ENGAGING FOR CHANGING

for A ctive, C reative & E ngaged Communities Brenda Herchmer Alberta Recreation and Parks Association [email protected]

Session Outcomes

Participants will leave the session with an awareness of how to:

1. Describe community development/community building and its relevance to Kids at Hope 2. Apply community development beliefs and approaches to “engaging for change” and “collective impact” 3. Use 5 key learnings to help facilitate community change and growth.

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What’s an

ACE Community?

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Key Learning # 1

Focus on Making

the

Shifts

Happen that will Ensure

Collective Impact

SHIFT IN EMPHASIS 1. Leadership 2. Outcomes FROM

Traditional, Business, Hierarchical One Outcome

3. Power

Top Down

TO

Community Leadership, Distributed Multiple Outcomes Bottom Up

SHIFT IN EMPHASIS FROM 4. Collaboration

Within Silos

TO

Across Silos

5. Involvement

Professionally Driven

6. Timing

Citizen Driven Short Term, Cautious, Reactive Long term, Courageous, Change

Key Learning # 2

Make Room for Different Kinds of Thinking

Public

Assessing Your Leadership Style http://www.acecommunities.ca/downloads/

People -Focused Goal-focused ENERGIZER ORGANIZER Private NURTURER RESEARCHER

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10

LEFT BRAIN (Tree Thinking)

 uses logic   detail oriented facts rule     words and language present and past math and science acknowledges order/pattern perception     reality based forms strategies practical safe

RIGHT BRAIN (Forest Thinking)

  uses feelings “big picture" oriented  imagination rules  symbols and images  present and future   philosophy & religion can "get it”(i.e. meaning)  believes  appreciates spatial perception  presents possibilities  impetuous  risk taking

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THE ACE CHANGE JOURNEY Three Paths to Becoming an ACE Community 12

Key Learning # 3

Community Development Reduces the Pain of Change

Community Development: What is it?

Pair and Share to:

1.

Discuss what we mean by the word “community” 2.

3.

Discuss what we mean by the word “development”.

What does it mean when the two words are combined?

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Community Development

   Community development is supporting people to build the relationships that will enrich lives, grow their community, and provide opportunities “Action that is purposively directed toward altering local conditions in a positive way” “Providing a culture that facilitates the empowering of individuals and groups of people to effect change in their own communities”.

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Community is about FEELINGS

1.

2.

3.

4.

a feeling of BELONGING to something or some group a feeling of PRIDE in that group a feeling of being part of something IMPORTANT and of being INCLUDED a feeling of NOT BEING ALONE, of knowing that others in our community will help us even if they don’t know us

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 Social Action  Social Planning  Community Development (see page 11 larger toolkit)

Strategies Typically Used to Organize Communities 17

Wheel of Community Engagement INFORM

Communicate information to the community

CONSULT

Seek the opinions of the community

INVOLVE

Community participates in decision making and action

EMPOWER

Community shares or leads decision making power Source: Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment and Department of Primary Industries, Effective Community Engagement Workbook and Tools Version 2 January 2004. http://www.cbt.infoxchange.net.au/cbrs/CommEngageWorkbook.pdf

Key Learning # 4

Values Matter

Top 10 Values of ACE Communities

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Citizen engagement Collective responsibility for community building Integrated delivery systems Diversity Creativity Sustainability Recreation, parks, arts, culture and heritage are seen as important to quality of life Community brand/personality Strong communication Status quo is not okay

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Key Learning # 5

Forget About the “Suits”

YOU can lead the change

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AGENT OF CHANGE

Understands, demonstrates and exerts influence by building trusting Relationships.

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COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Practices ongoing personal and professional growth and development.

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BIG PICTURE THINKING

Utilizes a proactive systems thinking/holistic approach.

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CATALYST FOR CITIZEN RESPONSIBILITY

Places a priority on engaging and cultivating community ownership and responsibility.

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QUALITY OF LIFE ADVOCACY

Has the ability to work proactively to promote recreation, parks, sports, arts, culture, and heritage as services that deliver essential benefits.

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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLANNING

Applies community development planning strategies.

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STEPS 1-5 Ensure Engagement

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Ignite & invite others to participate Share strengths & successes Research your community Define priorities Engage others who need to be involved

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STEPS 6-10 Reflect a More Typical Plan

6.

7.

8.

Define Vision, Values & Priorities Describe Purpose Identify Outcome 9.

Develop Strategies and Take Action 10.

Learn Celebrate and Tell the Story

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For more information or to sign up for our monthly newsletter see www.acecommunities.ca. For more information: Brenda Herchmer [email protected]

780.643.1774