SECTION V - COMMON PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

 

This section identifies some of the most common challenges and difficulties which communities experience in building capacity and undertaking a community development process. Thinking about these issues in advance will help to avoid some of the difficulties experienced by other communities. Each community is different, so the problems that arise may be slightly different, and the solutions you find may be better than the ones offered. This section is simply a guide to help discussion and to develop a better understanding of challenges related to both community development and capacity building.

The most common problems seem to occur around the following issues, which are outlined and then described below:

 

Not Understanding Your Community

Assumptions are often made about what a community is and what it has going for or against it. When undertaking a community development initiative, assuming or guessing are not good enough. It is important to know your community and be able to provide accurate information about it. A community assessment is a process designed to gather community information and data. The purpose of a community assessment is to help understand the nature of your community and develop a common information base among community members. It can be hard to develop a shared understanding of the environment and the issues facing the community without this information.

For some communities, assessment involves identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, while for others it may mean a very detailed analysis of all the sectors of community life. The amount of detail you require in developing an understanding of your community will depend very much on where you are in the community development process.

A common challenge communities face is to develop an assessment process that meets their needs and circumstances. Communities can fall into the trap of collecting information simply because it is available. The assessment process becomes an end in itself and not a way to promote common understanding.

It is important to remember that you are gathering information for a purpose. A great wealth of information about the community or the general environment may exist, but collecting information without a focus and a purpose is not helpful.

A starting point in the assessment process is to create a picture of your community that explores:

Common sources of information are:

Remember that community members and organizations are the experts about your community. If you want to know about social trends, ask organizations and individuals involved in the delivery of social services and in the volunteer sector for information. If there is interest in economic trends, ask people active in the private sector and unions.

Understanding your community is a continuing process. Due to the rapid nature of change in our society, what is true today may not be true tomorrow. Assuming that you know all there is to know about your community is dangerous. Taking stock and assessing the community on a regular basis ensures that your assumptions and understanding of your community are current.

 

Getting From Planning to Action

If you are producing a community development plan for the first time, the steps of creating a vision, goals, objectives and action plans can seem never-ending. Remember that this work will pay off in the long run. Be patient. Don’t rush the front end of the process. Getting the involvement and buy-in of a broad cross-section of community members is essential to your long-term success. It is also important to remember that planning does not occur in a vacuum. Community activities and opportunities are occurring concurrently with the planning process; therefore, you must let common sense and the vision of the community guide your actions.

However, many communities find that the planning process can be frustrating if no focus for action or results is apparent. If you find that you are getting bogged down in planning, and frustrated by a lack of concrete action, then:

Change and adjustments are an ongoing part of the community development process. Do not be afraid to re-define your original approach if you find it is not working for you. However, balance this with the need to take the time to do the hard front-end work that is needed to create a community development plan.

 

From Planning to Action

Three of the five people involved in a community theatre were very good at planning and developing concepts. They enjoyed meeting and putting ideas forward. They weren’t particularly good at getting the ideas off the ground and the other two became frustrated. When things got out of control, they finally agreed to stop planning things that they had no way of implementing. Instead, they made plans that were logical and allowed them to get from planning to actually doing something.

 

Failing to Evaluate Results

Many communities fail to evaluate results in a systematic way. This often occurs because they do not think through what success will look like or what information might be needed to evaluate the results of their efforts. These things should be done as part of the planning process, not as an after-thought. In other words, while you are carrying out your plan, you need to collect the information necessary to evaluate the results of the plan. Assessing the success of your plan based on incomplete or biased information that happens to be available midway through or at the end of the implementation process is not credible or meaningful.

Some communities resist evaluation because they perceive it is hard and complicated work and/or that it will involve "outsiders" making judgments about their community. It is important to take the mystique out of evaluation. Evaluation is simply a tool that helps you understand if you are on track and achieving the results that will move you towards your vision. It is not about determining what actions were "right" and what actions were "wrong" and does not have to be overly technical and complex. In an evaluation you need to explore four basic questions:

The process you develop for answering these questions depends on the complexity of your community development activities and the depth of knowledge and understanding you require. Evaluations of community development can be a challenge because they should have both a quantitative and qualitative side. Concrete information about what has been undertaken is important but so too is information about community members’ perceptions of the process, the results achieved and the overall benefits of community development.

Community development does have risks and, often, it involves new ways of doing things. It is important to acknowledge that risks are being taken and that mistakes most likely will be made. Evaluation enables the community to learn from these mistakes. It ensures that the necessary information is available to adjust and adapt your activity and, therefore, minimize risk.

Evaluation supports the community’s commitment to stay on track and achieve results. In addition, evaluative information is an important element of funding proposals. Funding agencies often want to know what you have achieved in the past, in order to assess whether they should support new projects. Evaluation may be one area where you may want to tap into some outside expertise to help get you started.

 

Lack of Financial Resources

Very few community development initiatives are cost-free. Funding has, over the years, become a major challenge for many community development initiatives as they often do not fit into the types of programs, grants or loans that are available. Usually, the project-based approach, that many funders and financial institutions have adopted, conflicts with the long-range goals or undertakings that will result in substantive community improvement.

