Kansas City, MO. May 20, 2009

ACTION EVALUATION INFORMATION DATA The AdvantAge Initiative Planning Process: Data Driven, Participatory Community Development

Percentage of people age 60+ who engaged in at least one social, religious, or cultural activity in the past week None 16% Engaged in one or more activity 84% Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding and/or missing information. Figure 30.1, Indiana-Area 6 § Source: AdvantAge Initiative Community Survey in Indiana 2008 Unweighted N=300 Weighted N=88,016 § Area 6 includes Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Henry, Jay, Madison, & Randolph Counties.

Numbers don’t stand on their own… we have to make meaning from the data…use the data to tell a story.

Framing the issue may be the most important thing we do … For – how we define the problem will determine what we do to solve it.

Who knows about the issue? Who cares about it? Who can do something about it? Stakeholders Community Change

Mia on Lincoln Square

Sources of Information AdvantAge Initiative Site Visits, Field Notes, Conversations, Consultations Best Practices Research Experiential/Personal Reflections

Successful change efforts … Are initiated by leaders with “situated” knowledge of the environment for change That the right people in the right relationships are at the heart of change That early leaders link this knowledge and these relationships through effective framing or marketing of issues

Successful change efforts… That these relationships are sustained through effective communication and the creation of learning communities That community needs are met through the creative alignment of resources and solutions

Situated knowledge = Savvy Knowledge as power vs knowledge as a resource to be shared Examples: Knowledge of the lifeworld of those whom we ultimately are trying to serve Knowledge of the audiences we are trying to reach with our messages

Situated knowledge = Savvy Knowledge that behavior is embedded in practical human interest- that people operate within a set of constraints/potentials: time, money, competing loyalties, lack of authority, axes to grind, personal and professional agendas

What can I get from this? Fun! I’m an old guy, (this affects me). I’m a baby boomer, this will affect me. I’ve been a family caregiver and we can make it better. I’m old, therefore I have a lot to share and contribute.

What can I get from this? Learn about my community. Identify and verify gaps/needs our organizations can address. Better mobilize resources and coordinate services through developing new relationships. Sharing information/knowledge. Discovering new models/solutions. Leverage new funding sources.

The savvy leader (s) … Knows what motivates people to participate and makes it easy, fun, social, convenient, to be involved Mediates conflicting interests because he/she understands both sides of a question Merges non-overlapping interests by seeing the common ground

The savvy leader(s)… Sees potential alliances others don’t see Knows the stakeholders and how to bring them in… Or knows who knows Uses face-to-face, personal contact

Who knows about the issue? Who cares about it? Who can do something about it? Stakeholders Community Change

you can get people to the table.

Sustaining these relationships is a major challenge in community change efforts.

Sustaining relationships… Among task force members With the media With elders in the community With other stakeholders who will play a role in the change efforts

Sustaining relationships… Face to face interaction: asking for involvement Communication Communication Communication Work to do – action steps to take

Sustaining relationships… Framing issues so they are personally relevant A learning community atmosphere A culture of inclusiveness (a role for everyone) Contention as an opportunity for learning

Creatively aligning resources and solutions… Use of social capital Getting others to “pay your bills” Appropriately scaled, culturally relevant solutions Change as a resource, an opportunity Keeping your pulse on the community Relationships Relationships Relationships

“Community is the smallest unit of health.” Wendell Berry Health is Membership Another Turn of the Crank

Contact info: Philip B. Stafford, Ph.D. Center on Aging and Community, Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, Indiana University 2853 East Tenth Bloomington, IN

Contact Info: Mia R. Oberlink Senior Research Associate Center for Home Care Policy and Research Visiting Nurse Service of New York 1250 Broadway, 20th Fl. New York, N.Y Phone: