Leading By Convening: A Blueprint for Authentic Engagement September 13, 2014

Our Task The task is to take tools created for adults to learn how to include other adults in decisions and change them so that adults can learn how to include youth When adults realize that other adults should be included they call them stakeholders because they “hold a stake” in what decision is made We want to help adults think about youth as stakeholders through the tools that we create together

The Blueprint is the tool for helping adults engage stakeholders We will – Describe the ideas in the Blueprint – Learn the vocabulary – See how the Blueprint presents the information – Build new tools that are based on the existing tools in the Blueprint to help adults focus on youth

Approaches to Change Technical challenges Can be answered by expert guidance, tools, protocols, etc. Have a content focus Adaptive challenges Require attention to the human side of the issues or practice change Demand contextual focus

Leading by Convening: A New Discipline A connected world needs new thinking about leadership. People expect opportunities for participation. People ‘see’ a role for themselves … and want to take it! Few issues can be successfully … or sustainably … addressed without collaborating with others. Convening may be the leadership competency of the future ….

Leading by Convening Ensuring Relevant Participation Coalescing around Issues Doing the Work Together Leading By Convening: A Blueprint for Authentic Engagement

Coalescing around issues “Reaching out and asking who cares about this issue and why do they care about it. It is important to know who cares about these issues for the same reason we do but it also is important to know why people care about it for reasons that are different that the reasons we care about it”. Joanne Cashman, IDEA Partnership

Ensuring relevant participation “Ensuring relevant participation means moving from checklist and token invitees to timely valid and meaningful engagement”. Catherine Burzio, TACC

Doing the work together “We need to work together because none of us have all the solutions individually and sometimes we don’t even know what the problem is from individual stakeholder perspective, but by bringing all stakeholders into conversation we can develop solutions that will work well for all”. Nancy Hinkley, NY CoP on Transition

Leading by convening… Being open to unlearning as well as learning Be an active learner, be open to listening and truly consider other perspectives Leaving assumptions behind Leaders must be willing to do what they are asking of others – Leaders must be on the dance floor (to experience the dance) and in the balcony (to see the big picture) – Leaders know when to talk and when to listen Leadership is more than the title Leaders increase the capacity of others to become a leader Leaders seek out full participation by reaching out to others who did not have “voice”

Tool for Measuring Progress

Tools and Learning Activities Each ‘habit of interaction’ has four tools included to help you convey critical concepts. Each tool was developed because it was needed to convey concepts to a group. These tools have been reviewed and used by groups coming together around an issue. We added tools to help you shape a new kind of collaborative meeting.

Empowering youth as stakeholders

youth activities applying the leading by convening concept to leadership activities between youth and adult allies…

Which tools will we change to help adults include youth as stakeholders?

coalescing around issues tools How People Are Change is hard for most people. This tool will help you prepare for some of the most predictable challenges. Four Simple Questions We cannot avoid complexity but we can make it less complicated. This tool will help you create an inclusive path to shared work. Seeds of Trust Your stakeholders will take in messages about your sincerity in both direct and indirect ways. Little things mean a lot. Use this tool to identify small changes that build trust. Meet the Stakeholders For every issue, there are a number of groups that have deep and durable connections at the practice level. Use this tool to reach out and identify potential partners.

Tool Sample A young person should see an adult ally as a person who “always has their back”, but also knows when to “back off” so that the young person believes they can do anything!

Ensuring relevant participation tools What's in it for Me? Participation is not the same as engagement. Use this tool to identify the difference and begin to really engage your partners. Engaging Everybody Talk to a group about engaging the full range of stakeholders and predictably you hear, “we will have 200 people at every meeting.” This is a real fear; but is it a real problem? Use this tool to create manageable ways to involve everybody. Learn the Language: Make the Connection Unique vocabulary, program names and funding streams contribute to the lack of clarity around shared interests. Use this tool to help your stakeholders find the commonality. Web of Connections Why do you identify certain groups as potential partners? Why would they want to become a partner? Use this tool to articulate the various perspectives around a shared issue.

Doing the work together tools Problems Come Bundled Few problems have just a technical side or just a human side. Use this tool to more fully identify the issues you face. Building Engagement Anybody can deliver information. We want engagement! Use this tool to generate learning activities around an issue. Defining Our Core We often need to describe our work in straightforward ways that are understandable to potential partners and the public. Use this tool to express your driving purpose and share it simply with others. One-Way, Two-Way Learning While formal systems often communicate through a one-way process, interaction demands a two-way process. Use this tool to transform one- way processes into two-way learning activities.

Bringing it all together tools A Quick Chronology of Engagement Give Value First Do you have expectations as you enter a learning partnership? Use this tool to rethink how expectations shape a potential partnership Your Brand Your brand is not your content, your logo or your website. It’s what your stakeholders perceive about you, and how you make them feel. Use this tool to build your brand. Measuring Progress The value of relationships is hard to describe and even more difficult to measure. Use these tools to identify and quantify the value of relationships as strategy.

…about engaging youth Status Quo… Youth are often not included at the table – token representation, lack of preparation, controlling adults, low expectations, lack of trust Changing Status Quo… Youth need opportunities to take leadership roles – creating access, rotating leadership roles, showcasing successes Youth need supportive adult allies to foster their leadership – leading from behind (back-seat leader), building confidence, asking questions rather than providing answers, listening, taking youth voice in Youth need safe environment to experiment and fail – learning from mistakes, letting youth experience things for themselves Youth need to reflect on leadership experiences to learn and grow

Now….. Lets explore…. Lets talk about value…. Lets talk about use…..