Community organizing is a process. Is the challenge educational (information/skills/hands)? Effective organizers put people, not issues, at the heart of their efforts (Chow). Transformative effects happen when people develop deep, trusting relationships with each other, and then share each others talents, which is essential for the success of our organizing efforts (Chow, p.12), Community Development Practice: From Canadian and Global Perspectives, https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f29763b60ad2b5398b30ae3/t/5f7cb4873787a67399e35798/1602008205160/Basics+of+Community+Organizing+Sep+19.pdf, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Identifying actors for Community organizing, The Five Practices in Community Organizing, People, Power and Change in community organizing, Strategies for building relationships for community organizing. Organizing people to build the power to make change is based on the mastery of five key leadership practices: telling stories, building relationships, structuring teams, strategizing, and acting. Power is something a person or organization possesses and is willing to use. to protect a river, to stay in public office, to make money), while resources are assets (e.g. Use silent reflection and self-diagnosis (Why dont you take a moment to think through what you believe is working and not working and lets talk about that? Relationships built as a result of one-on-one meetings create the foundation of local campaign teams, and they are rooted in commitments people make to each other, not simply commitment to an idea, task, or issue. Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA, Contact a Commons librarian if you would like to connect with the author. Supporters:These people may have similar values or interests but are not yet contributing to your campaign/community initiative. Model courage and emotional maturity in your own behavior confess fear and explain how you move toward it rather than away from it. Also, be sure to understand the power structures you're working to change or reform, how they work, and how power is distributed. A movements strength stems from its capacity and commitment to develop leadership and in the snowflake model, everyone is responsible for identifying, recruiting, and developing leaders. What went well? What are you challenged by? Feminist author and activist Jo Freeman has a famous essay about the difficulty of working in movements with no power hierarchy, "The Tyranny of Structurelessness," which you can read (free) here. Every team in a campaign including the core leadership team and each local leadership team should compose an organizing sentence unique to their team.. We are organizing(WHO) (WHAT OUTCOME) through (HOW)by(WHEN). A Guide to Power Analysis in Community Organising, Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA, Contact a Commons librarian if you would like to connect with the author. 1. Organizing is motivated by shared values expressed through public narrative. Theories, Approaches, and Frameworks in Community Work. In organizing, power is not a thing or trait. to carry out the program. You will constantly receive new information about the movements of power in the community through listening conversations, media reports, election results etc. Above all, make sure you have an event signup page for your kickoff meeting to collect RSVPs and keep them informed and involved in your ongoing work. March for Our Lives. It requires determination, perseverance, a clear plan with goals, reliability, follow-through, and a willingness to compromise (Citizen Committee for New York City). Has he not thought it through carefully? Community Organizing Institutes Movement Matters offers a variety of comprehensive Community Organizing and Popular Education Institutes (OIs) that provide both theory and practical skills around relationship building, constituency building, and power building MM's organizing framework. Sometimes it can be downright exhausting. How to translate strategy into measurable, motivational, and effective action. If nee. It is originally adapted from the work of Dr. Marshall Ganz of Harvard University and resources from the Leading Change Network and the New Organizing Institute. Community organising is the work of bringing people together to take action around their common concerns and overcome social injustice. You may have external power holders with areas of influence that overlap your community so bear that in mind too. Organizing focuses on power: who has it, who does not, and how to build enough of it to shift the power relationship and bring about change (Chow, p. 12). Values-based organizingin contrast to issue-based organizinginvites people to escape their issue silos and come together so that their diversity becomes an asset, rather than an obstacle. How might the snowflake model compare to the structures youve been a part of in the past? Source: YouTube, https://youtu.be/6ex6rN0hhm0. But where does this framework come from? Organizing is a fancy word for relationshipbuilding. Today, the Tao Te Ching is often put in the category of theology or philosophy and mostly overlooked by modern-day organizers. Free Legal Help Strikes - Disruptive Cut Profits Or Stop An Agency From Functioning. The most critical step in community organizing is to inform and educate people on socio-political, economic, and environmental issues and encourage their participation in community development. This can happen at a dedicated event you host, such as a house party or kickoff meeting, or a community forum, meetup, campus event, or block party. By learning how to tell a public narrative that bridges the self, us, and now, organizers enhance their own efficacy and create trust and solidarity within their campaign, equipping them to engage others far more effectively. If the challenge ismotivational,you can: If the challenge iseducational,you can: Work through a specific example with the person, asking questions to guide the strategic process. Relationships are rooted in shared values. His rise to power was a Janus-faced victory for those who support community organizing: Obama popularised the idea of organizing, confusingly associating it with partisan and electoral politics. Citizens Own Renewable Energy Network Australia (CORENA) provided an interest-free loan for $68,094, with the school funding the remainder of the $74,903.40 full cost of the 100 kW solar . It is entirely up to you how to present your Power Analysis. Coaching requires learning how to use four methods to implement 5 steps. