Community engagement is key to creating a strong and effective organization. By engaging with the community, you can get feedback and input on important decisions, and you can also build relationships with community members.
There are many different ways to engage and involve your own community, and it can be tailored to fit the needs of your own mission. Here are five ways to create more effective community engagement:
1. Meet People Where They Are… Literally and Figuratively
There are two parts to this tip: meeting people where they are in their mission, and physically meeting people where they are located.
Example: Let’s say you’re running a resiliency program and are looking to increase community engagement. Find an organization or program who has high community engagement and see how you can fit your mission within theirs. Suppose the organization you find is one that gives backpacks out to the children of the community.
Step one is to go to where this organization physically is. Show up at the schools that they regularly hand out backpacks at. Find a way to fit your work and mission within and underneath theirs. It’s not about competing – it’s about collaborating. You can say something like:
“We appreciate and respect your mission to get these backpacks out to all of these children. We’re so grateful to have a program like this in our community. We’d love to partner with you to enhance the backpack giveaway experience for the children and their parents. What do you think about us providing materials about stress management and resilience in children at the next giveaway?”
The key here is showing deference to other people’s missions and making it known that their mission is still primary and then you’re behind them supporting.
2. Stop Trying To Host Your Own Events
Instead of hosting your own events, partner with groups who are already hosting (or seeking to host) events in your community. By partnering with an already established event, you can save time and money. You’ll also have access to a pre-existing audience, which can help you reach more community members. Most importantly, partnering with an existing event will help you build relationships with other organizations and event organizers, which can be beneficial for future collaborations.
Even in rural communities, events are always happening. Check on social networks to find social events, sporting events, faith events, and more that you can partner with or show up at. You don’t want to have to compete with an established event that’s already taking place.
It’s important to remember not to coerce or take something away from an event that another organization has already planned. Instead, ask if you could have a short period of time at the end of the event to talk about your mission.
3. Give Up Control
This tip goes hand-in-hand with co-hosting or partnering with an already-established event.
If you’re 90% aligned with another organization or person and 10% different, focus on that 90% that you have in common. Pool your resources together for a campaign or event. It’s far more sustainable to have one event that engages many different networks and communities than having five micro events where everyone is trying to do similar things.
Even if you have a few differing views, accept them and give up control in order to create a successful event or campaign.
4. Step Out of The Event Mindset
Instead of focusing on huge events with food, rented spaces, and DJs, think about where your audience is already showing up.
Example: Now, let’s say you are the backpack organization from Tip 1. If your mission is to give backpacks to kids, think about where children and parents already show up. Maybe they’re showing up at doctor’s appointments for their annual checkups. Maybe they’re showing up to a school sporting event every Friday night.
Reach out to the organizers of that sporting event. Ask them if you could give out a free backpack to every kid who buys a ticket to the game. Show them your value.
5. Say “Thank You”
Often in a community setting, there are people at events who are paid to be there like school district members, the health department, nonprofits, etc. while community members are not compensated.
If you’re seeking community engagement make saying “thank you” a core value. A great way to do this is through giving gift cards to community members who attend meetings and share their time and wisdom. At ROI, we have a policy to give a gift card to every community member who gives their time to participate in programming and events as a non-taxable gift. (More info here – [Policy] Thank You Gift Cards From ROI to Community Members & Partners)
It’s important to note that we’re not suggesting compensating community members;we’re suggesting giving them a gift for your gratitude. Appreciation and gifts tend to go a long way in this context.
Edgecombe County, North Carolina
Attn: Rural Opportunity Institute (ROI)
Area L AHEC
1631 S Wesleyan Blvd
Rocky Mount, NC 27803
Email: info@ruralopportunity.org
Email: naomi@ruralopportunity.org
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