SECTION III - DEVELOPING A PROCESS

 

As community development is dynamic, a fixed blueprint for the perfect community development process is unrealistic. It is better to plan a framework that provides guidance and adapt it as the situation evolves.

This handbook does not and can not identify all the questions, nor does it supply all the answers, since each community situation is different and much is learned from the doing. In fact, we are all learning as the field of community development evolves.

The following framework provides broad-based direction and identifies key process issues. This framework is based on the real-life experience of community development practitioners and communities themselves. The main components of the community development framework are outlined in the following four sections:

  1. Building Support
  2. Making A Plan
  3. Implementing and Adjusting the Plan
  4. Maintaining Momentum

 

Community Development Process

 

1 Building Support

Fundamental to community development are community enhancement and capacity building. Both are processes that involve learning and inclusion and, in most instances, the process is as meaningful as the results. To begin with, all communities have a history that is important to understand and honour. For many of us, our excitement and enthusiasm for community development can make us impulsive. We want to rush into action and see results. It is, however, better to take stock of what has been done, acknowledge and recognize the contributions of others, build on previous community successes, and involve a wide range of members and interests.

The first step is to create awareness, understanding and support for the community development process. To build support for community development in your community, you should know the answers to the following questions:

You may think that finding answers to the above questions will be time-consuming and difficult but, as the example below illustrates, this is not the case.

 

One Community’s Response

The following is an example of how one community answered the questions that need to be considered in order to build support.

Why do you believe a community development approach should be initiated?

Our community is facing many challenges with respect to economic development, social issues such as youth crime and the need to upgrade community infrastructure. We do not want someone else’s solutions or answers. We have the ability within our community to develop and implement long-term responses.

What benefits will result from this approach?

What are the first steps that need to be taken?

Who are the key people/organizations that should be taking a leadership role?

What are the longer-term issues you will need to consider?

Commitment to any long-term process or action should not be made without understanding what is to be done, why it is being done, the anticipated benefits and who will be involved. Community development is a broad concept, so people may have difficulty knowing where to start and what is expected of them. This is why identifying the first steps in the process is very important. When interest is created, you want an immediate way to turn this interest into further exploration and commitment. Building support for a community development initiative is an on-going task.

 

Who Should Be Involved?

Community development is an inclusive process. Community members with a shared vision and a sense of belonging to their community usually initiate the community development process. It is important, however, that the process be expanded to include the wide range of interests (i.e. economic, social, environmental) and organizations (i.e. government, labour, business, social services) that are part of the community. Don’t make assumptions about traditional roles and responsibilities or levels of interests. For example, many private sector businesses have become increasingly interested in social development issues and some government agencies are now entering into partnerships with community organizations to provide effective programs and services covering a wide range of interests.

The individual make-up of a community influences who needs to be involved and what activities will be viewed as legitimate. Ensuring that different cultures and interests are respected and involved (in a meaningful way) is important. For example, respecting cultural traditions and religious holidays, being aware of different styles of communication and ensuring that persons with disabilities can participate fully are all ways that you can build credibility and support.

The following are a few common mistakes made when a wide cross-section of interests are present:

 

Seeing Beyond the Surface – Valuing Diversity

A community-owned loan fund was approached by two street bottle pickers for a loan to formalize their activities. Although other financial institutions might have refused them, due to their appearance and lack of permanent addresses, this loan fund supported them. They recognized the assets or equity the two men brought in their knowledge of the market, the geography and their skills. By lending them a small amount of money, they were able to establish a more sophisticated approach to their business and help others do the same. Four years later, a cooperative exists that generates enough revenue for the now seven people involved to live on. The loan was repaid in full and on time.

As well as the diversity that community members themselves bring to the table, political interests, organizational mandates and existing structures are factors that must be recognized and built into the community development process. If you are not sure how to include these interests in your community development activity, ask them how they would like to become involved.

Who participates in the process?

Lessons from Experience

 

Points to Ponder

 

Creating a Valued Local Process

To create a unique and valued community development process, draw upon your understanding of your community. This will allow you to develop a process that will respond to your own circumstances. You cannot simply take a process that worked well in another place and apply it to your own community. You should take the knowledge, experience and advice of others and make it your own by adjusting and changing it to meet the specific needs of your community at this particular time.

Designing a local community development process involves:

As a community development approach will work only if community members see it as a legitimate process within existing activities and priorities, the approach must:

When building community support, identify individuals and organizations that are both supportive and non-supportive. The following are some suggestions about how you might do that.

Approach those organizations/individuals where you believe you will find support. You might want to begin a conversation about their interest in the community development initiative and build on it. Invite interested people to take a leadership role and to become active in the creation of the community development plan.

 

Valued Support

A group of community members in a downtown urban center asked why women who want to leave the life of prostitution often fail. They decided to consult women who had successfully made the transition. They asked what was needed and invited input into designing an initiative that would really work. Many were very skeptical about who would listen to or fund such an initiative. Most people wanted the prostitutes out of the neighbourhood but didn’t have much interest in helping to create other options. The new initiative was presented by a respected person whose support was greatly appreciated. It was presented in a way that was understood and realistic because it was based on experience with what works and what doesn’t. It was also validated and highly valued by those who were going to use it. Today a transition program developed by these women is operating successfully in the neighbourhood that wanted to just make the problem disappear. It has active community support and acceptance.

As a second step, approach organizations that may not seem to be very interested or supportive. Remember that community development brings change, shifts power and results in new relationships. Some people may not be receptive to the concept of community development or may feel threatened by it, so try to anticipate why they might resist or not be supportive. Maybe you could provide information or an explanation that will respond to their concerns. Community development is an open process. Keep those who are not interested well-informed and continue to invite them to participate in the process. Look for shared interests rather than factors that cause division or discord.

