2013 Upper Midwest Civic Engagement

Summit May 29-30th

Loras College, Dubuque,

The Public Achievement Model As a Useful Tool to Foster Community/University Partnerships and Teach Citizens How

to Do Public Work.

Donald Mowry, PhD, Director, President, Clear Vision Eau Claire Professor and Chair, Social Work Department University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire

Local Governance Crisis

•  Wicked problems •  Lack of political will •  Formal government models •  Declining civic problem solving

Lack of Political Will

The structural inability to generate timely and responsive policy decisions

•  Fragmented political and institutional decision-making

•  Diminished citizen problem-solving skills •  Lack of public space

Formal Government Models

• Elected Boards, Councils and Committees

• Problem/Analysis/Solutions formally reviewed through public hearings, public input sessions, etc.

• Elected officials determine solution

Declining Civic Problem-Solving

1.  Fragmented institutional decision-making 2.  Citizens’ loss of effective problem-

solving skills 3.  Limited public space opportunities 4.  Mystique of professional expertise 5.  Formal citizenship paradigm

Stuck? Try Public Work!

Strengthening Local Communities and Democracy Through Civic Engagement

•  What is your vision for our community? •  How can we get there? •  Do we wait for existing institutions and

structures to address pressing community needs?

•  Can common citizens come together and work across our many differences to find shared self-interests and work to make our community a better place for all?

Goals • Build Community Capacity • Enhance Community Outreach and Engagement • Support working groups and Clear Vision Eau Claire Programs • Create a Sustainable Organization

Core Values • Respect for people, process and ideas • Receptivity to innovation • Commitment to active inclusiveness • Belief in the citizen as co-creator in change • Members noted for energy, inspiration, dedication, persistence and civic-mindedness

Phase One •  2007 citizen visioning

initiative, •  Ten stakeholder meetings •  Facilitated by National Civic

League •  Months of discussion,

collaboration, & planning •  6 performance goals/125

priority actions •  Comprehensive Report •  Formation of an

Inplementation Committee

Phase Two •  25 Member Implementation

committee charged with supporting and monitoring action plans

•  Partnered with the Center for Democracy and Citizenship for training in public work

•  38 citizens trained in October and December 2008; 32 trained in March of 2009; and 14 citizens trained to be coaches

•  Enhanced sustainability (move from committee to official non-profit status; publish a toolkit; move to a train the trainers model)

Phase Three

•  Public Work 101 Training •  Relational organizing concepts

and practices •  Issue-based civic work groups

supported by co-coaches and the board of directors

•  Ultimate goal—train at least 500 more citizens in public work over a 3-5 year period

•  Empowerment Summit all 2012 was first big step

Civic Action Teams

•  10-20 member work groups •  Diverse membership •  Shared self-interest in issue •  Recruited to participate •  Co-coaches trained to facilitate process •  Action oriented – fixed duration •  High-energy participation

2009-2010 Eau Claire Teams

•  Jobs for underemployed •  Treatment instead of incarceration •  Public parks funding •  Collaborative education •  Community events facilities •  Veterans re-entry •  Regional Transit Authority

2011 Eau Claire Teams

•  Fairfax Pool Funding •  County Exposition Center Future •  Community TV •  Neighborhoods •  Homeless Shelter (Sojourner House) •  Immigrant Drivers License Cards

Successes

•  Education—books for 5,000 •  Jobs map, resources map, food security

resources •  Sojourner House •  Community Day Revival at The

Community Table •  Regional Transit Authority development •  Sustainability advances

Confluence Center

Key Characteristics

•  Emphasizes conceptual/reflective thinking •  Redefines core civic concepts •  Teaches civic problem-solving skills •  Creates public spaces •  Builds group process skills •  Develops public leadership •  Restructures mediating institutions •  Builds civic agency

Core Civic Concepts •  Power •  Politics •  Public Work •  Public Life •  Self Interest •  Diversity •  Mediating Institutions •  Relationships •  Free Spaces

Civic Problem Solving Skills

•  One-on-one interviews •  Mapping power and interests •  Values house meeting •  Creating public spaces •  Cutting Issues •  Taking action •  Public evaluation •  Dynamic, iterative

