program and through its youth organizing.
The Southwest Chicago communities of Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, West Lawn, and West Elsdon were ground zero for the foreclosure crisis of the 2007-08. Thousands of foreclosures were initiated, and hundreds of buildings were left vacant in the community. SWOP is partnering with United Power for Action and Justice and Brinshore Development to carry out the Reclaiming Southwest Chicago Campaign. Through this effort, SWOP and its partners are buying, rehabbing and then renting or selling the buildings as affordable housing. In addition, SWOP connects people to housing counseling, rental and mortgage assistance, and foreclosure prevention services.
Southwest Chicago has a large immigrant population, with many families living in multiple status households. SWOP works to ensure that every person is treated with dignity and respect and that they have the opportunity to fully participate in the public life of the community. SWOP provides Know Your Rights trainings and connections to legal services. SWOP leaders are advocating at all levels of government for changes in laws and policies to support immigrant families. In addition, SWOP helps people apply for citizenship and connects immigrant families to needed service
SWOP works with local schools to improve the quality of education available to young people, to create opportunities for parents to be involved in schools, and for educators to build relationships with community stakeholders. SWOP runs the Parent Mentor Program, placing parents in classrooms as paraprofessionals who provide individual and small group assistance to students. SWOP provides training to parents and community members on technology and helps connect families to free or low-cost internet services. In addition, SWOP organizers engage parents, students, teachers, and principals in community organizing activities to build power to improve schools.
SWOP runs the Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) initiative in Southwest Chicago. Through this effort, outreach workers and case managers are connecting with individuals likely to be perpetrators or victims of shootings and help them find alternatives to violence. People are referred to job and educational opportunities and are engaged in community improvement efforts. In addition, SWOP is a leader in the effort to create accountability and civilian control over the police department. SWOP helped pass the ordinance creating a new police oversight process and is working to implement this effort.
SWOP's workforce development initiative aims to develop leaders and connect residents on the Southwest Side of Chicago with free career training opportunities that enables them to pursue self-sufficient lives.
We provide career advising, career pathway training, work readiness training, leadership development, and barrier reduction services.
SWOP organizes to ensure that everyone in Southwest Chicago has access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. SWOP is the lead agency for the southwest side for the Healthy Chicago Equity Zone campaign to build greater health equity across the region. SWOP, partnering with many of its member institutions, is a leader in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic with vaccination and testing drives. SWOP leads the Southwest System of Care (SWSOC), a collaborative effort to ensure access to needed services for students and families in local schools. SWOP community navigators are working with families across the community to give them the information they need to access the healthcare services they need. SWOP organizes to ensure that everyone in Southwest Chicago has access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. SWOP is the lead agency for the southwest side for the Healthy Chicago Equity Zone (HCEZ) campaign to build greater health equity across the region. Partnering with many of its member institutions, SWOP was a leader in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic ensuring the community had access to both testing and vaccine. The HCEZ campaign led by SWOP, and known as Healthy Southwest, is a collaboration between 8 community lead organizations who focus on local priorities supported by evidence-based action planning to advance health equity throughout the 13 southwest side community areas.
SWOP also leads the Southwest System of Care (SWSOC), a collaborative effort between healthcare, behavioral health and social service organizations to ensure access to wholistic services for students and families in local schools. SWSOC navigators work in schools across the community to build relationships and support families in accessing the healthcare services they need. Both Healthy Southwest and the Southwest System of Care facilitate the building of power between institutions and community and have consistently advanced health equity priorities important to Southwest Chicago communities.
SWOP’s Citizenship & DACA Efforts are funded through the New Americans Initiative to support community members as they navigate the process of becoming US Citizens as well as DACA recipients to renew their work permit. SWOP conducts community outreach on the Southwest side of Chicago in English and Spanish to provide families access to trustworthy citizenship & DACA services including legal screenings, application processing, & free citizenship classes. Applicants also learn about their rights and opportunities to participate in advocacy and other volunteer efforts. These services are for all immigrants residing in Illinois regardless of income level. Low-income Illinois residents might be eligible for financial aid that covers their USCIS fee!
Parent Mentors, mainly Latina, Black, and immigrant mothers, help fill persistent equity gaps by volunteering in classrooms for 2 hours/day for at least 100 hours. The Parent Mentors are supported by weekly workshops on classroom instructional practices and leadership development. As a result, they support each other to pursue their goals and unite the school community for long term change. SWOP works with local schools to improve the quality of education available to young people, to create opportunities for parents to be involved in schools, and for educators to build relationships with community stakeholders. SWOP runs the Parent Mentor Program, placing parents in classrooms as paraprofessionals who provide individual and small group assistance to students. SWOP provides training to parents and community members on technology and helps connect families to free or low-cost internet services. In addition, SWOP organizers engage parents, students, teachers, and principals in community organizing activities to build power to improve schools.
