Unlocking the Unlocking the Power of Power of

CommunitiesCommunities

Brainteaser Class #3Brainteaser Class #3• What are theories of community change? Why What are theories of community change? Why

do we need to know them?do we need to know them?• Please describe the communities in your areas Please describe the communities in your areas

of action? In your answer please describe the of action? In your answer please describe the three parts of these communities and how they three parts of these communities and how they relate to your possible community project?relate to your possible community project?

• What are a few things to consider and discover What are a few things to consider and discover when looking at a community to study? when looking at a community to study?

• Identify a community or group in which you are Identify a community or group in which you are interested and hope to work with this semester? interested and hope to work with this semester? And tell me why? And tell me why?

Community Org as Core Community Org as Core PracticePractice

• Micro practice – basic needs Micro practice – basic needs addressedaddressed

• Mezzo practice – leadership Mezzo practice – leadership developmentdevelopment

• Macro – changes in communities and Macro – changes in communities and organizations. organizations.

• Community organization addresses all Community organization addresses all of these issues. It is a core practice.of these issues. It is a core practice.

Four components of Four components of practicepractice

• Engagement Engagement • AssessmentAssessment• Intervention Intervention • Evaluation Evaluation • These skills are part of micro, These skills are part of micro,

mezzo, and macro practice. mezzo, and macro practice.

Learning From Learning From Community Projects Community Projects

• let stories move youlet stories move you• build community and democracy in the build community and democracy in the

streets and in the classroomstreets and in the classroom• organize around strengthsorganize around strengths• go out and get the seat of your pants go out and get the seat of your pants

dirty with researchdirty with research• connect with a modelconnect with a model• connect the dots of a struggle with your connect the dots of a struggle with your

storiesstories

Shepard Community Org Shepard Community Org ModelModel

• 1) Start with an issue and an alternate 1) Start with an issue and an alternate proposalproposal

• 2) Do research about that issue2) Do research about that issue• 3) Mobilize supporters around this ask3) Mobilize supporters around this ask• 4) Use direct action to push the issue forward4) Use direct action to push the issue forward• 5) Use media and social networks to push it5) Use media and social networks to push it• 6) Have a long and short term legal strategy6) Have a long and short term legal strategy• 7) Make sure you add a jigger of fun and play7) Make sure you add a jigger of fun and play

CO: Intended OutcomesCO: Intended OutcomesParticipants will gain a greater sense of Participants will gain a greater sense of

confidence to initiate change and increased confidence to initiate change and increased understanding of:understanding of:

• Community developmentCommunity development• Difference between a service orientation and Difference between a service orientation and

a development orientationa development orientation• Ethical demands on workers to shape Ethical demands on workers to shape

workplaceworkplace• The human service organization as a context The human service organization as a context

for community change practicefor community change practice• Some general principles for promoting Some general principles for promoting

changechange

Healthy communities tend Healthy communities tend to produce healthy to produce healthy

people.people.

Distressed and depressed Distressed and depressed communities tend to communities tend to

produce distressed andproduce distressed and depressed people. depressed people.

Definition of Community Definition of Community DevelopmentDevelopment

Community development Community development recognizes recognizes sources of wealth (or community sources of wealth (or community capitalcapital)) that exist in the community, that exist in the community, helps helps those sources to growthose sources to grow, and , and links them links them with one anotherwith one another to form a stronger, more to form a stronger, more capable community. Fundamental to this capable community. Fundamental to this notion is that notion is that members of the community members of the community itself have the primary responsibility for itself have the primary responsibility for decision making and actiondecision making and action. Community . Community development produces self-reliant, self-development produces self-reliant, self-sustaining communities that mobilize sustaining communities that mobilize resources for the benefit of their members.resources for the benefit of their members.