Building support provides the foundation for the community development process. You are creating a core of interest and base of commitment within your community that will continue to grow. It takes time, particularly if the community has no experience with this type of collective or participatory community development.

Community development is a living process. Many communities start out strong but fail to sustain the participatory nature of the process. To maintain interest and support over time, inclusion and local participation should be built into the very nature of the process and must be maintained throughout. This can be done by:

 

Developing Buy-In

Community development initiatives can fail because of a lack of support or buy-in from community members and organizations. When a participatory process is sincerely desired, and individuals and organizations believe they are being listened to and included, you will have gone a long way to building community ownership, support and legitimacy. Although there is no doubt that developing this support or buy-in can be time-intensive and involve hard work, developing and maintaining community interest and involvement is an integral part of the process.

Common mistakes that can be made are:

 

Ten Keys to Getting "Buy In"

  1. Effective communication and appreciation
  2. Common vision and goals
  3. A comprehensive, clear plan
  4. Appropriate leadership
  5. Community and political support
  6. Adequate information and resources
  7. Professional advice and technical assistance
  8. Flexibility and the ability to compromise
  9. Participation from many different groups
  10. Willingness to work with change and diversity

 

Lessons from Experience

 

Points to Ponder

 

2 Making A Plan

Developing a community plan involves systematically assessing alternatives and making choices in the context of a defined community vision. Planning is a process that assists community members in translating knowledge, concerns and hopes into action.

A community plan is a written document created by community members. It outlines the following things:

Community plans are developed based on the logic and structures of the strategic planning process. The logic of this process takes you from a broad-based vision to specific actions and action plans. The process links vision, goals, objectives and action into a logical and inter-related structure.

The development of a community plan requires resources and dedicated leadership. It is important to determine whether you have what it takes to put a plan in place before you actually begin. To start the process and fail to complete it can harm your community and undermine the commitment of community members to future development approaches.

 

Community Planning

The Chief and Council of a northern community knew that they had to negotiate with three other Aboriginal communities on matters related to economic development. A large company was playing one community against the other in a bid to develop a lumber mill. Everyone wanted jobs but they also had responsibility to look after the forest and land for future generations. Moreover, they had to start working together and help each other by sharing opportunities and resources. All of the leaders agreed to hold a General Assembly where everyone could talk about all of these concerns. They came up with a comprehensive plan to satisfy all of their needs, everyone understood the situation better and they received complete community support for the plan. This plan is what they now use to guide all their community decisions.

Community development planning is useful for a number of different things, such as bringing a community together and finding solutions. The plan and the process should be:

Not all community development initiatives require formal plans. Many valuable outcomes have been obtained through ad hoc or less structured processes. On the other hand, many potentially successful initiatives have failed because there was either no plan or a very poor one in place. Depending on the complexity of the situation and the resources involved, the need for a formal plan will vary. Regardless of the formality of the planning process, community development action is not possible without a common vision and purpose.

 

Common Purpose

A community developer decided to host a workshop in her neighbourhood to create interest and awareness in community development. Twelve community members attended the workshop. All agreed it would be great to build stronger relationships and connections within their community. Through general discussion and brainstorming it was discovered that the history of the neighbourhood struck a chord with those in attendance. The group began to hold Sunday gatherings – inviting community members to share stories and information about the community. Young and old were connected by their common interest. A walking tour of the neighbourhood and a community celebration are now held on an annual basis. The local school, businesses and others are participating in these events and good community connections and partnerships are developing. There isn’t now and never was a formal plan put into place. There was, however, a strong sense of purpose and interest that motivated community members to come together.

 

The Benefits of a Community Plan

The benefits of a community plan are that it:

The Seven Steps in a Community Planning Process

The community planning process is not linear or static, but a living and dynamic one. The planning process involves the following seven steps:

 

Steps in a Community Planning Process

 

 

7. Evaluate Progress and Results

6. Implement Action Plans

5. Develop Action Plans

4. Establish Objectives

3. Set Goals

2. Assess the Current Situation

1. Create a Vision

The planning process includes the following seven steps:

1 Create a Community Vision – which will help create a picture of where you want to be.

A community vision describes what is hoped for and valued by the community by creating a picture of the ideal future. Choose a visioning process in which all ages and abilities can participate, as the vision will build support and ongoing interest.

2 Assess the Current Situation – which will tell you where you are now and determine existing community capacity.

Assessing the current situation involves factors outside the community as well as factors within. This process involves identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges. Build on past efforts and strengths as the basis of the assessment.

3 Set Goals – which are broad directions for closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be.

Goals outline the means by which you will reach your vision. If you think of the vision as a destination, the goals are the pathways to reach the destination. They should be clear and easy to understand.

4 Establish Objectives – which are specifics that outline how goals will be reached.

Objectives are specific, measurable and inter-connected statements of the action needed to achieve goals. Usually several objectives are necessary to reach a goal. When we consider goals as the pathway to reaching the vision, objectives are the stepping stones used to create these pathways.

5 Develop Action Plans – which are the who, what, when and how around the plan.

Action plans provide the concrete steps required to fulfil each objective. They outline the individuals who are responsible for the action, the time frame for implementation and the resources that are required.

6 Implement Action Plans

Implementation involves undertaking the commitments and activities outlined within your action plans. A plan is just a plan until it is implemented - then it is community development.

7 Evaluate Progress and Results – which is a way to ensure you are on track and reaching the goals.

Evaluation is the assessment of progress and results which helps to determine if you are moving toward your objectives, goals and vision. It is important to think about what success will look like and what outcomes are desired in advance as well as during the activities.

Factors That Contribute to Successful Planning

The following are needed to ensure the successful development of a community plan:

  • a shared vision;
  • long-term commitment;
  • leadership;
  • resources – financial, physical and human;
  • support – community and political;
  • a realistic appraisal of the current situation;
  • a desire to build on the accomplishments and efforts of the past;
  • an inclusive process and the ability to work as a team;
  • a strong commitment and the discipline to take the time needed to work through the logic of a planning process;
  • a push beyond traditional approaches and that which is comfortable in order to identify innovative possibilities and options for consideration; and
  • a commitment to use the plan as a tool and to modify and make adjustments as needed.

As you develop your community development plan and begin to make decisions about activities and resources, there will be differences of opinion. The vision will help to ground and direct these difficult decisions, and the goals will help you stay on track and focused on the results you are trying to achieve.

Successful Planning

In one small city the leaders of the non-profit sector appeared to be in competition with one another. Each was trying to organize the same group of agencies to do similar things. There was a lot of energy and community support but it was being fragmented. One leader noticed this problem and suggested that a community-based strategic planning workshop be held so that they could identify a common purpose and work together. After a weekend planning session, all involved agreed that basically they were all working to reduce poverty in the city. They developed a set of common goals and measures for success. Each organization agreed to measure part of their organizational and agency success based on the poverty reduction measures they developed collectively. From then on they had a shared purpose and leadership within the non-profit sector.

Lessons from Experience

  • Remember that planning is a tool, but it is people and their commitment to action that make a plan come alive and make it work.
  • Don't start the planning process if you are not going to follow through and act on the plan that is developed.
  • An outside facilitator, either paid or volunteer, may be needed to help get things started.
  • Acknowledging the contribution that community members make to the planning process is important.
  • Follow the logic of the strategic planning process, but adapt and change the language and the approach to meet your local needs.
  • Challenge the stereotypes that exist in your community. Don't assume to know what people or organizations think. Look for common ground.
  • Continual learning and being open to ideas is critical. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you know all there is to know about your community.
  • Disagreement and conflict are part of any dynamic and participatory process. Don't be afraid of it. Develop agreed-upon processes for managing disagreement and conflict at the beginning of the process.
  • Don’t get bogged down on elaborate organizational structures. Remember that form should follow function.

 

Points to Ponder

  • Do you believe there is the commitment within your community to create and implement a community development plan?
  • What is needed to prepare for a community development plan?
  • What do past community development success stories and failures say about your community? How can you apply this learning?
  • What strategies can be put in place to ensure the community development process is inclusive?
  • How will you motivate people to become and stay involved?

 

3 Implementing and Adjusting the Plan

Creating an inclusive community development plan can be a time-consuming process. The pay-off for investing this time and energy comes as you begin to implement the plan. Implementation, however, has its own challenges. The implementation process must be well-planned and well-managed if it is to be successful. Implementation challenges include:

  • integrating and coordinating a variety of tasks and activities,
  • being a good steward of resources,
  • helping individuals keep focused on the big picture,
  • remaining positive and not getting discouraged by the unexpected or by the fact that things may not be working out as envisioned,
  • identifying and building on community capacity,
  • making hard decisions when resources are limited,
  • timing actions so they build upon rather than compete with the actions of others,
  • keeping community members motivated and connected,
  • ensuring community ownership remains strong, and
  • communicating and celebrating results.

Successfully managing the activities listed above requires strong leadership and a structure to support implementation. When you started the community development process, you may have found that there was a core of individuals who were very active in almost all the activities being undertaken. As a small group, informal communication and organizational arrangements were probably all that were needed to work together effectively. As you move to implementation of the community development plan, the level and the nature of your activities may no longer make this casual approach possible. A structure or organization that supports your efforts could be necessary.

Failing to have a solid structure can lead to:

  • burnout of your community leaders,
  • wasted effort,
  • confusion,
  • conflict and/or
  • loss of credibility and legitimacy.

 

Possible Roles

Effective implementation requires a structure and process with clear roles and responsibilities. It is important to note that there is more than one role that a community development organization can undertake. Some examples of these roles are:

  • the prime implementers who are responsible for the design and implementation of the community development activities;
  • the facilitator or coordinator who brings together and coordinates the community organizations and resources that are needed to plan and implement a community development initiative;
  • a partner who is one of several organizations that have formed a community partnership to design and implement community development activities;
  • the promoter who promotes and supports community development activity with knowledge, expertise, energy and enthusiasm; and
  • the funding agencies which fund community development activities.

Key questions to consider as an organizational structure is created to support your efforts are:

  • Who should be involved?
  • What is the primary role of the organizational structure being developed?
  • What other roles should it serve?
  • How formal does it need to be?
  • What resources can be used to ensure the successful implementation of the plan and to support the organizational structure?
  • Are there partnerships that could be developed to support the implementation of the community development process?

There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. Generally, however, the larger and more comprehensive your community development effort, the greater the probability that you will need a formal organizational structure to be effective.

 

Sharing the Load

As in many other aspects of community development, it is very important to be clear about the nature of the project to ensure that community members understand what is being done and how they might be involved. It is difficult to invite participation if the goals, tasks and expectations are not clear.

Partnerships are a very useful vehicle for sharing the load, for implementing community development plans and for carrying out some of the possible roles. An overview of what partnerships involve and their benefits can be found in the next section of this handbook under "Maintaining Momentum".

