Community: Theme Test 1

Some Challenges and Issues in Applying Spiritual Assets

1. Desire and readiness. If one is to be forgiving, one must have the desire to forgive - if one is it to be patient, one must be motivated to act patiently 2. Conversion into action - once sufficient desire or readiness to express a spiritual quality is present, it must be converted into action - desire by itself is not sufficient 3. Strengthening spiritual habits 4. Time and effort - spiritual actions often take time and particular effort, especially when they have not yet become habitual 5. Spiritual fatigue 6. Spiritual numbing 7. Competition 8. Ethical issues - the deservingness of the recipient 9. Special challenges for organization and communities - establishing proper structures

What Does It Mean to Organize for Community Change?

Community organizing is the process by which people come together to identify common problems or goals, mobilize resources, and, in other ways, develop and implement strategies for reaching the objectives they want to accomplish - an important point to remember is that community organization is fundamentally a grassroots process - it is important to find out what is essential to people in the community, and then help them reach their goals Effective community organization will generally include: - gaining an understanding of the community - generating and using power - political or legislative power - consumer power - legal regulatory power - disruptive power - articulating issues - planning purposeful action - generating and using other resources - communicating with your community

Challenges to Mindful Community Building

→ Lack of strong and effective leadership → Dominant personalities → Little or no clarity about the values and goals of the community → Lack of clear conflict resolution processes → Lack of inclusion and diversity However, through effective communication, transparency, and inclusion, conflicts can be acknowledged and addressed. And when any challenge is met, the community grows.

How Do You Bring About Change Through Community Organization?

1. Involve people in your community efforts - this is the heart of community organizing 2. Identify the issue that seems to be of the greatest concern - is it important enough to people that they're willing to take action about it? - is it specific? - can something be done to affect it in a reasonable amount of time? 3. Developing your strategy - what are your long- and short-term goals? - what are your organizational strengths and weaknesses? - who cares about this problem? - who are your allies? - who has the power to give you what you want? - how can we make our work enjoyable for community members to be a part of? 4. Develop specific tactics for the strategy you have chosen - boycotts, petitions, demonstrations, meetings with people with power - members of the group must be sure that the tactics fit the situation - that they aren't too extreme (or too weak!); that they target the appropriate people; and that they have a good chance of being effective 5. Choose specific actions to carry out the strategies and tactics you have developed - they should be very explicit, specifying who will do what in what way by when 6. Set goals for immediate, short-ending wins - these wins should be celebrated - most community work takes a long time; some of it is never done 7. The organization needs to keep on going - community work never ends

Three Pillars of Cultural Humility

1. Life long-learning and critical self-reflection 2. Institutional accountability 3. Recognizing and challenging power imbalances

Why is it Important to Promote Neighborhood Action?

1. Neighborhood action is more likely to produce desired results compared to people acting individually - people acting together are generally more effective in reaching their goals than people acting by themselves 2. If neighborhood action is successful, it strengthens the chances of more neighborhood action occurring in the future, precisely because there was success the last time - neighbors will be more likely to take on similar activities again 3. Success is not only reinforcing; it also brings power - they may come to feel that their actions count, that they can control their own destiny 4. Neighborhood action usually increases liking among people - people feel they can rely on others for help - neighborhood action helps to restore trust among neighbors 5. Neighborhood action usually increases security - if you know, like, and trust your neighbors, you are more likely to feel secure where you live, both physically and psychologically 6. Often, neighborhood action simply makes us feel good - a warm and vibrant neighborhood adds richness and meaning to life Researchers found benefits linked to neighborhood action as well: - neighborhood action can reduce crime - neighborhood action can improve health - neighborhood action can produce better outcomes for children - neighborhood action can stimulate local economic development In summary, it is important to promote community action because it: - tightens neighborhood connections - stimulates neighborhood identity and pride, and - strengthens the foundation for more successful neighborhood activities in the future

What Are Effective Strategies in Community Organization?

1. Organization for locality development: Also known as community development, locality development focuses on community building by improving the process by which things get done - it emphasizes the ideas of community competency - the idea of "helping people help themselves" 2. Social planning or policy change: Whereas locality development focuses primarily on the process of working together, social planning focuses on getting results - it emphasizes solving specific social problems - delivering goods and services and avoiding the duplication of those services - often initiated by community officials or planners, or as the result of state or federal programs - may be seen as more "scientific" than locality development - the use of "experts" may be considered a necessary part of this approach 3. Organizing for social action, or systems advocacy: Social action organizing is highly adversarial, and the concept of social justice is a dominant ideal - members of a certain group come together in order to make demands on the larger community for increased resources or equal treatment 4. Coalitions: Broad groups that bring together people and organizations from throughout the community, including many groups that may not normally work together - the power of coalitions comes from the idea of strength in numbers

What is a Logic Model?

A logic model presents a picture of how your effort or initiative is supposed to work - it explains why your strategy is a good solution to the problem at hand - make an explicit, often visual, statement of the activities that will bring about change and the results you expect to see for the community and its people - a visual diagram that illustrates how your program will work - communicate an organization's projects, programs, operations, activities, and goal A Word About Logic Another meaning that lies closer to heart of community change: the logic of how things work - refers to "the relationship between elements and between an element and the whole" The Logic in Logic Modeling Like a road map, a logic model shows the route traveled (or steps taken) to reach a certain destination - it expresses the thinking behind an initiative's plan - ought to provide direction and clarity by presenting the big picture of change along with certain important details 1. Purpose, or mission: What motivates the need for change? 2. Context, or conditions: What is the climate in which change will take place? 3. Inputs, or resources or infrastructure: What raw materials will be used to conduct the effort or initiative? 4. Activities, or interventions: What will the initiative do with its resources to direct the course of change? 5. Outputs: What evidence is there that the activities were performed as planned? 6. Effects, or results, consequences, outcomes, or impacts: What kinds of changes came about as a direct or indirect effect of the activities?

Bottom-Up versus Top-Down

Bottom-Up: People with relatively little power coming together at the local level to address issues that matter to them; grassroots quality Top-Down: When elected or appointed officials -- or others in power -- join allies in advancing policies or resource allocations that serve their interests Bottom-up and top-down approaches to community organization may work in conflict, such as when appointed officials conspire to make voter registration of emerging minority groups more difficult. Top-down and bottom-up efforts may also work in concert, as when grassroots mobilization, such as letter writing or public demonstrations, help support policy changes advanced by cooperative elected or appointed officials working at broader levels.

