Building Community: Discovering, Envisioning, Designing, Growing, Reflecting, Mastering… Appreciative Inquiry

How is AI different from traditional thinking? Region A Partnership for Children

Appreciative Inquiry Basic Assumptions 1. In every society, organization or group, something works well. 1. In every society, organization or group, something works well. 4. If we carry forward parts of the past, they should be what is best about the past. 4. If we carry forward parts of the past, they should be what is best about the past. 3. People have more confidence to journey to the future (the unknown) when they carry forward parts of the past (the known). 3. People have more confidence to journey to the future (the unknown) when they carry forward parts of the past (the known). 6. The language we use creates our reality and experience. 6. The language we use creates our reality and experience. 5. It is important to value differences. 5. It is important to value differences. 2. What we focus on, becomes our reality. 2. What we focus on, becomes our reality. Region A Partnership for Children

Appreciative Inquiry Basic Assumptions Region A Partnership for Children

Appreciative Inquiry 101 Overview of the AI Process Region A Partnership for Children Definition : What is the focus of inquiry (Affirmative topic of choice) Clarifying Definition : What is the focus of inquiry (Affirmative topic of choice) Clarifying Discovery : What gives life (The best of what is) Appreciating Discovery : What gives life (The best of what is) Appreciating Dream : What might be (What are the possibilities?) Envisioning Dream : What might be (What are the possibilities?) Envisioning Design : What should be (The idea) Co-constructing Design : What should be (The idea) Co-constructing Destiny/Delivery : What will be (How to empower learn, and adjust/improvise) Innovating/Sustaining the change Destiny/Delivery : What will be (How to empower learn, and adjust/improvise) Innovating/Sustaining the change Positive Core

 Community Engagement  Building Commitment  Discovering Resources and Strengths  Identifying New Strategies  Developing New Team Leadership Region A Partnership for Children

Region A Resource Mapping  Discovery  Teams identified community resources/support:  Organizations  Government  Recreational  Cultural  Informal  What we discovered…  Our strongest resources  Our deepest connections  Opportunities for strengthening connections  Who can bring more to the table  What the data shows Region A Partnership for Children

The Big Dream  What will our ideal community look like?  Diverse voices contribute to the Dream.  There will be an expectation of positive (improvement) change in the community data.  Our plans for change challenge us to Dream Big.  The Big Dream will unify the vision of all stakeholders (especially children and families). Region A Partnership for Children

Designing and Sustaining the Ideal  Design  Strengthening connections  New resources  New connections  New partners  Building on successful strategies and creating new strategies  Impact  How does the design effect the current system?  What anticipated changes will we see?  Sustaining the positive impact  What is successful about our new design?  How do we leverage the positive impact?  How do we improve on positive outcomes?  What action will we take to sustain long range outcomes? Region A Partnership for Children

What expertise/resources do we bring to the table?  Knowledge base and/or education  Talents or skills  Organization/Position/Agency affiliation  Community Connections  Political standing  Ability to garner additional resources Region A Partnership for Children

Strategic Planning and Appreciative Inquiry  Data Used  Performance Based Incentive System (PBIS)  Health Department  School Information  Other? Region A Partnership for Children

The Appreciative Inquiry Process Region A Partnership for Children

Gleaning Project   Region A Partnership for Children

Strategic Planning Continued  New projects may be developed as resources are identified and new connections are made.  Outcomes are developed based on local data, resource identification, and desired change both short term and long range.  Outcomes are determined by the overall community vision (The Big Dream).  Outcomes are measured in time, degree of impact and nature of change.  Sustainability is reflected in ongoing evaluation, adaptation, and discovery. Region A Partnership for Children

Guideposts  Sustainability  Advocacy  Visibility  Connectivity  Quality of Life Measures  Quality Programming  Information Literacy Region A Partnership for Children

Thank you Region A Partnership for Children  Janice M. Edgerton, Executive Director   Linda Neyman, Project Manager   Kristi Cook, Early Literacy Coordinator   Jody L. Miller, Family Support Network Coordinator   Murat Yazan, Evaluator  Region A Partnership for Children

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Further Reading and Resources  Hammond, Sue Annis. The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry, 2 nd Edition  Cooperrider, David L., and Diana Whitney. Appreciative Inquiry: A Positive Revolution in Change, 2005  Whitney, Diana. Appreciative Leadership: Focus on What Works to Drive Winning Performance and Build a Thriving Organization, 2010 Region A Partnership for Children