About Resource
This tool was developed by Rosa González of Facilitating Power and draws on content from a number of other resources. It is meant to be a resource for governments and nonprofit organizations to acknowledge marginalization, assert a clear vision for change, articulate a developmental process, and assess the impact of their efforts. It visualizes and describes six levels of community engagement from "Ignore," in which communities are marginalized and disempowered, to "Defer To," in which communities have true ownership and democratic control. It includes advice on how to use this engagement spectrum in situations such as policy development and community campaign development to assess community engagement efforts and set goals for future improvements.
How to Use
This is a useful resource for any organization looking to improve their relationship with the community they serve. Learning about the levels of community engagement is a helpful starting point to define where an organization currently stands, and where it should be. It contains clear explanations of why this work is so important, which could be used by individuals who want to convince their institutions to invest in community engagement work. It also contains concise and straightforward recommendations on how to move toward cultivating deep participation from the community. This tool can help facilitate conversations between individuals within an organization, between organization members and community members, between collaborating organizations, and beyond. It can be used by groups who are starting to consider community engagement for the first time, as well as those who have been engaged in those efforts and want to evaluate their impact.
Author(s)/Organization: Rosa González, Facilitating Power
Publication Year: 2020
Tags
Attributes:Centers Community Priorities, Equity-Focused, Respects Community Strengths, Shares Leadership
Outcomes:Capacity for Civic Engagement, Strong Community Partnerships, Sustainable Solutions for Society
Approaches:Dialogue & Deliberation
Type:Guidebooks & Manuals