Implementing community and economic development into smaller communities

Often, impositions are made on a community and although often timely and well meaning, if the community hasn’t the knowledge to utilise these new opportunities, then the opportunity is met with mistrust and opposition.

In a recent CARED newsletter, the following statement reflected this sentiment. "In retrospect, the projects were technically sound but failed to effectively link with the community and maximise benefits from the projects."

Now, we recognize the need to integrate broad community consultations with project planning and implementation and to have the flexibility to capture collateral opportunities."

The collaborative approach and creation of effective networks

The time frame allotted for the development of a strategy and plan for each community (ie the total 9) was 12 months. This plan had to be responsive to the communities involved and truly reflect their ‘vision’ for the future. It was of prime importance that each community own the plan at the end of the process.

This meant that the councillors, directors, progress associations, local businesses and residents all had to be involved. A tall order!

In Cabonne Country, the council invited each village progress association to meet with myself and the director of environmental services to learn about the project and be involved.

At this first meeting, one held in each village, an overview of community economic development was given, a photographic survey of nine key points within each community (survey done previously by me), and a challenge to be involved. A committee of 4 people was called for in each village.

This gave a matrix of 32 people across 8 villages to work with who have met and continue to meet on a bimonthly basis. The Cabonne Country Development Group is flexible, coopting team members as needed, outsourcing where required.

This core group were in control of the entire process and the various development tools used in the collaborative process.

To gain insight into the psyche of each of the eight villages, the participatory photographic survey became an excellent tool, allowing for ownership and input in a creative and interactive way. The follow up workshop where community members identified the strong points and weak points on a town map, gave relevant information back to them and also encouraged them to take a leadership role within the community and amongst their peers

Identifying the leaders and the the ‘truth’ of a community

The Progress Associations were responsible for identifying and inviting to this first meeting those people that they felt would like to be involved in the CED process. It was this first small band of people in each community that the project was built, rather like Amway.

Three members of each team were asked to identify within their community people from the relevant stratas of the community to photograph their community from their point of view. Photographers represented the business sector, junior and senior students, people with disabilities, the elderly etc. These people were then invited to photograph 6 things they liked about their community and 6 things they disliked.