The University of Georgia’s Archway Partnership is taking a long-term approach to helping Greene County identify its priorities and plan for the future, according to Steve Kilgore, chairman of the local Archway executive committee.
A unit of UGA’s Public Service and Outreach division, Archway works primarily with rural communities by connecting local governments and community organizations with UGA faculty, expertise, and resources.
What sets the program apart, Kilgore said, is its commitment to being part of the community rather than simply advising from a distance.
“A UGA faculty member works in the community every day, listening to local needs and connecting them with UGA’s resources and expertise,” he said.
The Archway partnership comes to Greene County at a time when new leaders and community members are looking for ways to collaborate, Kilgore added. An executive committee was formed over the summer with representatives from government and community organizations.
Since then, the committee has conducted numerous listening sessions throughout the county and continues to gather public input through online surveys.
Kilgore said the goal is to break down “silos” that can keep organizations working independently rather than toward common objectives.
“Archway is here in Greene County for the long term, to help determine what we want to be 10 to 20 years from now,” he said. “Archway is the vehicle that gets us all in that same boat.”
The next major step will be hiring a Greene County-based Archway Professional and working with the community daily.
“That’s really the significance of Archway’s involvement; someone will have an office here in the county and will be present every day, for years,” Kilgore said. “They’re embedded in the community, not just visiting it.”
In November, the executive committee will hold a retreat to review and finalize priorities identified through the listening sessions, surveys, and other community input, including the Greene Wellbeing Project.
Kilgore stressed the partnership is intended and designed to be more than a short-term initiative.
“This is a 10- to 20-year project,” he said. “It’s got legs.”
— Contributed