Support Resources

Support Resources for Engaging the Community

1. Clarify the purpose for engaging with communities and other stakeholders.

Key Resources

• • Developing and Communicating a Vision
  • Creating and Gathering a Group to Guide Your Initiative
  • Coalition Building I: Starting a Coalition
  • Developing a Multisector Taskforces or action committees

2. Identify those who need to be engaged, including those most affected and those who can address the issue.

Key Resources

• • Section 6. Involving Key Influentials in the Initiative
  • Identifying Targets and Agents of Change: Who Can Benefit and Who Can Help
  • Involving People Most Affected by the Problem

3. Reach out to those you want to engage through trusted people, organizations, and networks. (This may include local leaders, those in the youth justice system or those with influence such as faith-based leaders.)

Key Resources

• • Developing a Plan for Increasing Participation in Community Action
  • Building and Sustaining Relationships
  • Learning From and Contributing to Constituents
  • Methods of Contacting Potential Participants

4. Communicate the need and benefits of taking action together.

Key Resources

• • Developing a Plan for Communication

5. Make participation easy and rewarding. (This may include considerations for time, effort, cost, and location; ensuring respectful interactions; and making the experience rewarding.)

Key Resources

• • Promoting Behavior Changes by Making It Easier and More Rewarding: Benefits and Costs
  • There is not enough community participation

6. Improve peoples’ abilities to be involved (e.g. provide information, skill training, technical support).

Key Resources

• • Building and Sustaining Commitment
  • Rewarding Accomplishments
  • Developing a Plan for Building Leadership

7. Define the function and structure of the group (e.g. roles and responsibilities, coordination and leadership, communication and decision-making structures).

Key Resources

• • Developing an Organizational Structure for the Initiative

8. Create an environment that fosters full and effective participation (e.g. welcoming, respectful, engaging quieter members).

Key Resources

• • Techniques for Leading Group Discussions
  • Mindfulness and Community Building
  • Learning From and Contributing to Constituents
  • Building and Sustaining Commitment

9. Establish shared ground rules and guiding principles to inform the group’s values, norms, and commitments for working together.

Key Resources

• • Organizational Structure: An Overview

10. Build and strengthen relationships and trust through respectful and responsive interactions.

Key Resources

• • Building and Sustaining Relationships
  • Collaborative Leadership

 

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