This workshop gives participants guidelines for organizing and running community meetings, a skill that will enable them to involve members of the community in assessing community needs and managing the partnership. It also provides hints for running any kind of meeting. Community meetings are a strategy for reaching out to the community and mobilizing involvement in the partnership.
General concepts on community mobilization from Unit 4A will be explored in greater detail as they relate to community meetings. Participants will be able to use suggestions generated during this workshop during the team times related to assessing the community beyond the partnership (4E) and reentry planning (5B and 5C).
Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. AIP Journal, 35, July, 216-224.
Doyle, M., and D. Strauss (1976). How to introduce the interaction method into your organization. In How to make meetings work: The new interaction method. New York: Berkley Publishing Group, 269-280.
Warren, R. L. (1977). Organizing a community survey. In Tactics and techniques of community practice. Itasca, IL: F.E. Peacock Publishers, 23-35.
A. Ask participants to think about the worst meeting they have ever attended. What were some of the things that made it a "nightmare meeting?"
Lead a brainstorming session of the characteristics of bad meetings.
Write comments on newsprint.
B. Ask participants to review the "nightmare meeting" list, identify one expectation they have for this workshop, and write it on the newsprint.
C. Compare the list of expectations with the agenda. Point out what will not be covered or negotiate with participants to change the agenda based on their expectations.
A. Ask participants to brainstorm the kinds of activities that can occur at meetings.
B. Write responses on newsprint. Examples include the following:
Content Points
Education/Training. Speakers or trainers can teach participants new skills or convey new knowledge.
Information Sharing. Participants can share information about their own organization and its services.
Decision Making. Participants can vote on or come to a consensus about actions, policies, or procedures.
Social Interaction. Members can spend time at breaks, before or after the meeting, or during the meeting in structured or unstructured social activities.
Team Building. Facilitated activities that help group members work together more effectively.
Discussion. An issue can be explored without requiring a decision.
Planning. The group can develop a mission statement, vision statement, goals, objectives, or action steps.
Evaluation. Participants can assess a recent activity or review evaluation reports.
Input Gathering. Members can present ideas or suggestions to the group, even when others will be making a decision.
Needs Assessment. The group can explore the perception of needs by members or guests.
A. When following up plans and assignments made at meetings, it is often difficult to ensure that everyone remembers the decisions and assignments that were made.
B. A postmeeting action plan (HO-5) is a way to help participants double-check decisions and responsibilities. The steps are as follows:
Before the meeting starts, someone is assigned to keep track of all plans and assignments made.
Before the meeting ends, the group reviews the list to make sure the list is accurate and complete.
People can double-check their assignments to make sure that they are realistic. They can ask for help if needed.
The postmeeting action plan is then filled out and mailed to all members.
C. A postmeeting action plan provides the chair of the meeting or the group's leaders an easy way to follow up on assignments.
B. Instruct participants to read the Peabody Heights Case Study (HO-6). Spend 10 minutes answering the 4 questions (HO-7) (HO-6: Peabody Heights Community Mobilization: Case Study and HO-7: Peabody Heights: Questions).
Discussion Questions
What worked? How do you know it worked?
What didn't work? How do you know it didn't work?
What would you do if you were assigned to follow up this meeting?
What would you do differently if you could do this meeting over?
Directions
D. After the 10 minutes, or as the groups finish the assignment, ask them to write their responses on the prepared newsprint (PN-1: What Worked, PN-2: What Didn't Work, PN-3: Followup, and PN-4: Starting Over)
E. After all the groups have finished, ask all the participants to walk around for a few minutes and look at each newsprint sheet.
F. Ask everyone to sit down. Ask for comments or questions.
G. Point out that the process the group just used is a creative way of handling group discussions, which allows:
Content Points
Everyone to have input;
People who function better in small groups to feel more comfortable;
A shorter discussion period;
Documentation of the discussion; and
Freedom of movement.
Transition
H. Make a bridge from the Peabody Heights Case Study by pointing out that one of the problems in the case study was that the presenters were talking at the community members rather that listening to them and talking with them.
I. Proceed to describe the participatory community meeting as a model for engaging community residents in a partnership or community development program.
Content Points (HO-8: What Is a Participatory Community Meeting?)
A. A participatory community meeting is a carefully planned discussion designed to obtain perceptions and recommendations on a defined area from the community members affected by the issue.
It is a form of needs assessment that uses a group interview format.
It creates ownership of a problem and its resolution.
It mobilizes a community.
B. Participatory community meetings provide indepth information from participants about their needs, interests, concerns, and priorities.
C. A participatory community meeting is conducted by a facilitator skilled in group process skills and culturally competent with the cultural groups represented at the meeting.
Participants can either respond to structured questions focused on a particular issue or be given the freedom to raise any issue of concern.
Participants respond to one another and make comments on the discussion while remaining focused on the topic.
D. The meeting can be used alone or in conjunction with other data collection methods. It is important to remember that the comments may not represent the opinions of the whole community.
E. Participants are encouraged to sign an attendance sheet with name, address, and telephone number. This can be used as a contact list for followup and for mailing each attendee the minutes, meeting reports, and an invitation to the next meeting.
Directions
F. Ask for comments or questions. Ask if anyone has ever facilitated or attended a participatory community meeting. Ask them to describe the pros and cons of this process.
G. Briefly describe handouts HO-9 through HO-17, which will not be discussed in detail during this workshop, stressing the following points:
Content Points (HO-9: Participatory Community Meeting Discussion Guide)
The Discussion Guide (HO-9) provides a list of agenda areas with guiding comments and sample questions.
The Sample Workplan (HO-10) provides a model for developing a workplan for each step in developing the meeting. It is a good model to use for all kinds of meetings, especially if they are recurring (HO-10: Sample Workplan: Preparation for Community Action-Planning Meeting).
Agenda Items (HO-11) is a list of possible agenda items for use in planning a participatory community meeting (HO-11: Agenda Items for Community Action-Planning Meeting).
The Meeting Participants Sample List (HO-12) is a checklist to use in deciding who should attend the meeting (Community Forum and Tour HO-12: Meeting Participants Sample List).
The Briefing Book Contents (HO-13) outlines information that can be contained in a background information book prepared for participants in a participatory community meeting (HO-13: Community Assessment Briefing Book Contents).
Ground Rules (HO-14) provide a starting point for groups to set their own ground rules for meetings (HO-14: Ground Rules).
Handouts 15-17 describe the roles of the facilitator, recorder, and others during the meeting (HO-15: Role of the Facilitator, HO-16: Role of the Recorder, and HO-17: Others).
B. Review the objectives and participant expectations. Ask for feedback on how successfully they were met. Point out that it is important to evaluate meetings and that soliciting participant feedback is an immediate means of accomplishing this task (HO-1: Workshop Objectives).
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