Coalition-Building in American Indian Communities Open with welcome and proceed with following discussion: October 13, 2011 Albert Gay, M.S.

Objectives To define “coalition” To explain the purpose of a coalition To list community groups that should be “at the table” To identify barriers and plan around them To improve coalition recruitment and retention

How Do You Define a Coalition? CADCA defines coalitions as a formal arrangement for collaboration between groups or sectors of a community, in which each group retains its identity but all agree to work together toward a common goal of building a safe, healthy, and drug-free community.

Here’s What Coalitions are NOT: Not human service organizations Not single entities Not run by outside organizations

Purpose of Coalitions To serve as catalysts for change in the community That goal often includes one of the following: Adapting, creating, or developing public policy Influencing the community’s behavior Creating a healthy community Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America

Here’s What Coalitions Do: Connect with their community members on a grassroots level. Collaborate on problem-solving and community development.

Here’s Why Coalitions Form To address an urgent situation demanding action To acquire or provide services To deliver effective and efficient practices, policies, and programs

Here’s Why Coalitions Form (cont’d.) To provide resources To facilitate communication among groups To strategically plan community-wide initiatives

Here’s Why Coalitions Form (cont’d.) To foster leverage within the community To create and sustain social change

Coalitions & The Public Health Model Host Environment Agent This model requires coalitions to think in a comprehensive manner beyond the part of the problem they see. Model requires coalitions to think in a comprehensive manner beyond the part of the problem they see. The model stresses that problems arise through the relationships and interactions among the agent, the host, and the environment.

Coalitions & The Public Health Model (cont’d.) Host Environment Agent Problems arise through the relationships and interactions among the agent, the host, and the environment. Model requires coalitions to think in a comprehensive manner beyond the part of the problem they see. The model stresses that problems arise through the relationships and interactions among the agent, the host, and the environment.

The Influence of Coalitions Influencing the HOST Reaching people directly through schools, social programs, workplaces, daycare centers, religious organizations, and other groups. Influencing the AGENT Working to diminish impact of the substance. Influence the HOST Reach people directly through schools, social programs, workplaces, day care centers, religious organizations, and other groups. Influence the AGENT The agent in the public health model is the substance. Influence the ENVIRONMENT Reinforce healthy behaviors in Environments of schools, families, neighborhoods, and communities, as well as broader social and cultural settings.

The Influence of Coalitions (cont’d.) Influencing the ENVIRONMENT Reinforcing healthy behaviors in schools, families, neighborhoods, and communities, as well as broader social and cultural settings.

Risk & Protection Risk Factor Domain Protective Factor Poverty (-) Community Strong Neighborhood Attachment (+) Identifying and understanding the risk and protective factors in your community provides a solid base from which to begin planning. An important goal of prevention coalitions is to change the balance so protective factors outweigh risk factors. Identifying and understanding the risk and protective factors in your community provides a solid base from which to begin planning. An important goal of prevention coalitions is to change the balance so protective factors outweigh risk factors.

Who Should Be at the Table? Youth Parents Businesses Media Schools Youth-Serving Organizations Law Enforcement Faith-based Community Civic and Volunteer Groups Health Care Professionals

Who Should Be at the Table? (cont’d.) Schools Youth-Serving Organizations Law Enforcement Tribal, State or Local Agencies Other Organizations Reducing Substance Abuse

Youth: Positive Peer Groups Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Insight into youth’s perspectives Youth involved in planning Youth ownership in initiatives Youth as volunteers Youth as leaders Direct influence of youth Transportation to meetings Tokenism Keeping engaged

Parents Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Big stakeholders in the well-being of youth Important feedback on successes or failures of initiatives Volunteers Transportation Keeping them interested Busy schedules/work hours conflict with meetings

Local Business Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Financial support Fiscal management expertise Strategic plan development Managerial expertise Opportunity to interact with MBE/WBE Decisions based on finances outweigh decisions for the good of the community “Business mindset trumps coalition heart” MBEs are often small, and owners only have time to run business

