Innovative Community Change Practices

Norman Walzer, Sam Cordes

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781317430254
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Architettura
• Subtopic: Architettura generale

The national recession forced many communities to examine new and innovative ways to promote local economic development, resulting in long-term community changes. New techniques and approaches were used to identify available opportunities and programs which could take advantage of development opportunities. A common theme among the contributions to this book is a focus on building leadership capacity, and several chapters discuss the successful practices which are aimed at bringing new leaders into local development efforts. Especially important are ways to identify youth and young adults, and designing programs that bring them into active leadership roles within community development efforts. On a broader scale, several authors present material regarding building local entrepreneurship capacity, and recognizing that entrepreneurs at different stages in their development have different training and support needs.

The discussions in this book will help local policymakers and development practitioners better understand the various development techniques, and find ways to build capacity within their community, stimulating development. This information will be especially useful for groups interested in engaging youth and populations who, in the past, have not been especially active in discussions about community and economic development. This book was originally published as a special issue of Community Development.

Overview of innovative community change programs

Norman Walzer^a and Sam M. Cordes^b

^aCenter for Governmental Studies, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, USA; ^bPurdue Center for Regional Development, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

This Special Issue of the Journal is designed to help community development practitioners and scholars in the important roles they play – both directly and indirectly – to foster community betterment. The body of work articulated in this volume builds on a long history of important community development programs and efforts.

Introduction

Communities and neighborhoods, large and small alike, not only have many opportunities but also face challenges and obstacles. How to take advantage of the opportunities and also minimize risks and challenges is paramount to those who live in these neighborhoods and communities. It is the responsibility of community development scholars and practitioners to help inform and support efforts that are most likely to help communities seize opportunities and avoid or minimize the downside. This Special Issue of the Journal is designed to help community development practitioners and scholars in the important roles they play – both directly and indirectly – to foster community betterment.

The body of work articulated in this volume builds on a long history of important community development programs and efforts. For example, the economic difficulties in rural areas in the 1980s triggered a round of strategic planning programs designed to evaluate possible development alternatives and plot a course for the future of many small towns. One such initiative was the Take Charge program launched in 1990 by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development (Take Charge) (Ayers et al. 1990). Take Charge was adopted and implemented by Cooperative Extension units across the US. The three basic questions raised were: (1) Where have we been? (2) Where do we want to be? (3) How will we get there? An action plan was created during the process with follow-up activities provided by the partners. In addition to providing a solid and well-founded approach to community visioning exercises, the Take Charge manual provided materials that can easily be used in working with diverse groups.

The next generation of Take Charge was launched in 2001 and was called Vision to Action (Green & Borich, 2001). The revisions placed more focus on assets and talents in the community and how they can be mobilized to address high priority problems or issues. The three basic questions of Vision to Action are: (1) What do we want to preserve? (2) What do we want to change? (3) What do we want to create? This revised approach also placed greater emphasis on monitoring results and outcomes and the importance of accountability. Such an emphasis is consistent with many initiatives of local and state agencies, the Federal government, foundations and other groups interested in obtaining better estimates of outcomes from investments in local projects.

Many projects and related programmatic efforts spun off from the two generations of Take Charge, with a common thread of bringing about positive changes in the communities (Walzer and Hamm, 2012). These diverse approaches are important because they are customized to meet the unique needs of each community. Common among the multitude of programmatic efforts, however, is to build the capacity of community leaders and residents to create, implement and evaluate strategies and tactics that will ultimately raise the quality of life, expand employment opportunities, and/or improve other desired characteristics sought by communities.

Many of the programs and initiatives featured in this volume can trace their roots back to Take Charge and/or Vision to Action. Such programs and initiatives are needed more than ever due to the current prolonged recession with serious unemployment, outmigration, and related social and political issues.

Another purpose of this Special Issue is to help bring together some of the important but scattered literature about community change, how it can be launched, processes involved, and the outcomes. Such a compilation makes it easier for academics and practitioners to reflect on their own work and improve its effectiveness by considering important factors that have led to the success, and limitations, of the work of others.

