Coalition 101

RESPECT AND VALUE “The group respects my opinion and provides positive ways for me to contribute.” EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS “The roles and responsibilities are clearly mapped out and everyone does his or her job. Together this makes the whole collaboration valued among participants and valued in the community.” ACCOMPLISHMENT “The collection of people are really committed to their goals and work hard toward them. As time goes on people recognize the value of working together on common agendas rather than in competition.”

IN ORDER TO RECRUIT FOR YOUR COALITION YOU MUST FIRST RECOGNIZE AND REMOVE THE BARRIERS.

 Organizational  Personal  Environmental

 Lack of defined roles and responsibilities and/or lack of understanding of meeting processes or how to participate.  Poor relationships or conflict within the coalition.  Lack of or poor internal/external communication and access to information.  Lack of support for members with special needs (visual or hearing impaired, literacy level, language barriers.)  Lack of ongoing supports such as accessible meeting locations, expense reimbursements, and child care.  Lack of flexibility regarding participation, or unrealistic time/commitment expectations.

 Lack of community support for the organization.  All the “isms” (e.g., issues of class, gender, race/ethnicity, age)  Large geographic areas requiring time- consuming, expensive long distance travel with no financial reimbursement.  Natural and “man-made” delays before “results” are seen.

 Lack of or inadequate commitment to the organization or its goals and objectives.  Health status  Burnout  Competing family, work and/or personal time demands.

Recruitment is a responsibility of the entire coalition.  Do not rely on personal contacts and individual interactions as the only means of recruitment; utilize methods that have proven useful to other coalitions in recruiting consumers.  Recruitment and outreach procedures should be formalized, and require a formal outreach process carried out by a committee of the coalition.  Outreach must be extensive, ongoing and culturally competent.

 Develop a formal membership plan that addresses inclusiveness, diversity and process for recruitment.  Orient new members: - Practical orientation prior to first meeting. - New member packet or manual. - Formal procedure for introducing and welcoming new members. - Debrief with new members after their first meeting. - Establish a mentoring or “buddy” system. - Allow for training which addresses individual needs. - Sensitize all members to the importance of consumer input.

Members will be more likely to participate if you insist on effective meetings!  The coalition’s mission is clearly defined.  Policies and procedures are documented and agreed upon by all members.  Strategies and tasks necessary to the mission are specified and pursued by the members themselves.  The committee structure is such that all participants understand their roles and responsibilities.  Meetings are conducted in a participatory, efficient and timely manner.  It is acknowledged that everyone has an equally important contribution to make and not everyone must be an expert in every aspect of the coalition process.

 Create a culturally competent environment.  Be flexible about changing meeting times, locations and participation requirements.  Be creative in finding solutions to administrative support needs.  Acknowledge people and their contributions.  Provide opportunities for continuing education, training and leadership development.  Consider scheduling time for optional socializing and networking.  Take action to prevent burnout and help sustain member commitment.

 Conflict is a natural part of life and is inevitable.  Conflict can also be constructive.  Conflict is not the problem. The problem is in how we manage conflict.

AREAS OF CONFLICT IN COLLABORATIONS  Where, when and how meetings are conducted.  Perceived and actual differences in values, interests and personal styles. Conflict arises over discrepancies in work output, commitment to service delivery, definitions of services and styles of expressing anger, frustration, discomfort, and disagreement.  Differences in cultural backgrounds, sexual orientation, race and class give rise to conflict and misunderstanding.  Selection of health priorities.  Interpretation of needs assessment results.  Allocation of funds and choices of subcontractors.  Staffing decisions.  Perception that the process is controlled by a few members.  Roles, responsibilities and relationships with regional leadership team and state.  Members feel as if their time is being wasted.  Monitoring and evaluating provider organizations.

CAUSES OF CONFLICT P73  Communication problems  Differences in objectives (what)  Differences in methodology (how)  Personality differences

CONCLUSIONS  Membership recruitment and maintenance is an ongoing process.  There is a process to membership recruitment, participation and maintenance.  Broad-based, culturally diverse membership must be encouraged.

 Successful Meetings pg 90  Key Components of Successful Meetings  Steps for Successful Meetings  Agendas  Ground Rules  Process and Procedures  Roles and Responsibilities

NEXT STEPS  Where do we go from here?  What else do you need?  What changes do you/your coalition need to make?  What is your next step?

For more information please contact your local Hometown Health Improvement Coalition in your area.