Applying Community Organizing Principles to FASTWorks
FAST Training of Trainers
January, 2001
William Ashton, Ph.D.
Goal / Format of Talk
Exposure to basic ideas of community organizing in order to allow you to apply these ideas to FASTWorks– No intention to make you community
organizers– May community organizing ideas can be used
in FASTWorks
Applying Community Organizing Principles to FASTWorks History of Community Organizing Theory of Community Organizing Putting It Into Action Example: Neighbor Network Applications to FASTWorks
History of Community OrganizingAlinsky’s Conflict ModelThe Truly DisadvantagedConsensus Organizing
Alinsky’s Conflict Model
– Airport Noise– Movie Theater Segregation– Bank Segregation
Competent and angry citizens
The Truly Disadvantaged William Julius Wilson Inner-city Neighborhoods of the Past Loss of Middle Class
– Decline of basic institutions (churches, stores, schools etc.)
– Decline in social organization (sense of community, ID, norms and sanctions)
Consensus Organizing
Response to Wilson’s argument Time & Labor Intensive Stimulate Citizen Participation &
Leadership Development Enhance Capacities of Residents Build Sustainable Linkages between
Residents and Institutions
Theory of Community Organizing Empowerment McKnight & Kretzmann’s Assets Focus upon People & Relationships
Definition of Empowerment
Empowerment is a process in which a person, a community, or an institution gains mastery over their own affairs. - Rappaport
The Process is Important “Own Affairs” - tangible resources &
ability to affect one’s future Empowerment is opposite of powerlessness
Gateways to Powerlessness
Blaming the Victim - define difference as cause of social problem
The Giving Enemy - gives people what they have, but at the same time robs them of dignity and personal sense of control
“There can be no darker or more devastating tragedy than the death of man’s faith in himself and in his power to direct his future.” -- Saul Alinksy
Definition of Empowerment
Self-Efficacy - one’s belief in one’s ability to act
Empowerment is both a psychological attitude and an observable behavior.– Getting things done
Problems with Consciousness Raising
Development of Empowerment– Charles Kieffer
Integrity & Mobilizing Episode Support - peer and professional Experience: Action - Reflection Cycle Reconstruct beliefs about self, community 4 years of intense experience
Empowerment: A Focus upon Strengths Deficit Model
– Illness– Blaming the Victim– Giving Enemy
Strengths Model
– Develop Existing Community Strengths
Assets
McKnight & Kretzmann Asset Mapping Building Relationships Mobilizing the Community’s Assets for Economic
Development & Information Sharing Developing a Community Vision & Plan Leverage Outside Resources o Support Locally
Driven Development
Putting It Into Action
Community Organizing Process Helpful Hints
Community Organizing Process
1.Familiarization with Community
2.Initial Contact
3.Gauging Community Interest
4.Relationship Building
5.Concrete Activity
6.Transition
7.Professional Termination
Early Stages
Familiarization with Community– Research existing materials
Initial Contact– Media, Local Leaders– Draw out others with interest
Gauging Community Interest– At least: Advisory Board
Relationship Building
Work with Existing Community Organizations
Go Door-to-Door or Hang Out for 1-on-1’s needs/assets/interest survey Information & Referral Small Wins
Focus upon StrengthsFocus upon Strengths
Small Wins
Large Problems– frustration, arousal & helplessness
From ‘sexual disorder’ to ‘sex life’ One Day at a Time 1000 card problem
– deconstruct large problems into small problems
Reinforces success
Concrete Activity
Find a McGuffin Asset Development Leadership / Organization Development Win-Win Projects / Small Wins Develop Community Vision
Be Explicit About Your Role
Support, Assist & Aid Celebrate Don’t do for someone what they can do for
themselves You will leave and they need to prepare for
that
Transition & Professional Termination
Have you stayed long enough?– Are there (new) indigenous leaders?
Identify timeline for termination– identify goals to continue termination
Reenter Process
Helpful Hints
Organizations live in action; die in committee
Look for small wins and win-win Celebrate Successes Focus upon Strengths
Neighbor Network ProjectGoals
Asset-building program based upon McKnight & Kretzmann
Identifies strengths, skills, talents, knowledge and experiences and link to others in their neighborhood
Develops win-win relationships between neighbors
Neighbor Network ProjectGoals
Develop Leadership Skills Identify and Develop ‘Block Brokers’ ‘The provision of services will be by the
neighbors themselves’ Keys to Success
– use citizen advisory board to• select neighborhood
• select coordinator
Neighbor Network ProjectReality
Change in Funders & Priorities– No Leadership Development
Lack of Interest in Advisory Board Block Brokers only lasted the summer Coordinator supported existing leaders and
initiated projects
Applications to FASTWorks
Transition to FASTWorks FASTWorks Goal & Community Building Experiential Exercises
– Development of Empowerment– Community Organizing Process
Hints & Concerns
Transition to FASTWorks
“The leadership hierarchy shifts from team-centered to parent-centered.”
Difficulty changing expectations and norms about effort requirements and leadership
FASTWorks’ Goal
To be a place where parents support each other as they lead their families and work with the school and the community to advocate for their children toward success in school and a healthy life.
Indicates need for community development skill building among parents
Exercise --Development of Empowerment
Charles Kieffer Integrity & Mobilizing Episode Support - peer and professional Experience: Action - Reflection Cycle Reconstruct beliefs about self, community 4 years of intense experience
Exercise --Community Organizing Process1.Familiarization with Community
2.Initial Contact
3.Gauging Community Interest
4.Relationship Building
5.Concrete Activity
6.Transition
7.Professional Termination
Hints & Concerns
Parents’ roles must be made explicit and made early
FASTWorks organizer must reach out to families and do “relationship building”
Leadership / Organization Development Small Wins Celebrate
Rights of Use of This Material
Some trainers are very protective of their materials – they’re afraid that they’re giving away their business. I feel that freely distributing information like this is just good advertising for a trainer or consultant. So please use my material as you see fit; with the provision that you, in print, reference me. Please use the following information – in full:
William Ashton, Ph.D. The City University of New York, York College Department of Political Science and Psychology www.york.cuny.edu/~washton
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