What Exactly is Neighboring 101: History, Audience and Other Relevant Facts?

 

Neighboring 101

Date and Time: Typically the third Thursday of the month, 12 pm - 1 pm (CST)

Class/Event Organizer: David Burton | burtond@missouri.edu 

Venue: Zoom

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HOST ORGANIZATION/PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Since 2021, University of Missouri Extension's Engaged Neighbor program has offered a Neighboring 101 class, an ongoing program for anyone wanting to improve their neighborhood or community as well as their personal life and health. The organizer, David Burton, has been a community development specialist with MU Extension since 2001. 

“In these monthly Zoom classes we look at the science and art of neighboring by highlighting examples across the nation where it is being done well. Past guests have included neighborhood award winners, practitioners, authors and researchers. We also focus on related issues like placemaking, loneliness, belonging, third places and neighborhood leadership. The class focuses on connecting neighbors and neighborhoods so it is a niche topic but it does align with topics like belonging, placemaking and building trust.” (Ex. Peter Block, Seth Kaplan, Richard Harwood, Pete Davis, Mike Mather, Dave Runyon, Majora Carter, Vanessa Elias, etc.). Or see this article about what we have learned in Neighboring 101.

David Burton is recognized nationally as a leader in the neighboring movement, having been invited to speak at various conferences and events in 12 different states. He is the creator of Missouri Good Neighbor Week, creator of Show Me Neighborhood Art Month, and the author of several books on neighboring. His most recent, “Neighborhood Mission Trips for Everyday Christians” lays out a plan for being a blessing and a connector for those living around you. He has two other books pending publication this year: “The Neighboring Playbook: How a Good Neighbor Week Can Make Your State More Neighborly” and “Five Steps to Becoming an Engaged Neighbor.” His blog attracts over 10,000 page views a month.

Audience

The audience for this class is adults across the United States. Since 2001, we he has had over 1,250 people enroll (they do charge a one-time fee). The class is ongoing monthly. In 2026, the class averaged 45 adults joining in the class live while many of the others watch the class video later (typically about 300 views of the video internally). When the class video is released to YouTube it typically picks up another 100 views. Audience members range widely in age but the majority are age 35 to 62. About 60% are female. Those in the class range from city planners and community development specialists to elected officials, neighborhood association presidents and leaders, and individuals that want to do more to connect their neighbors and neighborhood. Each class participant gets two emails prior to class reminding them of the speaker and linking them to resources and then a follow-up email links to the video unique for class members and provides additional notes from the guest.

Session Design + Talk Components: The format is flexible and based on what the guest speaker prefers. Ultimately, there will be a presentation component and then time for Q&A at the end. Past guests have done used PowerPoints to give a presentation, just dialogued and discussed, or done an hour-long Q&A session.

Honorarium: $100

Recording: The class is recorded. One recording is offered internally to class members. While a second version is made available to the public on YouTube.

Time Commitment: Session: 1 hour. Optional: Prep call with David, if the guest wants.

WRITTEN BY

David L. Burton

Take the Engaged Neighbor pledge and become part of a movement! The pledge outlines five categories and 20 principles to guide you toward becoming an engaged neighbor. Sign the pledge at https://nomoregoodneighbors.com. Individuals who take the pledge do get special invitations to future events online and in person. Contact the blog author, David L. Burton via email at dburton541@yahoo.com.