The Power of We Consortium has developed the following community practices over our years of experience.
Engaging Community
Our practice is no longer asking citizens for their “input” on pre-determined programs of organizations and institutions. We engage community members in the identification of issues and development of solutions through multiple and varied activities, including one-on-one contact, outreach teams, front-porch conversations, and events designed to increase connections and relationships among diverse people.
Facilitating Dialogue
The practice of dialogue has grown among community members and organizations. By emphasizing equality, listening, and addressing assumptions non-judgmentally, breakthroughs in thought and action are possible. A broad array of people identifying, understanding, and solving complex problems together is helping us combine skills and resources to achieve results that are beyond the reach of any one person, organization, or sector.
Civic Leadership
Community board representation—from neighborhood organizations to regional planning bodies—has been redesigned to bring community leaders, policymakers, and resource holders to the same table to listen, learn, and work together. Emerging community leaders are supported through training and networking opportunities where they come together to share experiences and information, and learn from each other.
Using Assets
Community organizations, groups, and neighborhoods are being encouraged to view institutional resources as their assets, and institutions are being encouraged to view the community’s assets as their greatest resource. A number of community and neighborhood groups are leveraging their resources by connecting their work to changes also sought by institutional partners, while more and more institutions are exploring innovative community-based approaches to fulfill their missions. Regular forums and stronger relationships between community-based groups and institutions create foundations for effective collaboration and the use of all the assets of the community for change.
Sharing Data
There is a growing commitment to putting information in the hands of citizens and tailoring data for neighborhood purposes (data democratization). Full use of technology is central to the strategy. At the organizational level, there is growing commitment to the use of indicators to monitor change and interpreting data is becoming a joint activity to help unravel complex problems and their underlying causes. Communication with the community at large about challenges and progress is becoming routine and inclusive of shared community concerns.