Community Planning

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• Community Planning
• - Presentation Slides
• Peter Kenyon
• Director
• Bank of IDEAS
• (Initiatives for the Development of Enterprising
• Action and Strategies)
• Ph 61 8 9293 0623
• Fax [phone]
• email pk_at_bankofideas.com.au
• web www.bankofideas.com.au

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A SUFI STORY...
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The wisdom of the community always exceeds the
knowledge of the experts (Harold Flaming)
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May 2005 WA Local Government Elections

• only 1086 persons nominated
• 311 elections were uncontested (42)
• 38 local governments had uncontested polls
  (26)
• 7 local government were required to run on
  extraordinary election after elections to fill
  positions that did not attract enough
  nominations
• In 2003 average voter turnout was only 26
• - compares with 36 in 2001
• - for in person elections, only 15.43 average
  voter turnout.

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Most communities can often be compared to an
Australian Rules Football game where 30,000
people who need the exercise, turn up to watch 36
players who dont. ( Peter Kenyon )
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My Passion
Building healthy, caring and connected
communities
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Seven Pillars Of A Healthy Community   Practices
ongoing dialogue Generates leadership Shapes its
future Embraces diversity Knows itself Connects
people and resources Creates a sense of
community   (Healthy Cities and Communities
Coalition, USA)
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• Strong Communities
•  
• have strong leaders
• have strong networks with other communities
• can build on their existing assets and
• resources
• have a can-do community spirit and are
• optimistic about the future
• can grasp the opportunities that come their
• way
• have a sense of belonging to the community
• among its members
• embrace change and take responsibility
•  
• (Stronger Families, Stronger Communities at
  Department of Family and Community Services)

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• SUCCESSFUL COMMUNITIES
• Build on the strengths of local individuals,
  associations
• and institutions
• Focus on specific actions and measurable results
  to
• improve community life
• Promote participation by people of all races,
  genders,
• cultures and age groups
• Ensure local decision making and ownership
• Draw upon the resources of the whole community
• Bridge all sectors to develop healthy children,
  families
• and community and
• Share experience and knowledge to promote
  continuous
• community learning.
• (ACCORDING TO PRIME MINISTERS YOUTH PATHWAYS
  ACTION PLAN TASKFORCE 2001)

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CHARACTERISTICS OF A HEALTHY COMMUNITY
Healthy Unhealthy Optimism, hope and 'we
are in this together Cynicism "We can do
it 'Nothing works' Value intangibles like
vision and values Emphasis only on
tangibles Consensus building Polarisation Colla
boration Confrontation Focus on the
future Debate the past Interdependence Paroc
hialism Broad community participation Few do
everything Leadership renewal Same old
faces Think and act in long term Short term
thinking Listening Attacking Reconciliation
Hold grudges Win-win solutions Win-lose
solutions Politics of substance Politics of
personality Diversity and involvement Exclusion
Challenge ideas Challenge people Problem
solvers Blockers and blamers View challenges
as opportunities See themselves as victims
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A strong Community is one constituted by people
that understand its social, economic and
environmental assets and are working towards
sustainability. Strong communities also
understand and work with their most disadvantaged
populations to ensure maximum standards for all.
To do these things, members of a strong community
need to be engaged, involved, feel capable of
working through issues and be supported through
external partnerships.   (Department of
Victorian Communities)
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PKs 4 Key Community Development Beliefs
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Belief 1.
Meaningful and lasting community change always
originates from within, and local residents in
that community are the best experts on how to
activate that change.
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Belief 2.
Communities have never been built by dwelling on
their deficiencies. Focus on the resources,
capacities, strengths and aspirations of a
community and its residents, instead of dwelling
on the needs, deficiencies and problems.
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Belief 3.
Every single person has capacities, abilities,
gifts and ideas, and living a good life depends
on whether those capacities can be used,
abilities expressed, gifts given and ideas
shared.
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Belief 4.
The strength of a community is directly
proportional to the level that the diversity of
its residents desire, and are able to contribute
their abilities and assets to the well being of
their community.
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Great communities dont just happen! they are
created, nurtured and sustained by caring and
involved residents. (Peter Kenyon)
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• Global trend towards community empowerment and
  new emphasis on localism

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• Devolved community planning is the future of
  local government
• (Tony Blair, British Prime Minister)

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• Our vision for local government in 2014 is of
  independent self governing communities

(Local Government Association, UK)
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New Zealand Local Government Act 2002

• Section 10 describes the purpose of local
  government
• to enable democratic local decision making and
  action by, and on behalf of, communities and
• to promote the social, economic, environmental,
  and cultural well being of communities, in the
  present and for the future.

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Future of Local Government Summit (Melbourne,
2005)

• Why does LG exist?
• What value does LG provide?

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Summit Consensus

• Key LG focus needs to be community strengthening,
  not service delivery.
• A pre condition for a better future, LG needs to
  engage with and win trust and respect from the
  community.
• Key leadership role of LG is to enable democratic
  local decision-making and actions and on behalf
  of community.

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Summit Vision

• Local Government is valued by all Australians
  for building strong and successful communities

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Future of Local Government Summit (2006)
3 of the 7 agreed principles

• LG to be community driven
• LG to derive power from community engagement
• LG to pursue community sustainability

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Community Planning
A process where the people (i.e. the community)
arrive at group vision, priorities and actions to
achieve positive change that will enhance the
physical, social and economic well being of the
community. It is a dynamic, interactive and
participatory process intended to make the
quality of life better for all members of the
community.
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Basic Community Planning Elements

• process is owned by the community and
• usually aided by local government support
• and facilitation
• scope is a whole of community wellbeing
  priorities rather than on one particular issue or
  project
• widespread community input is achieved via a
• range of participatory initiatives (not just
  one
• community meeting)
• focus is both on the needs / deficiencies and
  assets / strengths of the community (How we view
  the glass as half full or half empty?)

