Implementing Community Partnerships: 10 Lessons Learned

Implementing Community Partnerships: 10 Lessons Learned Gary Neumann, Project Manager Community Prevention Institute Adapted from: Implementation of Community Partnerships: Lessons Learned / An EMT Report authored by Joel Phillips and J. Fred Springer, Ph.D.

LESSON ONE Unclear purpose is a major impediment to successful collective action by voluntary coalitions

Competing Models of Coalition Strategy • Comprehensive Services Coordination Fragmentation, gaps and redundancies in service delivery • Citizen Mobilization Community activism that emphasizes voluntary cooperation • Community Linkage Build vertical linkages between formal and informal organizations in the community • Coalition of Coalitions Central organization linking independent and separate partnerships. Providing leadership, advocacy on public issues involving ATOD and technical assistance and training

Advantages/Disadvantages

LESSON TWO Membership configuration must be appropriate to shared purpose and strategy

Appropriateness of Members • If organizations are expected to be key contributors, their leaders need to be involved • Grassroots activists and community citizens must have prominent leadership positions that pursue citizen mobilization strategy

Vision – The Essential “What” • What is one thing that would have to change in order for this dream to become reality? • What key things would be present to bring this about?

Group Process • Share your visions and ideas for change • Discuss Common Themes • Discuss Common Issues • Record Common Visions • Essential “Whys” and “Whats”

Examples • Communities free of alcohol-related problems • Healthy children • Safe streets, safe neighborhoods • Every house a home • Education for all • Peace on earth

MISSION (the “what” and “why”) • What will be done to move closer to the community vision • Why it will be done • How it will be done

MISSION: Why you do what you do; the organization's reason for being, its purpose. Says what, in the end, you want to be remembered for. -The Drucker Foundation

Characteristics of Mission Statements • Clear • Concise • Outcome oriented • Robust • Inclusive

Developing a Mission:From Vision to Mission • Gather Essential Why Answers: • Why does your group exist? • Gather Essential What Answers • Pay attention to phrases that describe your activities and rationale • Select one statement that best describes what the group should undertake • Use essential What phrases to help you begin

Draft Mission Statement • Do we have the phrases that can be formed to serve as a draft mission statement?

Draft Mission Statement Format • The mission of our initiative (or organization etc.) is: • (The essential why goes here) • Through (or by): • (The essential what goes here)

Examples • “To reduce alcohol and other drug use by youth through collaboration, education and policy change.” • "To promote child health and development through a comprehensive family and community initiative." • "To create a thriving community through development of jobs, education, housing, and cultural pride. • "To develop a safe and healthy neighborhood through collaborative planning, community action, policy advocacy and enforcement."

OBJECTIVES • Specific measurable results that help reach goals of a community initiative • Tied to data that clearly identifies issues or problems to address • Process & Outcome

Use SMART + C criteria to set objectives: • Specific • Measurable • Achievable • Relevant • Timed • Challenging

Tell how much of what you hope to accomplish and by when Objectives

Objectives Should Include • Baseline and benchmark measures that will demonstrate the success of your initiative over time • Behavioral changes you hope to see if your initiative is successful • Population-level changes you hope to see if your initiative is successful

Examples • By 2007, increase the percentage of alcohol beverage servers at on-sale establishments who refuse sales to obviously intoxicated patrons from 25% to 75%. • By 2007, reduce by 35% the number of police calls for service at licensed on-sale establishments.

STRATEGIES • What will be done to achieve objectives • Research-based “best practices” • Comprehensive – Individual & Environmental • Programs, policies and /or practices that need to be modified in some way

Strategies – Approaches May Include • Providing Information • Enhancing skills • Modifying barriers, access, and opportunities • Enhancing services and supports • Changing incentives and disincentives • Change the physical design of the environment • Modifying policies and broader systems that affect the issue

Strategies Should: • Be consistent with vision, mission & objectives • Be appropriate for the resources and opportunities available • Anticipate resistance and barriers and how they can be minimized • Reach the population / community or focus • Involve those who can contribute

Examples • Conduct regular RBS training to owners, managers and servers at on-sale establishments (provide information, enhance skills, modify policies, etc) • Conduct regular compliance checks / enforcement operations to assess changes in server behavior. (Change incentives and disincentives, etc).

ACTION PLAN • What will be done • How much • By whom • By when • Resources needed • Results expected

Action Plan - Example

Next Steps • Implementing the Plan • Evaluation

Implementing Community Partnerships: 10 Lessons Learned