the little purple book of community rep-ing how to...

The little purple book of Community Rep-ing The little purple bookof Community Rep-ing

Publication of the Not Just A Token Rep ProjectNorth West Suburbs Health & Social Welfare Council

Third Edition2003

How to order To order more copies of

The little purple book of Community Rep-ing please contact the Publications Officer at

Adelaide Central Community Health ServicePhone: (08) 8342 8600

SECTION 7 PAGE 44

Third Edition Published byAdelaide Central Community

Health Service

Funded byConsumers’ Health Forum

of Australia

CartoonistGeorge Aldridge

Chris Sanderson whose vision inspired the project.Consumers’ Health Forum of Australia for originally funding this project.George Aldridge for his commitment and artistic talent.The Publisher, writers and artist involved allow reproduction of any part of this publicationfor non-profit purposes. Any such use must be acknowledged.

PublisherAdelaide Central Community Health Service ph (08) 8342 8600First Edition 1994, Reprint 1995 by North West Suburbs Health & Social Welfare CouncilSecond Edition 1997. Third Edition (reset) 2003.The Council was defunded by the SA Health Commission in 1995. Council members choseParks Community Health Service to inherit The little purple book of Community Rep-ing.

ISBN 0 646 18487 9

CartoonistGeorge Aldridge ph 0408 470 713

WritersMarg TatyzoRay HirstCharlie MurrayFiona Verity

Members of the Steering CommitteeMarg TatyzoGlenda GlazbrookBev Freeling

Layout & DesignRay HirstJenny HughesParaskevi Scounos

Printed byKookaburra Press

Thanks also toChristine GatesKhali StantonMembership of the NWS HSWCSA Carers AssociationDisability Information and Resource CentreIndividual Supported Accommodation ServiceQuantum HousingSPARKConcern for Health and Our Kid’s EnvironmentPort Adelaide Environment ForumNorth West Suburbs Community Environment CentreCasa ChileVietnamese Community AssociationKura YerloLesley WanganeenAnd most importantly, all those Reps we spoke to individually and in workshops.

acknowledgementsThe little purple book of Community Rep-ing

SECTION 7 PAGE 43

contents

Introduction The Project iiSummary of Issues iv

Section 1 What is Participation? 1

Section 2 Working Outside the System 7

Section 3 Definitions of Participation 11

Section 4 Being Effective 15

• the role of the Chairperson• speaking up• setting support• when our views don’t count• who do I represent?

Section 5 Have you been consulted lately? 33

Section 6 Community Participation Workshop Kit 37

Section 7 Useful References 41

Who cares about Health in the ‘90’s?; ed. Colin McDougall &Des McCullogh, Adelaide, 1992

Community ActionCommunity Quarterly: Community Development in Action:Journal Fixing the Government: Everybody’s Guide toLobbying in Australia; Katherine Beauchamp, Penguin,Victoria, 1986

Proof’s in the Pudding: Possibilities for Local CommunityWork; C.W. Fairfield, NSW, 1984

Deprivation Participation & Community Action; ed. L Smith& D Jones, Routledge & Kegan Paul, London, 1981

ConsultationConsultation Principles & Protocols; Health & Social WelfareCouncils of SA

Consulting with your Community: A guide for LocalGovernment & Associated Organisations; Sue Maywald,Local Government Community Services Assoc, 1989

Health StatisticsA Social Health Atlas of South Australia; SA HealthCommission, Adelaide

Health Facts 1992; Report of the Australian Institute ofHealth and Welfare, Australian Government Publishing Service

MeetingsMore Bloody Meetings: The Human Side of Meetings; VideoArt, London, 1976 (video and booklet)

Chairing a Meeting; TUTA Wodonga, TUTAPublications,1984

Organisationsworthjoining...

The little purple book of Community Rep-ing

Consumers’ Health Forumof AustraliaPO Box 170Curtin ACT 2605Ph: (02) 6281 0811Fax: (02) 6281 0950email: [email protected]

Health Issues CentreLevel 5 Health Sciences 2Latrobe UniversityVictoria 3086Ph: (03) 9479 5827Fax: (03) 9479 5977email:[email protected]

South Australian Councilof Social Services(SACOSS)Level 1 Torrens Building220 Victoria SquareAdelaide 5000Ph: (08) 8226 4144Fax (08) 8226 4144email:[email protected]:www.sacoss.org.au

SECTION 7 PAGE 42

Welcome

This project was undertaken to highlight some of the pitfalls and satisfactions of entering intothat catchcry ‘community participation’. The booklet is meant to be taken seriously. It is meantto be laughed over. To recognise the sameness of people’s experiences, and to have a creativelook at the ups and downs of ‘being on a committee’.