Elements of Community Elements of Community DevelopmentDevelopment

• BUILD ON COMMUNITY ASSETSBUILD ON COMMUNITY ASSETS• INCREASE SKILLS OF INCREASE SKILLS OF

INDIVIDUALSINDIVIDUALS• CONNECT PEOPLE WITH CONNECT PEOPLE WITH

ONE ANOTHERONE ANOTHER• CONNECT EXISTING RESOURCESCONNECT EXISTING RESOURCES• CREATE OR INCREASE CREATE OR INCREASE

COMMUNITY RESOURCESCOMMUNITY RESOURCES

• EXPECT COMMUNITY TO EXPECT COMMUNITY TO ASSUME OWNERSHIP OF ASSUME OWNERSHIP OF DIRECTION, ACTION AND DIRECTION, ACTION AND RESOURCESRESOURCES

• PROMOTE THE EXPECTATION PROMOTE THE EXPECTATION THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL DO ALL WORK POSSIBLEWILL DO ALL WORK POSSIBLE

• CREATE BENEFICIAL EXTERNAL CREATE BENEFICIAL EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPSRELATIONSHIPS

Perhaps the most Perhaps the most important contributor to a important contributor to a community’s success is a community’s success is a

belief in its belief in its abilitiesabilities rather rather than in its than in its problemsproblems..

Working in a Funding Restricted Working in a Funding Restricted EnvironmentEnvironment

Recognizing Sources of Recognizing Sources of Community CapitalCommunity Capital• Environmental CapitalEnvironmental Capital

• Physical CapitalPhysical Capital• Economic CapitalEconomic Capital• Human CapitalHuman Capital• Political CapitalPolitical Capital• Information CapitalInformation Capital• Cultural CapitalCultural Capital• Spiritual CapitalSpiritual Capital• Social CapitalSocial Capital

Service versus Service versus DevelopmentDevelopment

• Service focuses on Service focuses on problemsproblems

• Service is episodicService is episodic• Service reinforces Service reinforces

power imbalances power imbalances from giver to from giver to receiverreceiver

• Service promotes Service promotes passivitypassivity

• Development focuses Development focuses on assets and on assets and capacitiescapacities

• Development is Development is ongoingongoing

• Development Development equalizes power equalizes power relationshipsrelationships

• Development Development promotes capability promotes capability and powerand power

• Service relies on Service relies on expertsexperts

• Service emphasizes Service emphasizes recipient ownership recipient ownership of problemsof problems

• Service keeps Service keeps recipients isolated recipients isolated and dependentand dependent

• Service meets Service meets needsneeds

• Service requires Service requires problemsproblems

• Service expects no Service expects no contribution to contribution to othersothers

• Development relies on Development relies on partnershipspartnerships

• Development Development emphasizes mutual emphasizes mutual ownership of ownership of possibilitiespossibilities

• Development links Development links people with shared people with shared interests and promotes interests and promotes leadershipleadership

• Development fuels Development fuels abilitiesabilities

• Development preventsDevelopment prevents• Development requires Development requires

contributioncontribution

Acting responsibly, you Acting responsibly, you cannot simultaneously cannot simultaneously

want things to be want things to be different and not want to different and not want to

be powerful.be powerful.

Conditions Necessary Conditions Necessary For Community ActionFor Community Action

• TENSION BETWEEN TENSION BETWEEN DISCOMFORT WITH THE DISCOMFORT WITH THE PRESENT SITUATION AND PRESENT SITUATION AND ATTRACTION TO A NEW ATTRACTION TO A NEW SITUATIONSITUATION

• BELIEF IN THE POSSIBILITY THAT BELIEF IN THE POSSIBILITY THAT ACTION WILL PRODUCE A ACTION WILL PRODUCE A SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMESUCCESSFUL OUTCOME

• RECOGNITION OF A RECOGNITION OF A COURSE OF ACTION COURSE OF ACTION

• SUFFICIENT CREDIBILITY OF THE SUFFICIENT CREDIBILITY OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THE EFFORT, ORGANIZERS OF THE EFFORT, VALIDITY OF THE ISSUE AND VALIDITY OF THE ISSUE AND SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ORGANIZATIONORGANIZATION

• SUFFICIENT DEGREE OF EMOTIONSUFFICIENT DEGREE OF EMOTION• SUFFICIENTLY RECEPTIVE SUFFICIENTLY RECEPTIVE

ENVIRONMENTENVIRONMENT• DECISION TO ACTDECISION TO ACT

Questions for Questions for Community Capacity Community Capacity

BuildingBuilding• Is there an identified community?Is there an identified community?• Does the project build skills of Does the project build skills of

community members?community members?• Does the project produce new leaders Does the project produce new leaders

and new and new teachersteachers??• Who Who ownsowns the project? the project?• Does the project produce new Does the project produce new

community resources that can exist community resources that can exist apart from the project?apart from the project?