Media Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/pitfalls Getting message out Multiple avenues of dissemination Expertise on message delivery Exposure increases recruitment PSAs Provision of expertise in: Media Advocacy Social Marketing Issue Framing Sensationalism overshadows prevention message

Schools Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/pitfalls Access to school youth School data for assessment Valuable staff insight Ease of school engagement Community planning from school perspective Bridge between families and coalitions Isolation Preoccupied with trying to achieve State standards No volunteers to commit to coalition duties Protection of school reputation Little to no sharing of data or info

Youth-Serving Organizations Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Access to youth Expertise in youth development and programming Youth recruitment for coalition Organizations may be too busy with youth programming to be productive in coalition matters Too much dependence on organization’s youth Competing interests cause conflict

Law Enforcement Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Key resource in fulfillment of strategy Enforcement of policies and laws Police image improved throughout community History of mistrust / bad relations Officers live outside community No positive relationships with residents Focus more on punishment than prevention

Faith-Based Organizations Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Visionary leadership Inspirational leadership resulting in momentum Ready volunteer base Involvement contingent upon agreement with religious standards Outspoken spiritual views may offend some coalition members. Diverting attention from common cause to personal belief debates

Civic Groups Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls High visibility in community Community service initiatives Volunteer base Strategies for raising awareness in community Donations towards coalition cause Reach out to local businesses/gov’t. for policy shaping around ATOD Potential conflicting message during social events (i.e., serving of alcohol)

Health Professionals Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Access to community- specific information Voice of authority on health matters Respect gained from community Lack of consistency due to time constraints Rotating staff to meetings as representatives

Tribal, State or Local Governmental Agencies Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Expertise on local government Policy-making for coalition’s favor Key stakeholder in the city Amped-up voice for under- represented minority populations Media coverage Leadership Political one-sidedness Political suicide Getting tied to politician’s views & political agenda Loss of coalition’s voice by adhering to politician’s views Dominance of government Loss of vision for political gain Falling for politics as usual

Other Organizations Potential Benefits Potential Barriers/Pitfalls Extremely close to heart of community Previous community action Involvement in other community coalitions Spread too thin between coalition and other community involvement

Barriers & Pitfalls Activity Split into groups. Look at the sectors around the room. Determine which sectors are missing & which are present in your coalition. Instruct each group to gather at a different sector.

Barriers & Pitfalls Activity (cont’d.) If a sector is missing, write BARRIERS keeping them from being at the table. If a sector is present, write current or potential pitfalls that impede progress in the coalition’s goals. After 1 minute, rotate clockwise to the next sector After final rotation, return to seats as a group and fill out the following matrix for missing sectors only

Activity: Recruiting Sectors What’s the Buy-in? Serve: What can we do to benefit them? Receive: How can they help us? Which person or position do we need from that sector? What role do we want them to take in the coalition? Activity: Youth Parents Businesses Media Schools Youth Servicing Orgs Law Enforcement Religions/FBO Fraternal Civic/Volunteer Healthcare Field Government Other Organizations Champions

Breaking Through Barriers Activity Look at your starting sector and the listed barriers. Discuss/write ways to overcome barriers discussed using action plan. At your tables, pick a sector and discuss barriers and pitfalls that are specific to that sector within your own community. Discuss ways to overcome barriers and avoid pitfalls.

Beyond Barriers Action Planning Identified or Potential Barrier: (From Group Discussion) Action Step: Desired Outcome Required Resources Responsible Party Time Duration 1. 2. 3. 4.

How Can We Recruit These Missing Sectors? Create a Marketing Plan that: Is Sector-Specific Culturally Politically Acknowledges Barriers Is Strategic in Placement Accurately Displays Goals Mutually Beneficial

4 P’s Marketing Product is the goal of the campaign. It is the behavior we would like the focus audience to change or maintain. Price is what the people in the focus audience must give up in order to receive the program’s benefit. Section 7 - Media

4 P’s Marketing (Cont’d.) Promotion is the overall strategy (messages) used for persuading people to accept the price for the product. Place is the communication channel that will be used to get the promotional message to the focus audience. Section 7 - Media

4 P’s Marketing Activity Product What are you producing in the community? Promotion How will you promote to this sector? Place What media will you use to reach this sector? Price What will this sector need to commit to the coalition?

