Broad based relational organizing Building community capacity one person at a time Presented by Tom Mosgaller 2013 JCEP Conference

Significant events and perceptive eyes This can be the worst of times… …because the old questions don’t fit the new reality

Significant events and perceptive eyes This can be the best of times… …if we look out the window and anticipate what is coming into view

Definition of a leader: Leaders are people who create a shared vision powerful enough to lift people out of their petty preoccupations and focus them on things worthy of their efforts. John Gardner- Founder National Civic League

Exercise 1 What do you do? What is your story?

Parker Palmer Healing the Heart of Democracy All in it together Welcoming the “other” Hold the tension Find your voice Build community capacity

Diffusion of Innovation (Rogers)

Critical elements of effective diffusion of an idea: Relative advantage Compatibility Complexity Observability Trialability

Exercise 2—Community Capacity Building Purpose: Scope:

The Geometry Lesson In the beginning

Then…

Community

Institution

3 Sectors Private Public Civic

Civic—formal/informal associations Neighborhoods Co-ops PTOs Church Groups Fraternities Volunteer associations

Observations on American Democracy 1.Identify our problems 2.Generate solutions 3.Do it!

The Wisconsin Idea The Extension agents as catalyst, connector, capacity builder

Key Responsibility

Healthy require: Organizing Disorganizing Reorganizing

Secret weapon of capacity building Relationships

How 1 on 1

Hold the tension MobilizeTransactionalCauseFixesOrganizeRelationalDevelopmentLong-term Capacity

1 on 1 Listening—actively Questioning—curiously Sharing stories—meaningfully

Exercise 3— 1-1 relationship building

Universals of relational organizing Intentional Mutual Require care Grounded in trust and forged in action Built before they are needed

The organizing cycle Evaluation conversations House meetings Research Actions Large Actions

P 3 ower—the ability to act P 1 = Create/produce our own future P 2 = Collaboration: associations, partners, networks P 3 = Institutions do what we can't do alone

3 critical questions What can we do ourselves? What can we do with a little help? What do we need others to do for us?

So…. what does this have to do with community capacity building? Extension agents as: Catalysts Connectors Capacity builders

So What

Now What

"Thus in all ways, I will transmit my community greater and more beautiful than it was transmitted to me.“ -from the Athenian Oath Pericles, Mayor of Athens, Greece over 2000 years ago

Thank you! Questions are welcomed