Cultural Humility vs. Cultural Competence

Cultural Humility: Entails a lifelong commitment to self-evaluation and critique, which includes addressing power relations and working in partnerships - emphasizes institutional accountability - social worker must have self awareness of own cultural background, bias on impact on our work - social worker as the learner Cultural Competence: The ability to understand, communicate with and effectively interact with people across cultures - creates space for dialogue and exploration of individual realities that are shaped by intersecting identities - to understand culture and its function in human behavior and society, recognizing the strengths that exist in all cultures

What is Asset Development?

It assumes that improving life for the community's children will also improve it for the community as a whole - the fostering of those internal and external assets that contribute to the healthy development of children and adolescents is the task not only of parents, but of the whole community, and proposes that communities be organized to accomplish it - focuses on youth - the Search Institute (SI) of Minneapolis, Minnesota found 40 crucial developmental assets for adolescents Developmental Assets: Those positive characteristics and factors that form the foundation of the healthy development of children and adolescents - substance use/abuse - violence - anti-social behavior, acting out - depression/suicide Thriving Indicators: The traits or conditions that indicate positive development - school success - valuing diversity - good health - leadership External Assets: Provided directly by parents, teachers, the community, or environmental factors - support (family support, positive family communication, caring neighborhood) - empowerment (community values youth, youth as resources, safety) - boundaries and expectations (family boundaries, adult role models, positive peer influence) - constructive use of time (creative activities, religious community, time at home) Internal Assets: Coming from within the adolescent herself - commitment to learning (achievement motivation, school engagement, reading for pleasure) - positive values (caring, equality and social justice, honesty) - social competencies (planning and decision making, cultural competence, peaceful conflict resolution) - positive identity (personal power, self-esteem, sense of purpose)

How Spiritual Assets Can Be Used

On an individual and family level The expression of spiritual qualities on an individual and family level relates to the small interactions and transactions of daily life - advocating for justice - practicing humility - sharing hospitality - the act of forgiveness may have spiritual merit in and of itself On an organizational and community level - vision statements - value statements, of what the organization or community regards as most important - organizational policies and procedures - evaluation of organizational or community programs Expression in different community sectors and settings Spiritual assets can be applied within an array of community settings and contexts - government - education - health care - the arts - religious other non-governmental organizations

What is Culture?

Refers to a group or community with which we share common experiences that shape the way we understand the world - groups that we are born into (gender, race, class, or religion) - groups we join or become part of (by a change in our economic status, or by becoming disabled) - groups we identify with (being a parent or an immigrant) - culture evolves and changes all the time "Culture as the languages, customs, beliefs, rules, arts, knowledge and collective identities and memories developed by members of all social groups that make their social environments meaningful" (American Sociological Society)

What is Meant By "Spiritual"?

Refers to the qualities that inspire us to do what is right and good -- for ourselves and for others - they can be seen in people who do - and do not - believe in a higher power or God - it also involves applying those qualities in one's personal, professional, and community life

What Are Some Models of Practice in Community Organization?

Social Planning: Uses information and analysis to address substantive community issues such as education, child development, or environmental health - might occur in a context of either consensus or conflict about goals and means - use of social planning helps build agreement on common results Example: Information about high rates of adolescent pregnancy, and factors that contribute to it, may help communities focus on the goal of preventing teen pregnancy Social Action: Involves efforts to increase the power and resources of low-income or relatively powerless or marginalized people - organizers create events, such as a protest or strike, that those in positions of power (such as employers) can avoid or stop by coming to an agreement - tactics are used in lots of situations involving conflicting interests and imbalance in power; they usually take place when conventional negotiations aren't working Example: Organizers might arrange disruptive events -- including lawsuits, sit-ins, or boycotts -- to draw attention and focus to their concerns by those in power Locality Development: The process of reaching group consensus about common concerns and collaborating in problem solving Example: Local residents in urban neighborhoods or rural communities may cooperate in defining local issues, such as access to job opportunities or better education Community Partnerships or Coalitions: Hybrid models that combine elements of the three approaches - goal of many coalitions is to change community conditions -- specific programs, policies, and practices -- that protect against or reduce risk for these concerns - may be implemented at local, state, regional, and even broader levels Example: Community partnerships or coalitions combine elements of social planning and locality development when people who share common concerns, such as child well -being or substance abuse, come together to address them

Who Should be Part of a Coalition?

The broader the membership of any coalition, the better, but there are certain people and groups whose representation on a coalition is absolutely essential Stakeholders: The people who have a stake in the success of the coalition's efforts - those most affected by the issue; these may comprise current or potential participants in programs - formal and informal helpers, those charged with carrying out community functions related to the issue, and others affected by what the coalition might do; the staffs of health and human service providers or other organizations and community agencies Community Opinion Leaders: Those who can influence large numbers of others - clergy, business or civic leaders, or people who are simply highly credible in the community Policy Makers: Participation of local political leaders, state representatives, and others in policy-making positions - will both add credibility to your enterprise and increase the chances that you can actually influence policy in your area of interest

What Are the Characteristics of An Asset Development Program?

The effort demands a commitment from the whole community - the SI believes that, to resolve youth problems, it isn't enough to focus on individual teens at risk The effort should be participatory - it works best if it is conceived, planned, and implemented through a process that involves all sectors of the community - a participatory process often involves the formation of a coalition or other leadership body that includes representation from all sectors of the community, including youth, to plan, coordinate, monitor, and oversee asset development efforts The effort should be based on what's actually needed in the particular community - the SI survey should be conducted to determine which assets the community already provides for most of its youth, and which are lacking The effort should focus on the positive - it is engaged in positive actions that are meant to become an integral part of the life of the community, and to affect the quality of that life for generations to come - based on building assets, rather than fixing deficits Asset development demands a coordinated, community-wide effort - it needs to be carefully coordinated so that all sectors of the community are working together toward the same goals and sending the same messages

What Makes a Logic Model Effective?

The more complete your model, the better your chances of reaching "the promised land" of the story. A good logic model usually: - logically links activities and effects - is visually engaging (simple, parsimonious) yet contains the appropriate degree of detail for the purpose (not too simple or too confusing) - provokes thought, triggers questions - includes forces known to influence the desired outcomes

Why Do Community Builders Need to Understand Internalized Oppression?

To empower communities to become more effective at fighting the battles - as people understand and overcome internalized oppression they will become more empowered to overcome the inequities and injustices present in our society at large

Pillar of Cultural Humility: Life long-learning and critical self-reflection

To practice cultural humility is to understand that culture is, first and foremost, an expression of self and that the process of learning about each individuals' culture is a lifelong endeavor, because no two individuals are the same - each individual is a complicated, multi-dimensional human being who can rightfully proclaim "My identity is rooted in my history... and I get to say who I am"

What Are Some Lessons Learned About Community Organization and Change?