Funding and comprehensive financing, for large-scale or even smaller initiatives, can be difficult for several reasons. The ten most common ones are:

Some of these issues rest with funders and how they design and distribute funding, but others are in the control of the community. In order to avoid these funding problems, many community groups are approaching financing as a job that requires skilled staff and a plan. The skills needed for this role include project planning skills, proposal writing skills, knowledge of grants and lenders, experience with fundraising, an understanding of investment partnering and, most of all, a real belief in the validity of the work that must be funded.

Project plans, funding requests and proposals will vary depending on the audience and the amount of money being requested. Some are very elaborate and include a prospectus of the organization and a detailed strategic plan as well as flow charts and financial projections for revenue and expenses. Other requests are two- or three-page overviews of the activities and a rationale for funding.

The following are some of the basic questions which should be considered when putting together a request for funding:

 

Lack of Funding

A community development corporation had received government funding for a period of three years to run an employability program. Although employment preparation was not a key issue identified in the community plan, this is where the funding was available and the corporation decided to pursue the opportunity. Many community members did not agree with this decision and began to lose interest in the initiatives of the corporation. At the end of three years there was no more funding for the initiative. The corporation faced a crisis as they had limited financial resources and had alienated many community members. In the end, it collapsed and the individuals involved lost some personal credibility.

 

Role Confusion and Power Struggles

Role confusion and power struggles can arise in the community development process. This is particularly true if the community development initiative has a large scope. Community development brings about change, forges new relationships and shifts power. Some community members may perceive a loss of power or be threatened by the new relationships that they see being developed. To resist or to be threatened by this type of change is quite natural.

Although role confusion and power struggles may not be possible to avoid completely, here are some things that can be done to minimize these issues:

The power of community development is that it is holistic and inclusive. Yet when we want to get the work done we must, by necessity, divide the work into manageable pieces. The way we divide and manage the work can have a large impact on role confusion and power struggles. With the best of intentions and in good faith, community members or organizations may be taking on work that impinges on others without their knowing it. If you perceive tension or confusion over group or individual responsibilities, seriously examine how the work has been organized.

An individual’s personality or character, however, can also cause power struggles. It is important to try to put the suggestions above into place, but remember that the right solution may be that an individual leaves the process or activity. If this is the case, your goal is to manage this process with as few hard feelings as possible.

 

Unresolved Conflict

Conflict and disagreement can occur in any human endeavour. In and of itself, it is not a bad thing; it depends on how it is managed. It is always best to have disagreements clearly expressed and out in the open. Disagreement becomes dangerous when it is suppressed. To avoid or ignore conflict is to risk the escalation of the issue and an increase of divisiveness.

The key to resolving conflict or disagreement successfully is to:

Conflict and resistance may be a signal that you have not developed an inclusive process. Community members may be challenging or resisting elements of the process because they have not been involved in the development of these activities and/or have little understanding of what is being undertaken. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that an inclusive process is too difficult or that certain elements of your community are not really interested and, therefore, do not need to be involved. Do the legwork needed to promote inclusion. Involve the entire range of interests and perspectives in your community in the development process rather than having to address issues of concern and conflict after the fact.

 

Not Applying Tools and Techniques Effectively

Undertaking the community development process requires not only tools and techniques, but also an understanding of how to use them. One of the most common reasons for not using tools and techniques properly is not knowing what they are. A tool is a series of specific process steps, an exercise or a checklist that can be outlined in detail and then applied in a variety of circumstances. Examples of tools are community assessment questionnaires, skill inventories and funding proposal checklists. A technique is less tangible and is a method or means of undertaking a set task. Examples of techniques are community visioning approaches, tips for how to communicate effectively and ideas to promote effective group facilitation.

The tools and techniques used in community development evolve and change. What works well in one community may not work well in another. Therefore, a set of tools and techniques that is guaranteed to fit all circumstances can not be identified. Communities can and must learn from the experience of others but must adapt and refine what works in other places to their own set of circumstances.

It is important that you explore the range of tools and techniques that are available and apply them to your own particular circumstance. As you explore tools and techniques for your community ask yourself these questions:

There is a wealth of possible tools and techniques available in the form of print/video material and the wisdom of other community developers. Section VI of this handbook provides some starting points for beginning to explore the wealth of material that is available. Many of the tools and techniques you discover will be for sale. Regardless of whether you pay for the material or not, be aware and respectful of copyright issues. If you adapt the material of others it is important to acknowledge the contribution they have made to your thinking.

If you are contacting other community developers you must also be respectful of their time and circumstances. Be clear what it is you want to know and ensure that your expectations are reasonable. For example, asking an individual if they can identify some effective resources for you is reasonable, but asking someone to produce a community development process for you over the phone is not. Many community development organizations and individuals work on a contractual or fee-for-service basis; therefore, anything beyond preliminary inquiries may require that a fee-for-service arrangement be put in place. If an individual contributes time and effort to locating resources and/or providing direction, acknowledge this contribution.

 

Building a Toolbox

Several members of a community action group met to look at their community plan and to assess what needed to be done and how it would happen. There were several community assessments required, two town hall meetings and a great deal of data to gather. They knew that they needed specialized tools and techniques but didn’t have the money to hire someone to help. Instead they asked people they knew how to do the various things and what tools they used. They put together a great little tool box for their own use and have since created a handbook filled with community planning tools.

 

Lessons from Experience

 

Points to Ponder