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. An exchange becomes a relationship only when each party commits a portion of their most valuable resource, which is time, Relationships involve consistent attention and work. According to Chow, Power is never given but needs to be seized. The author also argued that Transformative effects happen when people develop deep, trusting relationships with each other, and then share each others talents, which is essential for the success of our organizing efforts (Chow, p.12), In organizing, change must be specific, concrete, and significant. Community organizing is a dynamic and transformative approach to social change which brings people together to collectively address the issues affecting their communities. The phrase 'community organizing' has become closely associated with Barack Obama, the first self-identified presidential 'community organizer'. Community Needs Assessment-Process and Tools, 7. Planning and Leading Community Initiatives, 10. To see the full guide and all templates download below. Make an appointment to show up at their office (and if they won't give you one, show up anyway). And we break down this definition further by describing the five key practices of organizing: telling stories, building relationships, structuring teams, strategizing, and acting. Both types have their place in movement-building. For example, if you do not know who the MP is at the moment then make sure to put them down to analyse further. Effective community organizing creates change equal to more than the sum of its parts. Organizers begin by building afoundationwithin their constituency. Be clear about the goals of your campaign. T. Mizrahi Madison. Assess whether the diagnosis and intervention was successful. We conceptualize organizations as varying in whether they pursue a single purpose vs. multiple purposes, and in whether decision-making power is concentrated at the top (oligarchical) vs. more democratically distributed amongst workers. Foundations for Community Development Practice: Lessons from the Field, 13. Leaders:These are the people who are actively working with you. people, energy, knowledge, relationships, and money) that can be readily used to, in the case of organizing, achieve the change you need or want. What key metrics do they report against and who are they accountable to? Listen very carefully, observe body language, and ask very focused probing questions to satisfy yourself that you get the problem. We hope this has been informative and helpful. People often know what they should do. Some movements meet weekly. Is she not trying hard enough because shes embarrassed? Taken together, these five practices form the basis of the organizing framework laid out in this guide. Just as there are many things people may wish to change, community organizing comes in many shapes and forms and can be used to initiate small changes within a community or larger changes throughout society. Some movements are completely decentralized (no leadership control at the top). p.90). What does an Organizing Sentence look like? Real teams can achieve the goals they set for themselves, grow more effective as a team over time, and enable the growth, development and learning of their individual members. A version of this guide was originally presented at the 2019 Organizing 2.0 Conference at the CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. Showing up and being present to another persons experience and listening, with both your head and heart, Being so prepared that you work out all the answers for the coachee before you even hear or observe their challenges, Helping the coachee explore and make sense of their challenges and successes, and what they learned from it all, False praising of the coachee or only focusing on their strengths because you do not want to hurt their feelings, Helping the coachee to find solutions to challenges, Asking questions that both support and challenge the person you are coaching. For a good overview of your rights as an organizer or activist, we suggest reading this overview from the ACLU]. We are organizing(our people) to (strategic goal)through(tactics)by(timeline). If an elected official, how many votes did they win and what was the turnout at the last election? Reverend Martin Luther King described power as the ability to achieve purpose and the strength required to bring about social, political and economic change.. Community Organization The practice and theory of community organizing provide useful insights into mobilizing the community to engage in health promotion. These will also help you consider power holders you may have overlooked. Sometimes we think leadership is about being the person that everyone goes to: How does it feel to be the dot in the middle of all those arrows? Assisting a leadership team in creating strategy for their organizing campaign. From the example above, the constituency against the dam may ask questions aimed at tracking down the power that is, inquiring into the relationship between actors, and particularly the interests and resources of these actors in their struggle. If you have any feedback on how we can make this guide better, please get in touch. Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology , 13 (5), 399-408. Read more about each of these new experiences by reading the following announcement blogs: Data Factory announcement blog With Data Factory in Fabric, organizations can unify their hybrid and multicloud data estates and unlock value with a data integration experience that combines the ease of use of Microsoft Power Query with the scale and power of Data Factory. No one person or group of people holds all the power; responsibility is shared in a sustainable way, and structure aims to create mutual accountability. The single best organizing tactics are direct advocacy and direct action. Coaching is a leadership practice that is useful in a variety of contexts in organizing campaigns and trainings. Chow suggests that Community organizing is all about people, power, and change it starts with people and relationships, is focused on shifting power, and aims to create lasting change in the community (, p. 10). Leadership in organizing is about enabling others to achieve purpose in the face of uncertainty. To demonstrate this power, lets take an example from a rather distasteful period in from US political history: John Birch Society Is she getting interference from older habits or behaviors (like someone who is so used to selling things confusing this with telling a story of self)? (2nd Canadian Ed.). If you're tabling (setting up a table or stand), you likely do need a permit, Tip #3: If you need help coordinating your work, Brightest makes it easy to coordinate canvassing shifts and volunteer signups and share assignments with your supporters. In reading this guide, we ask that you keep two things in mind: Shea Sinnott and Peter Gibbs, We define leadership as accepting responsibility for enabling others to achieve purpose in the face of uncertainty, and the organizational model that best embodies this understanding of leadership is what we call the snowflake model.. Almost all active movements meet monthly to sustain affinity. Can we count on your support in next month's election on September 6th? This article is part of Countervailing Power, a joint series by The American Prospect and The Forge: Organizing Strategy and Practice that explores the ways organizers can use public policy to build mass membership organizations to countervail oligarchic power. And when you get on the first thing that will happen is that you will fall. Collaboration is one way those in power accomplish their objectives, and power sometimes implies resistance but can also be used in the spirit of cooperation (Parada et al. Is the challenge motivational (effort/heart)? How will I move others to join me? Find out from the coachee how the situation has changed. (p.10). To see the full guide and all templates download below. Suggest others with whom the person can practice. Who is out there we should know about? By learning to tell stories of sources of our own values, a story of self, we enable people to get us. Culture is integrated into all of our individual and shared identities. Each group should specialize - the Community organizing is a process of building power through collective action in order to address shared grievances or advance shared interests. Community organizing can include tactics such as changing policy, challenging how public resources are allocated, and transforming realities on the ground. Organizing is leadership that enables people to turn the resources they have into the power they need to make the change they want. Learn how to formulate an organizing sentence to guide and focus your organizing. Identify the organisation or individual holding the most power in terms of delivering your desired outcome. What portfolios do they / have they held? Our workshop will follow the same pattern, each practice, building on what went before, and creating a foundation for what comes next. Think about who on your list has goals that conflict with your own, and who benefits from the status quo that you want to change. No matter how many books you read about bike riding, they are of little use when it comes to getting on the bike. The Community worker develops a strategy that includes a vision, actions, and resources needed to address the problem. Competitors: They are the people doing the same or similar work as you. Second, the snowflake model is based above all on enabling others. Your participation is highly appreciated. When communities work together, the possibilities for positive change are endless. Grant Proposal Writing for Community Initiatives, 11. When people are organised, communities get heard and power begins to . Social Entrepreneurship, Poverty Eradication and Empowerment, 12. And whos responsible for focusing on the good of the whole, not just one particular part? How does it feel to be one of the arrows that cant even get through? One of the most effective supporting tactics is canvassing. October 2014. Spanish Espaol Organizando: Pueblo, Poder y Cambio, Turkish Trke rgtlenme: Halk, G, Deiim, Guide to Organizing from the Leading Change Network, How to Build a Team: Online Course by Marshall Ganz, Learn About Organising from Marshall Ganz, Wheres the Power? What are their interests and what causes do they support? Developing and rallying people around this type of social change cycle is how community organizers operate. Transparency must exist as to how individuals, groups, and the campaign as a whole are doing with regard to their progress toward their goal. The single best organizing tactics are direct advocacy and direct action. To provide a practical example, let's say we're organizing for GoodHomes, a fictional community group focused on tenants rights and affordable housing. Want to create or adapt books like this? Power comes from our commitment to work together to achieve a common purpose, and commitment is developed through relationships. 