Understanding (And Affecting) - when community organization efforts involve people from diverse backgrounds of income and power -- such as educational or public health improvements that affect people across social class -- substantive change is a lot more likely to happen - mass protest and grassroots community organization can work together - public protests and other forms of disruption increase, so do the grassroots organizations that address prevailing issue Understanding (And Addressing) Opposition and Resistance - societal problems sometime serve the interests of those in power - when those in authority oppose community action efforts (or ignore appeals for substantive intervention), there may be a disconnect between the public interest (common good) and the private interests of those with disproportionate influence - racial and ethnic tension and controversies have disrupted and destroyed many community organization efforts - understandable distrust of the "other" (the majority culture) may breed conflict that disrupts reciprocity and collaboration among people of different races and cultures - social action tactics, such as disruptive protest, have many detractors - activists using protest tactics should expect those in power to retaliate, even by establishing criminal penalties for particularly effective disruptive actions such as strikes

Alinsky (1989): Rules for Radicals

What Does it Mean to be An Organizer? - start from where the world is, as it is, not as I would like it to be - that means working in the system Working in Our System - with all its repressions we can still speak out and denounce the administration, attack its policies, work to build an opposition political base - the democratic ideal springs from the ideas of liberty, equality, majority rule through free elections, protection of the rights of minorities, and freedom to subscribe to multiple loyalties in matters of religion, economics, and politics rather than to a total loyalty to the state - the spirit of democracy is the idea of importance and worth in the individual, and faith in the kind of world where the individual can achieve as much of his potential as possible - great dangers always accompany great opportunities The Question of "Why"? - the most frequent word is "why"? for an organizer - the prerequisite for an ideology is possession of a basic truth - he must constantly examine life, including his own, to get some idea of what it is all about, and he must challenge and test his own findings - in a state of constant change - we must work with it on its terms if we are to change it to the kind of world we would like it to be - we then recognize that for every positive there is a negative Haves, the Have-Nots, and the Have-a-Little, Want Mores Haves: On the top with power, money, food, security, and luxury - they suffocate in their surpluses while the Have-Nots starve - want to keep things as they are, keeping the power, and are opposed to change Have-Nots: On the bottom and are by far the greatest in numbers - they are chained together by the common misery of poverty, rotten housing, disease, ignorance, political impotence, and despair - they are deprived in all areas basic to human growth - want to get and obtain power with the help of change Have-a-Litte, Want Mores - the middle class - torn between upholding the status quo to protect the little they have, yet wanting change so they can get more - has bred so many of the great leaders of change Purpose - change means movement; movement means friction - anchored in optimism - optimism brings with it hope, a future with a purpose, and therefore, a will to fight for a better world - the pursuit of happiness is never-ending; happiness lies in the pursuit

What is Internalized Oppression?

When people are targeted, discriminated against, or oppressed over a period of time, they often internalize (believe and make part of their self-image -- their internal view of themselves) the myths and misinformation that society communicates to them about their group - it can cause them to feel (often unconsciously) that in some way they are inherently not as worthy, capable, intelligent, beautiful, good, etc. as people outside their group Examples: women, people of color, poor, Jews, immigrants, gays, etc. There are two ways that internalized oppression functions: 1. Internalized oppression operates on an individual basis: A person believes that the stereotypes and misinformation that she hears are true about herself - she holds herself back from living life to her full potential or she acts in ways that reinforce the stereotypes 2. Internalized oppression occurs among members of the same cultural group: People in the same group believe (often unconsciously) the misinformation and stereotypes that society communicates about other members of their group - often people from the same cultural group hurt, undermine, criticize, mistrust, fight with, or isolate themselves from one another Internalized oppressions holds people back from thinking well of themselves, from living full lives, and from standing up against injustice.

Pillar of Cultural Humility: Recognizing and challenging power imbalances

While working to establish and maintain respect is essential in all healthy and productive relationships, the root of effective social work practice is in acknowledging and challenging the power imbalances inherent in our practitioner/client dynamics

How Do You Build Relationships with People from Other Cultures?

→ Make a conscious decision to establish friendships with people from other cultures - join groups or become active in an organization - notice the diversity that is presently nearby - people who have been mistreated by society may take more time to trust you than people who haven't → Put yourself in situations where you will meet people of other cultures - you may feel embarrassed or shy at first, but your efforts will pay off → Examine your biases about people from other cultures. - we have to become aware of the misinformation we acquired - become aware of your own stereotypes → Ask people questions about their cultures, customs, and views - asking questions can help you learn about people of different cultures and help build relationships - show interest in their cultures → Read about other people's culture's and histories - it shows that you care enough to take the time to find out about it → Don't forget to care and show caring → Listen to people tell their stories - every person has an important story to tell - can give us a better understanding of what their life experiences are like → Notice differences in communication styles and values - don't assume that the majority's way is the right way → Risk making mistakes - don't let making mistakes keep you from going ahead and building relationships - ask the affected person what you bothered or offended them, apologize, and then go on in building the relationship → Learn to be an ally - demonstrate that you are willing to take a stand against discrimination when it occurs Friendship is powerful. It is our connection to each other that gives meaning to our lives. As individuals, and in groups, we can change our communities.

When Should You Promote Neighborhood Action?

→ Some neighborhoods are strong, cohesive, fairly bursting with activity - they don't need more action right now → Other neighborhoods are cold and remote - those neighborhoods, probably a minority as well, should profit from the right kind of gradual community building steps → In reality, most neighborhoods are somewhere in-between - There is surely room for improvement with neighborhood actions Circumstances when it is especially desirable to promote neighborhood action, and these are: → When there is a live neighborhood issue that is not being acted upon - we can define a neighborhood issue as a local topic that causes both concern and emotion among a significant number of neighborhood residents → When there is an outside threat to the neighborhood's well being → When there is such an issue or threat, and it is being acted upon, but not being resolved to the neighborhood's satisfaction. → When there is conflict among some different groups in the neighborhood Situations when there are not prevailing issues, yet: → When the neighborhood itself is new - people have not had much chance to meet one another and build an identity → When neighbors, for whatever reason, don't know each other very well → When there is simply some dissatisfaction or disquiet among neighborhood residents

How Do You Start a Community Coalition?

