What's in a name? Name an integrated human services center
July 16, 2013 6:40 PM Subscribe
My employer, a nonprofit in the Denver Metro area, is opening an integrated human services center. We desperately need a name.
The Center (what I have been calling it) will be a place where someone can go to access numerous different services under one roof. Partners include County human services, County workforce, and numerous small human services nonprofits. Services include: job search, job skills, housing counseling, accessing benefits, credit review and repair, budgeting help, income tax filing assistance, and more. Classes that will be offered: financial literacy, GED, adult basic education, health and wellness, parenting, anger management, and more.
For services and classes that are not offered, our plan is to provide guided referrals where a staff person, or volunteer, helps to connect a client with the service provider - as opposed to just giving out a flyer and sending someone on their way.
The Center is small. It is only a few thousand square feet and consists of one large space that we anticipate will be primarily used for classes and two small offices that will be used for one-on-one meetings and general office stuff. It is the exact opposite of the gigantic six-story building that houses County human services.
Some qualities and descriptors that we may like to emphasize, if possible: community, small, friendly, self-sufficiency, empowerment, etc. The neighborhood and area doesn't have a unique name. It is very low-income, naturally, but is in a suburb that is wealthy. It is also in the far corner of a county so any geographic names are out because we don't want people to think they aren't welcome if they come from a neighboring city/county. We anticipate (due to neighborhood demographics) that the clients will be about half Hispanic and half white with a smattering of other race/ethnicities.
I have Googled. I have brainstormed. I have polled staff. I have worked with a small group of stakeholders. None of this is working. I now turn to you. Please suggest a name or barring that, please suggest a process to get to a name.
The Center (what I have been calling it) will be a place where someone can go to access numerous different services under one roof. Partners include County human services, County workforce, and numerous small human services nonprofits. Services include: job search, job skills, housing counseling, accessing benefits, credit review and repair, budgeting help, income tax filing assistance, and more. Classes that will be offered: financial literacy, GED, adult basic education, health and wellness, parenting, anger management, and more.
For services and classes that are not offered, our plan is to provide guided referrals where a staff person, or volunteer, helps to connect a client with the service provider - as opposed to just giving out a flyer and sending someone on their way.
The Center is small. It is only a few thousand square feet and consists of one large space that we anticipate will be primarily used for classes and two small offices that will be used for one-on-one meetings and general office stuff. It is the exact opposite of the gigantic six-story building that houses County human services.
Some qualities and descriptors that we may like to emphasize, if possible: community, small, friendly, self-sufficiency, empowerment, etc. The neighborhood and area doesn't have a unique name. It is very low-income, naturally, but is in a suburb that is wealthy. It is also in the far corner of a county so any geographic names are out because we don't want people to think they aren't welcome if they come from a neighboring city/county. We anticipate (due to neighborhood demographics) that the clients will be about half Hispanic and half white with a smattering of other race/ethnicities.
I have Googled. I have brainstormed. I have polled staff. I have worked with a small group of stakeholders. None of this is working. I now turn to you. Please suggest a name or barring that, please suggest a process to get to a name.
I like the word "resource" in Schielisque's answer. How about "Community Resource Center"?
posted by Empidonax at 7:15 PM on July 16, 2013
posted by Empidonax at 7:15 PM on July 16, 2013
I think the name is already in your question. How about "Community Empowerment Center"? If you want something less generic maybe you could call it "New Day Community Empowerment Center?" Because it sounds like a lot of the services you offer are giving people a chance to start over / rise up out of a bad situation.
posted by BlueJae at 9:58 PM on July 16, 2013
posted by BlueJae at 9:58 PM on July 16, 2013
I've been working on a new website name and just came across a way cool language resource called One Look Dictionary Search. Their Reverse Dictionary allows you to type a concept and get back words and phrases relating to it.
The front page offers a more traditional search function but has some really interesting and helpful wildcard searching options like this:
*bird Find words and phrases that end with bird
bl*:snow Find words that start with bl and have a meaning related to snow
posted by Beti at 12:32 AM on July 17, 2013
The front page offers a more traditional search function but has some really interesting and helpful wildcard searching options like this:
*bird Find words and phrases that end with bird
bl*:snow Find words that start with bl and have a meaning related to snow
posted by Beti at 12:32 AM on July 17, 2013
Resourcerors™
posted by oceanjesse at 7:39 AM on July 17, 2013
posted by oceanjesse at 7:39 AM on July 17, 2013
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When speaking in "shorthand," I refer to them as the "Day Center" sometimes.
posted by Schielisque at 7:02 PM on July 16, 2013