Community Engagement and Involvement-WA Early Years Groups Forum –

Peter Kenyon, Bank of I.D.E.A.S

“Leadership and

learning are

indispensable from

each other”

(John F Kennedy, prepared for delivery in Dallas, the day of his assassination,

Nov, 1963)

‘It’s what you learn after you know it all, that counts.’ 

(John Wooden)

‘There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul, than the way it treats its children.’ 

(Nelson Mandela)

‘If you want to go

faster, go alone. If

you want to go

further, go together.’

(African Proverb)

‘It takes a whole village to raise a

child.’(African Proverb)

‘It takes a child to inspire a

village.’(Bliss Browne)

The word 'community' is a broad term used to define groups of

people; whether they are stakeholders, interest groups,

citizen groups etc. A community may be a geographic location

(community of place), a community of similar interest (community of practice), or a

community of affiliation or identity (such as industry or

sporting club).

(Dept of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria)

‘Engagement' is used as a generic, inclusive term to describe the broad range of interactions

between people. It can include a variety of approaches, such as

one-way communication or information delivery,

consultation, involvement and collaboration in decision-making, and empowered action in informal

groups or formal partnerships. (Dept of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria)

Community engagement can take many forms and covers a broad range of activities. Some examples:

Informing the community of policy and program directions. Consulting the community as part of a process to develop policy and program, or build community awareness and understanding. Involving the community through a range of mechanisms to ensure that issues and concerns are understood and they become part of the decision-making process. Collaborating with the community by developing partnerships to formulate options and provide directions. Empowering the community to make decisions and to become part of implementing and managing change.

DRAFT

Resource Kit For Starting and Sustaining ‘Early Years’ Community Networks

‘Communities working together to improve

outcomes for their children’

‘Communities working together to improve

outcomes for their children’

Produced by the Dept for Communities

‘I work from the firm belief that “whatever the issue, community is the answer.”’

(Margaret Wheatley, Author)

Key learning 1Build from the Inside Out

‘Strong communities are created when residents are the producers of their own

future. They can not be replaced. No professional,

institution, business or government can substitute for

the power, creativity or relevance of productive

residents’.

(Mike Green)

‘The more parent and resident fingerprints

that can be found on a project, the more

likely it is that project will be meaningful and

sustainable’.(Cormac Russell)

‘All the historic evidence indicates that significant

community development only takes place when local community people are committed to investing themselves and their

resources in the effort. That's why you can't develop

communities from the top down, or from the outside in’

(John McKnight, Jody Kretzmann)

‘Most communities can often be compared to a football game where 30,000 people who need the exercise, turn up to watch 36 players who don’t.’(Peter Kenyon)

‘People support what they help to create. They want

to make it happen’.

(Peter Kenyon)

Public Participation Spectrum

Increasing level of public impact

Inform

Consult

Involve

CollaborateEmpower

Move from Inform to Empower

Key learning 2

‘Relationship building is the

fundamental action of community

building.’(Libby Ozinga)

Key learning 3Focus on relationship

building

Key learning 4Discover what people care about

‘There is no power for change

greater than a community discovering

what it cares about’.(Margaret Wheatley,

Author)

‘People who

care are a

community’s

greatest asset.’ (Paul

Born)

‘When people come together in conversation about what truly matters

to them, they take ownership and

responsibility for moving their issues and ideas into wiser actions that

last ’.

(The Art of Hosting)

‘Determination, energy and courage appear spontaneously when we care deeply. We take risks that are unimaginative in any other context’.

(Margaret Wheatley)

Community: a place filled with care Care remains invisible unless you

have conversations about what people care about.

People may not care about what you want them to care about.

Care must be discovered through relationships.

Learning conversations are the way to build relationships that make care visible.

(Mike Green)

‘

Creating a positive change begins simply with

conversation. It is the way we human beings have

always thought together and initiated action.’

(Peter Kenyon)

Remember the importance of conversation

Key learning 5

‘The simplest and most powerful investment any

member of a community or an organisation may make

in terms of community building is to begin talking

with other people as though the answers mattered.’

