Models of Community Engagement Kelly Benkert Director, Leadership Development & Community Engagement Northwestern University

Agenda Intros Anchor institutions Asset-Based Community Development Collective Impact Key principles of community engagement and partnership

Conversation Why are libraries spending more time and energy thinking about community engagement? What has changed in the landscape or understanding/interpretation of your institutional mission that is leading to an increased focus on community engagement? What is the difference between engagement and outreach?

Libraries are Anchor Institutions Location bound = vested interest in the community Drivers of the creative and intellectual economy Drivers of economic development

Libraries are Anchor Institutions Provide anchor institution leadership Create a network of anchor institutions Agree to a set of basic behaviors Study impact of the network

Anchor Institution Resources

An approach and orientation… Build together Strengths/Assets Based vs. Needs Based Voices of community Relationships Common values + Goals + Trust = POWER

Asset Mapping WHY do it? 3 Steps to Increase and Support Engagement Inventory of assets available in a given community Understanding strengths allows you to leverage them Tool for planning partnerships 3 Steps to Increase and Support Engagement Use learning conversations to discover the gifts and strengths of the community Ask people to get involved and share their gifts around issues they care about Connect people/institutions with the same passions to act collectively for the common good

Collective Impact

Complexity requires Collective Action Food Security K-12 Schools Health Care Living Wage Jobs Funders Public Policy Educational Equity & College/Career Readiness

Five Conditions for Collective Impact Libraries?

SMALL GROUPS! Anchor Institutions Asset Based Community Development To Review…. Anchor Institutions Asset Based Community Development Collective Impact SMALL GROUPS! Which approach sparks your interest? Where is there potential in your work to apply ideas from this approach? 4th option… the synthesizers! Where could you apply aspects of each framework in your work?

Principles of Community Engagement & Partnership Development Stage 1: Designing the Partnership Founded on a shared vision and clearly articulated values Mutually beneficial to partnering institutions

Principles of Community Engagement & Partnership Development Stage 2: Building Collaborative Work Relationships Among Partners Composed of interpersonal relationships built on trust and respect Multi-dimensional: they involve the participation of multiple sectors that act in service of a complex problem Clearly organized and led with dynamism

Principles of Community Engagement & Partnership Development Stage 3: Sustaining the Partnership Integrated into the mission and support systems of the partnering institutions Sustained by a “partnership process” for communication, decision-making, and the initiation of change Evaluated regularly with a focus on both methods and outcomes

Other considerations to think about… How do you keep track of your partnerships? Database? Tracking system? Key Liaison? How do you assess your partnerships or programs? Consistent measures across programs? Relationship or network maps?

Next steps? Take aways? Acknowledge anchor status; begin conversations with other anchors Community asset mapping with stakeholders Identify areas for collective impact effort(s); develop capacity to be backbone support Assess current practices through the lens of the partnership best practices

Kelly Benkert 847-491-2353 Kelly.Benkert@northwestern.edu