The Quality of Life Project brokers relationships and resources for the six neighborhoods of Southwest Central Durham. QOL promotes, advocates for, and provides training and technical support to residents, neighborhood organizations, and businesses to create strong, stable, and safe neighborhoods.

The Quality of Life Project affirms that the entire community shares responsibility for improving the quality of life for everyone, and that relationships and collaborations are the forces that create positive change. QOL is an enduring presence that links history and place with a vision for inclusive, sustained solutions that address the community’s needs and reflect its many assets.

QOL empowers community members to collectively shape their own destiny. While brokering relationships the Duke and other institutions, QOL fundamentally reflects and pursues the interests of its neighborhoods first. QOL builds the capacity of its participants and the community overall so they will continue to grow.

Values reflect a group’s collective identity. They guide decision-making and every action, strategy and program. The following are QOL’s core values:

• QOL promotes the inherent dignity and value of all. The entire community shares a responsibility for improving the quality of life for everyone.

• QOL promotes real, respectful relationships committed for the long term. The six neighborhoods comprise a village where person-to-person connections thrive.

• QOL practices truthful communication – telling and listening to the truth about the community’s challenges and its many strengths.

• QOL promotes preservation and sustainability. The community reflects many pasts and multiple routes to a shared future of limitless possibility.

• QOL promotes committees’ long-term, respectful relationships.

The QOL Steering Committee is made up of 2 representatives from each of the six neighborhoods as elected by individual neighborhood associations, 1 representative from a SWCD nonprofit organization, 1 representative from a SWCD for-profit organization, 1 representative from Duke University’s Office of Community Affairs.

The Steering Committee serves as the regular decision-making body and “hub” of activity for QOL, driving and directing the focus of the organization’s activities toward its over all mission and vision.

There are four standing action committees which operate under and in collaboration with the Steering Committee. They are “legs” of the organization and provide the force of action and activity for QOL in the community. QOL initiatives and projects are generated and implemented by the standing committees. Each standing committee chair is appointed by the Steering Committee. Currently, QOL’s active standing committees are the Housing Committee, the Economic Development Committee, and the Celebrations and Traditions Committee. Individual mission statements for each committee are below. Standing committee meetings are open to anyone. Regular meeting times and locations can be found in the NEWS section of this website.

QOL membership is open to all Southwest Central Durham residents, local nonprofits, businesses, churches, property owners, renters, and city agencies. Anyone eligible for membership may become voting members of any standing committee. The true voice and ultimate authority for QOL comes from the SWCD community and thus its overall membership.

QOL, as a grassroots community organization, works in partnership with numerous organizations and institutions in Durham, large and small, including Durham City government and Duke University. Duke University, through its Office of Community Affairs and as part of the Duke-Durham Neighborhood Partnership, provides ongoing funding and other support for QOL’s community-generated and collaboratively-executed initiatives .

Visit the rest of our site to find out more about QOL members and their work to elevate the quality of life for all in Southwest Central Durham.

The Housing Committee advocates for improvements through identifying current housing conditions and assisting in the planning of future development in the area. The committee also works to provide education and training opportunities for residents regarding the laws and rights for tenants and landlords.

The Economic Development Committee seeks to provide merchants and for-profit businesses accessible resources to promote the growth and viability of neighborhoods business districts.

The Traditions and Celebrations Committee establishes and supports annual traditions and celebrations of the history of each neighborhood.

The Sustainable Development Committee establishes and promotes sustainable development practices through community engagement, education and action. Goals of the committee are to create, promote or support urban gardens, sustainable economies, green building, sustainable re-use, alternative transportation, energy efficiency and effective use of open space.