Action Agenda

Because people often want to immediately get to work and "solve" the problem, it can be hard to convince them of the necessity of taking time to discuss, plan, and reach consensus. Once that vital preliminary work is done, then it is time to identify actions that move people out of the idea stage into the results stage. An action agenda guides the group for getting things done and realizing their goals and ultimately their visions. More>>

Consensus Building

It goes without saying that a community's views and ties to a resource can be strong. Introduce a threat to that resource or a proposal for change in its use or boundaries and tempers flare between polarized interest groups. In our work with communities we often encounter individuals who have deeply held and differing values and contradictory assessments of political and economic impacts. In response to this complexity that surrounds most projects, we open the floodgates to try and make sure all points of view are heard. It can be difficult, and it does take time, but the outcome is worth it. People feel ownership of the process, have a stake in the decisions, and are committed to seeing work finished. More>>

Defining Issues

Successful projects are those that respond to community needs and resolve community-identified problems. As "experts," we may have the tendency to quickly identify what we think the problems are, but unless we ask, most likely we will miss some or fail to understand which are the most important to a community. You’ve got to know what the problems are before they can begin to be solved. More>>

Goal Setting

Setting goals can be an excellent consensus-building activity. It is energizing to watch a group of people who may start with very different opinions and visions work together and listen to each other to develop one set of goals. These goals set the stage for action, defining what tasks will be considered and embraced. By sharing together in the decision making process to develop goals that everyone agrees upon, we find this process generates commitment to follow through and getting the work done. More>>

Setting Priorities

When a coalition or a community first contacts us, it is not uncommon to find the group either overwhelmed by where to begin or with a vision so large that it encompasses activities well beyond their scope. Sometimes groups have a combination of the two: a huge dream but feeling powerless to realize it. Setting priorities can help. It is an important step to better understand the issues of an area and to identify what goals are achievable. The process opens dialog, builds consensus, and teaches people how to work together. More>>

Vision Creating

The process of developing a vision is a wonderful opportunity for people to come together, take a pragmatic look at their area, and work cooperatively to describe a direction they want to go. It takes good information and hard work to make a link between the present and the future. One thing we know is that the success of creating a vision and its subsequent acceptance by a community directly correlates to the diversity of the group who developed it. Broad interests yield broad support; limited interests bring limited support. More>>

See also:
     Community Tool Box