Community Leadership National College for School Leadership April 21, 2005 by Paul Born

1. CommunityLeadershipNational College forSchool LeadershipApril 21, 2005by Paul Born

2. Tamarack is a charitable organization dedicated to helping citizens build caring, prosperous and healthy communities. Through its Learning Centre, Tamarack works with its partners to build on their experience and develop practical tools, resources and learning techniques that can strengthen local efforts to address community issues. For more information on Tamarack, see the organization’s website at www.tamarackcommunity.ca.

3. Our time together Opening and Welcoming About Community Leadership The Scenario – 3 Stories C – V.I. – P • Collaboration • Vision • Innovation • Place C - VI - P

4. C - VI - P Community LeadershipLearning from action – Learning for action Stories from the field … on becoming a leader A journey to understand … fighting a fire with a fire truck that has no brakes. • Building an organization • Building a community • Building a movement Acting like an Organization – Thinking like a Movement

5. The Challenge C - VI - P If I were… A positional leader (e.g. school principal, leader of a community centre) facing these issues…. • Children coming/going to school hungry • Bullying after school – informal gangs • Creating a livable community ……what would you do?

6. C - VI - P Collaborate Role: Bring people together to … Key Tasks: • better understand the issue & find common ground • agree on what you… know you do not know …and agree to learn together. • invite only those who can “help” address the issue to work together. Community Leadership Competencies: Convening and Facilitating

7. C - VI - P What is a Collaboration? A mutually beneficial and well defined relationship entered into by people and organizations to achieve common goals. The relationship includes a commitment to: a definition of mutual relationships and goals; a jointly developed structure for shared responsibility; mutual authority and accountability for success; and sharing of resources and rewards. The Amherst Wilder Foundation Cooperation Coordination Collaboration?

8. C - VI - P Why Collaborate?The Current State • Fractured Problems (e.g. Crime, Poverty, Homelessness, etc.) • Fractured Resources • Fractured Responses • Fractured Solutions

9. C - VI - P

10. C - VI - P Vision Role: Help the collaboration to focus… Key Tasks: Start with talking about values • What do we care about and why • What would we like to “see” and why? • Agree on a working vision • From current state to future state • 3 years from now we will… When vision and values merge we have Purpose Community Leadership Competencies: • self knowledge & consensus building

11. C - VI - P Innovate Role: Helping the collaboration to act… differently A.L.L.-C… Action – Leadership – Learning and Change Key Tasks: • Brainstorm simple and complex solutions • Choose which ones you want to address, when & how • Develop an action learning plan… Community Leadership Competencies: Strategic planning & organization building

12. The Stacey Matrix Having a lot of people – who don’t always agree – dealing with dynamic, often fuzzy, inter-related root causes. C O M P L I C A T E D Far Complex • Some solutions: • Understand the system • Get close to the issues • Collaborate (engage the system) • Innovate C L A R I T Y Simple Complicated Far AGREEMENT Near Learning to work in the complex by Brenda Zimmerman - York University. As explained by Frances Westley - McGill University

13. Acting like an organization – Thinking like a Movement Stages The Work Purpose Grows Vision & value definition, growing commitment Engagement Grows People – plan – partner – projects – perform Building a movement for change Credibility, capacity and capital building

14. Building understanding Action – Leadership Learning and Change Renewal or wind down Purpose Building - Engagement - Momentum Create Conditions for Success Building Community will Acting like an organization – Thinking like a Movement

15. Place… Role: Providing a “space” where the collaboration can meet Key Tasks: • Open your school or community centre as a community space • Organize meetings and events • Celebrate your neighbourhood • Broaden the community’s understanding about learning • Involve your staff – team them up with volunteers Place…where we hope the change will occur Community Leadership Competencies: A welcoming and generous spirit

16. C - VI - P The Challenge If I were… A positional Leader (school principal, leader of a community centre) facing these issues…. • Children coming/going to school hungry • Bullying after school – informal gangs • Creating a livable community ……this is what I what do Collaborate – Vision – Innovate – Place

17. Stay in Touch! • Fill out the form • Leave your business card • Come to the website • www.tamarackcommunity.ca

18. Tamarack Products & Services Open Services • Website • Four e-newsletters • Engage! • Communities Collaborating • Eunoia • Community Life • On-line seminars • Tele-learning Custom Services • Strategic consulting • Seminars and Presentations • Research and “tool” development • Developing Communities of Learning