community coalition building. workshop objectives describe effective community coalition building ...
TRANSCRIPT
COMMUNITY COALITION BUILDING
Workshop Objectives
Describe effective community coalition building What? Why? How?
Key challenges and success factors Leadership Membership
Asset mapping & elevator speech
What is a community coalition?
Community Coalitions
What is a community coalition?
Group of diverse individuals or organizations Similar values and interests Combine resources (human and material) Pursue a common goal Aim to improve the community Usually a temporary alliance
What do coalitions do?
Identify needs Enhance awareness Stimulate involvement Develop a shared vision
and plans for action Foster networking and
collaboration Mobilize people to take
action Change practices
Source: Nemours Health & Prevention Services
Promote service integration
Influence policy and legislation
Pool existing resources Develop new resources Provide community with
information Sustain long-term focus
on an issue
Why are coalitions built?
Pooling resources and working together makes coalitions: more visible more powerful more capable of advancing their interests
Shared response can elevate an important community concern to an urgent concern
Diverse expertise and connections are available to solve complex issues
Builds a lasting base for change
Potential Challenges
Turf issues Domination by one group Poor links to the community Failure to provide leadership Inadequate planning Poor communication
Source: Nemours Health & Prevention Services & Physicians for Human Rights
Success Factors
Be inclusive and participatory Set unifying goals and a common strategy Respect each group’s self interest Use diversity of each group Communicate openly and often Make explicit agreements Structure decision-making carefully Distribute credit fairly
Source: Physicians for Human Rights
How are coalitions built?
1. Establish vision of success
2. Identify and recruit stakeholders (groups and individuals)
3. Clarify mission and goals
4. Specify underlying facts regarding the issue
5. Create a structure (i.e., work groups)
6. Anticipate and plan for obstacles
7. Evaluate results
8. Celebrate accomplishments
Who should be involved?
Consider: diversity of the group size of the group type of members
Make a list of potential partners and prioritize the list
Recruit members Orient members
Asset Mapping
Membership Guidelines
Potential coalition members what to know: Mission and goals Time commitments Resource commitments Roles, responsibilities, and
recognition
Aid recruitment Enhance role clarity Create consistent
participation levels Provides base for
accountability Serve as team-building
experience
What are membership guidelines?
Why are membership guidelines important?
Elevator Speech
Leadership Guidelines
Effective coalition leaders need to: Commit to group Contribute to goals and
process Have enthusiasm, energy,
inspiration, and expertise Take responsibility Deliver on commitments
Aid recruitment Enhance role clarity Create consistent
participation levels Provides base for
accountability Ensures cohesion
toward progress
What are leadership guidelines?Why are leadership guidelines important?
Initial Meeting
1. Bring interested groups together.
2. Prepare a written agenda.
3. Describe the problem.
4. Work through a team building exercise.
5. Solicit their involvement.
6. Ask them to make a specific commitment.
7. Develop a mission statement and goals for the coalition.
8. Elect a facilitator for future meetings and develop and agenda. 9. Follow-up after the meeting: stay in touch.
10. Send a brief summary of the first meeting.
Coalition Benefits
Improve the community's quality of life by: developing the community's local planning
capacity increasing collaborative problem solving promoting greater cooperation developing the advocacy capacity of the
community increasing information access
Coalition Building Workbooks
Key Links The Community Tool Box, http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/
Getting Started Workbook, http://www.rpscolorado.org/community_mobi.htm
Sustainable Communities: A Guide to Community Asset Mapping, http://www.fallsbrookcentre.ca/community/index.htm
Good Luck!