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Communities have deficiencies and needs
Communities and its citizens Have capacities
and assets
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COMMUNITY NEEDS MAP
Unemployment
Loss of Community Spirit
Illiteracy
Dysfunctional Families
Welfare Dependency
Vacant Shops Run Down Shopping Centre
Bullying
Child Abuse
Truancy
Crime
Mental Health
Graffiti
Youth Suicide
Alcoholism Drug Abuse
Early School Leavers
Homelessness
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COMMUNITY ASSETS MAP
LOCAL INSTITUTIONS RESOURCES
Local Businesses
Schools
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS
Service Clubs
Neigh - bourhood House
GIFTS OF INDIVIDUAL
Ovals
Churches
Young People
Artists
Local Council
Senior Citizens
All Residents
Labelled People
Sporting Teams
Community Organisations
Community Stories
Government Agencies
Hospital
Local Facilities
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Other Community Planning Elements

• community priorities are identified
• democratically and through consensus
• a community plan is provided outlining
• community values, strategic priorities,
• tasks, implementation requirements and
• resources
• planning is linked to implementation and action
• a regular review process occurs to
• evaluate programs against indicators and
  update priorities.

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• Pioneers in Community Planning
• Golden Plains Shire
• Campaspe Shire

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Golden Plains Shire
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Demographics

• Shire comprises over 35 small communities many
  with little or no infrastructure
• The majority of the population growth is
  occurring in the South West and North East of the
  Shire in townships closest to Geelong and
  Ballarat
• No secondary school
• No hospital or health centre
• One pharmacy
• One doctors clinic
• One Bank

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Council Thinking Council wanted to assist and
strengthen communities, help them become more
environmentally, economically and socially
sustainable, foster a sense of community spirit
and pride, and greater involvement in community
life.
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What this led to

• Communities given the opportunity to be more
  focussed on their own individual township
  problems / issues and plan for the future.
• Identification of local solutions to local
  problems and windows of opportunities.
• Development of a holistic approach to planning
  that involves the whole community and combines
  all of the social and economic aspects.

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Results

• 19 Township Plans developed
• Focus on a wide range of issues education,
  childcare, recreation, health, social services,
  safety, transportation, housing, Job creation and
  economic opportunity
• Current involvement of 74 local coordinators
• Incorporation of township plans into Council
  plans
• Development of new strategy partnerships between
  all stakeholders

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Benefits of Community Planning

• Identification of community vision, directions
  and priorities
• Enhanced community ownership and shared
  responsibility
• Enhanced community confidence and resilience
• Linkage between planning and action

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• Linking of local community plans with Council
  plans
• Increased knowledge, understanding and skills by
  local residents
• Development of local leaders / community builders
  
• Increased sense of belonging and levels of social
  capital
• Stronger network development within, and across
  communities.

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Outcomes
Traditional LG Community Planning
Participation Rate Usually low (except if crisis issue) 10 50
Community Leadership low strong
community priorities achieved Unknown gt 90
Community Capacity Often untapped WOW!
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Key Success Factors in Community Planning

• Broad based and inclusive community participation
• Focus on both discovering needs/requirements and
  assets/capacities
• Commitment of resources for the process
• Use of skilled external facilitator

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• Use of a wide range of planning methodologies
• Commitment to adequate resourcing of the process
• Identification of short, medium and long term
  goals and actions
• Active maintenance of community interest and
  involvement.

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Public Participation Spectrum
Increasing level of public impact
Inform
Consult
Involve
Collaborate
Empower
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Tension Issues

• Role of the Councillors (I
• was elected to make
• decisions).
• Role of Council staff (I am the expert).
• Identified projects outside
• role of LG.

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The future is not a result of choices among
alternative paths offered by the present, but a
place that is created first in mind, next in
will, then in activity.
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The future is not a place to which we are going
it is a place we are creating. The paths to the
future are not found, but made, and the activity
of making them changes both the maker and the
destination. (John Schaar)
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A SUFI STORY
The village elders had failed time after time to
resolve a difficult problem. They invited a very
wise person from another village to come and help
them. In time, she came. People gathered to hear
her wisdom. She asked them Do you know what I
am going to tell you? In unison they responded,
NO. The wise women replied, You will only
learn what you already know, and if you dont
know, I am leaving. She left. The village was
in an uproar. Months passed and the problem
didnt go away. The elders debated and issued a
second invitation to the wise women. In advance
of her arrival, they coached the villagers.
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When the woman arrived the second time, the
village gathered. Again she asked, Do you know
what I am going to tell you? The villagers
shouted in unison, YES. She stared at the
people. If you already know, then I have
nothing to tell you. She left. The village
became even more frustrated, but after many
months, the issued a third invitation. This time
they were ready for the wise woman.
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Do you know what I am going to tell you? Half
the villagers shouted YES the other half
shouted NO. The wise woman looked at the people
and said, Those who know should now get together
with those who dont and then you will all
know. She rose left and never returned.
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That night, an elderly woman had a dream. Last
night, a voice told me the meaning of the message
from the wise women. She wanted us to know that
really important knowledge can be derived from
our own community and our traditions, not from
outside experts. We already have the knowledge.
We already know. We just dont have the
confidence to believe in ourselves.
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The wisdom of the community always exceeds the
knowledge of the experts (Harold Flaming)
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Contact Details Peter Kenyon Ph 61 8 6293
1848 Fax [phone] Bird Rd,
Kalamunda WA 6076   Email for copy of
presentation pp_at_bankofideas.com.au Website for
bookshop newsletter mailing list www.bankofide
as.com.au