The Power of Community A Roundtable Session facilitated by Christie Huck, City Garden Montessori School, St. Louis, Missouri Better Together: Community Collaboration for Infant Vitality June 19, 2015

Introductions

Why do we want to engage our constituents?

Ultimately, the more “user-centered” and empathy-based our work is, the more effective it will be. AND… Building community brings joy and meaning, as well as longevity and sustainability, to organizations.

Why do our constituents WANT to be engaged?

People ultimately show up to things (outside of work/ required activities) for themselves (not because of us or anything magical we said or did). So… How do we make our engagement/ activities about THEM?

Small Group Share: What’s one success and one challenge you’ve experienced with community engagement?

What are the major ways to engage the community in our work?

There are lots of ways to engage the community in our work… But community engagement is also a mindset. (How are we always making our programs and our organization about our mission and our constituents?)

Rooting our work in Empathy: an Ongoing Practice

Events! So you want to have an event… How do I make it  worthwhile  engaging  productive  fun?

Step One: Determine the “Who, What, When, Where, Why?” What is the reason to get people together, and to ask people to take time away from their full lives to come to our gathering? What are the outcomes we are aiming to achieve?

Plan with the participants in mind, knowing that preparation of the environment can make a tremendous difference in participants’ experiences. Make each component of the environment purposeful. Step Two: Prepare the environment.

Prepare the Environment. Remove as many obstacles as possible to attendance and participation—child care, food, making it free, welcoming, etc. Prepare the physical space. Arrangement of furniture The “feel” of the space Sound, technology Are physical needs easily met with the space available—i.e., is it too hot or too cold? Are restrooms nearby? etc. Think through the materials and tools needed.

Prepare the Environment. Be mindful of the group—are there specific physical needs? Are the space and the program sensitive to all cultures and backgrounds? Practice “radical hospitality” o Have volunteers or staff welcome participants o Sign in table with name tags o Have water, coffee, possibly other refreshments o Have music playing, make the environment upbeat o Get creative with how to make the environment joyful and welcoming

Step Three: Facilitation is key.

What works. Have an agenda/ a plan that you’ve prepared for. Be flexible but work hard to stick to times set. Make time for introductions for all participants. Have as little “lecture time” as possible—make as much programming as possible interactive. Provide opportunity for sharing and connection. Foster small group discussions with some facilitated “report outs” to the whole group. Let participants know what follow up will happen, how their input will be used.

What doesn’t work. Large group “discussions” Lecture-only events (unless the purpose is to purely deliver information) Letting discussions or programs go over time (unless there is a good reason)

Step Four: Follow up, get feedback.

Follow-up surveys are great. Be clear with participants about any outcomes that came out of the event, and how they can continue to engage. Meet with your planning team within 7-10 days to reflect and determine whether outcomes/ goals were met, what went well and what didn’t, how you can use what was learned to inform the next event, how this event has contributed to your overall work.

Small Group Share: What’s coming up for you? What stands out?

So you want to start a committee…

Step One: What is the reason and purpose for the committee?

Freebie: Nothing drives people away from an organization more than being asked to show up at committee meetings when it is unclear why they’re there or what the group is supposed to be doing.

Reason and purpose of the committee Create a simple “mission statement”/ statement of purpose of the committee, with goals and objectives. Clearly articulate how committee members will be involved and what will be asked of them. Include a simple timeline that outlines what committee members can expect over the next 6-12 months (or whatever time frame makes sense.)

Step Two: Get the right people on the bus.

Freebie #2: Actually, nothing drives people away from an organization more than challenging, negative people. (But, the majority of people AREN’T challenging and negative!)

Getting the right people on the bus Identify a strong committee leader, with strong facilitation skills. Provide training and support to the committee leader. Determine how staff will support/ interact with him or her. Identify committee members who will bring various (sometimes specific) skills, characteristics, perspective, etc. Be clear about what you are looking for in committee members.

Step Three: Be intentional with how you use the committee’s time.

Be intentional with how you use the committee’s time. Planning and preparation are key!!! The chairperson and staff should prepare thoroughly before each meeting. Have an agenda for every meeting, with times designated and with topics assigned to specific members. Communicate well/ thoroughly with committee members, but don’t overdo it.

Step Four: Reflect and evaluate.

Reflection and Evaluation Regularly evaluate the work of the committee: How the committee is functioning? How are the dynamics of the group? Is the committee meeting the goals and objectives set forth? Have some of the goals and objectives changed? What adjustments might need to be made? Are committee members getting something out of the experience?

Small Group Share: How can I more effectively support and engage the committees I work with?

Interaction Time! An introduction to and interactive experience with Design Thinking

Thanks for your participation today and for all of the incredible work you do!

Contact information: Christie Huck, Executive Director City Garden Montessori School 1618 Tower Grove Avenue St. Louis, Missouri