It is meant to provide the families, friends and partners of that strange breed who ‘go tomeetings’ with an idea of why their ‘meeting goer’ often comes home blue in the face, headrevolving and glazed over eyes muttering, ‘I need a drink’ or, ‘which meeting was I at?’ or‘they remembered my name!’ or joy of joys, crying jubilantly, ‘WE DID IT!’

The beneficial changes that occur through community participation in decision making are realand were acknowledged by people in the cartooning workshops. Good participationprocesses, good outcomes and the thoughtful acceptance of change on behalf of those who doit well were appreciated by participants.

Inevitably, when meeting with consumers in times of cuts to health and welfare services, thepitfalls are brought to the fore. This is part of problem solving. It is part of recognisingconsumers’ newness to decision making processes, and for old hands, recognising the natureof the business when standing by people who are often on the fringe of politically influentialsystems.

True to their natures though, these ‘meeting goers’ saw the humourous side of the bizarre, aswell as the giving side of the people who continue to support community representatives,even when at a certain risk to themselves. Most importantly, the participants recognised thevalue of those people who provide a place for others in their decision-making process.

This booklet has not set out to deny those good processes and thoughtful people, rather it isa humourous look at the stumbling blocks, with a view to encouraging more people to takesteps to become like those other ‘thoughtful ones’ when engaging community representativeson their committees.

We thank all those involved and hope you enjoy this presentation as much as we haveenjoyed putting it together.

Margaret Tatyzo, 1994

foreword

i

Some Useful References &Resources

Being a RepGuidelines for Consumer Representatives; Consumers’ HealthForum of Australia, Canberra, 1993

The Community Participation Workshop Kit; Adelaide CentralCommunity Health Service, Adelaide, 2002

Community ParticipationNational Resource Centre for Consumer Participation inHealth. ph 1800 625 619website: http://www.participateinhealth.org.au/

A History of the North West Suburbs Health & Social WelfareCouncil 1988-95; Charlie Murray & Marg Tatyzo 1995(available from SA Department of Human Services Library)

Healthy Participation: achieving greater publicparticipation and accountability in the Australian healthcare system; National Health Strategy Background Paper No12, 1993

“A Ladder of Citizen Participation” Arnstein, S R AIP Journal,USA, 1969 p 261

Primary Health CareTalking Better Health Training Manual; Commonwealth ofAustralia 1994 (available from Community Health Accreditationand Standards Program)

Priorities in Health: Encouraging the Debate. InformationKit; 1995 (available from Community Health Accreditationand Standards Program)

Strategic Directions for Primary Health Care in SA; PrimaryHealth Care Implementation Steering Committee and SA HealthCommission, 1993

Social Health Strategy for SA; SA Health Commission, 1988

The Role of Primary Health Care in Health Promotion inAustralia: (Interim Report); National Centre for Epidemiology& Population Health, 1991

We list here a selection ofbooks, practical guides andsupport organisations thatmay help in yourparticipation as a Rep. Theare particularly relevant forReps in SA. You will findsome of them in libraries oforganisations likecommunity health centres.Most Government depart-ments also have libraries,information and advisoryservices so it is worthasking the Chair of theCommittee you are on, orthe Committee’s ExecutiveOfficer, how you can getaccess to this information. Ifyou know of particularresources that have beenhelpful for possible futurepublication so of thisbooklet.


SECTION 6 PAGE 41

The North West Suburbs Health and Social Welfare Council was a community participationorganisation funded by the SA Health Commission from 1989-95. It had a membership of about400 community members and 1.5 staff. The Health and Social Welfare Councils were defundedin December 1995. Through its work the Council developed a membership of people who wereinterested in community participation and consumer rights. Many of these members throughthe course of their involvement had been consumer or community Reps.

One of the frequent request that the Council had from organisations within and outside of theHealth system was ‘could you please provide us with a community or consumer Rep?’ While itwas encouraging to find that many organisations were now approaching their clients, patients,consumers or residents to involve them in decision making, it is important that communityparticipation is not tokenistic.

It was with this idea in mind that we applied for, and successfully received, funds from theConsumers’ Health Forum of Australia to conduct a ‘Not Just a Token Rep’ cartoon project.

what we hope to do

The aim of the project was to produce a humourous and accessible guide for people wantingto be community or consumer representatives, a guide which was based on the experiences ofpeople who had actually been community or consumer representatives.

