Seventy-eight organizations in Santa Clara County are participating in this year's Oct. 18 event, which will include a day of workshops and a resource fair to train members on certain issues.

The United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County is a nonprofit organization that provides insurance and leadership training to local community groups.

The conference is open not just to homeowners and neighborhood groups, but also to schools, businesses and churches, said the coalition's executive director, Jacqui Carr Gouveia.

"It's one-stop shopping," Gouveia said about the wealth of expertise and community training that attracts groups from outside counties.

Willow Glen Neighborhood Association board member Ed Rast, who has been actively involved with various neighborhood issues, will also be attending as a representative of the association and will lead a workshop on being pro-active with neighborhood problems.

Rast says he hopes to network with other organizations and see if they have had to address similar issues such as the recent Tamien Place project that was approved by the San Jose City Council.

One of Rast's concerns will address "how do citizens and neighborhood associations have a seat at the table" in the early planning stages of a development project.

For a typical citizen and resident, it takes time to understand the city government process, and this conference aims to educate and equip members to disseminate information back to their organizations, he said.

The benefits of the meeting include annually increasing volunteerism and helping newly established groups to organize efficiently, he said.

Tom Smith, president of the North Willow Glen Neighborhood Association, is hopeful that the conference will "create new bonds and nurture old ones."

Meeting with other groups and outlining the organization's top goals will help build stronger partnerships, he said.

Newcomers and veteran neighborhood organizers can choose from an array of workshops, such as developing a useful website, writing grants, working with schools, communicating with officials, emergency preparedness and interacting with diverse cultures.

A display at the event will feature photos, descriptions and history of all the cultures represented in Santa Clara County. And for first-time homebuyers, a special workshop is prepared to assist people with the decisions and steps to achieving ownership, said Gouveia.

Another theme the event will address are ways to recruit and attract new members for local neighborhood associations.

"We've been concerned with how we can communicate efficiently and inexpensively to those without Internet," Rast said.

A suggested solution among the various local Willow Glen associations was to post meetings and announcements on community bulletin boards, Rast said.

San Jose City Council members and mayors of surrounding cities will also attend and will be available to eat lunch with constituents.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit http://www.unscc.org or call 408.286.8661. The conference is being held at the Christian Community Center, 1523 McLaughlin St., San Jose, on Oct. 18 from 8:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.