 

Many Hands

A Native Friendship Centre was running employability programs sponsored by the government to help inner-city residents become more self-sufficient. They realized that a big problem was that existing policies provided little to no incentives for people to get jobs. When local social workers agreed with them, they arranged for several agencies to work together in a partnership that would challenge the policies and funding program guidelines. Together they assessed the current situation and developed alternatives to present to government officials. As a result, changes were made and there was more respect for community agencies in having a voice in social change. The Friendship Centre and other agencies involved have become known as community advocates and been invited to participate in many other matters related to community development.

Remember to use your community development plan to ground activities and encourage participation. Too often communities create a community development plan, launch into an activity and then lose track of the vision and goals they want to achieve. When this happens, it is difficult to get others interested.

 

Lessons from Experience

  • The community development plan is a guide, not a detailed blue print. When implementing action in an environment of change, stay true to the principles, values and purpose of the plan, but make adaptations as required.
  • Although it is difficult to move from the informal groups to a more formal structure to define the governing, management and administrative functions, failure to do so could put all your efforts in jeopardy. Sustainability requires a firm structure based on common understanding rather than informality.
  • Make sure the community’s plan and implementation activities are connected in a way that all involved understand. Too often people lose sight of why they are doing what they are doing and how their actions contribute to the big picture.
  • Implementation of community development takes time. Don't set up unrealistic time frames or expectations. Listen to community members. Sometimes our assumptions about what is possible or desirable need to change.
  • Community development is a long-term approach. Action that sustains interest and motivation, such as acknowledging contributions and staying focused on a shared vision, is important.

 

Points to Ponder

  • What do you think will be the biggest challenges for your community as it implements its community development plan?
  • What type of structure or organization will you create to manage the implementation process?
  • How will the workload be shared?

 

4 Maintaining Momentum

Creating a firm foundation for community development and taking the first steps in a long-term process is exciting. Equally exciting, but more challenging, is building and maintaining momentum. This section outlines seven key areas that require careful thought when developing an approach to maintaining momentum for your community development efforts. These key areas are:

  • leadership,
  • partnerships,
  • building on community capacity,
  • funding,
  • reviewing and adapting the community development plan,
  • communication, and
  • using technical support and expertise.

 

Leadership

Consistent and skilled leadership is essential for effective community development. The role of the community development leader(s) is to build community capacity over time that is open to change and adaptation. The goal of the leader is to encourage empowerment of the community, not control over it. It is the leader who:

  • effectively communicates the vision of the community,
  • focuses energy on results and inclusion,
  • motivates individuals and organizations to act together for a common purpose, and
  • develops effective processes to work through issues of concern and conflict.

As a community development leader, you must consciously build and maintain relationships in the community. If community members perceive that you represent a particular set of interests or have a hidden agenda, they will not view your efforts as legitimate.

Openness is a key ingredient for community development leadership. This means that you and your organization must be visible and accessible to community members. They must know who you are, where you can be contacted, and understand your motivation for wanting to take on a community development leadership role. New processes and relationships are built on trust. Who you are, your values and beliefs, and the values and beliefs of your organization will be judged. To be successful, you must not only communicate the values of the community development process, you must live them. For the process to work, you must "walk the talk".

To ensure your community development initiative has strong leadership the following should be considered:

  • identify the leadership skills that you require and seek out individuals who have these skills and abilities;
  • ensure that those in leadership roles have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and what can be delegated to others;
  • work to ensure that community expectations are in line with what can be reasonably accomplished;
  • support leaders with good processes, appropriate organizational structures and skill development – form sub-committees where appropriate;
  • ensure the vision, goals and objectives of the community development plan are clear and well-understood;
  • provide constructive feedback to those in leadership roles;
  • acknowledge successes and discuss what may not have worked out and why;
  • develop ongoing leadership capacity in your community; and
  • do not expect those in leadership roles to do it all.

 

Leadership

Many inner-city community residents found that their income made it hard to make ends meet and to feed their families properly. They wanted to do something for themselves rather than depend on handouts. One person had heard about community gardens and thought this was a good idea. She called a meeting at the community hall. She invited local churches, businesses and community members. A small core group agreed to take a leadership role. A business owner donated a vacant lot. Those who had skills and tools brought them to the initiative. A small community development grant was obtained from a foundation to buy the seeds and other needed equipment. The community garden is now in it’s third year of operation, and the younger community members are involved and learning how to run it.

Lack of leadership or poor leadership can put the whole community development process into jeopardy and can occur for several reasons, such as:

  • burn-out,
  • lack of skills and abilities,
  • lack of support,
  • changing circumstance of the leader and/or the community,
  • lack of clarity with respect to vision and goals,
  • lack of continuity, and
  • people volunteering or being selected for the wrong reasons (i.e. favouritism, because the individual needs work, or the individual has volunteered and no one knows how to say no).

Leaders must take care of themselves. Community development can be an intense process and much is expected of the leaders. To be effective, ensure that:

  • expectations are realistic;
  • you have the support and resources needed;
  • you do not take personal ownership for the process, but build community ownership; and
  • you develop potential leaders for the future.

 

Lessons from Experience

  • Community development leaders usually have a dream or vision for their community which they are able to express effectively to others. They believe in the principles of community development and develop processes that ensure action is taken by the people and for the people.
  • Leaders need support. Community development cannot occur without strong leadership, but leadership in and of itself is not enough for community development.
  • Dependency on one individual or a group of individuals over a long period of time is not healthy. Building leadership skills among a variety of community members is an important part of the community development process.

