Community Engagement and Capacity Building in Cultural Planning Presented by: Jeff Kohl, Community Animator Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition November 17, 2008

Community Capacity-Building Needs to happen at 3 levels: Individual Organizational Community

Needs to happen at 3 levels:

Individual

Organizational

Community

“ Needs” vs “Assets” People and Communities have deficiencies & needs Individuals and Communities have skills and talents

“ Needs” vs “Assets”

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

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-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

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

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 Economic Education Political Faith-Based Associations

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

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 Potential Leaders 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

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 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

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 Decisions and action plans in a community must depend less on a pyramid and more on a series of inter-related circles

Decisions and action plans in a community must depend less on a pyramid and more on a series of inter-related circles

Silo Services Agency A Program B Community Department E Community-Based Funding Federal / Provincial Funding Municipal: Regional / Local Funding Region C Service D

The Problem With Silos Fragmented… (dissipate leverage / ownership) Prevent Clarity on the Outcome… (not “making the same movie”) Deceptive … (“good people doing good things”)

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 Leadership Organizational Hierarchical Taking Charge Right Answer Leaders & Followers Responsibility for strategy and tasks Community Interorganizational Providing Catalyst Right Question Coordinated Action Responsibility for community outcomes

Organizational

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

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 process Identify planning group Inventory and mapping Analysis and vision Priorities and strategies Launch, evaluate, revise

Community Consultation vs. Community Engagement Consultation Engagement Example 1 Example 2 Source: Museum Libraries Archives Council Project Ideas Design Implement Sustain Project Ideas Design Implement Sustain Funding Funding

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

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 Commitment Investment Ownership Complexity of relationship

Commitment

Investment

Ownership

Complexity of relationship

Levels of working together Networking Dialogue Clearinghouse Create base of support Cooperation or alliance Match needs and coordinate Limit duplication Ensure tasks are done

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition

Appreciative Inquiry

ABCD

Benchmarking Your Org’n For Success

Cultural Mapping

Jeff Kohl [email_address] www.healthycommunities.on.ca