The project also aimed to bring together people who had been Reps in similar health relatedareas, and provide them with an opportunity to share ideas, experiences and resources.

… employ a cartoonist

Cartoons are a powerful medium, able to communicate what can often be complicated andsensitive messages to a wide range of people. Cartoons are an especially good means to cutthrough language and literacy barriers. With the money from the Consumers’ Health Forum weemployed well-known Adelaide cartoonist, George Aldridge. George worked with us and othergroups and individuals to develop cartoons from people’s experiences of being Reps.

introduction

ii


SECTION 6 PAGE 40

introduction

… run workshops with Reps

We ran a series of six, two hour workshopsfocusing on particular areas such as theenvironment, non-English speakingbackground issues, disability, members ofBoards of Management, and other communityorganisations. We invited people who had beenReps in these areas to attend and talk abouttheir stories and experiences. George attendedall of these, and also met individually with arange of people outside of workshops.

Staff and members of the North West Suburbs Health & Social Welfare Council attended theworkshops, assisting with facilitation and recording the issues raised from people’s stories.We were also interested in ideas for solutions to people’s concerns. The workshops provideda good opportunity for Reps to take some steps toward overcoming the isolation experiencedas lone Reps. The skills and experiences of some Reps were used to help others to overcomesome of the barriers to effective participation.

… and write a guide

Staff and members of the Steering Committee of the project at the Health & Social WelfareCouncil took the responsibility for writing the content of the booklet, based on what peoplesaid in the workshops. Drafts were circulated to as many people involved in the project aspossible. From this long but very worthwhile process The little purple book of CommunityRep-ing came to be!

iii


SECTION 6 PAGE 39

Cartoon 14

Building a partnership

For decision making to include thepeople affected by the decisions thenthe ideal working relationship is apartnership between all thoseinvolved. This will mean thatparticipants need to learn to speakthe same language, or at least tounderstand each other. This willinclude understanding howbureaucracies work. It will also meanthat the Community Rep needs goodsupport and is able to take charge ifthe other people involved are notworking as partners.

OUTCOMEParticipants will be able to identify theblocks to building a partnership between aCommunity Rep and professionals, anddevelop strategies towards building apartnership.

EXERCISE 1 (20-40mins)In the large group,talk about thecartoon and/or sharestories aboutassumptions that canbe made about theskills, knowledge,expectations abilityetc of a Communityrep.

Why are these assumptions made? (STORIES/ISSUES)

Share experiences of committees/groups who have actively involvedand encouraged the Community Rep. How was this done?(SOLUTIONS)

Develop a list of ways that a committee or group can create anenvironment where the Community Rep has the opportunity to be avaluable participating member of the group. (STRATEGIES)

Develop an ACTION PLAN if appropriate.

Go through this exercise focussing on your own group.

issues raised in the workshops

Participants freely shared stores about their experiences at the workshops used to developthis booklet. They told of their experiences: the barriers to being effective participants andwhat sorts of things help in overcoming barriers. Particular themes emerged from theworkshops and they were:

GroupDynamicsMeeting procedures, levelsof communication, how theagenda is set, who talks andwho does not etc, were seenas a reflection of a group’scommitment to genuinelyallowing members of thecommittee to participate. Itwas considered that thisdepends a lot on the skills ofthe Chairperson. A skilledChair will pick up on thedifferent levels of powerthat people have within thegroup and make an effort toinclude all members indiscussion and decision-making. Being a loneconsumer representative ona committee with healthprofessions can be anintimidating and isolatingexperience. One rep told thestory of being on acommittee for 14 monthsbefore being introduced tothe other members. Theworkshops were used tohelp people with strategiesto make the Rep’sexperience more useful andrewarding.

Access toInformationMaterial that iswritten in medical orbureaucratic jargon is adefinite barrier toparticipation for manyconsumerrepresentatives. Thereseems to be a need fora well publicised list ofsuggested contactpoints for resourcesand information (eg.The Consumers’Health Forum ofAustralia)

The needfor supportBeing a community orconsumer Rep is oftenvery isolating.Organising a supportgroup or connectingwith a self-help orcommunity group canbe ways of gettingmoral and practicalsupport andinformation. Otherpractical support likecosts for childcare andtransport were raised,as well as sitting feesin some cases.

