Community engagement
Encyclopedia
Community engagement refers to the process by which community benefit organizations and individuals build ongoing, permanent relationships for the purpose of applying a collective vision for the benefit of a community. While community organizing
involves the process of building a grassroots movement involving communities, community engagement primarily deals with the practice of moving said communities towards change, usually from a stalled or otherwise similarly suspended position.
As community benefit became an important method of institutionalizing ideals, methods evolved to effectively reach the communities those entities were meant to aid. This led to the birth of community organizing
, which as far as the United States is concerned, gained momentum over time beginning in the late 1800s.
Methodologies of community engagement are a result of problems in the current community benefit administrative structure, where governing boards of community projects become unable to continue convincing either themselves or the community to further the projects they became involved in. This may be due to "incorrect aiming of accountability for problems in the governing board, overzealous micromanagement of resources, a collectively dysfunctional board, poor board / staff relations or unsatisfactory organizational planning." Because of these overlaying problems, community members themselves are also directly influenced and therefore similarly hindered in regards to change within their specific regions of development.
techniques, community engagement involves actively implementing a specific process towards activism such as the 8-step guideline listed below developed by Hildy Gottlieb of Help4NonProfits. While the process may have similarities to a controversial form of friendraising
, the emphasis in community engagement is that of honest relationship building for the sake of community, not for the sole purpose of money-making. The steps are:
Other programs exist to assist communities in the process of building community coalitions for engagement. One such program is Communities That Care which helps communities asses their needs and implement tested and effective programs to address their identified issues.
Community organizing
Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the community, allowing it to influence...
involves the process of building a grassroots movement involving communities, community engagement primarily deals with the practice of moving said communities towards change, usually from a stalled or otherwise similarly suspended position.
Origins
Community engagement can trace its roots to the concept of community benefit, a term that grew out of an English common law concept, articulated in a 1891 legal decision that defined four types of charitable organizations:trusts for the advancement of education; trusts for the advancement of religion; and trusts for other purposes beneficial to the community.As community benefit became an important method of institutionalizing ideals, methods evolved to effectively reach the communities those entities were meant to aid. This led to the birth of community organizing
Community organizing
Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the community, allowing it to influence...
, which as far as the United States is concerned, gained momentum over time beginning in the late 1800s.
Methodologies of community engagement are a result of problems in the current community benefit administrative structure, where governing boards of community projects become unable to continue convincing either themselves or the community to further the projects they became involved in. This may be due to "incorrect aiming of accountability for problems in the governing board, overzealous micromanagement of resources, a collectively dysfunctional board, poor board / staff relations or unsatisfactory organizational planning." Because of these overlaying problems, community members themselves are also directly influenced and therefore similarly hindered in regards to change within their specific regions of development.
Current methods and implementation
Practical community engagement is used as an active method of implementing change. While most current standards implore more static means through standard marketingMarketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
techniques, community engagement involves actively implementing a specific process towards activism such as the 8-step guideline listed below developed by Hildy Gottlieb of Help4NonProfits. While the process may have similarities to a controversial form of friendraising
Friendraising
Friendraising is a form of fundraising that involves befriending an organization or individual for the purpose of helping support the financial aspect of a charity, nonprofit group or other community benefit organization.- Concept :...
, the emphasis in community engagement is that of honest relationship building for the sake of community, not for the sole purpose of money-making. The steps are:
- Determine the goals of the plan
- Plan out who to engage
- Develop engagement strategies for those individuals you already know
- Develop engagement strategies of those individuals you do not already know
- Prioritize those activities
- Create an implementation plan
- Monitor your progress
- Maintain those relationships
Other programs exist to assist communities in the process of building community coalitions for engagement. One such program is Communities That Care which helps communities asses their needs and implement tested and effective programs to address their identified issues.
Key concepts
Community engagement may involve the use of particular key concepts relevant to the community benefit sector such as:- FriendraisingFriendraisingFriendraising is a form of fundraising that involves befriending an organization or individual for the purpose of helping support the financial aspect of a charity, nonprofit group or other community benefit organization.- Concept :...
- Community impact planning
- Community-driven governance
- Asset-based resource developmentAsset-based community developmentAsset-based community development is a methodology that seeks to uncover and utilize the strengths within communities as a means for sustainable development....
- Vision-based county impact planning
- Organizational wellness planning
- Building programs on shared resources
- Community sleuthing
- Community-based program development
See also
- List of community topics
- Community developmentCommunity developmentCommunity development is a broad term applied to the practices and academic disciplines of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of local communities....
- Community buildingCommunity buildingCommunity building is a field of practices directed toward the creation or enhancement of community among individuals within a regional area or with a common interest...
- Community economic developmentCommunity economic developmentCommunity Economic Development is a field of study that actively elicits community involvement when working with government, and private sectors to build strong communities, industries, and markets...
- Community practiceCommunity practiceCommunity Practice is a branch of social work in the United States that focuses on larger social systems and social change, and is tied to the historical roots of United States social work...
- Community serviceCommunity serviceCommunity service is donated service or activity that is performed by someone or a group of people for the benefit of the public or its institutions....
- Volunteer
- Communities That Care
External links
- Tamarack - Tamarack - An Institute for Community Engagement
- Vibrant Communities Canada - Vibrant Communities Canada
- OU Engage - University of Oklahoma program for community engagement
- 360 Communities - A nonprofit building stronger, healthier communities by empowering individuals to own the future of their communities.