Redefining Community, Monadnock Developmental Services

Redefining Community

Asset-Based Community Development challenges us to make a firm definition of what a community is and to rethink what we mean by community involvement. When we do, we will come to a deeper understanding of how we can act as guides to help others use their gifts in society.

This is a summary of a discussion that was held at an organization-wide meeting of MDS staff. You can send us your comments by clicking here. You can also get a copy of the reading materials if you would like to have a similar discussion with others on your team or in your organization.

The Activity
Participants read an excerpt from The Careless Society by John McKnight. They met in small groups and considered a series of questions. The responses to those questions are listed below with a short summary statement for each question.

How do you define "community?"

Being together as a whole; getting together for social reasons
A group of people either linked by geographic location or interests that have a shared purpose and relationships
Relationships - both close and extended circles with an inner circle spreading out; Reliability - you can count on those around you even if you don't realize it; Problem Solvers; Celebration - activities and rejoicing together
Family - Physical - Support - Respect - Interest - Care - Problem Solving - Safety
A group of people with common interests and different interests that work together to solve problems

What aspects of McKnight's definition do you agree or disagree with?

His definition is too narrow
Community can happen anywhere
You can still be a part of the community if you believe you are and your neighbors believe you are even though you don't have personal relationships. But they are still part of the community because they have commonalties.

Which characteristic of community guides do you think is most critical?

Vision - The community will accept people with disabilities as they are
Ability to help people develop a work plan and to link a person's gifts to the right job
The ability to see a person's gifts
Having the trust from community members
Having connections in the community
Being able to create safe environments for relationships to develop
The ability to see gifts rather than setting up for failure. This will follow into a gift within the community.
Seeing people's gifts, someone who is connected, community acceptance, someone who isn't afraid to have their voice heard, having a community that is educated about the services of MDS

What characteristics would you add to McKnight's list?

Energy
Looking at something in a different way
Never giving up
Truly listening; reflection about people and situations
Not judging a book by its cover
Not being afraid to speak up

What are the challenges and opportunities for someone who is part of an institution (like MDS) and who is also a community guide?

Helping the community and organization to understand what a community guide is
Helping people develop as guides
Trying to meet the physical and developmental needs of the person you might also be supporting
The way the guide is looked at by the community
Being able to offer something for the community that it needs and wants
People in the community may be wary that we want something from them as opposed to giving something to them
Policies can get in the way
Making others more comfortable with those involved with your institution
Fostering relationships that extend beyond paid staff
Possible conflicts of interest
Boundaries and biases
Respecting the self-determination of the person and balancing it with the institutions' liability
Using v. over using the community of the institution as a way to help people connect
Changing people's perceptions of disabilities
There are restrictions that come with being a paid person from MDS, an institution
Having people understand what they are there for, what the institution does and how they hope for the community to be involved and how this would be an asset.
Balancing the interests of the community with the interests of the institution

Can a person be taught to become a community guide? If yes, how?

Yes, if they have the interest. They have to want to and success levels may vary.
Part of it can and part of it can't. There is a naturalness to it. You have to be open to talking to the community members. It has to come from inside.
Not everyone can be taught. Some of these qualities cannot be learned They are innate.
If paid to do this, it's not as natural and the investment isn't there. If paid, it doesn't mean you do a good job. We don't pay our friends.
A person would have to have some community connections already, the assertiveness to be able to go out and look, the voice to achieve a goal.

If no, what role can they play in "including the excluded?"

Connecting people with others who have the same interests
Use the knowledge of the "pro." Have to have the right personality or passion and to practice.
You can still make the connections or point them in the right direction. It's different if it's someone's life.
No, but anyone can be brained to improve their skills. Develop skills in the subject

If John McKnight were here now, what questions would you ask him?

How can an organization truly help?
How can we put policy into action?
Where do we begin?
How do you integrate people with severe medical needs or aggressive behaviors?
How do you get the community to see an individual's gifts and do it in a natural way?
How do I bypass the initial labeling?
Where do we start? What is the jumping off point?
How could this be simply explained?
How do we start to include excluded, marginalized people in the community?
How do we motivate the community and promote ABCD as a valuable concept?
How to be a liaison between the person and the community?
How to implement the ideas we come up with.

What hypothetical situations would you pose?

How do you move a "client" to a person?
How do you find a gift in the severely disabled?
I work with a person who loves books. I go to the library to explore volunteering around books, etc. People already have a preconceived notion of what he can do.

What concepts would you ask him to clarify?

The assumption that all communities are welcoming