 

Points to Ponder

  • Are you and/or your organization able to take on the community development leadership role in a sustained fashion?
  • Are there some skills that you need to further develop your leadership abilities? What are these skills?
  • What strategies can be put in place to ensure future leaders?

 

Partnerships

Partnerships are a good vehicle for building effective community development processes and structures. A partnership is defined as a relationship where two or more parties with compatible goals form an agreement to share the work, risk and results or proceeds. Partnerships can be formed for a wide variety of reasons, but they are consistent in that they:

  • share authority,
  • have joint investment of resources,
  • result in mutual benefits, and
  • share risk, responsibility and accountability.

A partnership is not a process where:

  • there is simply a gathering of people who want to do things;
  • there is hidden motivation;
  • there is no trust or need for the partnership;
  • there is no sharing of risk, responsibility, accountability and benefits;
  • one person has all the power and/or drives the process; or
  • communities or groups are told to work together to acquire funding.

 

The Benefits of Partnerships

There are many benefits to developing strong partnerships. Partnerships:

  • are a means for finding solutions to complex issues;
  • combine efforts to share opportunities;
  • enable groups to do more with less by sharing costs, resources and skills;
  • eliminate overlap and duplication of effort;
  • integrate ideas, activities and goals with others; and
  • make good use of shared knowledge and ideas.

 

Community-Based Partnerships

We call a partnership a "community-based partnership" when it occurs in a community, involves community members and directly impacts or benefits the community. Basically, community development partnerships exist when they:

  • insist on local participation and empowerment;
  • have planned inclusion and leadership;
  • enhance local and collective skills;
  • support local entrepreneurs and business;
  • are for the community by the community; and
  • often integrate several areas of development (social, economic, environmental and cultural).

The members of a community-based partnership give consideration not only to their own involvement and contribution but also ask these questions:

  • Who else needs to be involved?
  • When should the others be involved?
  • How should this happen?
  • What do those who are not in the partnership expect from those who are?
  • How do you keep community members informed about partnership activities?

 

Steps for building strong partnerships

Strong viable partnerships don't just happen. Skills, knowledge and experience are required when we bring people together to form useful and productive partnerships. To have an effective partnership you must:

  • know what you want to do as partners,
  • decide who will do what,
  • make a plan and follow it, and
  • evaluate the results and make adaptations as you go along.

The logic and skills used in the community planning process are similar to the logic and skills used to build and maintain effective partnerships. The more effort you put into the front-end development of the partnership, the stronger the partnership will be.

Key questions to be asked are:

  • What is our vision and what are the common goals we want to achieve?
  • What will each party contribute to the partnership?
  • How will we make decisions in our partnership?
  • What processes will we use to resolve disagreements or conflicts?
  • How are we going to share the benefits or proceeds of the partnership?

Organizations or groups entering into partnerships usually have their own identity and work in addition to what they undertake as part of a partnership. As a result, not all partners need to be involved to the same extent in the partnership. The key is that the role and responsibilities of each partner are identified, understood and agreed to, in advance.

 

Factors for Successful Partnerships

Successful partnerships have the following characteristics:

  • a shared vision, goals and objectives for the partnership,
  • clearly-defined membership with roles and responsibilities,
  • strong commitment to the vision and goals,
  • detailed action plans,
  • effective communication processes,
  • adequate resources, and
  • a commitment to evaluation and adaptation.

Additional information about partnerships is available in the Partnership Handbook, Tool Box and Facilitator’s Guide available through Human Resources Development Canada. These handbooks are available via the HRDC website: http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/common/partnr.shtml, by phoning (819) 953-7370 or by faxing (819) 997- 5163.

 

Lessons from Experience

  • Effective partnerships are built upon a clear understanding and respect for one another.
  • Partnerships change and grow over time. Make sure each partner is comfortable with participating in and growing with the partnership, and that the group stays inclusive and flexible.
  • Having a clear and common understanding of roles and responsibilities, the way decisions are made, and the way decisions are communicated to others can make your partnership. Lack of any of these can break your partnership.
  • Ask for help and assistance when you need it. An objective third party can often see the heart of the concern or issue far more easily than those at the centre of the partnership.

 

Points to Ponder

  • Are there potential community development partnerships that you could pursue in your community?
  • What would be the purpose of creating these partnerships?
  • Can you describe what you hope these partnerships would accomplish?

 

Building Community Capacity

Community capacity building involves many aspects and considerations. There is no clear agreement about what should or should not be included when discussing capacity building. Most often it refers to skills, knowledge and ability but can also include things such as access, leadership, infrastructure, time, commitment and resources.

Developing community capacity means taking risks, improving things and sharing control. It involves change, training and increased power for those who have previously not had it. This is the power and wonder of both the community development and the community capacity building processes. Give people time to express themselves, to adapt to change and to learn. This is best done when the community members have a voice and are in charge of the process.

Community development is a capacity-building process with the following keys to success:

  • assess everything required to carry out the plan, role or action;
  • understand the skills and knowledge required for the various roles or action;
  • identify the gaps;
  • develop strategies for filling in the gaps; and
  • develop strategies to support individuals while they learn to apply new skills and knowledge.

Commonly used strategies for the development of skills and knowledge are:

  • training workshops,
  • accessing training opportunities offered within your community,
  • mentoring and coaching,
  • self-directed learning, and
  • training on the job.

Think about capacity building differently for those in paid community development roles and for those in volunteer roles. Capacity development for volunteers is primarily motivated by the interest of the volunteer. Always try to use community members and organizations as a resource for skill development. You may be surprised at the range of skills, knowledge and abilities that individuals and organizations possess.

