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Building Community from the Inside

Building Community from the Inside. Arkansas Waiver Association, July 17, 2014. What is “community”?. Dictionary definitions 1. All the people living in the same place and subject to the same laws: the people of any district or town

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Building Community from the Inside

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  1. Building Community from the Inside Arkansas Waiver Association, July 17, 2014

  2. What is “community”? • Dictionary definitions • 1. All the people living in the same place and subject to the same laws: the people of any district or town • 2. A group of people living together or sharing something in common, such as interest or vocations

  3. What is “community”? • Some other definitions: • Belonging to and members of each other; shared nourishment and mutual protection • John O’Brien • The deliberate, human expression of the desire for relationship and purpose • Donna Markham

  4. John O’Brien’s 5 Valued Experiences for Individuals • Sharing in meaningful exchanges • Growing in relationships • Experiencing respect for who I am; having a valued social role • Contributing (why am I here?) • Making choices

  5. O’Brien’s 5 Valued Outcomes Have Respect! isolation poor reputation Go Places! low expectations Make Choices! Be Somebody! no power loneliness Share Relationships!

  6. “Community” or “Systems” • Community is about sharing, belonging and mutual support and protection • “A system is an organized set of objects which process inputs into outputs that achieve an organizational purpose and meet the need of customers through the use of human, physical, and informatic enablers in a sociological and physical environment” (adapted from Nadler 1981; Checkland 1981).

  7. Community and perceptions SYSTEM SPACES COMMUNITY PLACES Known as individuals Known by what’s “wrong” Focus on changing what’s “wrong” People are who they are Relationships are unequal Work and relationships are reciprocal Formed into segregated groups Joined by interest Problems are solved by authorities Problems are solved by experience

  8. Building Community Connections • Adapted from John McKnight (1993), Building Communities from the Inside Out. “Clients” have deficiencies and needs “Citizens” have capacities and gifts

  9. How is this Different? We used to ask We’re starting to ask How do we keep Bob from screaming? What is Bob telling us? How do we keep Bob on-task and busy all day? How to learn Bobs strengths, interests How do we habilitate Bob? How to help Bob enjoy life & develop friends Support needed to be in the community now How do we get Bob ready for community? How do we put safeguards in place? How do we protect Bob from the community?

  10. 'Every single person has capacities, abilities and gifts. Living a good life depends on whether those capacities can be used, abilities expressed and gifts given‘ (John McKnight)

  11. ‘Every living person has some gift or capacity of value to others. A strong community is a place that recognises these gifts and ensures they are given. A weak community is a place where lots of people can’t or don’t give their gifts’ (John Mcknight and John Kretzman) ‘The strength of a community is directly proportional to the number of people who contribute their abilities to the well-being of the community’ (Nance Diamond)

  12. ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT – KEY ASSUMPTIONS • Believes that meaningful and lasting community changes always originate from within, and local residents in that community are the best experts on how to activate that change. • focuses on the resources and capacities of a community and its residents, instead of dwelling on their needs problems and deficiencies. • inherently optimistic, and assumes every single person has capacities, abilities and gifts. Living a good life depends on whether those capacities can be used, abilities expressed and gifts given. • the strength of a community is directly proportional to the level that residents want, and a re able to contribute their abilities and assets to the wellbeing of their community.

  13. Overall Strategies of Community Inclusion • It’s not always doing MORE, but doing things differently. • Work to make services more flexible and responsive, taking direction from the people we serve. • We must revise our way of doing business, and give up some control. • Act as if anything is possible and it may be! • Start small • Use a person-centered approach • Work in close partnership with supported employment • Staff must be/become connected themselves

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