1. Put Together a Core Group: A group of members most affect by and concerned with the problem - a core group will have more contacts and more knowledge of the community than a single individual - it will give the idea of a coalition more standing among potential members - it will make finding and reaching potential members a much faster process. - a core group will make the task easier on all the individuals involved, and therefore more likely to get done - it shows that the effort has wide support Assembling a Core Group - start with people you know; use those contacts - contact people in agencies and institutions most affected by the issue - talk to influential people, or people with lots of contacts; these may be business or civic leaders, ordinary citizens with high credibility 2. Identify the Most Important Potential Coalition Members: Important to identify people or organizations you can't do without and target them specifically for membership - referred to in "Who should be part of a coalition?" - need to make a special effort to enlist these crucial members 3. Recruit Members to The Coalition: Now that your core group is in place, start recruiting members - use the networking capacity of your core group to the fullest - contact people and organizations, including: face-to-face meetings, phone calls. e-mail, personal letters, mass mailings, public service announcements or ads in the media, flyers and posters 4. Plan and Hold a First Meeting: First meeting of a coalition is important - high-energy, optimistic gathering that gets people excited, is a good start - logistics of the meeting (where, when, how long, etc.) - the content of it - create an agenda; introductions all around, start defining the issue or problem around which the coalition has come together, discuss the structure of the coalition, start the process of creating a common vision and agreeing on shared values about the direction of the coalition, discuss a procedure for forming an action plan, review the things to be done before the next meeting, and who has agreed to do them, schedule at least the next meeting 5. Follow Up on The First Meeting: Follow up to make sure that there will be a well-attended second meeting at which work can continue - distribute the minutes of the first meeting and reminders about the next meeting to those who attended, and send them out with invitations to potential new members as well - follow up on the groups or individuals who are working on tasks assigned at the first meeting - if there are committees or task forces forming, try to recruit new members for them - keep looking for new coalition members. - keep track of the fundamental building blocks of the coalition that aren't in place yet 6. Next Steps: Keep your coalition moving forward - gather information; an agreed-upon definition of the issue or problem the coalition is addressing - finish the creation of vision and mission statements - the development of an action plan - the design of a structure for the coalition - the need for professional staff - what other resources you need, develop a plan for getting them General Guidelines for Getting a Coalition Off The Ground - communicate openly and freely with everyone - be inclusive and participatory - network at every opportunity - set reachable goals, in order to engender success - hold creative meetings - be realistic about what you can do: don't promise more than you can accomplish, and always keep your promises - acknowledge and use the diversity of the group

When Should You Develop a Coalition?

A coalition needs to have a purpose if it is to be successful - when dramatic or disturbing events occur in a community - when new information becomes available - when circumstances or the rules change - when new funding becomes available - when there's an outside threat to the community (example: to prevent their local hospitals from being purchased by national, for-profit health providers) - when a group wishes to create broad, significant community change - when you have not only a good reason for starting a coalition, but also the possibility that one can be started successfully in the community

What is a Coalition?

A group of individuals and/or organizations with a common interest who agree to work together toward a common goal - the individuals and organizations involved might be drawn from a narrow area of interest - to achieve a specific goal Goals often contain elements of: 1. Influencing or developing public policy, usually around a specific issue 2. Changing people's behavior (reducing smoking or drug use, for instance) 3. Building a healthy community - refers both to the community's physical health and its social and psychological health

Why Would You (And Why Would You Not) Use An Asset Development Approach?

Advantages: - a strong base in both empirical research and theory - community ownership and diverse, broad-ranging input stemming from a participatory process - an accent on positive asset development making youth issues seem more resolvable. - the ability of each community to design its own asset-building solutions - the ability to analyze data in numerous ways and by different populations - an emphasis on long-term social change - the capacity to address a broad range of issues - the possibility of increasing community cohesiveness - the emphasis on what's best for youth leading to what's best for the community Disadvantages: - a data base that's 80% white and all youth for the Search Institute's 40 assets - no real guidance as to how to develop assets. - community dependence on the Search Institute or CADY to analyze the surveys - statistical limitations that may make accurate analysis difficult for small communities or schools - the lack of any guarantee that asset development will address current problems - the question of how necessary assets actually are for eventual success for most youth

What are the Benefits and Limitation of Logic Modeling?

Advantages: - integrate planning, implementation, and evaluation - prevent mismatches between activities and effects - leverage the power of partnerships - enhance accountability by keeping stakeholders focused on outcomes - help planners to set priorities for allocating resources - reveal data needs and provide a framework for interpreting results - enhance learning by integrating research findings and practice wisdom - define a shared language and shared vision for community change Limitations: - no matter how logical your model seems, there is always a danger that it will not be correct - establishing the appropriate boundaries of a logic model can be a difficult challenge - a modeler's challenge is to include enough depth so the organizational context is clear, without losing sight of the reasons for developing a logic model in the first place - logic modeling can also be time consuming, requiring much energy in the beginning and continued attention throughout the life of an initiative

What is Community Organization?

Community organization is the process of people coming together to address issues that matter to them - developing plans - joining in protests - members of faith communities working together Types of Communities that Organize 1. Shared Place: People come together who share a common geographic place such as a neighborhood, city, or town - local residents might come together to address neighborhood concerns such as safety, housing, or basic services 2. Shared Work Situation or Workplace: Among people who share a work situation or workplace - union organizing among industrial or farm laborers 3. Shared Experiences or Concern: When people share a common experience or concern - who have concerns about the same issues such as substance abuse, violence, or child welfare - who share a common race or ethnicity may organize around issues, such as discrimination

When Can a Logic Model Be Used?

During Planning To: - clarify program strategy identify appropriate outcome targets (and avoid over-promising) - align your efforts with those of other organizations - write a grant proposal or a request for proposals - assess the potential effectiveness of an approach - set priorities for allocating resources - estimate timelines - identify necessary partnerships - negotiate roles and responsibilities - focus discussions and make planning time more efficient During Implementation To: - provide an inventory of what you have and what you need to operate the program or initiative - develop a management plan - incorporate findings from research and demonstration projects - make mid-course adjustments - reduce or avoid unintended effects During Staff and Stakeholder Orientation To : - explain how the overall program works - show how different people can work together - define what each person is expected to do - indicate how one would know if the program is working During Evaluation To: - document accomplishments - organize evidence about the program - identify differences between the ideal program and its real operation - determine which concepts will (and will not) be measured - frame questions about attribution (of cause and effect) and contribution (of initiative components to the outcomes) - specify the nature of questions being asked - prepare reports and other media - tell the story of the program or initiative During Advocacy To: - justify why the program will work - explain how resource investments will be used

