The Third Annual Miami Strengths, Prevention, Empowerment, and Community Change (SPEC) conference, “Grow the Good: The SPEC Pathway to a Better Miami Future,” was held recently at the Newman Alumni Center. The half-day conference brought together representatives from community organizations serving children and families in Miami-Dade to discuss how they can collectively build and sustain a SPEC network.  A SPEC network utilizing the principles of SPEC would use a strength-based preventive model to empower and bring about meaningful community change.

Isaac Prilleltensky, dean of the School of Education welcomed the approximately 70 participants, which included leaders, executives, and staff members representing more than 40 human service organizations. Ronald L. Book, a specialist in government affairs and prominent state lobbyist, delivered the keynote address and spoke of the importance of making a difference through civic engagement and community involvement.  Daniella Levine, founder and CEO of the Human Services Coalition, served as discussant, leading group discussion on ways in which grassroots community organizations can make a difference. Attendees had the opportunity to share ideas in small and large groups about how community organizations can work collectively to transform human service and improve the lives of Miami-Dade residents.

The Miami SPEC Project is a three-year action research project in partnership with five local human services organizations and funding agencies. The goal of the project is to work with the five agencies to help them change their cultures and to improve the ways they approach their work.  The research project, which is in its final year, aims to train and support agents of change who can create organizational settings for transformative human service practice that are aligned with SPEC principles.  For more information, please visit www.specway.org