community engagementand capacity buildingin cultural planning
DESCRIPTION
Presentation delivered by Kohl, Community AnimatorOntario Healthy Communities Coalition at The Ontario Rural Council's "Economies in Transition" municipal cultural planning forum in Brockville on November 17, 2008.TRANSCRIPT
Community Engagementand Capacity Buildingin Cultural Planning
Presented by: Jeff Kohl, Community Animator
Ontario Healthy Communities CoalitionNovember 17, 2008
Community Capacity-Building
• Needs to happen at 3 levels:
– Individual
– Organizational
– Community
“Needs” vs “Assets”
People and Communitieshave deficiencies & needs
Individuals andCommunities haveskills and talents
“Needs” vs “Assets”
NEEDS ASSETS
focuses on deficiencies focuses on strengths
results in fragmentation of responses to local needs
builds interdependencies
makes people consumers of services; builds dependence
identifies ways that people can give of their talents
residents have little voice in deciding how to address local concerns
seeks to empower people
Start with Capacity-Development
Focus within the community -- on the people who live there
Identify capacities, skills, and assets of local citizens and organizations
Harness local strengths to collaboratively address issues of importance to the community
Features of Asset-Mapping
Asset-Based: Uncovers talents/skills found in the community right now
Internally Focused: Relies on the community’s assets -not on those found outside
Relationship Driven: Seeks to build linkages among local people, institutions, and organizations
Asset Mapping Begins
With People Everyone has talents, skills and
gifts relevant to community activities
Each time a person uses his/her talents, the community is stronger and the person more empowered
Strong communities value and use the skills that residents possess
Capturing Local Institutions for
Community Building Every community has a variety of
public, private, and formal institutions
Some communities are “institution rich” - others are not
Too often, local institutions are not connected to local community-building efforts
Community Institutions
Kinship
EconomicEducation
PoliticalFaith-BasedAssociations
Informal Organizations
May be neighborhood-based, community-based, or extend outside the community’s boundaries
Such groups are critical because they involve, empower, and impact local citizens
Building a community requires a deliberate effort to identify and involve such organizations
Uncovering PotentialLeaders
Every community has leaders Many others in the community have
attributes that make them ideal “leader” candidates
These people can become great leaders when engaged and empowered
Mobilizing Community Leaders
People
Formal
Institutions
Informal Organizations
Create New Avenues of Leadership
Create New Avenues of Leadership Move from a centralized mode of decision-
making to a polycentric approach -- one that involves many centers of leadership
Helps expand the number of people who embrace community goals
The polycentric approach requires access to leadership opportunities
Reorganizing community work
Reorganizing community work
Decisions and action plans in a community must depend less on a pyramid and more on a series of inter-related circles
Silo Services
AgencyA
ProgramB
Community
RegionC
ServiceD
DepartmentE
Community-Based Funding
Federal / ProvincialFunding
Municipal:Regional / Local
Funding
The Problem With Silos
Fragmented…(dissipate leverage / ownership)
Prevent Clarity on the Outcome…(not “making the same movie”)
Deceptive … (“good people doing good things”)
Transform Organizational Leadership to Community
LeadershipOrganizational Hierarchical Taking Charge Right Answer Leaders &
Followers Responsibility for
strategy and tasks
Community Interorganizational Providing Catalyst Right Question Coordinated Action Responsibility for
community outcomes
The Key Steps to Community Engagement
Identify (map) the assets of individuals, institutions and informal organizations
Build relationships among these local assets
Explore how assets can be mobilized to improve local conditions/needs
Engage the community in visioning and planning (through the whole process)
Tap outside resources that help advance local improvement efforts
Capacity building processIdentify planning group
Inventory and mapping
Analysis and vision
Priorities and strategies
Launch, evaluate, revise
Community Consultation vs. Community
Engagement
Project Ideas Design Implement Sustain
Project Ideas Design Implement Sustain
Consultation
Engagement
Example 1
Example 2
Source: Museum Libraries Archives Council
Achieving Community Solutions
What makes the difference between a good movie and a bad movie?
“Getting everyone involved to make the same movie!”
- Francis Ford Coppola
Levels of Working Together
Full Collaboration
Coalition
Partnership
Alliance
Network • Com
mitm
ent
• Inv
estm
ent
• Owne
rshi
p
• Com
plex
ity o
f rel
atio
nshi
p
Levels of working together
• Networking– Dialogue– Clearinghouse– Create base of support
• Cooperation or alliance– Match needs and coordinate– Limit duplication– Ensure tasks are done
Levels of working together
• Coordination or partnership– Share resources to address issues– Merge resource base to create
something new
• Coalition– Share ideas and pull resources from
existing systems– Develop extended commitment
Levels of working together
• Collaboration– Shared vision– Build interdependent systems to
address issues and opportunities
Community engagement tools
• Balloon ride– Floating over the community in 10
years; what does it look like?
• Draw a group picture– Draw a vibrant arts/culture/heritage
community in 10 years
• Design front page of a Newspaper– Celebrating success 10 years in the
future
• Appreciative Inquiry Interview
Key Factors for Success• Focus on “Community Assets” – not on “Needs”• Mobilize and empower community leaders &
champions• Make sure everyone is “making the same movie” • Engage all sectors of the community• Be inclusive (diversity should reflect community)• Climb out of our “silos”• Form alliances and partnerships• Something for “thinkers” and “doers”• Start small = likely to succeed (getting to “Yes”)• Celebrate success early and often
Perth Area Initiatives
• Stewart Park Festival• Festival of the Maples• Garlic Festival• The Art of Being Green• Fall Studio Tour• Buy Local / Farm Gate Sales Map
Resources
• Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition
• Appreciative Inquiry• ABCD• Benchmarking Your Org’n For
Success• Cultural Mapping
Jeff Kohl
www.healthycommunities.on.ca