Examples of Starting and Building Coalitions

EXAMPLE #1: ORGANIZING FOR AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY HOUSING The Community Tool Box spoke with Jennifer Van Campen of WATCH CDC in Waltham, Massachusetts. WATCH is a non-profit community development corporation founded in 1988. Their mission is to preserve and promote affordable housing, and to promote economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents of South Waltham. WATCH is committed to programs and practices that foster the empowerment of communities. Our thanks to Ms. Van Campen for her time and advice. Ms. Van Campen: WATCH stands for Waltham Alliance to Create Housing. It's a Community Development Corporation that was founded in 1988 as a result of a wave of disinvestment that had taken root in Waltham. A lot of buildings were being foreclosed on by banks at a kind of bust of the real estate market -- so the initial work that WATCH did was around abandoned buildings or foreclosed bank owned properties. CTB: How did it begin? Ms. Van Campen: It was begun by a group of environmental and peace activists who wanted to do something at a local level. One of the founding members had gotten some information about community development corporations and said, "Hey, this is what we should do in our community." [Ed. Note: Community Development Corporations (CDCs) are discussed in Chapter 44, Section 5 of the Community Tool Box]. So the original group described themselves as hippies and just local folks who really wanted to take control of what was going on in the neighborhood. So those initial years were really a lot of negotiations around the Community Reinvestment Act, and trying to get local banks to turn over properties and support the redevelopment of housing. They also focused on getting the city more involved in the protection and promotion of affordable housing, and underwent a very lengthy fight to promote some affordable housing in a couple of ordinances that were being modified or created at the time. For example, there was a big push to redevelop the waterfront. Waltham has a river -- the Charles River -- that runs right through downtown. One developer wanted to come in and put in some parks and some housing. He really wanted to upscale the area, which the group WATCH at the time was in support of. However, we wanted to make sure there were some provisions for affordable housing in that mix -- so that was a long fight to get that. As a result, they were able to win the creation of an inclusionary zoning ordinance in the city. So now any development over ten units of housing must provide 10% of their units as affordable housing, or contribute 5% of the total development cost of the project into a housing development trust fund. CTB: That must have been quite a fight! Ms. Van Campen: It was, very long and very difficult I guess. Some of the early tactics largely included a public awareness campaign trying to emphasize to people that the future development of the city is going to go to outside speculative developers unless we get organized and we put into and on to the books what's important to us. So there were a lot of informational meetings, a lot of public actions at city hall at specific targeted buildings that were owned by banks, a lot of utilizing the local paper. That was probably it, just kind of steady ongoing pressure. There was really no one significant event or really even a significant element of the campaign that I would say won it for them--(just) knocking on the door long enough and hard enough -- it took about two years. Afterward, that's when we started a series of acquisition and renovation and resale of one to four unit properties. And in about a three-year period we renovated nine buildings for a total of 17 units of affordable housing, most of which were resold. But a few of them we kept as rentals, so we still own and operate those. CTB: OK, and so is that still the mission of what you're doing? Ms. Van Campen: We're actually shifting in some ways back to our roots, which is more community organizing, public awareness kind of a more public policy focused effort. We need to go after the city and the state and private institutions, and compel them to do more to effect affordable housing. Our efforts to purchase and renovate buildings can really only do so much at a fairly small and slow scale, whereas the city could unilaterally create a law that says there will be a penalty for speculating in our community. CTB: So do you have specific goals along the lines of public policy? Ms. Van Campen: We're actually in the development of those. We're trying to get it up to ten points. Right now it's about a seven point platform which we're going to be asking the candidates for mayor, which would include things like requiring stricter code enforcement, eviction protection for people who file health code complaints, and a tax abatement for property owners who agree to rent to low- and moderate-income people utilizing both public and private funds to create a second mortgage program for people who want to buy homes in Waltham. The city is sitting on an affordable housing trust fund and they've not spent a dime of it in seven years. It's just sitting there, so we're going to urge them to work with us to create a plan to spend that money. So those are kind of the loose ideas right now. Ms. Van Campen: I think in any business -- and in particular this is true for nonprofits -- you have to go with your market. Our markets' needs change, and one of the real weaknesses of many nonprofits is that they're unwilling to listen to their constituency and modify programs as needed. I think that people change, circumstances change and your programming has to change as a result. CTB: Do you have any recommendations for others doing community organizing? Ms. Van Campen: The single most important thing is to just really listen honestly and openly to people, and to be respectful of their needs and interests. What that means is that your work should reflect those needs and interests. It's too bad that you just got a big grant to do computer training if that's not what people in a community are talking about wanting and needing. And probably the only other big thing is that you can never give up on people. Never give up on a person -- maybe they can't come to the meeting on Thursday night, and maybe they never return your phone calls, but sometime they will. When they're ready -- you just can't close the door to anybody's opportunities. For more information, call 781-891-6689, or stop by their offices at 333 Moody Street, second floor, Waltham. Please call ahead for wheelchair access. The staff members can assist you in English, French, Haitian, Creole and Spanish. --- EXAMPLE #2: ORGANIZING ON WELFARE This article appeared on the Center for Community Change website and is reprinted here with permission. Our thanks go out to Ms. Icenhower and the Center for Community Change for allowing its use. My journey into welfare organizing began two years ago when I stood up in a public hearing and asked the question, "How does this help families achieve self-sufficiency?" As a single mother of three children being directly affected by welfare reform, I felt I deserved an answer. I asked the question three times and received the same answer each time. "I can't answer that question" was the response from the Department of Public Health and Human Services official. I sat down feeling frustrated and all alone. A voice came from behind as a woman stood up and said, "You owe her an answer." I was owed an answer? Yes, I was. That feeling of having another voice stand with me has led me to where I am today -- a welfare organizer for Montana People's Action. I read policy, I studied rules. I wanted to know all there was to know about welfare reform in Montana. I began to testify at committee hearings. I delivered a powerful speech at a rally protesting proposed cuts, and was interviewed for a newspaper article. I made my voice heard. I experienced backlash