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Belonging isn’t just a warm feeling - it’s something people build together over time.

In this episode, we’re talking about how communities learn to do that in ways that are genuinely caring, how they keep it going, and what that means for people who have to rebuild their sense of community again and again, including many military-connected families.

Jessica and Erin talk with Julika von Stackelberg, a Family and Community Resilience Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension, whose work sits at the intersection of parenting education, community development, and systems change. Through programs like the Orange County Resilience Project, Julika brings people together to build communities rooted in care, connection, and shared responsibility.

Together, they unpack what “belonging” looks like in practice, why the feeling of being cared for can matter even more than visible acts of support, and how communities can sustain that care over time—even when people are constantly coming and going.

Whether you work with military families or are simply interested in how stronger, more resilient communities are built, this conversation offers practical insights and thoughtful questions to carry into your own work.

Links and resources from this episode:

• Julika on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julikavstackelberg/

Connect with us!

• Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletter
• Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
• Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

If you enjoy our podcast please consider joining us for the Military Family Readiness Academy this August.

The Academy, a series of free, interconnected webinars and podcast episodes focused on a central theme. This year's theme is Building Community Capacity to Support Military Family Well-Being.

For more information on dates, times, and how to register for free visit oneop.org/mfra

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Community engagement, co-creation and collaboration depend on meaningful conversations.

Asking the right question is the most effective way of expanding a conversation, keeping it engaging and making it meaningful.

In this replay episode from 2024, Jessica and Bob share a practice to help us engage people in the meaningful conversations we need to have, in order to plan and do our work together.

Connect with us!

• Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletter
• Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
• Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

If you enjoy our podcast please consider joining us for the Military Family Readiness Academy this August.

The Academy, a series of free, interconnected webinars and podcast episodes focused on a central theme. This year's theme is Building Community Capacity to Support Military Family Well-Being.

For more information on dates, times, and how to register for free visit oneop.org/mfra

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Getting to a shared purpose as a group often requires digging a little deeper than usual.

In this replay episode from 2024, Jessica and Bob talked about the "chaordic stepping stones," a helpful tool for going below the surface with a group, and share four questions that can help groups work toward a clear statement of purpose together.

Links and resources from this episode:

• "You don't have to be local" by Derek Sivers
• "Keep Going" by Austin Kleon

Connect with us!

• Sign up for our monthly newsletter: https://oneop.aweb.page/practicing-connection-newsletter
• Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12879756/
• Send us a message: practicingconnection@oneop.org

If you enjoy our podcast please consider joining us for the Military Family Readiness Academy this August.

The Academy, a series of free, interconnected webinars and podcast episodes focused on a central theme. This year's theme is Building Community Capacity to Support Military Family Well-Being.

For more information on dates, times, and how to register for free visit oneop.org/mfra