Public Achievement

First, recall the process of Public Achievement Identification and development of issues Researching problems associated with issues Designing an action plan to address the issues Implementing an action plan In each of these steps, we will be applying the core concepts of Public Achievement. Delta students will coach high school students through this process, empowering them to use their ideas, skills and talents to solve problems and improve their communities.

Issue Identification and Development This stage of the project is geared toward exploring the different facets of an issue so the team can proceed with a good understanding of the issue. Through this stage of the process, teams will explore how their issue impacts the broader community – either positively or negatively. They will identify the interests – both self interests and public interests – connected to the issue. This phase is important to ensure that teams are armed with information and are addressing an issue that benefits the public (rather than special) interest.

Core Concept: Interests We will be applying the core concept of interests to the issue development phase of Public Achievement. Interests: What is important to you. Everyone has different interests stemming from their life experiences. Based on this background, they may have a connection to certain issue(s). For example, I (Lisa) grew up raising farm animals and showing them in the county fair. As a result, I have an interest in state funding for county fairs and 4-H programs. Very simply, your interests are the things that matter to you. Think about it: What life experiences have given you a connection to certain issues? What are those issues?

How are interests related to the work of Public Achievement? Your personal (self) interests may overlap with the interests of the public, or the larger community. The process of PA will help you become aware of how individual self interests and the public interest may be intertwined. Rather than self interests, PA focusses on work that benefits the entire community. In the process, PA participants may discover that their self interest lies in the strength of the broader community. Let’s say, for example, that skate board enthusiasts want to build a ramp park in my community. I am not a skate board enthusiast, so this project does not appear to benefit my self interest, right? However, a ramp park may give the youth of my city a safe place to hang out and stay out of trouble, thus reducing crime and drug use. As a result, I personally benefit from this project which betters my community. Thus, my self interest (living in a safe, drug-free community) and public interest are one-in-the-same. We all have an interest in strong communities!

Identifying the interests of others There may be other people who are also interested in your issue, but for different reasons. On any given issue, you may be able to identify many different people or groups who are interested in the issue in different ways. To extend the example of funding for county fairs: Other people interested in this issue may be farm equipment dealers wanting to promote agriculture; the Chamber of Commerce who would be interested in attracting people to the area; law enforcement groups who would be interested in wholesome entertainment for kids. There may even be opposing interests on this issue, such as animal rights groups, for example, who would oppose raising animals for market. Identifying others interested in your issue may open opportunities for your team to work with others to more effectively address your issue.

Thinking publicly The goal of any PA project should be to benefit the public interest. While there is no common agreement on the “public interest,” this, rather than a narrow self interest, should always be our goal. The public includes a diverse group of people; it is also a space where our actions are visible for others to see. We achieve the public interest when those who have diverse interests work together to address common problems. By working with diverse people in the public realm we will gain different perspectives and ways of thinking about problems, often challenging our own preconceived notions.

Coaching Tip Remind your team members that they need to act, behave and speak differently in the public realm than in the private realm. The language, gestures and actions used around friends or family may not be appropriate in the public sphere and will challenge your ability to be taken seriously. To be effective in public work, your team will have to learn the protocol for acting in public: Politeness, proper attitude, shaking hands, eye contact, introducing themselves, speaking clearly, active listening, etc.

Teaching the core concept of interests to your team Check out the activities in this week’s eLearning module to teach the students about the core concept of Interests.

Identifying the underlying issue As your team develops its issue, be sure they stay focused on the issue, rather than jumping ahead to the problems or project. Here’s the difference: Issues: Matters of public concern that affect society. (Example: Lack of good food options at lunchtime) Problems: Negative consequences related to the issue. (Example: Students don’t eat and as a result are hungry in class.) Projects: Planned actions to positively impact the problems. (Example: Present a plan for open-campus lunch to the school board.) We will have time for discussing problems and projects later in the PA process. For now, be sure to keep the conversation focused on the issue.