Below are some questions designed to prompt reflection on your situation, with related supports listed below.
5. There is not enough community participation. | Community Tool Box
5. There is not enough community participation.
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1. Do we know what the community needs and is concerned about?
- Toolkit: Assessing Community Needs and Resources
- Assessing Community Needs and Resources
- Developing a Plan for Identifying Local Needs and Resources
- Conducting Public Forums and Listening Sessions
- Collecting Information About the Problem
- Leading a Community Dialogue on Building a Healthy Community
- Understanding People’s Needs
- Gathering Data on Public Opinion
- Analyzing Community Problems and Solutions
2. Have we determined the reasons our organization wants or needs additional members?
3. Have we identified those who need to be involved in order to accomplish our group’s objectives or specific projects?
- Involving Key Influentials in the Initiative
- Involving People Most Affected by the Problem
- Identifying Targets and Agents of Change: who Can Benefit and Who Can Help
4. Have we created conditions that will allow the greatest diversity of people and organizations to participate?
- Toolkit: Increasing Participation and Membership
- Encouraging Involvement in Community Work
- Developing a Plan for Increasing Participation in Community Action
- Promoting Participation Among Diverse Groups
- Methods of Contacting Potential Participants
5. Have we made the participation and involvement more rewarding or attractive?
- Enhancing Support, Incentives, and Resources
- Methods of Contacting Potential Participants
- Building and Sustaining Relationships
- Providing Incentives for Staff and Volunteers
- Holding Awards Ceremonies
- Honoring Colleagues
- Honoring Community Champions
6. Have we made participation easier or of lower cost (i.e., modifying access, barriers, and opportunities; e.g., having meetings at convenient times, providing translators or child care as needed)?
- Encouraging Involvement in Community Work
- Involving People Most Affected by the Problem
- Enhancing Support, Incentives, and Resources
- Modifying Access, Barriers, and Opportunities
- Providing Incentives for Staff and Volunteers
- Promoting Behavior Changes by Making it Easier and More Rewarding: Benefits and Costs
7. Have we improved peoples’ abilities to be involved (e.g., providing information, skill training, and support for participants and members)?
- Toolkit: Increasing Participation
- Providing Information and Enhancing Skills
- Changing the Physical and Social Environment
- Recruiting and Training Volunteers
- Developing Training Programs for Volunteers
- Designing a Training Session
- Delivering a Training Session
- Providing Support for Staff and Volunteers
8. Have we done enough to identify and invite people in the community to participate?
- Encouraging Involvement in Community Work
- Recruiting and Training Volunteers
- Recruiting Volunteers
- Identifying Targets and Agents of Change: Who Can Benefit and Who Can Help
- Recognizing Allies
- Encouraging Involvement of Potential Opponents as well as Allies
9. Have we created an atmosphere that fosters continued participation by staff and volunteers?
- Encouraging Involvement in Community Work
- Building and Sustaining Relationships
- Providing Incentives for Staff and Volunteers
10. Have we planned for involving new generations of people and organizations?
- Toolkit: Building Leadership
- Developing a Plan for Involving Volunteers
- Developing a Plan for Building Leadership
- Building Teams: Broadening the Base for Leadership
- Developing a Community Leadership Corps: A Model for Service-Learning
- Encouraging Leadership Development Across the Life Span
- Building and Sustaining Commitment
- Providing Support for Staff and Volunteers
11. Do we have a leadership team with a clear vision for encouraging participation in the group?
- Proclaiming Your Dream: Developing Vision and Mission Statements
- Developing a Plan for Building Leadership
- Building Teams: Broadening the Base for Leadership
- Developing a Community Leadership Corps: A Model for Service-Learning
- Developing and Communicating a Vision
12. Have those who are directly experiencing the problem been participating?
- Encouraging Involvement in Community Work
- Promoting Participation Among Diverse Groups
- Involving Key Influentials in the Initiative
- Involving People Most Affected by the Problem
- Identifying Targets and Agents of Changes: Who Can Benefit and Who Can Help