Building Blocks of Coalitions 1. Relationship 2. Dedication 3. Trust 4. Shared Knowledge 5. Leadership 6. Assessment Elements of Successful Coalition-Building Strategies: During the past two decades, researchers have identified elements that are present in successful coalition-building strategies. Here are a few of their conclusions (Doherty, 2000; Perkins, Borden, and Knox, 1999; Thompson et al., 2003)

Relationships They are the cornerstone for networking & collaborative agreements They take time!  They require repeated conversations and frequent occasions for working / planning together. They help shared visions and common purposes emerge. Relationships. Personal relationships among program administrators are the cornerstone for networking and collaborative agreements (Perkins, Borden, and Knox, 1999). Relationships take time. They require repeated conversations and frequent occasions for working and planning together. That is how shared visions and common purposes emerge Perkins, D. E, Borden, O., & Knox, A. (1999)

Dedication Long-term dedication among staff members It takes time for leaders from the different organizations to count on one another to supply needed services It takes time for people to recognize that they are not in competition It often takes a long time for change and transformation to occur in distressed communities. Doherty (2000) speaks about the importance of long-term dedication among staff members to the collaborative enterprise. It takes time for leaders from the different organizations in the coalition to grow confident that that they can count on their colleagues to supply needed services. Over time, they recognize that that they are not in competition with these colleagues in their efforts to recruit clients; indeed, their new partners may become sources for new referrals. Long-term commitments are also essential because of the extended time it often takes for change and transformation to occur in participants’ lives or in distressed target communities. Coalition members must be in it for the long haul, patiently awaiting the fruits of their labors. That requires special people. A staff person with the Catholic Community Center admitted that she was “overwhelmed” by the intense dedication of network colleagues to helping each participant. Doherty (2000)

Trust Facilitates communication Creates a willingness and commitment to identify with the collaboration Nurtured when members together produce written mission, expectations, and terms for exchanging resources.  Trust facilitates communication and thus creates a willingness and commitment to identify with the collaboration (Perkins, Borden, & Knox, 1999). Trust is nurtured, these authors suggest, when members of the collaborative network together produce a written document specifying their enterprise’s mission, expectations, and terms for exchanging resources. An administrator at Muslim free clinic we studied noted they mostly use memorandums of understanding so that the roles of the clinic and collaborating universities are explained and “those responsibilities are very clear.” This formal communication, while necessary, is still insufficient. This program’s administrator emphasized that trust is cultivated and maintained through constant communication: “Make sure there is constant exchange of information; that it is not just one sided [and that] one organization doesn’t just benefit from the other.” (Perkins, Borden, & Knox, 1999).

Trust (cont’d.) Cultivated & maintained through constant communication: a constant exchange of information not one-sided Trust facilitates communication and thus creates a willingness and commitment to identify with the collaboration (Perkins, Borden, & Knox, 1999). Trust is nurtured, these authors suggest, when members of the collaborative network together produce a written document specifying their enterprise’s mission, expectations, and terms for exchanging resources. An administrator at Muslim free clinic we studied noted they mostly use memorandums of understanding so that the roles of the clinic and collaborating universities are explained and “those responsibilities are very clear.” This formal communication, while necessary, is still insufficient. This program’s administrator emphasized that trust is cultivated and maintained through constant communication: “Make sure there is constant exchange of information; that it is not just one sided [and that] one organization doesn’t just benefit from the other.” (Perkins, Borden, & Knox, 1999).