Principles of effective practice

In 2010, a team of researchers and practitioners from several Midwestern universities and other organizations¹ received funding from the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development to convene academics and practitioners from long-standing and successful community change programs, mainly from the Midwest, to identify factors that contribute to successful community changes. Participants were selected based on the outcomes that had been obtained from the innovative approaches used in their community change programs, the length of time the programs had been active, and the diversity of populations engaged in the programs. The leaders of these programs met on multiple occasions and, based on their experiences with these and other programs, identified four factors common to successes. These factors are briefly described below and were among the criteria used in selecting the seven articles included in this volume.

Prepare communities for intervention efforts

A consensus exists among program leaders regarding a strong relationship between successful results and time spent preparing participants, regardless of whether it is a far-reaching program or targeted to a specific population or group within the community. Lack of advance preparation or “readiness” in the community may be a significant reason why intervention programs, in some instances, have not obtained desired results.

Three “readiness” factors were identified. First, when the goal is community-wide change, then the entire community must be informed. This is not simply a matter of a widespread awareness of the program and desired outcomes but a willingness to be open to the need for change as well. Part of this participatory education process also involves broad-based involvement, especially by groups and segments of the community population that have not held leadership positions or even participated in similar endeavors. In some instances, programs and initiatives specifically targeted to marginalized groups may be needed before it is possible to realize the full potential of their assets in the broader community change dynamic. Of special importance is encouraging, and then supporting, first time leaders. These leaders face risks in assuming leadership roles; helping them succeed can have lasting effects for the community.

Second, a general awareness and superficial participation in the intervention process is not sufficient; deep and purposeful buy-in is crucial. Because outcomes are likely to take several years to accomplish, local ownership drives successful results. If participants and other residents are not fully committed to the program, they may become distracted by the next of several projects that are launched in the community. All of these factors must be actively considered before a new program or initiative is fully launched.

Third, identifying and strengthening local networks in the community is often key to long-term success and community change. Networks are vital to the successful implementation of the vision, goals, and projects that the intervention process is likely to generate. In many, or even most instances, the networks exist but must be brought to light and activated. These networks can involve business relationships, social groups, and other interactions that can be made even more active and powerful as part of the intervention process. Therefore, it is necessary to identify relevant existing networks in advance and then use their power as part of the intervention process. Often, this will simultaneously lead to the strengthening or broadening of existing networks or in some cases the creation of new networks.

High quality programs

Community development programs and initiatives must be of high quality and address the priority needs, as defined by the community, to hold the attention of participants. It may be tempting to design one program that, with only minor adjustments in delivery, is expected to work in a completely different context or community size. Effective programs and their implementation must recognize the unique local opportunities and capitalize on them to achieve desired outcomes. At least four characteristics of high quality and effective programs were identified by the scholars and practitioners assembled as part of the North Central Regional Development supported project.

First, participants must understand the differences between program, process, and product. The program has a specific purpose and approach intended to accomplish certain outcomes. The program often involves an external partner that is brought into the community in accordance with a prescribed set of events or formats. As noted earlier, it is critical that such a program be sufficiently flexible, adjusting to specific needs in the community.

It is the process that ultimately brings about changes within the community and leads to long-term desired outcomes. As it turns out, the process of change can occur through a variety of programs or approaches depending on which is most effective in working with community residents. The process can be difficult to monitor and measure on a regular basis because it depends heavily on the extent and quality of participation by community leaders and residents.

The program typically yields a final product(s) which may include a report, community meetings, action plan or other visible measures of outputs that hopefully will lead to a set of desired outcomes in the future. Participants may be tempted to think that the program is over when the product has been delivered. Actually, the product often does no more than sets the stage for subsequent actions – and ongoing processes – that will lead to successful outcomes.

Second, it is important that successful outcomes and changes are documented to monitor the need for adjustments in the program, reasons for success and/or to build credibility for the change efforts.

Third, successful programs that accomplish desired results are likely to have solid theoretical underpinnings and incorporate current thinking from the scholarly and professional literature. This approach is important not only to provide the best quality programming but also to gain and/or maintain credibility for the programs.