from other community members and the Office of Public Assistance for my activism. This was something I never expected and nobody warned me about. I was knocked down but rose again and continued on. I became a leader in the fight for our rights while continually asking my original question. I still haven't received the answer, although I have received many responses. I've learned that if you aren't getting the answer maybe it's time to change the question. The question now is, "How does this harm families?" I believe being a recipient gives me a unique perspective in organizing other recipients. We have a commonality in understanding the struggles of day-to-day survival. I've learned through my experience what supports are necessary for recipients to be involved in the fight and to become leaders. We need child care to attend meetings and events, and sometimes transportation. We need someone to support us when backlash occurs and we need to know it can happen. We need to have others listen to what we have to say and validate it. These are our stories we share. It is not easy but it is worth it. Change does not happen on its own and we can make a difference. It is important that we share our voices and make them heard. We need to be at the table claiming and asserting our rights to have input in our own lives. We need to do this collectively, standing beside each other because our power is in standing together. We need to have vision for where we want to be in 2001-2002. More importantly, we need to put voice to that vision and have it heard. Shelley Icenhower directs Welfare Advocates of Montana! (WAM!), which is a project of Montana People's Action, a statewide membership-based organization affiliated with the Northwest Federation of Community Organizations and ACORN. --- EXAMPLE #3: ORGANIZING TO END DISCRIMINATION The Community Tool Box spoke with Della Mitchell, lead organizer for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. Our thanks to Ms. Mitchell for her time and advice. Ms. Mitchell: The first campaign that I started [was] back in North Carolina. There was a theater in the city, in a city-owned building, and we asked the mayor if we [African-Americans] could go there. So, we started a picket line -- it was college and high school students. We walked that picket line for days and weeks trying to get a meeting with the manager so we could explain that this is wrong and we should have the right to go there. But we were not getting a lot of attention, until one weekend To Kill A Mockingbird was playing at the theater. And we thought, "You're going to show this movie, and we can't see it?! [That is,] unless we go into a little balcony area, where you have to sit cramped, unable to move at all." With that same group, we decided we were going down this weekend, and it happened to be Easter weekend, and that made it just more excited to do this style of organizing. I notified the parents of what we were going to do: We were going to form this human chain in front of the theater -- if we didn't get in, nobody else was going to go in! And that we suspected we were going to be arrested. And sure enough, we were. I got calls from the mayor of the city, saying, "We're going to arrest you if you don't move yourselves from the front of theater." And we refused and we did indeed go to jail. We stayed in jail the whole weekend. They offered us bond and we wouldn't take bond. We're not going to post bond for doing what's our right to do. If you want to let us out, well of course we'll go. And I've always been a very spiritual, religious person, so we chose to fast over that weekend. And we fasted, we prayed, we sang in jail, until they got word that we were going to get sick if we didn't eat. So they decided, "we're going to have to let them out of here." In the meantime, on that Sunday morning, there was a lot of rumbling going on. We could just hear that, and from a different part of the jail, we got a note from someone that could look out and see, telling us there were a lot of people out in front of the jail. They did indeed let us out that Sunday morning, and as we walked out the door, almost every church in that city was outside having their Sunday morning service on the jail lawn in support of our getting arrested. So it took this dramatic kind of thing to get more attention, from the powers that be as well as our communities. Because a lot of the churches were allowing us to have our meetings, there were about 10 or 15 youth, college students, who were participating in the picketing before this happened. And after this happened we were able to get -- anytime we sent out a flyer or sent out an announcement out to the churches -- we could get three, four, five hundred people just by word of mouth, without going out into the community. I think that's a thing, that style of organizing -- civil disobedience -- that a lot of the young people now hate to hear us talk about. Because, "The sixties, the sixties, I'm tired of hearing about the sixties." Well, yeah, but it's time for us to go back, unless you have a better idea. It's time for us to go back to the sixties to really get the attention of the system and make them really realize that we're serious. We're not doing that type of organizing now. There's a lot of talk, and there's a lot of organizing, but it's not a movement like we had in the sixties. If there was, we wouldn't be dealing with this welfare reform that we're having to deal with now and all of the other homelessness. We wouldn't have the kind of homelessness we have now, if we were organized, I mean really organized, saying to this system, enough is enough. CTB: For people who are becoming organizers, what advice would you give them? Ms. Mitchell: If they are getting into organizing they have to move themselves out of the way, and really be open to what the people are saying, and then choose the issues. The issue needs to be the one the community chose. [For example,] I have a real strong feeling for day care. But if you're talking to me about day care, and I don't have a place to live or I don't have a job that pays a living wage, I'm not going to listen to you. So you have to make sure you choose an issue that is widely felt by the community. You need to start with one that's winnable, you need to know who your target is, and make sure you're not choosing an issue that's going to divide your community. Try to get them to come together. It just needs to be deeply felt. You have to make sure that you have respect for the people that you're organizing. Just become one of those people, whether you're an organizer that's coming out of that community or you've been hired by an organization and sent into a community, you have to become a part of the fabric of that community and respect that community. You have to have really strong commitments and also realize that when you go into organizing you're not in a 9 to 5. You have to be ready to go into all types of neighborhoods, because poor people, unfortunately, live in the very depressed high-crime neighborhoods, and you have to be willing to go into that. And coming from a spiritual point of view, take the higher power in on your side. Not everyone thinks that way, and that doesn't mean you can't be a good organizer if you don't think that way, it just helps me. Speaking from a personal point of view, it's hard to separate me and that part of my life, so I think of Him. It's almost impossible to organize without bringing in the people who are affected by the issue that we are organizing around. You have to have homeless people involved, you have to have poor people involved who are affected by welfare reform, lack of affordable housing, jobs that pay a living wage. They have to be involved, and they have to be out there saying this is what we need, in order to bring about the change to make our lives better. So that's my hope. And that we'll get others into the same mold, that we must organize the poor, get them registered to vote, let them speak for themselves!