Hanging inthereWhile many barrierswere identified in thisproject, there was anoverwhelmingly strongcommitment toparticipation. It wasuniversally agreed thatconsumers andcommunity Reps havea very important partto play. Participationshould ensure thatthose people affectedby decisions, orreceiving the service,are involved in thedecision makingprocess.

iv

The little purple book of Community Rep-ing The little purple book of Community Rep-ing

SECTION 6 PAGE 38

Cartoon 7

Runningmeetings

If a meeting runs well then everyoneparticpates and thinks together aboutproblems and facts and finds solutions.There are lots of reasons a meeting can runbadly, but it doesn’t just come down tothe chair or leader. Poor organisation,lack of basic rules, poor time manage-ment, time pressure and individuals whodon’t think about how their ownbehaviour affects the group can allcreate problems. This exercise shouldhelp a group find their own problems andsolutions.

EXERCISE 1 (20 - 40 mins)In the large group discuss:• What is the person speaking FEELING?• What are the others FEELING?• Does the cartoon bring up stories of similar situations people have been in? (STORIES)• Why does this situation happen?• What are the positive and negative impacts?• What effect can this behaviour have on the group? (ISSUES)

OUTCOMEParticipants will be ableto develop strategies topromote a group workingeffectively together withfull participation

Discuss whether it has happened in this group.

Discuss how an individual or the group could deal with thissituation.Discuss the possible consequences of the above suggestions andform STRATEGIES.

Develop an ACTION PLAN

how to use this booklet

The cartoons are a very useful resource in running workshops. This can be done with yourcommittee, or with any other groups, in order to reach a more satisfactory level ofparticipation. We have included a suggested workshop outline. More information about thisis at the end of the booklet.

The publishers and cartoonist encourage you to photocopy any cartoons or materialcontained in this booklet for non-profit purposes. However acknowledging both is required.

This project has been fun, and as the brilliant cartoons illustrate, it has captured many ofthe dilemmas difficulties and rewards of participating as a community Rep.

Our experience of working with communities and our commitment to ensuringcommunity participation is rewarding and effective, has led us to develop this booklet.Its strength is that it is a practical booklet produced by Reps, for Reps. So Hang In There!

This booklet has been developeddirectly from the experiences ofcommunity Reps. It is by no means acomplete guide to participation or tobeing a Rep, but we hope it providesdecision-makers and Reps with someideas and resources to makeparticipation more meaningful andrewarding.

We have divided the booklet intosections which reflect the content andthemes which emerged from theworkshops. Where possible we haveincluded what we hope will be usefulcheck-lists and references. We havealso included a guide for communityconsultations which came out of someearlier work of the North WestSuburbs Health & Social WelfareCouncil.

v


The Community ParticipationWorkshop Kit

SECTION 6 PAGE 37

Cartoon 1

What a Repneeds to know

Community Reps can sometimesfeel isolated and lacking inconfidence. This can come down tolack of support, confusion or, lack ofknowledge about the topic, thepeople involved or even thelanguage used. This exercise canhelp identify what support andinformationa Rep needs.

EXERCISE 1 (20 - 30 mins)

OUTCOMEParticipants will be able to identifya range of strategies which willprepare and increase theconfidence and skills of aCommunity Rep.

In the large group ask participants to describe the FEELINGS of the Community Repand the others in the cartoon.OR

The cartoons have proved to be an exciting, stimulating andoften humourous vehicle for discussing community issues,especially with people actively involved in change.

Workshop kit based around some of the cartoons in this bookhas been published as a loose-leaf manual. It includes noteson running the workshops and exercises designed to helpgroups to explore issue of community participation. Exercisesencourage people to look at the issues from the individual, thegroup and the system level, and to come up with strategiesthrough sharing success stories as well as analysingproblems.

Two of the workshop exercises are presented in this section.The kit was developed by Nicky Page from a series ofworkshops written and trialled by Christine Gates. It isavailable through Adelaide Central Community Health Service.

Each of the 18 cartoons has a name, outcome and exercise(s).

You may have noticed that governments and bureaucracies areincreasingly supporting the call for communities to participatein all types of decision-making about service planning,delivery and evaluation. Just what community participation iscan mean very different things to different people. Broadlyspeaking, participation means the involvement of people indecisions that affect their lives. It is about health and welfareservices, Local Government, education, housing services etc.


what is participation?It acknowledges the importance of consulting withcommunities about their needs, and satisfaction with services,policies, structures and programmes. Community participationis about change, and therefore is difficult at times anddemands patience. It has a very important role to play inensuring change is appropriate to circumstances.

SECTION 1 PAGE 1


SECTION 5 PAGE 36


Within the Health System, community participation has beensupported at the international, national and state levels, inpolicy document eg.

-

- Ottawa Charter forInternational HealthPromotion 1986.

- World HealthOrganisation ‘Healthfor all’ strategy.

- SA Primary HealthCare Policy.