Finally, when it is possible to link programs or initiatives to major events in the community, it is often easier to build awareness, gain needed support and credibility, and ultimately community ownership. The Break Through program pioneered in Arkansas is an excellent example of how community initiatives can be bolstered by helping participants to “think outside the box” and launch challenging new approaches that stretch the current paradigms and set new horizons (Peterson, Levy, & Jones 2012). Programs that set new directions capture the community’s attention and can create a major venue around which the community can organize. Several programs featured in this Special Issue have used this type of an approach or strategy.

Effective program implementation

To a large extent this aspect is a dimension of “high quality programs” but justifies additional attention with flexibility and leadership development as key components. As was noted earlier, programs and initiatives must be flexible enough to adjust to local issues that arise, as well as adhere to the program’s theoretical underpinnings and mission to maintain credibility. In other words, issues and corrective action must be addressed during programmatic implementation but without violating the basic foundation or parameters of the program or initiative. Otherwise, the entire effort or program can become diverted into a series of short-term issues and distractions.

Building community capacity by encouraging and rewarding risk-takers when they step forward is very important. Leadership development is part of the process and is an important component of the community change and capacity building process. Building the skills of relatively inexperienced local leaders often involves additional programming efforts. In such cases this must be an integral part of the process even when the results or outcomes are not immediately apparent.

A related component of effective programming is to make sure that participants can take actions immediately without feeling a need to “ask permission”. This sense of empowerment and accomplishing results require an attitude and approach permitting participants to act confidently. Involving participants in setting goals and expected outcomes from the program can help build buy-in and a greater sense of responsibility for obtaining results. Establishing networks and mobilizing local assets early in the program encourages participants to take action.

Finally, making the community change process an enjoyable and meaningful experience for participants is often essential to success. The approaches used differ across communities and by specific programs. What is common is the need to generate enthusiasm for the program or initiative and pursuit of the outcomes identified. This enthusiasm can be contagious throughout the community, build capacity, and increase the likelihood of achieving the stated goals for change.

Follow-through activities

The fourth major component of successful community change programs is, in many ways, the most important and perhaps the most often overlooked. Community change is a process that residents must pursue and it does not stop with submission of a report or completion of an event. Instead, action is required.

The extent, to which the program or initiative focuses on an action agenda rather than constructing a planning document, makes a substantial difference in terms of achieving and sustaining long-term desirable outcomes. If participants can organize around a set of actions, develop networks that support the effort, and then include a timeline with metrics for completion, they maximize their chances for success and sustainability. The shift in focus on actions and networks is highlighted in the Strategic Doing approach advanced by Morrison (2012). In this case, Strategic Action Packs increase the discipline in follow-through efforts in the community by adding structure to the implementation process.

One strategy is to “pick the low hanging fruit” first in order to show what can be accomplished in the program. As participants gain more confidence in what they can do, they will be encouraged to implement even more sophisticated strategies and projects. Extending the confidence to other community leaders and participants is an important outcome of the change process.

A related strategy is to focus on future opportunities for the community instead of working to correct past problems. While past events may limit future options, change programs are more likely to succeed when they build on community assets or strengths rather than only on finding remedies for perceived or real problems in the community.

The diversity in age and socioeconomic status of community residents means that multiple communication approaches must be used throughout the process, including in the initial stage of follow-through activities. For example, younger residents are more likely to rely on social networking techniques while older residents may obtain more information from traditional news media sources. Building networks using different, but complimentary, approaches is an important element in maintaining the momentum of community change.

Another element of effective follow-through is to celebrate and publicize successes. Doing so encourages participants to stretch even more, helps community residents understand what has occurred, likely brings additiona...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Series Page
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Citation Information
• Notes on Contributors
• 1. Overview of innovative community change programs
• 2. InCommons: supporting community-based leadership
• 3. Community leadership development education: promoting civic engagement through human and social capital
• 4. Evaluating an asset-based effort to attract and retain young people
• 5. Engaging youth in community change: three key implementation principles
• 6. Engaging the underserved in community leadership development: Step Up to Leadership graduates in northwest Missouri tell their stories
• 7. Can leadership development act as a rural poverty alleviation strategy?
• 8. Lessons from the field: mapping Saskatchewan’s Pipeline of Entrepreneurs and Enterprises in order to build a provincial operating system for entrepreneurship
• Index