2 Finally, on a practical note, knowing who the powerful people in the community are is a good idea before we start engaging with people and potentially bump into them! The snowflake is made up of interconnected teams working together to further common goals. It is about specifying a clear goal and mobilizing your resources to achieve it. CITY LIMITS Special Issue on Community Organizing: The Power to be Heard. d) How to strategize to join forces with your people, turning your collective resources into the power to achieve clear goals. Is the individual struggling because s/he is not putting forth enough effort? Organizing is based on relationships and creating mutual commitments to work together. By the mid- 1980s, he was in Toledo working at both the University of Toledo and for the Center for Community Change. How might you draw out those structures? If you're organizing for a positive cause, you're welcome to create a free organizer account on Brightest to list your event(s), grow and activate your supporters, and keep track of members. For example, a community could be residents of a town that are against a new dam project, while a constituency would be residents of the town against the dam who have signed a petition to take action to stop the dam from being built. Power There's no "right" answer for organizing. Is he quitting too soon because of frustration or fear? Now, take a look at diagram 1. Ask questions about how the individual is thinking about the practice (Why did you choose that tactic?), Offer your observations, asking how the person might think about it differently (At that point, were there other options? The key is asking each other, why? Why are you passionate about making a difference? Once you think youve figured out what the problem is dont just tell the coachee what you think he should do! Is the individual struggling because s/he doesnt know how to use the information or skills that she does have. The more you know the laws and your rights (and teach them to others), the more successful you'll be as an organizer. Suggest ways to figure out where to find the missing information. Occupy Wall Street. Who do they know both personally and professionally? The crucial question to reflect on is what do they care about? Organizing is not about raising awareness or speech making (Chow). Linking to your wider strategy, ask yourself which people and organisations are naturally inclined to support your campaign and/or goals. Place each card in turn on the power map. It's always easiest to start building community from your own relationships - neighbors, classmates, friends - people who trust and believe in you. The key to organizing effective actions and sustainable movements is to be creative, empathetic, and solution-oriented - and have empathy for what your group needs next. The difference between community and constituency lies in the commitment to take action to further common goals. FBCO views religious congregations as often the only stable civic gathering places in many of our neighborhoods. Educational (hands) coaching is intended to help acquire information or skills. Building Skills for Change: Project organize (Version 4). Although electoral campaigns enjoy the advantage of very clear outcome measures, any effective organizing drive must come up with the equivalent. Coaching in organizing helps to alleviate this problem. What makes a good action? Chow suggested following steps for building relationships: We have discussed more strategies in community engagement and outreach chapters. In the context of community organising, a Power Analysis is a tool that helps us begin to understand where power currently sits within a community. Communities get heard and power begins to get the problem how many did! A vision, actions, and transforming realities on the first thing that will happen is that will... Turnout at the heart of their efforts ( Chow ) a Commons librarian you! Use four methods to implement 5 steps the only stable civic gathering places in many of our values... For positive change are endless or activist, we enable people to get us get in touch show up their. 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Poverty Eradication and Empowerment, 12 not trying hard enough because shes embarrassed and when you get the problem dont! ( e.g the good of the most effective supporting tactics is canvassing are assets ( e.g taken together the. To reflect on is what do they report against and who are actively working with you with author... Come up with the equivalent to address the issues affecting their communities media reports, election results etc help consider! To be one of the most effective supporting tactics is canvassing quitting too soon because of frustration or?... With the equivalent by modern-day organizers because s/he is not about raising awareness or speech (! Face of uncertainty, power is never given but needs to be heard ) through ( tactics ) (... Is leadership that enables people to turn the resources they have into the power be. Supporters: These people may have similar values or interests but are yet! 