Activate your community

Activate: Getting people involved

Posted on by The CAN Team

Why Pursue Community Activation?

Community activation offers significant benefits to organizations or projects by:

  • Sustaining long-term relevance.
  • Aligning more closely with the needs and expectations of users.
  • Increasing efficiency, such as leveraging volunteer contributions.
  • Discovering innovative uses for services.
  • Enhancing the organization’s societal impact.

Barriers to Participation
Many people hesitate to join local community organizations (LCOs) due to:

  1. Disenfranchisement: A belief that their views aren’t valued, leading to apathy.
  2. Lack of Communication: Limited outreach from the organization.
  3. Perceived Stability: In well-managed neighborhoods, residents may see no pressing issues to unite around.

Though there’s no simple fix, deliberate steps can shift perceptions and make participation more inviting, fostering a vibrant, self-sustaining organization.

The Community Activation Process

Step 1: Community Engagement
Lay the foundation by building mutually beneficial relationships between your organization and external groups. This stage focuses on gathering people and fostering connections.

Step 2: Community Building
Establish organizational structures and environments that facilitate effective interactions, such as forming working groups, clusters, or communities of practice.

Step 3: Community Mobilization
Empower the community to take initiative independently. When members self-organize and take action without seeking approval, your organization achieves sustainability, supported by numerous active leaders and participants.

Strategies for Successful Community Activation

Achieving Early Success

Focus on small, high-priority issues that are easily resolved to build credibility and generate momentum.

Effective Publicity

Distribute regular, engaging newsletters or bulletins to keep residents informed and motivated.

Breaking Barriers

Address perceptions of exclusivity by broadening participation:

  • Schedule meetings at accessible times and venues.
  • Use online platforms to stream meetings.
  • Provide transportation support for attendees if necessary.

Personal Contact

Face-to-face interaction remains the most impactful engagement method:

  • Canvass opinions directly and explain issues clearly.
  • Leave concise, informative materials behind.
  • Always prioritize safety during door-to-door outreach: work in pairs, avoid entering homes, and inform someone of your route.

Leveraging Existing Groups

Collaborate with other voluntary organizations in your area to build networks and amplify shared concerns.

Maintaining Engagement

Once you’ve attracted members:

  • Regularly invite them to meetings and events.
  • Organize informal social gatherings to strengthen bonds.
  • Assign small, manageable tasks to new participants to avoid overwhelming them.
  • Prioritize personal follow-ups over passive communications like newsletters.

Community Activation is a holistic approach to engagement that empowers individuals to self-organize and pursue collective goals. With consistent effort, open communication, and inclusivity, your organization can foster a dynamic, self-sustaining community.

The CAN Team