Failing to build on the strengths, skills, abilities and knowledge will most likely place your community development initiative at risk. Community development cannot be sustained without the active and on-going participation of community members. People do not participate if their contributions are not valued and recognized, or if the participation does not improve their particular situation. Don’t ask for the involvement and help of community members if you are not willing to give them a meaningful role or address their interests and needs.

 

Building Community Capacity

An Inuit community had too many people setting up the same kind of businesses for the size of the market place. There was a lot of tension building and bad feeling being created. Instead of telling people what to do or how to operate their businesses, local leaders brought in a course on Marketing and Small Business Management. After learning about competitive advantages, complementary services and market sharing, several businesses changed their focus and all are now doing very well. This type of capacity building was beneficial to all.

 

Lessons from Experience

  • Recognize that all community members have skills they can contribute. The challenge is to organize and support individuals so that they can make a meaningful contribution to the community development process.
  • To increase capacity, you must first understand what capacity currently exists in your community. There are many methods you can use to identify the knowledge, skills and abilities within your community and the knowledge, skills and abilities that are needed to undertake your community development plan. Pick the approach that works best for you.
  • Sometimes we fail to identify and build on capacity because, initially, it seems to be a daunting and somewhat complex task. Be sure to take a developmental approach to capacity building and link it to the goals and objectives of your community development plan.
  • Community development provides a powerful process for the support and development of young people and those who are marginalized. For example, some young people may have skills but little work experience. Find ways to let these individuals become involved in the process and gain this needed experience.

 

Points to Ponder

  • What support or help might you need to identify your current community capacity?
  • How can you build upon the knowledge, skills and abilities within your community?
  • What capacity considerations are there other than skills and abilities?

 

Funding Community Development

Obtaining financial resources can be a major challenge for a community development initiative. This is particularly true when you are beginning the process. As you move to concrete action it usually becomes easier to find and secure funding from local financial institutions, investors, government programs, foundations and private sector sponsors, or from community members themselves. The key to finding financial support is to be able to clearly identify what you want to do, why you want to do it, and the benefits that will result from your action.

Fund-raising is increasingly becoming an area of valued experience and expertise. Many organizations have an individual on staff or a volunteer with this expertise. Approach any of these individuals, tell them what you want to do, and see if they have some ideas or suggestions that will benefit your situation.

In some regions, municipal governments provide funding for community development initiatives. Some provincial and federal government departments have created community development services and/or economic development boards that manage resources to benefit community development. Most often these services consist of technical expertise that communities can access to support their activities.

In-kind donations and contributions are another possibility to explore. Libraries, churches and other community organizations are often quite willing to provide meeting space at little or no cost. Community members themselves are usually willing to contribute specific skills or expertise.

There is no doubt that starting a grass-roots community development activity can be a challenge. Remember that the first steps of the community development process do not need to be cost-intensive. What they do require is a committed and creative group of community members, or organizations, to get things started. If your community development group is informal, it will be important to find an organization within the community that will agree to act as your sponsor for funding requests. Many funders, due to their regulations or tax laws, are unable to give funds to a group of individuals that is not formally organized.

Finding financial support is only the beginning of the resource issue. Good financial management is also essential to maintaining the credibility of your community development effort. You not only want to manage the money wisely, but you also want to get the maximum value or benefit from the resources that are available. Take care to:

  • make sound financial decisions,
  • meet funding agencies’ requirements for record-keeping,
  • undertake a monthly assessment of your financial situation, and
  • be open about the resources you have and how you are using them.

 

Being Prepared to Seek Funding

The following steps are provided so that your group is better prepared to seek funding or to request financial support. Funding could come from any number of sources including, but not limited to, the following: a traditional lending institution such as a bank or credit union; fundraising or donations; charitable organizations, churches or foundations; government programs; or through partnerships or investor strategies.

Regardless of the funding source(s), or the approach you take, the following steps will help to guide your progress:

  • Ensure that there is a legal structure in place, with a board of directors, or an objective group to accept responsibility and accountability.
  • Develop a plan. Show how the plan connects to other initiatives in the community.
  • Demonstrate support for the plan from those who will benefit from it, as well as those who have decision-making authority or influence in the community.
  • Determine what the strengths and assets are of the community and/or the initiative and be realistic about any limitations.
  • Outline what the needs are and what the gap is between assets and needs.
  • Determine what the rationale might be for funding this particular initiative in order to obtain support, interest and financial buy-in.
  • Set priorities and develop a reasonable budget and timeline. As well, describe who will undertake the work and do the things that must be done, and explain the expertise that they will bring to the task.
  • Develop a funding package, business plan or request for financial assistance and make it as comprehensive, factual and realistic as possible.
  • Prepare a funding plan and assign skilled people to the task of identifying and securing funds. Coordinate activities and keep communication open to ensure continuity.
  • Where possible, find a champion or a well-respected person who will publicly support the proposal or endorse the organization.
  • Make sure that the funding process is handled by the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic people, who will be able to answer questions and generate interest.

 

Different Funding Models

Financing a community development initiative occasionally involves a variety of financial vehicles or sources of funds. Some groups require less money and can cover the costs through traditional fundraising. Others are of a larger scale and may require bank loans, government grants or some sort of external funding assistance.

Community development often reaches a point where generating ongoing revenue or creating a sustainable resource fund becomes important or even a necessity. It can also happen that, as a result of a community development initiative, revenue or resources are generated and this, in and of itself, is the community development activity. Either way, financial sources and processes that might be considered include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • shareholder and local investment,
  • equity and capital funds to assist with access to loans,
  • profit or revenue sharing from local industry agreements,
  • lending circles and local currency,
  • worker cooperatives or new generation cooperatives, and
  • community economic development – profit-making and sharing.

