MAPPING COMMUNITY ASSETS & BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

 More minds, diverse ideas to tackle issues  Increase the impact  New leadership or expertise  Increase resources  Broaden the scope  More advocates for your cause WHY DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS?

 Weak partners  Compromise  Less control  Inequality of power  Individual organizations may not get credit  Contributions vary  Time and resources to develop and maintain DRAWBACKS/CHALLENGES

Community work… It’s all about relationships! KEY PARTNERSHIP PRINCIPLES: FIRST…  People and organizations are motivated by their self-interest. Find and appeal to your common self-interests, and find your common interest. SECOND…  Partnership-building is a dynamic process that requires continuous attention and effort. MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIPS

THIRD…  Like with all relationships, it’s important that at an early stage of development, partners learn to deal with conflict. FOURTH…  Use what resources and time are available, and adapt. Tap into existing resources – start building relationships; be friendly with groups that have similar goals; cooperate, coordinate or collaborate where it makes sense. MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIPS

TYPES OF PARTNERSHIPS Cooperation Coordination Collaboration Shorter-term, informal relationships Longer-term effort around specific project or task Long-term, more complex and formalized relationships Shared information onlySome joint planning and division of roles New structure with commitment to common goals Separate goals, resources, structures Some shared resources, rewards, and risks Pooled resources, shared rewards, leadership, risks Relationships Roles Resources Risk and Rewards Transactional to Transformational Low intensity to High intensity

1.Assess: Identify needs and assets 2.Prepare: Begin building relationships 3.Frame issues: Establish terms 4.Make decisions: Create a plan, manage conflict 5.Implement decisions: Carry out plan, monitor 6.Maintain relationships: Evaluate, adapt to changes STAGES OF PARTNERSHIPS

 Complementary to needs-based approach  Start with the strengths and resources that exist, not what is absent  Creative solutions to complex problems  Opens up new ways to address key issues: new patterns, new ideas, new energy, new relationships  Empowering: sees people/communities as citizens and producers, not just clients and consumers  Relationship-driven ASSESSING & PREPARING: AN ASSET-BASED APPROACH

ASSET-MAPPING

 Each group has a card with a community issue or need  Individually list 10 assets within a 4-block (1-mile) radius of your home that could help address the issue or need  In your group, share your ideas and debrief:  What were some of your common themes?  What were some of the more creative matches made between the community need and assets?  How might this approach be applicable to your VISTA service? ASSET-MAPPING ACTIVITY

 Document the assets (strengths) in your community  Strategize how best to use resources/understand community  Starting point for building partnerships  Helps break down silos and build positive community  Dynamic: continue to update as community/resources change  Format can be creative ASSET MAPPING: A PLACE TO START

 Collect info on weaknesses and challenges facing community  Helps determine needs for new/expanded services  Can help with accessing funding resources  Increase community understanding of problems NEEDS MAPPING

BUT…  Ignores capacities and strengths  Sees outside experts as only resources for help  Problems have to be seen as increasing in order to get funding  Community believes it is deficient  Targets isolated clients, not energies of entire community NEEDS MAPPING

 Collect info on capacities, skills, strengths of individuals and groups  Might include:  Individual assets  Institutional assets  Physical space  Neighborhood economy  Informal associations  Relationships and networks  Stories/history of a community  Programs/services  Keep in mind: Complement, not supplant existing strategies ASSET MAPPING: WHAT TO INCLUDE

ASSETS VS NEEDS MAP Needs Map Assets Map

 How will you define your “community” that you are asset- mapping?  Specific population, geographic boundaries, faith/ethnic/racial community, etc  Who will help you in this process?  Start with your supervisor!  What type of info will you gather and from whom?  What info do you already have?  What resources and partnerships already exist?  Start with your VISTA site! Get to know your own organization and already existing partnerships, associations, networks, and any already existing asset maps BEFORE YOU MAP

 What is the scope and your goal for mapping?  What are your organization’s/program’s goals and objectives, assets/gaps? How will partnership enhance your goals?  What is your process? How will you go about conducting your community asset research?  How will you document your research? What are you going to do with the information you collect?  Community resource guide, searchable database, identify partners for a specific project/task, etc BEFORE YOU MAP (CONT.)

 Tools:  Visual map  Community/school/neighborhood tour  Newspaper investigation  Photography  Google maps  Others  Include:  People  Programs/services  Community resources DOCUMENTATION

 Who is at the organization(s) or in the community? (that is relevant to your project)  What do they do?  When and to whom are they available?  How do they communicate with parents, community, stakeholders? How can you best contact them?  What strengths could they potentially bring?  How might they align with your organization/program/project? DOCUMENTATION: PEOPLE

 What are existing programs and services available in the community (relevant to your project)?  Who do the programs serve?  What services do they provide?  How effective are they at addressing needs?  How might they align with your organization/program/project? DOCUMENTATION: PROGRAMS/SERVICES

 Who else is in the community (companies, informal associations, etc)? (relevant to your project)  What do they do? Who do they serve?  Do they have existing partnerships or relationships with your organization?  What resources or strengths do they have relevant to your project? (volunteers, space, services, money, in-kind donations)  How might they align with your organization/program/project? DOCUMENTATION: COMMUNITY RESOURCES

 Identify strategies to approach your potential partners  Negotiate a framework for decision-making and terms of agreement for each partnership  Roles and responsibilities  Structure/management  Credit  Publicity/marketing  Planning and info-sharing  Evaluation  If necessary, formalize with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Letter of Agreement (LOA) NEXT STEP: DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS

Contact QUESTIONS? Meghan Paul-Cook