- SA Metro HealthServices plan

“real participation

means joint

problem solving,

joint decision

making, joint

responsibility”

Consumers Health ForumHealthy Participation

SECTION 1 PAGE 2


Consulter4. Make available resources for effectiveconsultation; staff with relevant skills andknowledge; fund for preparing writtenmaterials; advertising; child care;interpreting and transport; funding forfacilitator/s for meetings; resources forrelevant groups and organisations tocollect information for the consultation.

5. Discuss details of any public meetingswith relevant groups ie. venue, times,speakers.

6. Make material and informationavailable in languages other than Englishwhere relevant.

7. Be realistic about the results of aConsultation: what is being changed?What are consequences for thecommunity? What is the motivation forthe changes?

8. Be clear and honest, about whetheryou are having a public meeting to informpeople of decisions already made, or areholding a consultation for input tointended changes.

9. Report back publicly on outcomes by:describing how responses are made tothe information received, howimplementation of any recommendationswill happen, why decisions have beenmade.

Consultee4. Make suggestions to help. Get asmany people involved as possible. Findout if there’s money for translations,photocopying, mailing, travel, childcare.

5. Turn up to public meetings wherepossible. If you know the time, place orspeakers are not right, let the organisersknow.

6. If you know translations would beuseful, then ask for them as consultersmay not know about a particularcommunities needs.

7. Know the limits of a consultation.Don’t be too disheartened if nothingseems to happen straight away.Remember that networking andinformation exchange are still useful.

8. Check that your views have beenreported accurately.

9. Question how effective implementationof the outcomes will happen. Keepquestioning.

SECTION 5 PAGE 35


Each of these documents reflect the view that communitymembers have an important role to play at a range of levels.You may find it useful to refer to these to ‘lend weight’ to yourinvolvement, or to gain inspiration!

Because it does make adifference.Because it can beconstructive.Because recognising realneed is important.Because services need tobe accountable to thecommunity they serve.Because we can push forreal improvements.Because we arecommitted to positivechange.Because we have theright to be healthy.Because it can makethings better for others.Because we can workwith others who sharesimilar goals.

why participate?

“...it means people

in the community

being involved in

the planning and

delivery of health

services...”

Health & Social Welfare CouncilsProgram Manual

“...it can also

involve action to

promote health...”

Health & Social Welfare CouncilsProgram Manual

SECTION 1 PAGE 3


Consulter1. Write a brief, clear statement onthe consultation in plain languageand include a summary of anybackground information.- find out if something similar has already been done and- build on it rather than repeat- include what is, and what is not negotiable and why- who is thought to be affected by the proposal and how you intend to contact them- spell out what kind of input is being sought, eg. comments on existing proposals or activities, information on needs or likely demand for a service etc. Make this public.- make clear what the information is being used for and who is collecting it.

2. Make sure there is enough timefor people to respond. Take intoaccount most people are not‘working’ full time on the issue(s).

3. Make sure you vary themethods of consultion. Try smalldiscussion groups, telephonehotlines, surveys andquestionnaires, public meetings,door knocking, etc.

Consultee1. If you know the consultation iscovering the same ground asbefore then give the details to theorganiser.Remember, you’re the one whooften knows the issues best.

2. Get hold of written material,especially anything that spells outwhat’s wanted. Get as muchbackground information as youcan and talk to as many people aspossible.

3. Take as much time as you need,especially if you feel you need totalk to others. Answer the way youfeel comfortable. The rightquestions may not have beenasked.

The not

so complete

guidelines to

community

consultation

SECTION 5 PAGE 34

what the participants saidThe little purple book of Community Rep-ing

“...involvement of the

general public in

decision making...is

fundamental to

effective health

promotion and

illness prevetion.”

SA Health CommissionSocial Health Strategy

“...it’s about

achieving justice

and about our

ability to participate

at all levels...”

Mental Illness Awareness CouncilConsumer Participation

“If it wasn’t for this group, I’d still be at homemaking phone calls in isolation”

“I’ve always wanted tojust stand up and

say I think we could do it differently”

“It’s important theyknow what it’s like at

our end”

“Change is therehappening, but

it’s slow”

SECTION 1 PAGE 4


Whether you’re a Rep or not, youmay one day ‘be consulted’. Thissection is included to assist you inthis process. There is informationfor both the Consulter andConsultee, meant as anintroduction and guide of what youcan reasonably expect from eachother.

This section is drawn directly fromthe North West Suburbs Health &Social Welfare Councils, (1991)Consultation Principles andProtocol. In these Principles andProtocol, consultation is defined as‘a process of openly looking atoptions about policies,programmes and practices’.Consultation relies on exchanginginformation between organisationsand the people they serve.