Capacity Questions cont’dCapacity Questions cont’d• Do the benefits or resources create Do the benefits or resources create

other benefits or resources?other benefits or resources?• Which community capacities or assets Which community capacities or assets

will the project build upon?will the project build upon?• Which community conditions does the Which community conditions does the

project intend to change?project intend to change?• How does the project build inclusivity?How does the project build inclusivity?• How does the project build social How does the project build social

capital?capital?• How does the project acknowledge and How does the project acknowledge and

meet system needs?meet system needs?

Snapshot of your Snapshot of your situationsituation

Current Current AssetsAssets

Assets to Assets to be be DevelopeDevelopedd

Current Current BarriersBarriers

Possible Possible New New BarriersBarriers

Lists of ActorsLists of Actors

People whose People whose support we support we havehave

People whose People whose support we support we would like to would like to havehave

People who People who would likely would likely oppose usoppose us

Building Community Building Community IdentityIdentity

• Community nameCommunity name• Community artifactsCommunity artifacts• Feeling of community Feeling of community membershipmembership

– not – not visitorshipvisitorship• Sense of shared valuesSense of shared values• Recognition of shared experiencesRecognition of shared experiences• Convening occasionsConvening occasions

Elements of Elements of SustainabilitySustainability

• MembersMembers• LeadershipLeadership• StructureStructure• Action/Issue agendaAction/Issue agenda• Strong working relationshipsStrong working relationships• Evaluation of efforts and use of evaluation Evaluation of efforts and use of evaluation

to guide future effortsto guide future efforts

• FundingFunding

Some Additional Some Additional TipsTips

A Checklist for ActionA Checklist for Action• From whom do we want to get a From whom do we want to get a

response?response?• What response do we want?What response do we want?• What action or series of actions has the What action or series of actions has the

best chance of producing that best chance of producing that response?response?

• Are the members of the organization Are the members of the organization able and willing to take these actions?able and willing to take these actions?

• How do these actions lead to the How do these actions lead to the further development of our further development of our organization?organization?

Checklist continuedChecklist continued• How do our actions produce How do our actions produce

immediate gains in a way that helps immediate gains in a way that helps us long term?us long term?

• Is everything we are doing related to Is everything we are doing related to the outcomes we want to produce?the outcomes we want to produce?

• How will we assess the effectiveness How will we assess the effectiveness of our chosen approach and to refine of our chosen approach and to refine our next steps?our next steps?

• What are we doing to keep this What are we doing to keep this interesting?interesting?

Additional Principles for Additional Principles for Promoting ChangePromoting Change

• START SMALL, THOUGH YOU CAN START SMALL, THOUGH YOU CAN STOP BIG - SPIRAL APPROACHSTOP BIG - SPIRAL APPROACH

• POWER/ISSUE RELATIONSHIPPOWER/ISSUE RELATIONSHIP• CYCLE OF EMPOWERMENTCYCLE OF EMPOWERMENT• DECREASE THE DISTANCEDECREASE THE DISTANCE• THE ACTION IS IN THE REACTIONTHE ACTION IS IN THE REACTION• THE 3 HOLY M’s – the Market, the THE 3 HOLY M’s – the Market, the

Medium, the MessageMedium, the Message

• WORK OF CHANGE IS REALLY THE WORK OF CHANGE IS REALLY THE WORK OF SMALL GROUPS - MAJOR WORK OF SMALL GROUPS - MAJOR CHALLENGES ARE INTERNAL, NOT CHALLENGES ARE INTERNAL, NOT EXTERNALEXTERNAL