Each of the above is worthy of a handbook of its own to better provide appropriate insight into this area. Most often, however, in a community development initiative, the funding component is tailored to the exact circumstances of the particular community and each one is different. As a significant amount of community development is about establishing new or alternative financial models and approaches, this area is rapidly becoming of great interest to many people. The best way to learn about different financial options is to ask a local community development specialist or a financial institution.

 

Lessons from Experience

  • Prepare your funding package/request in a professional and well-thought-out manner.
  • Ensure that legal responsibilities are well understood and that all involved are clear about the liabilities and accountability that is necessary.
  • Recognize all contributions (time, experience, space, equipment and knowledge) and document them to be included as assets or donations to the initiative.
  • Current financial policies and government program guidelines require input to encourage change. It is difficult to be both an advocate for change and a recipient of funds, but both have to occur.
  • Explore a variety of funding and financing options and learn about what is working in other places. There are no limitations to the type of financial approach or model for any given community.

 

Points to Ponder

  • Is there a funding strategy in place or the ability to put one together? If not, how will funding be handled?
  • What are the special or unique qualities of your community development initiative that might attract interest or financial support?
  • Who will manage the funding process and the financial responsibilities of the initiative and do they have the skills required?
  • What will be done if there isn’t enough money to do everything that is desired?
  • Are there some alternative approaches or models that might be useful for your situation? Where can you get more information about the options?

 

Reviewing and Adapting the Community Development Plan

A community development plan is an ongoing activity which is designed to provide structure and guidance for the community development activities. Once a year, a review of the process should be undertaken. This review needs to be open and inclusive. It is an ideal time to celebrate successes and accomplishments as well as to make adjustments and changes.

Key questions to be considered as part of the review process are:

  • What has been achieved over the last year?
  • Are we closing the gap between where we were when we developed our plan and where we want to be?
  • What changes have occurred in the last year, and can our community development plan effectively respond to them?
  • What are the strengths we should continue to build upon?
  • What are the challenges to which we need to respond?
  • Are our goals and objectives still meaningful?
  • Are there new actions we should take to reach our vision and goals?
  • What additional skills and resources do we need to be effective?

As a community development plan is only as meaningful as the time it reflects and the people who create it, it should be adapted to capture major changes that take place within the community. An annual review of the plan brings communities and organizations together to reinforce the vision they have for the community and to see how well all the pieces are fitting together.

 

Not Adapting the Plan

A rural community prepared a beautiful community plan that everyone liked and had a hand in preparing. Unfortunately, it had been prepared ten years earlier and never subsequently reviewed. There was constant tension over what appeared to be needed and what the plan stated as a priority. Two of the significant changes were that a processing plant opened not far away creating much-needed jobs for the community people and the young people, who had required a playground ten years earlier, now needed a teen center. By not adapting the plan as the community situation changed, local needs were not met and opportunities missed to take part in some of the economic spin-offs of the new plant.

 

Motivation and Commitment

Any long-term endeavor has periods of intense energy and action as well as slower periods when individuals or organizations re-group, decide on the next step and prepare for it. It is important to understand and acknowledge this fact. It is also important to know that on-going motivation and commitment to the process will not just happen; it needs to be nurtured.

Individuals or organizations are motivated to support the community development process when they:

  • believe the action is important and will result in benefits to the community,
  • are valued and respected,
  • believe they are making a contribution, and
  • see that their contribution is recognized and appreciated.

The best ways to keep individuals and organizations motivated are to:

  • involve them as much as possible;
  • acknowledge contributions;
  • celebrate success;
  • encourage new people and organizations to become involved – expand your energy pool;
  • share the load – don’t ask the same people to do everything; and
  • create opportunities for individuals and organizations to recommit, take a break or take on a new role within the process.

To maintain motivation you must avoid relying on the same small group of individuals and organizations. They may burn out and no longer be able or willing to make a contribution. Involving new individuals and organizations is a very important way to maintain motivation. Equally important is creating opportunities for individuals or organizations to change roles or to take a break from the process. This allows them to renew their commitment and contribute as their time permits.

If motivation and commitment are not present, you have been unsuccessful. You will need to re-assess the timing of the action or process you are trying to undertake. In community development, ownership rests with the community. No one person or organization can simply wish ideas into action. If there is no ownership or commitment to a course of action, the best decision may be to back off. Occasionally, you may have to point out that community development will not occur without the active interest and involvement of the community.

 

Lessons from Experience

  • Take the opportunity to review your community development plan. Ensure your activities support the goals and vision of the community.
  • Celebrate all successes, whether small or large.
  • Be open to suggestions and feedback. Let community members take ownership for the process and the results.

 

Points to Ponder

  • How might you design a process to review the community development plan in your community?
  • What information would you require to undertake this process effectively?
  • What will be done to maintain commitment and motivation?

 

Communication

Communication is essential to maintaining the momentum of a community development process; however, like so many other aspects of the process, effective communication takes time and effort. Communication is a two-way process that involves the exchange, transfer and understanding of information. Although the advent of electronic communication vehicles means we can communicate across the globe instantly, effective communication depends on more than technology. It requires:

  • an understanding of the people and groups with whom we wish to communicate;
  • clarity of thought and word;
  • the creation of opportunities for input, and our willingness to hear and respond to this input; and
  • the selection of an appropriate mix of communication vehicles.

