Broad based relational organizingBuilding community capacity

one person at a time

Presented by Tom Mosgaller2013 JCEP Conference

Significant events and perceptive eyes

This can be the worst of times…

…because the old questions don’t fit the new reality

Significant events and perceptive eyes

This can be the best of times…

…if we look out the window and anticipate what is coming into view

Definition of a leader:

Leaders are people who create a shared vision powerful enough to lift people out of their petty preoccupations and focus them on things worthy of their efforts.

John Gardner- FounderNational Civic League

Exercise 1

What do you do?What is your story?

Parker PalmerHealing the Heart of Democracy

• All in it together• Welcoming the “other”• Hold the tension• Find your voice• Build community capacity

Diffusion of Innovation (Rogers)

Critical elements of effective diffusion of an idea:

• Relative advantage• Compatibility• Complexity• Observability• Trialability

Exercise 2—Community Capacity Building

Purpose:

1

2

3

Scope:

The Geometry Lesson

In the beginning

Then…

Community

Institution

3 Sectors

Private Public

Civic

Civic—formal/informal associations

Neighborhoods Co-ops

PTOs

Church GroupsFraternities

Volunteer associations

Observations on American Democracy

1. Identify our problems

2. Generate solutions

3. Do it!

The Wisconsin IdeaThe Extension agents as catalyst, connector, capacity builder

Key Responsibility

Healthy require:

Organizing

Disorganizing

Reorganizing

Secret weapon of capacity building

Relationships

How

1 on 1

Hold the tension

Mobilize

Transactional

Cause

Fixes

Organize

Relational

Development

Long-term Capacity

1 on 1• Listening—actively

• Questioning—curiously

• Sharing stories—meaningfully

Exercise 3— 1-1 relationship building

Universals of relational organizing

• Intentional• Mutual• Require care• Grounded in trust and forged in action• Built before they are needed

The organizing cycleEvaluatio

n

1 - 1 conversations

House meetings

Research Actions

Large Actions

P3ower—the ability to act

P1 = Create/produce our own future

P2 = Collaboration: associations, partners, networks

P3 = Institutions do what we can't do alone

3 critical questions

What can we do ourselves?

What can we do with a little help?

What do we need others to do for us?

So…. what does this have to do with community capacity building?

Extension agents as:• Catalysts• Connectors • Capacity builders

So What

Now What

"Thus in all ways, I will transmit my community greater and more beautiful than it was

transmitted to me.“

-from the Athenian OathPericles, Mayor of Athens, Greece over 2000 years ago

Thank you!

Questions are welcomed