Community consultation is onlyone element of communityinvolvement, and all too often is anelement which borders oninforming communities, rather thana real partnership betweenConsulters and Consultees.

Have youbeen

lately?consulted

SECTION 5 PAGE 33

The little purple book of Ccommunity Rep-ing

SECTION 1 PAGE 5


SECTION 4 PAGE 32


“Excuse me while

I just raise your

awareness”

“there has

been a real

culture shift”

Quotes from workshop participants:Not Just A Token Rep

SECTION 1 PAGE 6


SECTION 4 PAGE 31


workingoutside

the systemWorking within the system as a Rep is a way to seek change tothe system. However there will always be a need for people towork outside the system, or a combination of both.

Working outside can include community action, working withother groups (eg. churches, unions, environment groups),lobbying Members of Parliament and so on. One majordifference is that you do not have to accept the limits put onyou by the system. It may be more expedient to define theproblem or the solution in your own terms. Working outsidethe system allows you to set your own direction and pace.This may put you at odds with the system you wish tochange.

SECTION 2 PAGE 7


whodoIrepresent?

Some community groups areasked to provide a Rep for acommittee, and in this caseeveryone is clear about whothis person is representing.

However, it is not possible tohave one person representingall members of all communities,nor is it possible to have allcommunities (and the divisionswithin those communities)represented.

As a community Rep you canonly hope to provide acommunity view, and undertaketo consult with a limited rangeof people. Some Reps find ituseful to consult with analready existing communitygroup, or to form a group ofinterested people to consult.

SECTION 4 PAGE 30

To make change happenrequires differentapproaches. Theseapproaches will varydepending on differentsorts of things.

- how strongly dopeople feel aboutthe issue?

- is there timeavailable? (is iturgent?)

- how politicallydifficult or easy isthe issue?

- how strong is theopposition?

- is there anymoney available?

- is there a groupwho can help?

For example, suppose you or members of your local communitywanted to get a neighbourhood house in the area. You’veprobably started outside the system, because that’s wheremost of us spend most of our time.

A way to start is to find out if anybody else is working on thesame thing. You may find a committee, planning group or someother group. You could join as a Rep and become ‘part’ of thesystem. On the other hand you may become frustrated with acommittee and decide that community action is a betteralternative.

“What we are

saying is that we

need to change the

way things


Quote from workshopparticipant

SECTION 2 PAGE 8


SECTION 4 PAGE 29


communityaction

“People should

talk and discuss

the politics”

Almost anything goes. That’s the point – you and yourcommunity are in control. Often community action starts with awider group of people, in this case interested in aneighbourhood house, forming to create a strong and localvoice. This might involve planning a campaign which involveslobbying:

- the local council about setting up a communityhouse

- Members of Parliament for funding- local service groups and business groups for support- local and state health and Welfare services.

…and raising the issue in local media.

SECTION 2 PAGE 9

Quote from workshopparticipant


reconsidering your goalsHow long have you been a Rep and felt that yourcontributions have not being included?

Try to define ‘the problem’ from your own perspective.

What have been the benefits of being involved? Do theyoutweigh the problems?

Speak to the Chairperson about it, or other members of thecommittee. Ask them to clarify why the committee wanteda community Rep.

If you are not satisfied with the response of thechairperson or committee, is there someone the committeeis responsible to who could be contacted about yourconcerns?

If you are finding it increasingly difficult to achieve yourgoals it might be time to consider the following:

- establish a support group- request that another community Rep position be created.

Set yourself a time limit to work towards improvements,eg. 3 – 6 more meetings.

If it is still important for you to continue regardless of theabove, you could make a presentation to the chair,organization, or other authority as to your reasons fordissatisfaction. Enlist your support group (if you haveone) for assistance concerning the best way to go. Listento advice from the support group.

If it is clear that regardless of what you do, the committeewill not value your participation, you can resign in writing,and clearly outline the reasons.

If all else fails, perhaps it is time for a break. SometimesReps form or attend another type of committee where theyfeel their work is put to better use.

If you are having

consistent trouble

to the point where

you feel you’re

wasting your time,

or that it just

shouldn’t be this

hard, then this

checklist may be

of help.

SECTION 4 PAGE 28


During your work for a community house you, or one of thepeople you’ve worked with may be invited to join a committeeor planning group to represent your community. Thiscommittee may be looking at the broader issues in local orregional planning – who gets what, when and why? In joininga committee that looks at services or planning of local facilitiesin your area, you have entered the system.