Shared Knowledge Knowledge of the community’s history, its strengths, and its needs is a vital element (i.e. demographic information, suggestions etc.) Involves building a deeper, common understanding.  Buried, unacknowledged memories of past resentments and/or of injustices negatively affect current efforts to work together. Knowledge of the community’s history, its strengths, and its needs is a vital element within the process of building successful collaborative relationships. This may include simply sharing information. A Pennsylvania faith-based administrator benefited from this type of collaboration, noting that their partner “shared demographic information, they shared suggestions with us, and they contribute a lot of the information we pass out. They let us know whenever there are activities in the community.” Sharing knowledge also may involve building a deeper, common understanding. Buried, unacknowledged memories of past resentments and/or of injustices negatively affect current efforts to work together. Leaders of cooperating organizations cement their relationships when they listen to each other and to community members—i.e., when they take the time to cultivate a shared memory. In this process, the virtues of flexibility and openness build trust among cooperating organizations (Thompson et al. (2003).   (Thompson et al. 2003)

Leadership Strong leadership is required to move the cooperating organizations toward shared goals and objectives Successful collaborative leaders focus on intentional and goal-directed relationship- building Don’t forget about your Champions! Collaborative efforts require strong leaders who will move the cooperating organizations toward shared goals and objectives, according to Perkins, Borden, and Knox. Successful collaborative leaders focus on relationship-building, but they never lose sight of the fact that these relationships are intentional and goal-directed. The head of the Pennsylvania faith-based organization communicated that one measure of their organizational performance is “ the contacts we make with other organizations…We are seeing our name pop up on people’s brochures that we are one of their collaborating agencies…Those are good indicators. [And] our board is connected throughout the community.” Perkins, D. E, Borden, O., & Knox, A. (1999)

Assessment Ongoing process of assessment is always present in successful networking. It’s the vehicle through which networks maintain and reinforce their shared visions and mission. It provides clarity about how success will be measured is essential to the network’s health.  Finally, Perkins, Borden, and Knox argue that an ongoing process of assessment is always present in successful networking.   Assessment is the vehicle through which networks maintain and reinforce their shared visions and missions. Clarity about how success will be measured is essential to the network’s health. A Los Angeles collaboration between a faith-based welfare to work program and a local bank, for example, is deliberate about measuring the success of their collaboration. The welfare to work program tracks participants and keeps case notes that indicate the success of the participant working with the bank’s employment program. Perkins, D. E, Borden, O., & Knox, A. (1999)

SWOT Analysis Exercise Positive (+) Negative (-) Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Internal External

Coalition Building/Action Planning Affected Sector: Youth Parents Businesses Media Schools Youth Servicing Orgs Law Enforcement Religions/FBO Civic/Volunteer Healthcare Field Government Other Organizations Identified Pitfall: (From Group Discussion) Building Block to use: 1. Relationship 2.Dedication 3.Trust 4.Shared Knowledge 5.Leadership 6.Assessment Action Step: (Including persons responsible and duration Desired Outcome Required Resources Responsible Party Time Duration 1.Example: Tokenism Leadership Coalition structure redesigned so that Youth are involved in planning process and included in voting process. Form Youth Committee Change in Coalition Policy,, Bylaws, structure. Youth considered an important part of coalition. Policies, By-Laws Time Executive Board Youth members Youth and Coalition Members 4 Weeks Next Mtg

Maintaining a Healthy Coalition Using the 6 Elements Building Blocks Steps Needed to Sustain Building Blocks Desired Outcome Resources Required Responsible Party Time Frame 1.Relationship 2.Dedication 3.Trust 4.Shared Knowledge 5.Leadership 6.Assessment

Coalitions do more than bring people together: They bring systems together! The Paradigm shift of Leadership: understanding that Prevention is Community Leadership Bringing systems together that normally may have functioned on their own (independently) SAMHSA has greatly helped coalitions by creating a prevention platform as a tool.

References          Doherty, W. (2000). Family science and family citizenship: Toward a model of community partnership with families. Family Relations, 49 (3), 319-325. Perkins, D. E, Borden, O., & Knox, A. (1999). Two critical factors in collaboration on behalf of children, youth, and families. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 91 (2), 73-78. Thompson, M. et al. (2003). Facilitators of well- functioning consortia: National health start program lessons. Health & Social Work, 28 (3). 185-195.