One-to-One Interviews

•  Purpose is to build public relationships •  Schedule interviews •  Keep it informal •  20-30 minutes •  No note-taking during interview •  Ask direct, open-ended questions •  80/20 active listening •  Look for interests, passions, connections

Values House Meeting

•  Facilitated public conversations about personal values and public life

•  Round robin responses: 1. What values and traditions are important to you? 2. What are the values and traditions of this community? 3. What are the forces endangering these values? 4. What can we do to strengthen our civic life

Power Mapping

•  Visual map of political environment •  List who has power to influence •  Map organizations and individuals •  Do 1:1 interview to identify interests •  Map power connections and relationships •  Do 1:1 interviews to build public

relationships

Public Evaluation

•  Debrief each meeting – 10 minutes •  Assess progress of work •  Prevent misunderstanding •  Clarify roles and future tasks •  One or two word responses •  What worked? What didn’t? What could we do

better? •  Check areas of group tension

Evaluation—Do Something About It!

Findings

•  Action oriented •  Inexpensive •  Adaptable •  Reinforces facilitative role •  Builds effective work

groups •  Creates public space for

joint work •  Strengthens community

“American citizenship in its most expansive sense is understood as public work: visible effort on common tasks of importance to the community or nation, involving many different people.” -Harry Boyte

Clear Vision Obstacles

•  Community marketing and outreach •  Hacked Clear Vision web site •  Leadership succession for Board of Directors

(formerly Implementation Committee) •  Balancing citizen and public official

participation •  Incorporation •  Stable funding •  Institutional Limitations

Civic Engagement Challenges

•  Diminished civic work skills of most citizens

•  Funding and ongoing administrative support •  Few public spaces for civic conversations •  Community silos •  Continued fiscal and budgetary cutbacks •  Integrating Civic Agency into citizenship

preparation at all age levels

Empowerment Summit Process

Session 1: Set the Stage for Engaging the Community for the Common Good and Idea Development Session 2: Choose Priority Ideas, Select Coaches, Develop Work Groups Session 3: Work Group Training on Clear Vision Process and Begin Work Group Work Session 4: Work Group Training and Work

Session 4: November 15, 2012 Peace Lutheran Church

Agenda •  Donor Thank You •  Clear Vision Core Values •  Clear Vision Process…moving forward •  One-to-One Relational Meetings – Report Out •  Power Defined – Power Mapping •  Break (7:45) – 10 minute •  Work Group Work - Work Group Report Out •  Wrap Up •  Public Evaluation

Thank You Donors:

9 to 5 – National Association of Working Women City of Eau Claire Eau Claire County

Hope Lutheran Church Peace Lutheran Church

RCU Sacred Heart Hospital

UW- Eau Claire Foundation UW-Eau Claire Learning and Technology Services

Wipfli

Clear Vision’s Core Values

•  Respect for people, process and ideas •  Receptivity to innovation •  Commitment to active inclusiveness •  Belief in the citizen as co-creator in change •  Members noted for energy, inspiration,

dedication, persistence and civic-mindedness

Clear Vision Process…what’s next

The Clear Vision Process: (Tool Kit) – Values House Meetings – One on One Relational Meetings – Power Mapping – Evaluation

•  Coaches Role •  Mentor’s Role •  Clear Vision’s Role

One-to-One Relational Meetings Assignment Due: •  Conduct a one-to-one with each workgroup

member. – Did you get it done? – How did it go?

•  Easy, difficult,

– Snags, concerns, questions – Next…one-to-ones with Unknowns!

Power

When we say the word Power, what comes to mind: – Dictator, Power Corrupts – Money & Wealth – Political Influence – Power over

But, what is the Spanish word for power, poder, what does it mean? • To be able…the capacity to act…to effect change • Power is a good thing, everyone has it, and the degree is related to the number of people who can leverage relationships and networks— • Ability to organize people and organize money

Power

Power Mapping •  A framework, helps to identify and understand

the political and cultural resources that affect or are affected by an issue

•  A tool, helps you to determine whom you need to influence, exactly who can influence your goal, and whom you can influence to get the ball rolling

•  A visual reality, shows the networks of relationships that are critical resources to support strong solutions

As you Map, Keep these in mind

•  Interests—what are the interests of the stakeholders?