On entering you may get a look at the broader view, andinfluence positive change. Or you may not!

Deciding on the right approach for the issue(s) you are dealingwith the million dollar question. You might decide to workwithin the system and campaign outside of it at the same time.It is worth remembering though, that change can be a long andslow process and at different times different approaches will bemore successful.

SECTION 2 PAGE 10

“I was told

‘you don’t

qualify’”

Given this, and some of thebarriers previously mentioned,many Reps find it useful, itnot essential, to organisesupport for themselves.

In your committee it may bethat some individuals do notaccept that members of thecommunity have the ability orthe right to participate. In thiscase you can feel your viewsare constantly dismissed ordiscounted.

If as a Rep this is yourexperience, then it is worthre-considering both yourgoals, and why the committeewanted a community Rep toparticipate.

SECTION 4 PAGE 27


SECTION 3 PAGE 11

when our views don’t count

Community participation is aboutchange. Until recently, decision-makingprocesses have been occupied solelyby professionals. Communityparticipation provides more balance todiscussion and to decision making.Changing the traditional powerimbalance is something which can bedifficult and will take a long time.

SECTION 4 PAGE 26


CITIZEN CONTROL.................

DELEGATED POWER........

PARTNERSHIP.........

PLACATION.......

aladder

ofparticipation

As discussed earlier,participation can bedefined in many ways,depending on who isdefining it and why. Oneuseful way of picturing it isas a ladder. The ladder ofparticipation, developed in1969 by Sherry Arnstein,shows levels ofparticipation, from non-participation through tocitizen control.

It is interesting to see that‘consultation’ is onlyhalfway up this ladder. Atthe end of this book wehave included a checklistfor Consulters, and forConsultees to help ensurethat consultations are

Ladder based oninformation from

“A Ladder of CitizenParticipation” S R Arnstein

SECTION 3 PAGE 12 SECTION 4 PAGE 25

“Childcare...

Childcare! You

would’ve though

I’d put a pooey

nappy in the

centre of the

table!”

find alliesFind someone on the committee who is supportive and talk tothem before speaking to the committee.

remember you don’t have to know all the answersIf you don’t understand what is going on, then there is a goodchance that others don’t either!


is where members of communities (citizens) make all decisions on what is to be done and howit is to be done, having control every step of the way.

is where communities become the dominant decision-making authority over a particular plan orprogramme.

at this level power is redistributed between communities and traditional decision makers.There is joint decision making and planning, accountability and responsibility.

can be seen where an organisation is ready to listen to people but not fully prepared to act forreal change.

CONSULTING has many definitions. At best it allows for ongoing mechanismsfor community participation to be guilt in. At worst it is when an organisation tries to promote aplan or get communities to support a non-negotiable proposal. You get the feeling its beingdone to you.

INFORMING is when you get the information, are told the plans andexpected to agree. A one way flow of information with less opportunity to givefeedback and less power to negotiate.

THERAPY is where individuals are considered to needcuring, rather than focusing on changing external constraints.

MANIPULATION is where communitymembers are ‘educated’, persuaded and advised byofficials. They have no power.

SECTION 3 PAGE 13

remember everyone makes mistakes(yes, even those on your committee) Try notto worry about saying the wrong thing.Spend some time before the meetingthinking about what you want to sayand planning how you could say it.

canvas issuesForming a support group could helpyou in gaining a broader perspective.So can communicating with an alreadyestablished group. This can also giveadded credibility to your participation.

be preparedYou might want to write your ideasdown on paper and present them to themeeting.

give yourself timeIt usually takes several meetings beforea new Rep feels comfortable and familiarwith meeting procedures or issues, andis thus able to speak up.

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How to beheard

“When I finally

spoke up and said

I was confused

about what was

going on, I found

out half of the

committee didn’t

know either!”

If you decide to join a committee and feel it meets your goals,then you have an important reason for being there. It could bethe beginning of some exciting changes!

It is important not to sit back, but to develop ways to get yourviews across. There are some things which may assist you dothis:

get to know your committeeMake sure you know the names of people on the committee(including their positions and organisations). Considerwhether the chair is creating a safe environment for all tospeak. Suggesting a less formal meeting to get to know eachother can help this process.

raring to go?

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In developing this bookletwe have learnt a great dealabout some of the problemscommunity Reps have comeacross in the course of theirinvolvement.

In this section we outlinesome ideas people havecome up with to assist Repsto be more effective.

Firstly, there are somecommon reasons whypeople find it difficult to be aRep. If these are addressed itcan make a big difference.

