THE COMMUNITY SURVEY

Start With What Is Already Alive Where You Live

The Community Survey is the first Seven Years of Change organizing action.

It is not a test, an application, or a promise of assistance. You may use it privately, alone, with one trusted person, by telephone, by text, on paper, at a Wednesday Table, or with a developing neighborhood team. You do not have to send your answers to Seven Years of Change.

The purpose is simple: see what is already present, name what people are carrying, choose one safe and lawful action, record what happens, and discover the next connection.

THE SEVEN-MINUTE START

1. What need or pressure is closest to you?

2. What ability, relationship, tool, space, vehicle, food source, knowledge, or other resource is already present?

3. Who is already doing useful work related to this need?

4. Who or what could be harmed, excluded, or left unheard?

5. What safe and lawful action could be completed within seven days?

6. Who will do what?

7. When will you check what happened?

You may stop here. Completing this short map is a real first action.

YOU CHOOSE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

Use this privately, or share it with a loved one who wants to make a meaningful difference: Write down the action and return to it within seven days.

Invite one or two trusted people. Compare what each person sees and choose one action together.

Continue to the Complete Community Map. Use the sections below when the need keeps returning or the work may require a larger team.

THE ADAPTABLE COMMUNITY BLUE PRINT for You and Those You Love

1. WHAT PEOPLE ARE CARRYING

• What is making daily life hardest right now?

• Which needs keep returning every week or month?

• What are households already paying too much to solve?

• Who needs help but may not be safe or able to speak publicly?

2. ABILITIES, KNOWLEDGE, AND CARE

• Who can cook, drive, repair, build, teach, grow, care, organize, research, translate, design, account, communicate, or supervise?

• Who has public-service, legal, financial, technical, environmental, educational, health, business, trade, cultural, or lived experience?

• What can people contribute from home, remotely, with limited time, or with accessibility support?

3. RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST

• Who is already trusted?

• Which organizations, businesses, schools, congregations, unions, clubs, or informal groups already do useful work?

• Who can introduce the team to a customer, facility, school, public office, lender, professional, or community organization?

• Where has trust been damaged, and what would repair require?

#4. PLACES, TOOLS, VEHICLES, AND MATERIALS

• What kitchens, homes, classrooms, clinics, garages, roofs, lots, vehicles, tools, computers, land, equipment, and storage already exist?

• What is unused or underused?

• What materials are being discarded that might be safely repaired, reused, composted, or redirected?

• What must not be reused because it is toxic, unsafe, damaged, or unlawful?

5. DEMAND, CUSTOMERS, AND MONEY ALREADY MOVING

• What goods and services are people already purchasing?

• Which schools, businesses, hospitals, governments, households, or organizations buy similar goods or services?

• Could a customer, contract, pre-purchase, subscription, shared-purchasing agreement, or recurring order support lawful paid work?

• Where does household money leave the community every month?

6. SCHOOLS, PROGRAMS, AND LAWFUL PATHWAYS

• Which schools, apprenticeships, licenses, accredited programs, cooperatives, kitchens, clinics, employers, and public programs already operate?

• What supervision, insurance, permit, inspection, background check, privacy protection, or professional review is required?

• What practical barrier prevents people from entering: transportation, meals, childcare, eldercare, disability access, housing stability, equipment, schedule, internet, tuition, or information?

7. THE LIVING WORLD

• What will the action do to air, water, soil, shade, habitat, animals, human health, materials, waste, climate, rivers, coasts, Planet Ocean, and future generations?

• Who will represent people and living systems that cannot safely attend or vote?

• Could harm be moved onto another neighborhood, worker, country, species, or future generation?

• What should be measured before and after the action?

8. THE MISSING CONNECTION OR PRIMER

• What exact barrier is stopping the next step?

• Is the missing connection money, a customer, a facility, a tool, a vehicle, a permit answer, professional review, supervision, an introduction, or care support?

• Who might provide that primer without taking control?

• What condition would make the team refuse the resource?

9. ONE ACTION WITHIN SEVEN DAYS

• What can be completed safely and lawfully?

• Who will do what?

• What will it cost?

• Will anyone be paid? If so, what confirmed source will pay them?

• What will be recorded?

• When will the team check the result?

10. AFTER THE ACTION

Ask:

• What happened?

• Who was helped, missed, or harmed?

• What did it cost?

• Was anyone paid fairly?

• What waste or environmental effect occurred?

• What failed or surprised us?

• Should the action repeat, change, connect to another local effort, or stop?

• What new person, resource, customer, need, or missing capability did the action reveal?

• What can this team teach or supply to the next person or team?

• What should remain locally governed and owned?

HOW ONE PERSON BECOMES A TEAM

One person notices and records.

One person completes or proposes one safe action.

One or two trusted people join because the work reveals that they are needed.

The group checks what happened and completes another action before declaring a formal organization.

As the need and work become recurring, the group adds the capabilities the work actually requires: coordination, resources and relationships, technical or systems knowledge, research and records, subject-matter or lived expertise, information and technology, and communication.

A local Team of 7 forms when the responsibilities are real and people have shown that they will return. This local working team is different from the national seven-woman founding circle that helps govern and protect the shared platform.

OPTIONAL: SHARE A NON-SENSITIVE SUMMARY

You may use this survey without sending anything to Seven Years of Change.

The optional form is for a general, non-sensitive summary. Do not submit names of people seeking help, children's information, home addresses, medical records, immigration information, account numbers, legal files, passwords, or information that could expose a vulnerable person.

Submitting the form does not create employment, funding, investment, services, emergency assistance, a partnership, or a promise that Seven Years of Change can respond. It may help reveal patterns, possible connections, and communities interested in testing the framework.

WHAT NOW?

Need immediate help? Start Here.

Ready to understand how repeated useful work can become paid work and community ownership? Read The Work.

Ready to bring a skill, relationship, facility, customer, tool, or other resource? Help Build This.