•  Are they allies, beneficiaries, or opponents? •  Power—What power do stakeholders have

and what power is needed to accomplish our goals?

•  Rules—What is the protocol to engage with the various stakeholders?

Place the Issue in the Center

Research

•  Create assignments for team members to research the interests and power of the stakeholders identified

•  Put the one-to-ones in the corner—this is research •  Write the names of people and organizations on the

chart, record who is doing what and hold each other accountable

•  Consider the difference between allies, beneficiaries, opponents, decision makers, and influencers

Recycling  Program  at  a  School  

Recycling  Program  

School  Board  

Students  

Parents  Principal  

Teachers  City  

Government  

Garbage  Collectors  

Cafeteria  Staff  

Janitors  

Research  •  Create  assignments  for  team  members  to  research  the  interests  and  power  of  the  stakeholders  idenAfied  

•  Put  the  one-­‐to-­‐ones  in  the  corner—this  is  research  

•  Write  the  names  of  people  and  organizaAons  on  the  chart,  record  who  is  doing  what  and  hold  each  other  accountable  

•  Consider  the  difference  between  allies,  beneficiaries,  opponents,  decision  makers,  and  influencers  

ReMap  Recycling  Program  at  a  School  

Recycling  Program  

School  Board  

Other  Students  

Parents  Principal  

Teachers  City  

Government  

Garbage  Collectors  

Cafeteria  Staff  

Janitors  

State  Recycling  Program  

Students  

Reporting Out •  Identify Coaches •  Select Date for first

post-summit meeting •  Mission Statement? •  Status of your Issue,

Problem, Project? •  Verify and submit

contact information

•  Group Name •  Success doing one-to-

ones, questions & comments

•  Success with power-mapping, questions & comments

•  Group size and need for growth

•  Group’s next steps

Wrap Up

Next 6 – 8 Months: –  Work Group Meetings

•  Work the process –  Power Map –  Research and One-on-Ones –  Power Map –  Action!

–  Coaches meet, share, learn –  May/June Reconvene

•  Update on Work Groups •  Celebrate Successes

Public Evaluation

•  What worked well? •  What could be done differently…improved

upon?

Thank You & Acknowledgement

Thank You to our Donors

Clear Vision Board & Committee Members Ann Rupnow Jane Lokken Ann Schell Emily Moore Heidi Fisher John Stoneberg Dave Morley Bob McCoy Selika Duckworth Sue Bornick Mike Rindo Laurelynn Wieseman Tom McCarty Mike Huggins Julie Keown-Bomar Don Mowry Vicki Hoehn Catherine Emmanuelle

Clear Vision Process…what’s next

The Clear Vision Process: (Tool Kit) – Values House Meetings – One on One Relational Meetings – Power Mapping – Evaluation

•  Coaches Role •  Mentor’s Role •  Clear Vision’s Role

“Americans concerned about civic renewal and democracy are watching Eau Claire, which is already regarded as a leader in constructive civic work. Clear Vision Eau Claire is an impressive next step that will set the standard for other American cities.”

Peter Levine, Director of CIRCLE Tufts University Boston MA

Change is Challenging, Threatening, and Exciting

Additional Information •  www.publicachievement.org

•  Center for Democracy & Citizenship www.augsburg.edu/democracy/

•  Harry Boyte, The Citizen Solution

•  Harry Boyte, Everyday Politics

•  Frances Moore Lappe and Paul Martin DuBois, The Quickening of America

•  Carmen Sirianni, Investing in Democracy: Engaging Citizens in Collaborative Governance

•  Matt Leighninger, The Next Form of Democracy

•  Contact Mike Huggins, City Manager, City of Eau Claire, 715-839-4902, mike.huggins@eauclairewi.gov Tom McCarty, Eau Claire County Administrator, 715-839-5106, jt.mccarty@co.eau-claire.wi.us Donald Mowry, Ph.D., Director, Center for Service-Learning, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, 715-826-4649, dmowry@uwec.edu