• KEY QUESTION ALWAYS ASKEDKEY QUESTION ALWAYS ASKED• RECOGNIZE MUTUAL BENEFITSRECOGNIZE MUTUAL BENEFITS• KEEP IT INTERESTINGKEEP IT INTERESTING• OBSERVE THE 50/10% RULE (50% of OBSERVE THE 50/10% RULE (50% of

time should be face to face time, 10% time should be face to face time, 10% admin)admin)

• EVERYTHING HAPPENS THROUGH EVERYTHING HAPPENS THROUGH RELATIONSHIPSRELATIONSHIPS

• RECOGNIZE PROGRESSRECOGNIZE PROGRESS• BUILD MOMENTUM; DON’T RE-BUILD MOMENTUM; DON’T RE-

BUILD ITBUILD IT• WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN YOU WILL WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN YOU WILL

ACT TO CONFIRM (impotence, ACT TO CONFIRM (impotence, inability, other’s responsibility; or inability, other’s responsibility; or power, ability, responsibility)power, ability, responsibility)

• LAUGH AND P.E.A. (Persistence, LAUGH AND P.E.A. (Persistence, Energy, and generate Action). Energy, and generate Action).

Accept the Fact of Accept the Fact of Conditions,Conditions,

Not the Inevitability Not the Inevitability of Themof Them

Some Rules of the Game: Some Some Rules of the Game: Some Basic Things to KnowBasic Things to Know

• Those who play the game make the rulesThose who play the game make the rules• Each community has its ankle weightsEach community has its ankle weights• The most powerful obstacles - fear, The most powerful obstacles - fear,

apathy, and ignoranceapathy, and ignorance• If you treat people as allies, they are If you treat people as allies, they are

likely to become allies; if you treat likely to become allies; if you treat people as enemies, they are likely to people as enemies, they are likely to become enemiesbecome enemies

• Don’t start with the most important Don’t start with the most important thing, start with the most interestingthing, start with the most interesting

More Rules: Things to know More Rules: Things to know about about YourselfYourself

• Prevent yourself from contracting Prevent yourself from contracting the disease of being rightthe disease of being right

• Listen as aggressively as you speakListen as aggressively as you speak• Take the world as it is - not as it Take the world as it is - not as it

should beshould be• Accept the fact of conditions, not the Accept the fact of conditions, not the

inevitability of theminevitability of them• Be willing to be surprisedBe willing to be surprised

More Rules about More Rules about YourselfYourself

• To say “yes” to something is to say To say “yes” to something is to say “no” to something else - pick the “no” to something else - pick the hills that you are going to fight onhills that you are going to fight on

• Avoid falling victim to listening for Avoid falling victim to listening for things you want to hearthings you want to hear

• Look forward to some dessertLook forward to some dessert

The Fab Four:The Fab Four:Most important things for Most important things for

a change agent to doa change agent to do• Connect people – to issue; to Connect people – to issue; to

organization; and to each otherorganization; and to each other• Develop leadership – connect to Develop leadership – connect to

interest; connect to abilities; provide interest; connect to abilities; provide supportsupport

• Inspire confidenceInspire confidence• Create and maintain a culture of Create and maintain a culture of

learninglearning

The privilege and the penalty of your The privilege and the penalty of your education and the position you hold in education and the position you hold in the community is that, over the coming the community is that, over the coming decades, as in the past, you will be the decades, as in the past, you will be the pace setters for political and social pace setters for political and social thought in your community. You may thought in your community. You may accept this responsibility, but it makes accept this responsibility, but it makes no difference. It is inescapable. If you no difference. It is inescapable. If you decide to set no pace, to forward no decide to set no pace, to forward no dreams and to have no vision, you will dreams and to have no vision, you will still be the pacesetters. You will simply still be the pacesetters. You will simply have decided that there is no pace. have decided that there is no pace. Adlai Adlai StevensonStevenson

• Photography by Allan Sturm (www.allansturm.com)

Brainteaser Class Brainteaser Class #2#2

•What is community and community organization?•Why are people poor? And what strategy can we use to address this issue? How does human services address this question?•What is social capital? What role can social capital play in building social change?•What is participant action research? How does it work?