Hess: Community Organizing Models

Figure 1: Traditional Model Box A: Local Service and Development Programs Controlled by The Community - community development corporations (CDCs), service centers and cultural groups - overseen by community boards Box B: Community Organizing - efforts by residents and issue groups to influence institutions or decision making bodies Box C: Social Service Programs - controlled by external actors (the government or non-resident boards) Box D: Professional Advocacy or Reform Campaigns Not Controlled By Community Participation - e.g. legal defense funds Robert Fisher (1995): Includes a category labeled political activist and social work - political activism sees power as the fundamental issue - political activism seeks to mobilize community residents in order to develop sufficient power to challenge decisions made by other institutions - social workers conceive of residents as recipients or clients primarily in need of service delivery Includes a method of social change, neighborhood maintenance - most commonly used by middle- and upper-income home owners who seek to increase the values of their property - maintain the identity of their community through preservation campaigns, changing zoning ordinances and improving local services Finally, Rothman introduces the category "locality development." While he states that this is synonymous with community development, it is really a broader category than the attempt by residents to develop and manage social and physical service delivery within their own community, the definition used by Ganz and Beckwith and Lopez. For Rothman, locality development also includes the repair of social relations and the development of consensus-building decision making processes. By being so broad Rothman merges what I believe should be identified as two distinct practices: community development (which focuses on delivering physical products and services) and community building (which focuses on creating social relations and improving community social assets). The problem with the typologies reviewed so far is that their bases are either too simple or too complex. In the case of the traditional two by two division, community controlled projects which are neither service nor advocacy oriented (which describes the practice I will define latter as community building) are not included. On the other hand, Fisher limits his categorical system by only focusing on social work and what are really two forms of activist organizing (the kind used by grassroots social change agents in low-income and minority neighborhoods and the more conservative kind used by associations of property owners). 2 Finally, Rothmans' typology is too complex (using 11 variables). The result is a list of categories that could be collapsed on a typology made from fewer variables with more specific dimensions. It appears that Rothman overextends the breadth of activities which fall under at least one category in his attempt to flesh out such a large number of variables. Jack Rothman (1995): Identifies a category of community practice which he calls social action - similar to what the other previous authors identify as community organizing or political action, the most salient feature of social action is that it organizes groups of people to influence political processes - these actions are designed to change the balance of power between one group and their opposition Developed two categories that do not line up with the prior typologies: (1) social planning and (2) "locality development" Social Planning: The role that policy planners and analysts play in social change - as employees of an institution they marshal facts and develop plans to solve the problems placed in front of them - does not really represent a method of change, but rather a task-specific function which many organizations all employ at various times "Locality Development": It is a broader category that also includes the repair of social relations and the development of consensus-building decision making processes - he merges two distinct practices: community development (which focuses on delivering physical products and services) and community building (which focuses on creating social relations and improving community social assets) The problem with the typologies reviewed so far is that their bases are either too simple or too complex... The traditional two by two division, community controlled projects which are neither service nor advocacy oriented (which describes the practice I will define latter as community building) are not included. Fisher limits his categorical system by only focusing on social work and what are really two forms of activist organizing (the kind used by grassroots social change agents in low-income and minority neighborhoods and the more conservative kind used by associations of property owners) Rothmans' typology is too complex (using 11 variables) and overextends the breadth of activities which fall under at least one category in his attempt to flesh out such a large number of variables

Article: Models of Community Practice

Hanna & Robinson (1994) identify three basic models of "community empowerment": 1. Traditional Social Change - based on change flowing out of "traditional" electoral politics 2. Direct Action Social Change - characterized by active resistance or protest to existing conditions or proposed laws or policies 3. Transformative Social Change - based on an adult model of learning which requires strict adherence to the rules of democracy Rothman (1995) also identify three models of community organization and macro practice: 1. Locality Development (Bottom-up) - it is a self-help, participatory model of change - it is based on the premise that for change to occur, it is necessary to include the broadest possible participation of community citizens - professionals can't change the community for the people, they must do that themselves 2. Social Planning (Top-down) - opposite of locality development - emphasizes the technical aspects of solving problems - that most social problems in large industrial societies are too complex for the average citizen to understand - therefore, professionals who have specialized expertise must guide and control the change process through the use of technical skills - some have criticized it as an "elitist" model of social change 3. Social Action (Inside-out) - assumes one segment of the community is being overlooked or by-passed - focus of this model is on organizing those segments of the community to stand-up for their rights, to demand that their needs and concerns be addressed - emphasis is on bringing about basic change in major social institutions or community practices, and to redistribute power, resources, and decision-making processes in the community or a formal organization - it represents a model which tries to challenge the status-quo through a wide range of disruptive, confrontational, and often conflictive tactics Checkoway (1995) identifies six distinct strategies of community change: 1. Mass Mobilization - seeks to bring about change by organizing and massing large numbers of individuals around issues 2. Social Action - to build powerful organizations at the community level in order to win improvements in people's lives, make people more aware of their own power, and alter the existing power relationships in the community 3. Citizen Participation - to involve citizens in policy planning and program implementation undertaken by governmental agencies - "government by the people, for the people." 4. Public Advocacy - the process of representing the interests of constituents and interest groups in legislative, administrative, or other established institutional arenas - the foundation of this model is the belief that all groups within the community should have representation regardless of their wealth and power 5. Popular Education - aims to create change by raising critical consciousness about common human need 6. Local Service Development - process by which people provide their own services at the community level - it assumes that problems in communities have local solutions and that residents can take local initiatives to help themselves

Pillar of Cultural Humility: Institutional accountability

Holding institutions (government, schools, etc.) responsible to a set of standards - organizations need to model these principles as well (from micro, to mezzo and macro practice)

Why Start a Coalition (And Why Might it be Difficult)?

In general terms, it can concentrate the community's focus on a particular problem, create alliances among those who might not normally work together, and keep the community's approach to issues consistent - consistency can be particularly important in addressing a community issue - work together and agree on a common way to deal with the issue and on common goals Some more specific reasons for forming a coalition might include: - to address an urgent situation - to empower elements of the community -- or the community as a whole -- to take control of its future - to actually obtain or provide services - to bring about more effective and efficient delivery of programs and eliminate any unnecessary duplication of effort - to pool resources - to increase communication among groups and break down stereotypes - to revitalize the sagging energies of members of groups who are trying to do too much alone - to plan and launch community-wide initiatives on a variety of issues - to develop and use political clout to gain services or other benefits for the community - to create long-term, permanent social change Barriers to starting a coalition: - turf issues; convincing a number of organizations that working together will in fact both benefit all of them and better address their common issues - bad history; a new coalition may have to contend with history's bad past before it can actually start the work it needs to do - domination by "professionals" or some other elite - poor links to the community - minimal organizational capacity; find a way to share the burden of organization - funding - failure to provide and create leadership within the coalition; coalitions demand a very special kind of collaborative leadership (everyone involved in an issue or organization) - the perceived -- or actual -- costs of working together outweigh the benefits for many coalition members

The Importance of Mindfulness in Community Building

Mindfulness: Living in the moment - instead of letting our judgments and assumptions clutter our words and actions, we respond in gentle, loving, compassionate ways Community Building: A field of practice directed toward the creation or enhancement of community relationships or outcomes - a community is defined as a social unit within a region or one created through common interest Mindfulness and Communities: Although mindfulness begins as an individual practice, when mindfulness is shared among group members, a community is more likely to thrive - shared beliefs become the guiding force in making community decisions - operate from the collective consciousness Goals of Mindful Community Building - identifying and setting goals collectively, by the entire group or an agreed-upon subset of the group - deepening relationships, which provide members with opportunities to know one another more fully - working toward inclusiveness, which builds upon deepening relationships Characteristics of Mindful Community Building - people support what they create - focus on what is working to generate energy and creativity - the source of wisdom is internal - humans can handle anything when in a community - generosity, forgiveness, and love are the glue of community Four Core Relationships in Mindful Community Building 1. The Self - our authentic self 2. The Sacred - what we hold in deep reverence 3. Others - our partners, family members, co-workers, acquaintances, and strangers. 4. Creation - all of the natural world and what humans have made

What Do We Mean By Promoting Neighborhood Action?