(William Greider)

‘Go to the peopleLive among themLearn from them

Love themStart with what they knowBuild on what they have

But of the best leaders when their task is done

The people will remark “We have it done it ourselves”’.

(Lao Tze)

Key learning 6Start where people are at

40 schools visited and 16,000 students addressed;

140 young people involved in dialogues dubbed ‘work towards your dreams’ during half time breaks in live soccer broadcast venues;

131 young labourers consulted at four construction sites;

300 girls involved in discussions at three Burranbur sessions;

180 young scholars gathered in 34 tea houses near mosques engaged in conversations;

 

Nugal Region

125 young people within IDP’s were involved in discussions;

48 young people from minority groups were consulted;

510 young people were engaged in 25 khat chewer ‘bushes’;

80 milk vendors and delivery boys, and 30 checkpoint guards contributed their opinions; and finally

25,000 young people tuned into a range of radio awareness and talkback programmes.

 

Mudginbadi, Kakadu

It’s all about these guys and their futures

‘Be innovative in structuring

conversation and contribution

Key learning 7

Great Example-THE FLASH MOB at the KARRINYUP SHOPPING

CENTREhttp://www.youtube.com/storytellermedia

‘Why hold a meeting,

when you can have a party?’

(Jim Diers, former Director Department of Neighborhoods, City

of Seattle)

Key learning 8Have fun!

‘’Food is to a community what water is to fish’

Remember that …

‘

Key learning 9Don’t preach concepts, tell

stories

‘The world is not made up of atoms, it is made

up of stories’(Peter Kenyon)

‘Story telling is the most powerful way to

put ideas into the world today’.

(Robert McKee)

‘

Key learning 10Promote,

promote and promote

“Without promotion, something terrible happens…nothing!” (PT Barnum)

‘

Key learning 11Recognise, reward and

develop local

residents ‘ ‘There are two things people want more than sex and money

…recognition and praise.’

(Mary Kay Ash)

‘

Key learning 12

Kick some Goals

‘Nothing breeds success, like success’ (Annon)

Don’t just meet to

meet, meet to go

somewhere-Saul Allinsky

“Effective community

engagement and

involvement ai’nt

rocket science stuff…

it’s about attention to

some basics”

Creative tool …Café Conversations

Café Conversation Ground

Rules•Focus on what matters to you

•Contribute your thinking and

those ‘out of a box’ ideas

•Speak your mind and heart

•Link and connect ideas

•Listen to understand

•Play Doodle Draw

•Have fun!

Discussion Question 1-

Engaging local

community people-

share practical

experiences about

what you have found

works.

Discussion 2-

Share what you have

found builds strong

Network collaboration

Discussion 3-

Re the future, what

needs to happen to

build a ‘Network of

Networks’ ?

www.bankofideas.com.au

COPYLEFT POLICY

BOI resources, either in full or part, can be copied, quoted, reprinted,

given away and circulated. Parts may be torn out, extracted, summarised

and further enhanced. In short, all the contents are public property. Please use in any way to build the passion, skills and knowledge of citizens to

contribute to healthier local communities and economies.

‘We want so much that our daughters know a community life that is truly good....my dream has always been that Anne will the get the chance to live a life

where she is needed for her gifts’ ‘

(Mike Green)

‘I can’t save the

world on my own...it

will take at least

three of us’(Bill Mollison, founder of the

Permaculture Movement)

‘To journey through chaos, we must engage with one another as explorers and discoverers. I believe the passage

is possible only if we claim these roles. We need to realize that no

single person or school of thought has the answer, because what’s required is far beyond isolated answers. We

need to realize that we must inquire together to find the new. We need to turn to one another as our best hope

for inventing and discovering the worlds we are seeking…’

(Margaret Wheatley)

Contact Details

Peter Kenyon 

Email for copy of presentation:

pk@bankofideas.com.au

Website for bookshop & newsletter mailing list:

www.bankofideas.com.au