Applying Community Organizing Principles to FASTWorks

FAST Training of Trainers

January, 2001

William Ashton, Ph.D.

Goal / Format of Talk

Exposure to basic ideas of community organizing in order to allow you to apply these ideas to FASTWorks– No intention to make you community

organizers– May community organizing ideas can be used

in FASTWorks

Applying Community Organizing Principles to FASTWorks History of Community Organizing Theory of Community Organizing Putting It Into Action Example: Neighbor Network Applications to FASTWorks

History of Community OrganizingAlinsky’s Conflict ModelThe Truly DisadvantagedConsensus Organizing

Alinsky’s Conflict Model

– Airport Noise– Movie Theater Segregation– Bank Segregation

Competent and angry citizens

The Truly Disadvantaged William Julius Wilson Inner-city Neighborhoods of the Past Loss of Middle Class

– Decline of basic institutions (churches, stores, schools etc.)

– Decline in social organization (sense of community, ID, norms and sanctions)

Consensus Organizing

Response to Wilson’s argument Time & Labor Intensive Stimulate Citizen Participation &

Leadership Development Enhance Capacities of Residents Build Sustainable Linkages between

Residents and Institutions

Theory of Community Organizing Empowerment McKnight & Kretzmann’s Assets Focus upon People & Relationships

Definition of Empowerment

Empowerment is a process in which a person, a community, or an institution gains mastery over their own affairs. - Rappaport

The Process is Important “Own Affairs” - tangible resources &

ability to affect one’s future Empowerment is opposite of powerlessness

Gateways to Powerlessness

Blaming the Victim - define difference as cause of social problem

The Giving Enemy - gives people what they have, but at the same time robs them of dignity and personal sense of control

“There can be no darker or more devastating tragedy than the death of man’s faith in himself and in his power to direct his future.” -- Saul Alinksy

Definition of Empowerment

Self-Efficacy - one’s belief in one’s ability to act

Empowerment is both a psychological attitude and an observable behavior.– Getting things done

Problems with Consciousness Raising

Development of Empowerment– Charles Kieffer

Integrity & Mobilizing Episode Support - peer and professional Experience: Action - Reflection Cycle Reconstruct beliefs about self, community 4 years of intense experience

Empowerment: A Focus upon Strengths Deficit Model

– Illness– Blaming the Victim– Giving Enemy

Strengths Model

– Develop Existing Community Strengths

Assets

McKnight & Kretzmann Asset Mapping Building Relationships Mobilizing the Community’s Assets for Economic

Development & Information Sharing Developing a Community Vision & Plan Leverage Outside Resources o Support Locally

Driven Development

Putting It Into Action

Community Organizing Process Helpful Hints

Community Organizing Process

1.Familiarization with Community

2.Initial Contact

3.Gauging Community Interest

4.Relationship Building

5.Concrete Activity

6.Transition

7.Professional Termination

Early Stages

Familiarization with Community– Research existing materials

Initial Contact– Media, Local Leaders– Draw out others with interest

Gauging Community Interest– At least: Advisory Board

Relationship Building

Work with Existing Community Organizations

Go Door-to-Door or Hang Out for 1-on-1’s needs/assets/interest survey Information & Referral Small Wins

Focus upon StrengthsFocus upon Strengths

Small Wins

Large Problems– frustration, arousal & helplessness

From ‘sexual disorder’ to ‘sex life’ One Day at a Time 1000 card problem

– deconstruct large problems into small problems

Reinforces success

Concrete Activity

Find a McGuffin Asset Development Leadership / Organization Development Win-Win Projects / Small Wins Develop Community Vision

Be Explicit About Your Role

Support, Assist & Aid Celebrate Don’t do for someone what they can do for

themselves You will leave and they need to prepare for

that

Transition & Professional Termination

Have you stayed long enough?– Are there (new) indigenous leaders?

Identify timeline for termination– identify goals to continue termination

Reenter Process

Helpful Hints

Organizations live in action; die in committee

Look for small wins and win-win Celebrate Successes Focus upon Strengths

Neighbor Network ProjectGoals

Asset-building program based upon McKnight & Kretzmann

Identifies strengths, skills, talents, knowledge and experiences and link to others in their neighborhood

Develops win-win relationships between neighbors

Neighbor Network ProjectGoals

Develop Leadership Skills Identify and Develop ‘Block Brokers’ ‘The provision of services will be by the

neighbors themselves’ Keys to Success

– use citizen advisory board to• select neighborhood

• select coordinator

Neighbor Network ProjectReality

Change in Funders & Priorities– No Leadership Development

Lack of Interest in Advisory Board Block Brokers only lasted the summer Coordinator supported existing leaders and

initiated projects

Applications to FASTWorks

Transition to FASTWorks FASTWorks Goal & Community Building Experiential Exercises

– Development of Empowerment– Community Organizing Process

Hints & Concerns

Transition to FASTWorks

“The leadership hierarchy shifts from team-centered to parent-centered.”

Difficulty changing expectations and norms about effort requirements and leadership

FASTWorks’ Goal

To be a place where parents support each other as they lead their families and work with the school and the community to advocate for their children toward success in school and a healthy life.

Indicates need for community development skill building among parents

Exercise --Development of Empowerment

Charles Kieffer Integrity & Mobilizing Episode Support - peer and professional Experience: Action - Reflection Cycle Reconstruct beliefs about self, community 4 years of intense experience

Exercise --Community Organizing Process1.Familiarization with Community

2.Initial Contact

3.Gauging Community Interest

4.Relationship Building

5.Concrete Activity

6.Transition

7.Professional Termination

Hints & Concerns

Parents’ roles must be made explicit and made early

FASTWorks organizer must reach out to families and do “relationship building”

Leadership / Organization Development Small Wins Celebrate

Rights of Use of This Material

Some trainers are very protective of their materials – they’re afraid that they’re giving away their business. I feel that freely distributing information like this is just good advertising for a trainer or consultant. So please use my material as you see fit; with the provision that you, in print, reference me. Please use the following information – in full:

William Ashton, Ph.D. The City University of New York, York College Department of Political Science and Psychology www.york.cuny.edu/~washton