Neighborhood action is any activity that brings neighbors in contact with one another - helps them appreciate their neighborhood more - neighbors working together for a common goal - also, smaller and sometimes less goal-directed activities -- getting to know the people on your block

Why Should You Engage in Community Organization?

Organizing members of a community -- no matter what your goals might be -- has some general advantages that will occur if the work is well done. These advantages include: - a greater ability to bring about the changes you want to see - empowerment; involving people in improving the conditions which shape their lives can increase people's sense of their own worth and capabilities, helping them to live more fulfilling lives - increased self-sufficiency among community members; organizing people to bring about change helps maintain a high level of ownership by people for their own destinies - increased social support; by bringing together diverse groups of people who are working for the same cause, people get the chance to talk and learn with others they may not have met otherwise - greater equity in the society; when people gain control over the forces that shape their lives, it changes the balance of power in the community, spreading it more broadly and distributing it more nearly equally

What is Oppression?

Prolonged cruel or unjust treatment or control - oppressed people are not only discriminated against, but are also subject to physical and psychological brutality -- and occasionally genocide - for disobeying or displeasing those in power - discouraging them and others from trying to change their condition - out of pure hatred - often the only remedy has been force of some sort -- either revolutionary action or outside military or economic intervention

How Can Spiritual Assets Facilitate Community Building?

Refer to qualities that enable us to do what is right and good -- for ourselves and for others - it can be seen in what we say and do -- our acts of compassion, mercy, justice, and other similar ways of being in world - being charitable toward others - being compassionate - forgiveness and reconciliation - advocating for justice Example: Appreciation (Gratitude); When you walk outside in your neighborhood or community, and make contact with those passing by (even with people you hardly know, or don't know at all), that conveys acknowledgement and appreciation of the other person

How Do You Learn About People's Cultures?

Start By Becoming Aware of Your Own Culture: If you haven't had a chance to understand how your culture has affected you first hand, it's more difficult to understand how it could affect anyone else or why it might be important to them - if you are comfortable talking about your own culture, then you will become better at listening to others talk about theirs - if you understand how discrimination has affected you, then you may be more aware of how it has affected others

What is Discrimination?

The denial of opportunities, rights, and or freedoms to one or more groups that other groups in the society enjoy. It is the failure to treat all people as of equal worth, and to acknowledge their full humanity - distinguishing between one thing and another - between population groups defined by specific characteristics -- race, gender, religion, national origin, political opinions, sexual orientation, class -- and treating groups differently as a result

How Do You Create a Logic Model?

There is no single way to create a logic model - remember that your logic model is a living document, one that tells the story of your efforts in the community Two main development strategies are usually combined when constructing a logic model: 1. Moving forward from the activities (also known as forward logic) - this approach explores the rationale for activities that are proposed or currently under way - but why? 2. Moving backward from the effects (also known as reverse logic) - this approach begins with the end in mind - but how? Steps For Drafting a Logic Model → Find the logic in existing written materials to produce your first draft - collect narrative descriptions, justifications, grant applications, or overview documents - decode these documents - ask yourself the But why? and But how? questions → Determine the appropriate scope of the model for its intended users and uses - consider creating a family of models for multiple users → Check whether the model makes sense and is complete - logic models convey the story of community change → Drama (activities, interventions) - how will obstacles be overcome? - who is doing what? → Raw Materials (inputs, resources, or infrastructure) - real resources must come into the system, such as financial or people → Setting (background, context and conditions) - community change always takes place in the context of history, geography, politics, etc → Attend to the nuts and bolts of drawing the model - draft the logic model using both sides of your brain and all the talents of your stakeholders → Revisit and be ready to revise the model as necessary - don't let your model become a tedious exercise

What Do We Mean By Neighborhood?

We each frame in our minds an image of a "neighborhood " with certain characteristics -- positive, negative, or a mix of both Positive Mode: - warm, open, friendly atmosphere - open communications among neighbors - clean, safe areas - bustling with activity, residents interact with other residents (adults, children, older people) - easy, walking access to needed stores and services Negative Mode: - cold, closed, unfriendly environment - everyone keeps to themselves, no one talks to anyone else - filthy, crime-ridden streets - barren streetscapes filled with strangers moving about aimlessly - no nearby shops and sources to address basic needs Whether we are aware of it or not, what we do or don't do affects our neighborhood

How Do You Help Heal From and Overcome Internalized Oppression?

→ Become a close friend, ally, or mentor to individuals who are struggling with internalized oppression - friendship and caring are two of the strongest weapons we have in combating internalized oppression - what we communicate in our relationships and commitment to one another is more powerful than the message of oppression → Take pride in and celebrate your culture - being a member of cultural group can be a source of strength - our cultures often give us our values, our sense of ourselves in history, our humor, our identities, and our world views - it gives us a more accurate view of our cultures than the one communicated in the media or by the society at large → Met in groups with people from similar background, to heal from the emotional hurts of internalized oppression - re-valuation counseling - talking about how their cultural oppression has personally affected them while others listen → Take action against injustice and oppression → When you notice internalized oppression operating in group, point it out, and help the group change direction - to make a group successful, this dynamic should be recognized and turned around → What can you do when you notice or suspect internalize oppression going on in a group? - visibly model how to treat others with respect, and set a good tone - take some time in a meeting for people to appreciate each other and notice what the group has accomplished - point out the difficulty without blaming anyone - explain to people about what internalized oppression is - welcome new members into your group → Protecting young people from the effects of oppression - it helps to explain to children about how and why oppression works so they have a framework for understanding it - teach young people to be proud of who they are and of their background and culture - set up environments for our children in which they and their cultures are cherished

Key Group Factors in Mindful Community Building

→ Communicating Clearly and Openly - active listening - non-violent communication → Holding Mindful Meetings - encourage understanding of others' opinions and views - agree to respect others for their points of view → Incorporating Diversity - recognizing the many ways diversity is present and acknowledges where it is not → Finding Common Ground - when we become a collective "we," reaching consensus → Resolving Conflicts - encourages us to be aware of conflict - find common ground and resolve the conflict before it grows deep roots of resentment - create a safe space where the conflict can be talked about → Avoiding Community-Based Fatigue - this fatigue can be minimized through both collaboration and self-care