2.0 Identifying Local Decision-Makers Exploring the Human Resources/Economic Development Connection Community Choices: Public Policy Education Program 8 March 2000 The Southern Rural Development Center Module Two:

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers Objectives Understand the U.S. government and the importance of local government. Assess the role of social stratification in shaping local involvement. Understand the levels of influence in the community and learn techniques to identify these individuals. Understand the U.S. government and the importance of local government. Assess the role of social stratification in shaping local involvement. Understand the levels of influence in the community and learn techniques to identify these individuals. 2.1

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers Objectives (cont). Appreciate the value of civic participation and some of the obstacles to participation and leadership. Gain greater sensitivity about the importance of including people who often are not heard in public policy deliberations. Appreciate the value of civic participation and some of the obstacles to participation and leadership. Gain greater sensitivity about the importance of including people who often are not heard in public policy deliberations. 2.2

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers U.S. has a federal system of government. Power and responsibility are shared among national, state, and local jurisdictions. Local governmental units function as administrative units of the states. Local governing agencies exert great influence on the way we live. Local government is the key level in our national system to which most of us feel close ties. U.S. has a federal system of government. Power and responsibility are shared among national, state, and local jurisdictions. Local governmental units function as administrative units of the states. Local governing agencies exert great influence on the way we live. Local government is the key level in our national system to which most of us feel close ties. 2.3 The U.S. System of Government

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers The Impact of Social Stratification Our unique system of government calls for citizens to take an active part in local decision-making. Certain barriers to local issues exist. Various types of social differences lead to social stratification—a ranking process that assigns higher and lower values to individual characteristics. Our unique system of government calls for citizens to take an active part in local decision-making. Certain barriers to local issues exist. Various types of social differences lead to social stratification—a ranking process that assigns higher and lower values to individual characteristics. 2.4

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers Items used to rank people... Race Gender Socioeconomic status (income, education, and occupation) Race Gender Socioeconomic status (income, education, and occupation) 2.5

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers People from different socioeconomic, racial, and gender backgrounds may have distinct interests, needs, and concerns. These differences tend to affect how people view public policy issues. Social stratification has much to say about how a community might deal with key policy matters and who ultimately will benefit from these policy decisions. People from different socioeconomic, racial, and gender backgrounds may have distinct interests, needs, and concerns. These differences tend to affect how people view public policy issues. Social stratification has much to say about how a community might deal with key policy matters and who ultimately will benefit from these policy decisions. 2.6

2.7 Figure 1. Community Leadership Levels Levels Roles I II III VIGeneral Public Legitimizers Implementors Doers

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers People in the community whose approval is necessary to guarantee the success of important undertakings. People who get involved in projects having significant policy implications. People whose endorsement is important if groups hope to be successful in getting their goals accomplished. People in the community whose approval is necessary to guarantee the success of important undertakings. People who get involved in projects having significant policy implications. People whose endorsement is important if groups hope to be successful in getting their goals accomplished. 2.8 Legitimizers...

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers Are the most active participants in community projects. Involvement usually limited to areas where they have technical or professional expertise. Role is to implement the plans and decisions arrived at or approved by legitimizers. Are the most active participants in community projects. Involvement usually limited to areas where they have technical or professional expertise. Role is to implement the plans and decisions arrived at or approved by legitimizers. 2.9 Implementors...

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers Perform many of the project chores (stuffing envelopes, distributing information, etc.). Seldom involved in the planning and decision-making aspects of a project. Tend to be task-oriented in their activities. Perform many of the project chores (stuffing envelopes, distributing information, etc.). Seldom involved in the planning and decision-making aspects of a project. Tend to be task-oriented in their activities Doers...

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers Includes a sizable number who never become involved in local activities. Some become active on an occasional basis. Their views are important, particularly on matters that affect them directly. Includes a sizable number who never become involved in local activities. Some become active on an occasional basis. Their views are important, particularly on matters that affect them directly General Public...

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers Two techniques for locating legitimizers—“positional” and “reputational.” Decisional approach is helpful in determining who the implementors are in the community. Social activity procedure tends to uncover the so-called doers of the community. Two techniques for locating legitimizers—“positional” and “reputational.” Decisional approach is helpful in determining who the implementors are in the community. Social activity procedure tends to uncover the so-called doers of the community Locating Local Influentials

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers Public policy education is based on public participation. Expanding involvement of local citizens in addressing local issues is vital. Important to ensure that all perspectives and voices are heard in policy activities. This will require extra efforts to involve people of various racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Public policy education is based on public participation. Expanding involvement of local citizens in addressing local issues is vital. Important to ensure that all perspectives and voices are heard in policy activities. This will require extra efforts to involve people of various racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds Expanding Local Participation

Community Choices: Identifying Local Decision- Makers 2.14 Prepared by Lionel J. Beaulieu Southern Rural Development Center Mark H. Smith Wake Forest University March 2000