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The Power of Community
A Roundtable Session facilitated by Christie Huck, City Garden Montessori School, St. Louis, Missouri
Better Together: Community Collaboration for
Infant Vitality June 19, 2015
Ultimately, the more “user-centered” and empathy-based our work is, the more effective it will be.
AND…
Building community brings joy and meaning, as well as longevity and sustainability, to organizations.
People ultimately show up to things (outside of work/ required activities)
for themselves (not because of us or anything magical
we said or did).
So…How do we make our engagement/ activities
about THEM?
Small Group Share: What’s one success and one
challenge you’ve experienced with community engagement?
There are lots of ways to engage the community in our work… But community
engagement is also a mindset.
(How are we always making our programs and our organization about our
mission and our constituents?)
Step One:
Determine the “Who, What, When, Where, Why?”
• What is the reason to get people together, and to ask people to take time away from their full lives to come to our gathering?
• What are the outcomes we are aiming to achieve?
Plan with the participants in mind, knowing that preparation of the environment can make a
tremendous difference in participants’ experiences. Make each component of the
environment purposeful.
Step Two: Prepare the environment.
Prepare the Environment.
• Remove as many obstacles as possible to attendance and participation—child care, food, making it free, welcoming, etc.
• Prepare the physical space.Arrangement of furnitureThe “feel” of the spaceSound, technologyAre physical needs easily met with the space available—i.e., is it too hot or too cold? Are restrooms nearby? etc.
• Think through the materials and tools needed.
Prepare the Environment.
• Be mindful of the group—are there specific physical needs? Are the space and the program sensitive to all cultures and backgrounds?
• Practice “radical hospitality”o Have volunteers or staff welcome participantso Sign in table with name tagso Have water, coffee, possibly other refreshmentso Have music playing, make the environment upbeato Get creative with how to make the environment joyful and
welcoming
What works.
• Have an agenda/ a plan that you’ve prepared for. Be flexible but work hard to stick to times set.
• Make time for introductions for all participants.• Have as little “lecture time” as possible—make as much
programming as possible interactive.• Provide opportunity for sharing and connection.• Foster small group discussions with some facilitated
“report outs” to the whole group.• Let participants know what follow up will happen, how
their input will be used.
What doesn’t work.
• Large group “discussions”• Lecture-only events (unless the purpose is to
purely deliver information)• Letting discussions or programs go over time
(unless there is a good reason)
• Follow-up surveys are great.• Be clear with participants about any outcomes
that came out of the event, and how they can continue to engage.
• Meet with your planning team within 7-10 days to reflect and determine whether outcomes/ goals were met, what went well and what didn’t, how you can use what was learned to inform the next event, how this event has contributed to your overall work.
Freebie:
Nothing drives people away from an organization more than being asked to show
up at committee meetings when it is unclear why they’re there or what the group is supposed to be doing.
Reason and purpose of the committee
• Create a simple “mission statement”/ statement of purpose of the committee, with goals and objectives.
• Clearly articulate how committee members will be involved and what will be asked of them.
• Include a simple timeline that outlines what committee members can expect over the next 6-12 months (or whatever time frame makes sense.)
Freebie #2:
Actually, nothing drives people away from an organization more than challenging, negative people.
(But, the majority of people AREN’T challenging and negative!)
Getting the right people on the bus
• Identify a strong committee leader, with strong facilitation skills. Provide training and support to the committee leader. Determine how staff will support/ interact with him or her.
• Identify committee members who will bring various (sometimes specific) skills, characteristics, perspective, etc. Be clear about what you are looking for in committee members.
Be intentional with how you use the committee’s time.
• Planning and preparation are key!!! The chairperson and staff should prepare thoroughly before each meeting.
• Have an agenda for every meeting, with times designated and with topics assigned to specific members.
• Communicate well/ thoroughly with committee members, but don’t overdo it.
Reflection and Evaluation
Regularly evaluate the work of the committee:• How the committee is functioning?• How are the dynamics of the group?• Is the committee meeting the goals and objectives
set forth? • Have some of the goals and objectives changed?• What adjustments might need to be made?• Are committee members getting something out of
the experience?
Contact information:
Christie Huck, Executive [email protected]
314.664.7646
City Garden Montessori School1618 Tower Grove Avenue
St. Louis, Missouriwww.citygardenschool.org