How Do You Building Stronger Community Connections?
Picture of a Blue Blockus game tile
When our kids were young, we used to have game nights with our neighbors that lived behind us. One of our favorite games was Blockus. Have you played it? It has these small plastic color tiles of various shapes that you connect across the game board. If you can connect your pieces and not get blocked by another player, you win. One of our neighbors’ daughters, Allie, was wicked smart (she is now studying how to make alternative proteins and earning her PhD) and could see her connections many moves ahead. She beat us all at Blockus and every other game we played truth be told!
Last week my team spent a day in Macon with a group of community leaders. Our role as the external evaluator was to demystify evaluation and gain their buy-in for the evaluation of the large, federally funded grant their organization was awarded. At one point, one of the leaders asked an important question. How do I connect with the community?
I appreciated the vulnerability and courage it took to ask the question. I am sure she wasn’t the only new leader in the room wondering about that very thing. Connecting with community members is, in my opinion, one of the most important characteristics of effective coalition leadership. In this post, I’d like to share some of the things we discussed as ways to connect with your community. That connection happens in part by knowing where to look for those connections. Here are some of the ideas we discussed. Look for connections at:
Local Events: Attend town hall meetings, school fundraisers, PTA meetings, t-ball games, and neighborhood gatherings. These are perfect places to start conversations and introduce yourself.
Civic Groups: The local Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, and other agencies are good places to connect with business and community leaders. These organizations are often looking for speakers. Some may even sponsor an event, provide funding, or volunteer.
Community Centers: Community centers provide a welcoming space to meet people. Join classes, workshops, or simply spend time there to become a familiar face.
Online Platforms: Join community groups on social media and create one for your coalition. Engage in discussions, share valuable information, and invite people to your events.
Coffee Shops and Cafes: Strike up conversations with the regulars. You'd be surprised how many connections you can make over a cup of coffee. On every town, there is a diner or two where people meet to discuss the issues of the day.
Look for the Church Mothers: Church Mothers is a term that describes elderly women in African American churches, who display the epitome of a wise, elder member of the church. There are such leaders in almost every church and in tightknit community neighborhoods. They are the natural community leaders who know people intimately, and if you want to work in the community, you won’t be successful without their support.
Volunteer Opportunities: Everyone loves a cheerful giver. Be willing to help your community partners by volunteering at their events. They are sure to respond in kind. Not only will you give back to the community, but you'll also meet like- minded individuals.
How do you connect with communities? I'd love to hear your stories and tips for connecting with your community. Here's to building stronger connections!
Take Care,
Ann
P.S. Want another tip? Try practicing empathy. In the latest episode of my podcast, Community Possibilities, Catherine Cote, founder of Project Empathy, joins me to talk about her amazing initiative that pairs people with opposite stories, to learn and tell each other’s stories. Hope you’ll give it a listen.