Communication is a primary mechanism for building continued support for community development. It demonstrates clearly that the process is open. Encourage community members to become involved and to ask questions. Never assume everyone knows what is going on or that communication is unnecessary. Time spent on communication is never wasted. Remember to use a variety of communication modes to be as clear and as straightforward as possible.

Communication is an important tool to:

  • create awareness of community development and encourage participation;
  • develop support and momentum for the activities;
  • enable community members to contribute their knowledge, skills and abilities;
  • advocate for a particular option or decision;
  • receive information and feedback; and
  • avoid and resolve conflict.

If you find that the community’s perceptions about your actions and results differ from yours or are misunderstood, this is a clear signal that your communication is not effective. Usually a lot of energy is put into communication during the initial stages as support is built and a plan developed. Often, however, as implementation takes up more and more energy, the emphasis placed on communication decreases. Failure to sustain good communication throughout the course of the community development initiative is a common mistake. A mistake that if not corrected can undermine your community development efforts.

Effective communication requires that you have the ability to:

  • listen,
  • be aware of non-verbal ways of communication,
  • speak and write effectively,
  • facilitate conversation or discussion, and
  • be open and respond to feedback.

These skills in and of themselves, however, are not enough. For an effective communication process you must know the answers to the following questions:

  • With whom do you wish to communicate?
  • Why are you communicating?
  • What do you wish to communicate?
  • How will you create an open process so that others can be involved?

As in so many other aspects of the community development process, you must think through the answers to these questions in advance and develop a strategy for communication. Many communities identify the need for effective communication and develop a strategy as part of their community development plan.

Equally beneficial are informal channels of communication, usually called networks. All too frequently we convince ourselves that we are too busy to have a cup of coffee, make a phone call to ask someone what they think, attend an open house or participate in a celebration. However, your participation in these types of activities provides you with opportunities for conversations with other community members about issues that are important to both of you.

 

Lessons from Experience

  • Communication that is confusing can undermine your credibility within the community. Think carefully about what you want to communicate and the best method to use.
  • Build an understanding of your community to ensure that you are effectively communicating to all parts of it.
  • Clear and simple communication requires work. Take the time to be clear about what you are saying and then say it simply.
  • Listen to and respect the opinions of others.
  • Always build feedback loops into your communication processes.
  • There is a need to balance formal and informal methods of communication.
  • Communication is a two-way dialogue, not just a downloading of information.

 

Points to Ponder

  • What communication approach or strategy are you currently using within your community?
  • How can this approach be improved?
  • Does your approach include both formal and informal methods of communication?

 

Using Technical Support and Expertise

The design and implementation of an effective community development plan requires a wide range of skills and abilities. Many of these skills can be found within your community. It is very important to invite community members and organizations to contribute their skills and abilities to the community development process and to make use of them in new ways.

There may, however, be situations where you want to draw upon technical support or outside expertise to enhance and support the community development process. Examples of these circumstances are:

  • the skills and abilities you require are specialized and not fully developed within the community;
  • you are clear about what needs to be done but require assistance in identifying and applying the tools and techniques that will be most effective;
  • community members are already working full-out and do not have the time to contribute their skills; and/or
  • you want to get something going over a short period of time and require concentrated resources to kick-start the process.

Whatever the reason, bringing in technical support and expertise can be a very helpful way to build and maintain momentum. The key to using technical support and expertise effectively is to use them in supporting your efforts rather than directing or controlling them. The community plan and community expertise should shape how and why technical expertise is used.

 

Using Technical Assistance

Municipal planners were concerned that poverty, crime and homelessness characterized a particular neighbourhood. It was determined that a special initiative was required. A community developer was hired to work with the neighbourhood to respond to these issues. Slowly, relationships and community/organizational connections were made and a community development plan evolved. Additional funds were given to the neighbourhood to implement the community plan. A community advisory group was created to manage and direct the implementation process. Housing, youth crime, neighbourhood safety and other issues are now being addressed. This may not have happened without the specialized help of the community developer in the beginning.

There are many technical skills and resource people who can be accessed for support. If you are hiring outside expertise, be sure that:

  • you can communicate what you want, why you want it and the anticipated results effectively to the technical expert; and
  • you see the technical expert as a resource and manage this resource carefully ensuring that you research best value and best skills.

If you are hiring an individual or organization to undertake some work for the community, be sure to develop a formal selection process. This involves:

  • developing a description of what you need to have done;
  • asking for proposals from individuals or organizations that you believe are able to undertake the work;
  • developing criteria for the review of proposals and assessing them against this criteria;
  • meeting the person that you feel can do the job and making sure you have a common understanding of the work; and
  • developing a letter of understanding or contract that outlines what will be done, the products or results that will be expected, and the payments that will be made.

Although the process takes time, it will stand you in good stead. It is an objective process that community members can easily understand. In addition, if any issues arise during the provision of the technical service, you can refer back to the letter of understanding that outlines what was agreed to and the results that are to be produced. A community member with personnel or human resource management experience can help develop a selection process that will work effectively.

If you know that you need to hire technical expertise but are not sure who might have the needed skill, the best solution is to network. Ask community members and others who have done similar work if they are aware of anyone who can provide the assistance required.

 

Lessons from Experience

  • Make sure the values and philosophy of the technical expert you hire are consistent with those of the community development process and your community.
  • Technical expertise is often used to facilitate processes that enable all community members to participate. For example, an expert facilitator might be used to help the community plan workshops or work through a project plan, especially where diverse opinions and points of view exist.

 

Points to Ponder

  • Are there areas of your community development activity where the hiring of technical expertise might assist you? Why?
  • What process will you develop to identify potential technical experts and to hire the technical expertise to assist you?
  • Where will the funding come from to hire outside help?