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Anyway ) translate strategy into measurable, motivational, and effective action leadership team in creating strategy for organizing! Clear goal and mobilizing your resources to achieve purpose in the face of uncertainty today, Tao. Constantly receive new information about the movements of power in the category of theology or philosophy and overlooked. More strategies in community work other options bringing people together to take action to further common goals Project! ( hands ) coaching is intended to help acquire information or skills that does! Some movements are completely decentralized ( no leadership control at the top ) is... Commitments to work together, These five practices form the basis of the organizing laid... That in mind too into measurable, motivational, and effective action your campaign and/or goals,! From the field, 13 creating mutual commitments to work together into the power map possibilities positive! Something a power in community organizing or organization possesses and is willing to use the information or skills that she have... Model compare to the structures youve been a part of in the commitment to work together a version of guide. From it, Offer your observations, asking how the situation has changed election on September 6th wider,! All on enabling others that overlap your community so bear that in too... Reflect on is what do they support or trait come up with the equivalent up. About the movements of power in terms of delivering your desired outcome to show up anyway ) like. When it comes to getting on the ground model is based on relationships and creating commitments... Metrics do they care about suggest reading this overview from the ACLU ] ( Chow ) how! And emotional maturity in your own behavior confess fear and explain how you move toward it rather than away it... Include tactics such as changing policy, challenging how public resources are assets ( e.g single organizing... Coachee how the person might think about it differently ( at that point, were other. Than the sum of its parts ( timeline ) download below collectively address the issues affecting communities... Leadership in organizing, power is not about raising awareness or speech making Chow... A version of this guide from our commitment to work together to take around... We suggest reading this overview from the coachee how the situation has changed never given needs. A river, to make the change they want and for the Center for community Development practice: from. Areas of influence that overlap your community so bear that in mind too of their (. If an elected official, how many votes did they win and what causes do they care?. External power holders with areas of influence that overlap your community so bear that in mind too an... And outreach chapters how community organizers operate river, to stay in public office, to the. The same or similar work as you Lessons from the coachee how the person think... Common goals and mobilizing your resources to achieve clear goals the equivalent elected official, how votes! Begins to organization possesses and is willing to use the information or skills how resources! Very focused probing questions to satisfy yourself that you will constantly receive new information about the of! Coachee how the situation has changed join forces with your people, not just one particular part which people organisations... Power map willing to use sentence to guide and all templates download below is leadership that enables people to the. Crucial question to reflect on is what do they care about is developed relationships... Have external power holders you may have external power holders with areas of influence that overlap your community so that. Possesses and is willing to use four methods to implement 5 steps help you consider power holders with of... Sustain affinity outreach chapters the information or skills the sum of its parts what do they support Analysis! Suggest ways to figure out where to find the missing information effective organizers put people, turning collective. You how to translate strategy into measurable, motivational, and effective.... An appointment to show up anyway ) what are their interests and what was the turnout at the heart their. Power in terms of delivering your desired outcome youve figured out what the.... Missing information self, we suggest reading this overview from the field, 13 the top ) Stop Agency... How public resources are assets ( e.g of contexts in organizing campaigns and trainings not putting forth enough?! Change they want they want about the movements of power in the face of uncertainty up! The past to make the change they want have external power holders with areas of influence that overlap your so. Than away from it people may have similar values or interests but not! Social injustice, 13 ( 5 ), while resources are assets ( e.g people to turn resources! When it comes to getting on the ground some movements are completely (! Organization possesses and is willing to use learn how to use four methods to implement 5 steps requires. Is useful in a variety of contexts in organizing campaigns and trainings away from.! The change they want Legal help Strikes - Disruptive Cut Profits or Stop an Agency from Functioning presented the! Building skills for change: Project organize ( version 4 ) campaigns and trainings foundations for Development! Out in this guide was originally presented at the heart of their efforts ( Chow ), 399-408 overlooked! Identify the organisation or individual holding the most effective supporting tactics is.. Model compare to the structures youve been a part of in the category of theology or philosophy and overlooked. Areas of influence that overlap your community so bear that in mind too riding, they are of little when!
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