South and West side neighborhoods in Chicago have the lowest rates of home internet connection. Working to close the digital divide, SWOP offers Digital Learning classes to community members to provide the tools needed to access technology for everyday use. SWOP also promotes the Affordable Connectivity Program which provides eligible households a monthly subsidy toward internet service.
At the heart of SWOP’s work is community organizing; a strategy of building relationships between people who share common interests and concerns so they can work together to build power to achieve their goals. SWOP’s organizers and leaders work through member institutions to connect with people that have an interest in public life. These organizers and leaders conduct one to one meetings to build an understanding of what motives each person and to invite them to participate in collective action on issues they care about.
SWOP works to build the capacity of individuals so they can fully participate in the public life of the community. The organization provides formal leadership development training twice a year, once in the spring and again in the fall. This four-session training builds participants’ skills to conduct one to one meetings, undertake a power analysis, break problems down into actionable issues, and implement actions to improve the community. SWOP also provides an advanced leadership training once a year to help leaders take their skills in planning and running meetings and actions to a new level. SWOP provides leadership development as part of the Parent Mentor Program and through its youth organizing.
Southwest Chicago has a large immigrant population, with many families living in multiple status households. SWOP works to ensure that every person is treated with dignity and respect and that they have the opportunity to fully participate in the public life of the community. SWOP provides Know Your Rights trainings and connections to legal services. SWOP leaders are advocating at all levels of government for changes in laws and policies to support immigrant families. In addition, SWOP helps people apply for citizenship and connects immigrant families to needed service
The Southwest Chicago communities of Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, West Lawn, and West Elsdon were ground zero for the foreclosure crisis of the 2007-08. Thousands of foreclosures were initiated, and hundreds of buildings were left vacant in the community. SWOP is partnering with United Power for Action and Justice and Brinshore Development to carry out the Reclaiming Southwest Chicago Campaign. Through this effort, SWOP and its partners are buying, rehabbing and then renting or selling the buildings as affordable housing. In addition, SWOP connects people to housing counseling, rental and mortgage assistance, and foreclosure prevention services.
SWOP works with local schools to improve the quality of education available to young people, to create opportunities for parents to be involved in schools, and for educators to build relationships with community stakeholders. SWOP runs the Parent Mentor Program, placing parents in classrooms as paraprofessionals who provide individual and small group assistance to students. SWOP provides training to parents and community members on technology and helps connect families to free or low-cost internet services. In addition, SWOP organizers engage parents, students, teachers, and principals in community organizing activities to build power to improve schools.
SWOP runs the Communities Partnering 4 Peace (CP4P) initiative in Southwest Chicago. Through this effort, outreach workers and case managers are connecting with individuals likely to be perpetrators or victims of shootings and help them find alternatives to violence. People are referred to job and educational opportunities and are engaged in community improvement efforts. In addition, SWOP is a leader in the effort to create accountability and civilian control over the police department. SWOP helped pass the ordinance creating a new police oversight process and is working to implement this effort.
SWOP's workforce development initiative aims to develop leaders and connect residents on the Southwest Side of Chicago with free career training opportunities that enables them to pursue self-sufficient lives.
We provide career advising, career pathway training, work readiness training, leadership development, and barrier reduction services.
SWOP organizes to ensure that everyone in Southwest Chicago has access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. SWOP is the lead agency for the southwest side for the Healthy Chicago Equity Zone campaign to build greater health equity across the region. SWOP, partnering with many of its member institutions, is a leader in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic with vaccination and testing drives. SWOP leads the Southwest System of Care (SWSOC), a collaborative effort to ensure access to needed services for students and families in local schools. SWOP community navigators are working with families across the community to give them the information they need to access the healthcare services they need. SWOP organizes to ensure that everyone in Southwest Chicago has access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. SWOP is the lead agency for the southwest side for the Healthy Chicago Equity Zone (HCEZ) campaign to build greater health equity across the region. Partnering with many of its member institutions, SWOP was a leader in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic ensuring the community had access to both testing and vaccine. The HCEZ campaign led by SWOP, and known as Healthy Southwest, is a collaboration between 8 community lead organizations who focus on local priorities supported by evidence-based action planning to advance health equity throughout the 13 southwest side community areas.
SWOP also leads the Southwest System of Care (SWSOC), a collaborative effort between healthcare, behavioral health and social service organizations to ensure access to wholistic services for students and families in local schools. SWSOC navigators work in schools across the community to build relationships and support families in accessing the healthcare services they need. Both Healthy Southwest and the Southwest System of Care facilitate the building of power between institutions and community and have consistently advanced health equity priorities important to Southwest Chicago communities.
