What do we mean by values, principles, and assumptions?
___Values are the deeply held beliefs about how the world should be that provide our guidelines for living and behavior.
___Principles are the fundamental scientific, logical, or moral/ethical “truths,” arising from experience, knowledge, and (often) values, on which we base our actions and thinking.
___Assumptions are the next level of truths, the ones we feel we can take for granted, given the principles we have accepted.
Core values of the Community Tool Box
___Everyone in a community has a right to a decent quality of life.
___Everyone is worthy of respect and equal consideration.
___Any community work or research should have the ultimate aim of being useful in improving people’s lives, particularly the lives of those most in need and/or least powerful.
___Racism and bias – because of religion, class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background, disability, etc. – have no place in a civil society.
___Fairness demands that everyone affected by research or by an issue – all stakeholders – should have the opportunity for either direct participation or representation in planning, implementing, and analyzing the resulting research or intervention.
___This work isn’t about power or turf, but about the public good.
Core principles of the Community Tool Box
___“Fair” doesn’t mean that everyone gets the same thing; it means that everyone gets what she needs.
___Community work is far more likely to be successful if it involves all stakeholders from the very beginning.
___Leadership from within the community should be encouraged and nurtured.
___Community work takes careful planning at every stage of the process.
___Evaluation is absolutely necessary, and useful in many ways, although probably most useful as a tool for improving your effort.
___Outcomes matter.
___Time is of the essence.
___Don’t bite off more than you can chew.
___Make sure that your funding and other resources are adequate for what you’re trying to do.
___Community action should take place at the level and time to make it most effective.
___Community intervention should be replicable and sustainable.
___Community work is never done.
___Don’t lose sight of your vision, your principles, and your values in the struggle to get things done.
___The real goal of community work is positive social change.
Assumptions of the Community Tool Box
___Just about everyone wants what’s best for the community.
___Once people understand others’ circumstances, they’re usually willing to help.
___If people are treated with respect, they usually respond the same way.
___Coalitions, partnerships, and collaborations are built one relationship at a time.
___People have to believe something is possible before they’ll work to make it happen.
___People working together are better off and more successful than people working alone.
___The world isn’t perfect; this work is necessary to create positive social change and make it a better place for everyone.