COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN CD

Topic Flow

Definition of community, engagement and community

engagement
CE as a Science and Art
Objectives of CE
Nine principles of CE
STEPs in conducting CE
Five basic guiding principles of successful CE
Approaches of CE
Benefits of CE
Qualities of a CE Practitioner
Community lifecycle
Participation spectrum
Community Maturity Level
Community engagement Continuum ( sample)
What is Community?

• Is an aggregation of families and

individuals, settled in a fairly compact
and contiguous geographical area, with
significant element of common life as
shown by manners, customs, traditions
and mode of speech.
 
 Community Perspectives

System SOCIAL

Individual
Virtual
What is engagement
Engagement is  the
willingness and
ability to contribute
to success.”

-Willis Towers Watson.

 What is Community Engagement

Community engagement
takes a strategic approach
to the relationships,
communication and
interactions between
Is the process of working community members and
collaboratively with and
an organization to try to
through groups of people
affiliated by geographic influence outcomes for
proximity, special both. (Darzin.com)
interest, or similar
situations to address
issues affecting the well-
being of those people.
• Community Engagement is one of
the community development
approaches that focuses on
relationships at the core of
facilitating "understanding and
evaluation, involvement, exchange
of information and opinions, about
a concept, issue or project, with
the aim of building social capital and
enhancing social outcomes through
decision-making”.
 Community engagement is a
The art comes from the
blend of Science and Art. understanding, skill, and
• The science comes from sensitivity used to apply and
sociology, public policy, political adapt the science in ways
science, cultural anthropology, that fit the community and
organizational development, the purposes of specific
psychology, social- psychology engagement efforts
and other disciplines. It also ( ATSDR, 2011)
comes from organizing concepts
drawn from the literature on
community participation, * The expression or
community development, application of human
constituency building, and creative skill and
community psychology.  imagination
• Organized and systematic
 Objectives of Community Engagement

1.Decision making which

provides opportunities for
communities to contribute to
improved decision making

3. Capacity building which
builds on community
strengths so that
communities and
2.Relationship individuals can enhance
development which their ability to influence
involves building new their physical, social,
relationships and /or natural, economic and
improving existing cultural environments
relationships with or
within communities
 1. Defined purposes, goals and populations. Be clear about the
purposes or goals of the engagement effort and the populations and/or
communities you want to engage.
Nine Principles
In Community 2. Know the community. Become knowledgeable about the
Engagement: community’s culture, economic conditions, social networks, political
and power structures, norms and values, demographic trends, history,
and experience with efforts by outside groups to engage it in various
programs. Learn about the community’s perceptions of those initiating
the engagement activities.
3. Go to the community, establish relationships, build trust, work with
the formal and informal leadership, and seek commitment from
community organizations and leaders to create processes for
mobilizing the community.
4. Look for collective self-determination. Remember and accept that
collective self-determination is the responsibility and right of all people
in a community. No external entity should assume it can bestow on a
community the power to act in its own self-interest.

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/communityengagement/pce_principles_starting.h
tml
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
309572230_Community_Engagement_Nine_Principles
Before starting a 5. Community partnerships are critical.Partnering with the community is
community necessary to create change and improve the community.
engagement ! 6. Respect community diversity and culture. All aspects of community
engagement must recognize and respect the diversity of the community.
Awareness of the various cultures of a community and other factors affecting
diversity must be paramount in planning, designing, and implementing
approaches to engaging a community.
7. Mobilize community assets and develop capacity. Community engagement
can only be sustained by identifying and mobilizing community assets and
strengths and by developing the community’s capacity and resources to make
decisions and take action.
8. Maintain flexibility. The community engagement process can lead to changes
in individuals and their respective organizations. New rela-tionships may emerge
through the creation of new alliances, social networks and assets. Engaged
communities may also lead to changes in programs, public policies and resource
allocations. Having flexibility to adapt and change with the community issues and
needs is important to long-term collaboration.
9. Commitment to Collaboration- Community collaboration requires long-term
commitment by the engaging organization and its partners.
1.Start off with a transparent
community selection process and share
results Steps in conducting
community
2. Map community priorities and identify engagement
community leaders through community
assessments

3. Hold preliminary meetings with

community leaders and enlist their
support to mobilize community
participation

4. Hold community assembly meetings to

elect local representation to coordinate
program activities

5. Allow communities to prioritize and

select quick impact projects to solidify
support and galvanize local participation

www.globalcommunities.org
Five basic guiding principles of
successful community
engagement.
1.Increase citizens' knowledge about a community
and/or the issue you are seeking to address.
2. Encourage citizens to co-create additional
knowledge and understanding and applying that
knowledge.
3. Use that knowledge to improve the community or
address the identified problem.
4. Create future opportunities for citizens to engage
each other.
5. Ensure that these opportunities and effective
communications becomes a regular and on-going
component of the process.
(Bassler et al, 2008)
  Agenda—Engagement changes the choice and focus of projects, how they
Nine areas and are initiated, and their potential to obtain funding. New areas for
the collaboration are identified, and funding that requires community
corresponding engagement becomes accessible.
benefits of CE
 Design and delivery—Improvements to study design, tools, interventions,
representation, data collection and analysis, communication, and
dissemination can be implemented.
 Implementation and change—Improvements can be made in the way
research findings are used to bring about change (e.g., through new or
improved services, policy or funding changes, or transformation of
professional practices), and capacity for change and the maintenance of
long-term partnerships can be expanded.
 Ethics—Engagement creates opportunities to improve the consent
process, identify ethical difficulties, and create processes for resolving
ethical problems when they arise.
 The public involved in the project—The knowledge and skills of the
public involved in the project can be enhanced, and their contributions can
be recognized (possibly through financial rewards). These efforts foster
goodwill and help lay the groundwork for subsequent collaborations.
  Academic partners—Academic partners can gain enhanced
Nine areas and understanding of the issue under study and appreciation of the role and
the value of community involvement, which sometimes result in direct career
corresponding benefits. In addition, new insights into the relevance of a project and the
benefits of CE various benefits to be gained from it can result in increased opportunities
to disseminate its findings and their wider use.

 Individual research participants—Improvements in the way studies are

carried out can make it easier to participate in them and bring benefits to
participants.

 Community organizations—These organizations can gain enhanced

knowledge, a higher profile in the community, more linkages with other
community members and entities, and new organizational capacity. These
benefits can create goodwill and help lay the groundwork for subsequent
collaborations.

 The general public—The general public is likely to be more receptive to

the research and reap greater benefits from it.

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/communityengagement
4 Cs of a Community Engager

-Character

-Commitment

-Creativity

-COMPETENCE
References

• Bassler, A. et al., "Developing Effective Citizen Engagement: A How-to Guide for Community Leaders." Center for
Rural America, 2008.
• Delbecq, Andre L., and Andrew H Van de Ven. "
A group process model for problem identification and program planning." The Journal of Applied Behavioral
Science 7, no. 4 (1971): 466-492.
• Matthews, David. "Connections 2008: Focus on Communities." Kettering Foundation, 2008.
• "Principles of Community Engagement: First Edition." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC/ATSDR
Committee on Community Engagement, 1997 "Principles of Community Engagement: First Edition." Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention: CDC/ATSDR Committee on Community Engagement, 1997
• Principles of Community Engagement: Second Edition." Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
(ATSDR), 2011
• Resource Guide on Public Engagement." National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation (NCDD), 2010.
• "https://aese.psu.edu/research/centers/cecd/engagement-toolbox/engagement/what-is-community-engagement
• https://www.globalcommunities.org/community-engagement-mobilization