BeingEffective

SECTION 4 PAGE 15

Welcome the Rep. Make sure all Reps are introduced toother people on the committee. Name tags might help.

Has the Rep been offered assistance with childcare,transport, phone calls, stationery and sitting fees ifnecessary?

Explain to the committee the reason a Rep is involved andwhat is expected, who they represent and why.

Explain to the Rep why all other members are involved andwhat is expected of them.

Does the Rep understand meeting procedures? If themeeting is formal then the Chair can help take the mysteryout of motions and amendments by explaining what’sgoing on.

If the Rep position is new, or the Rep is new to thebusiness of Rep-ing, some special attention may beneeded to facilitate their involvement. Jumping on rudebehaviour of other committee members, explaining jargonand abbreviations, is important.

Does the Rep know ‘how things are done around here’?Does this need to change to enable the Rep to participate?

When a Rep speaks, ensure they have had theopportunity to fully express their viewpoint. Listen andexplore their ideas too.

Does the Rep have relevant and clearly presentedbackground information on the Committee, or an item onthe Agenda? Is there anything you can do to ensure thisinformation is provided.

Is the committee clear on what process is followed if thereis disagreement or conflict? If there is none, it is wise todevelop a process before you are in the midst of conflict.

Make an effort to ask how the Rep is experiencing beinginvolved, and if there is anything you can do to improvethis.

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check list

for

Chairs


Just Getting There No payment, no childcare, nodisability access, transport difficulties, and not much time!

The Way Meeting are Run Unfamiliarity with meetingprocedures, how decisions are made, long agenda, changingmeeting times, inadequate explanations. Sometimes troubleeven getting a work in!

Jargon or Expert Terms Language that is developed by,and usually only relevant to a particular field, can make itdifficult to contribute. If English is your second or thirdlanguage, it’s even harder.

Communicating with Professionals A Community Rep’sviews on so called ‘professional issues’ are sometimesconsidered uninformed, and so may be discounted byindividuals in a group. A Rep’s purpose is to put a communityview, not to know all about professional issues, nor to have allthe answers. Put downs are common.

Lack of Confidence Reps often have to get used tounfamiliar environments, exclusive mateship of other members,and in-jokes. Some forms of body language are a challenge toconfidence and the ability to contribute, for example, whenpeople throw their eyes around, interrupt, or walk out when theCommunity Rep is about to speak.

SECTION 4 PAGE 16 SECTION 4 PAGE 21

“I was afraid to

ask questions”

“I couldn’t get a

word in!”

The little purple book of Community Rep-ing The little purple book of community Rep-ing

“took a long time

to

get used to the

meeting

environment”

Hidden Agenda Personal or political hidden interests ofmembers can dominate decision making without the Repknowing.The Effectiveness of the Committee It may not havethe resources or the authority to have decisions acted upon.

Lack of Information Sometimes too much information todigest with too little time allowed for it.

Pace Problems The pace of the committee can be too fast ifyou’re the only one not being paid to keep up. Sometimes theaction or change you are wanting can be too slow, especially ifyou are directly affected by the decisions.

It’s Hard Work Requiring patience, good communicationskills, persistence and super-human commitment.

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the role of achairperson is crucial

“It was 14 months

before I was even

introduced”

It is clear that theChairperson has a veryimportant role in ensuringthe committee makes agenuine effort to involvecommunity Reps.

As facilitator, the Chair hasthe responsibility to helpall members of thecommittee to participate indecision making.

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From our Reps’

experiences comes

the following

recommended

checklist to consider

before

saying ‘yes’

to joining

a committee.

1. what are your goals… What do you want to achieve in your community, for yourself, or for your family or friends?

2. can the committee help achieve your goals… How is your involvement on the committee or Board going to help achieve your goal?

1.

2.

3.

4.

3. can it happen within your lifetime It’s okay, and sometimes essential, to set yourself a time limit – even if the goals aren’t fully achieved in that time.

4. will the committee support you to participate…

YES/NOchildcaresitting feestravel costsorientation & background informationa ‘buddy’ to discuss problemsclear information as you need itinterpreting

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5. do the expectations of the committee suit you..

When are the meetings?

How many hours will you have to putin per week/per month/per year?

How much reading will there be?

Do you have the skills required?If not, how can you get them?

6. what further support do you need...

Is there an outgoing rep you can talk to?

Who supports the committee? Is there anExecutive Officer you can speak to?

Are there other community members orGroups you can consult with or getSupport from?

Are there possibilities for attending courses,Or conferences or learning new skills?

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the little purple book of community rep-ing how to...

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