The Five Points of Partnership
A Campus & Community Partnership
Approach to Building Healthier Communities
Leah Ashwill – Director, ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships
Nadia De Leon – Coordinator, ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships
Terry Shoemaker – Coordinator, Institute for Citizenship & Social Responsibility
Courte Voorhees – Assistant Professor, Institute for Citizenship & Social
Responsibility
The Five Points of Partnership
What makes a healthy community?
Robert Putnam’s Bowling Alone: The
Collapse and Revival of American
Community
What is the Challenge?
•“Americans
are playing virtually every aspect of the civic
game less frequently today than we did two decades
ago.”
•Declining
•Decline
participation in clubs and civic groups
in participation in religious activities
POLITICAL/COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
1973-4 to
1993-4
Served as an officer of some club or organization
Down 42%
Worked for a political party
Down 42%
Served on a committee for some local organization
Down 39%
Attended a public meeting on town or school affairs
Down 35%
Attended a political rally or speech
Down 34%
Made a speech
Down 24%
Wrote a congressional representative
Down 23%
Signed a petition
Down 22%
Was a member of some “better government” group
Down 19%
Held or ran for political office
Down 16%
Wrote a letter to the paper
Down 14%
Wrote an article for a magazine or newspaper
Down 10%
Participated in at least one of the 12
Down 25%
Source: Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam Page 45
Causes of the Challenge
The Television Era
 Consumerism
 Personal Computers (cyberbalkanization)
 Loss of Trust

◦ In our government
◦ In one another
Causes of the Challenge
Contributing Factor
Impact
Pressures of time and money
10 percent
Suburbanization, commuting, and sprawl
10 percent
Television and other electronic entertainment
25 percent
Generational change
40-45 percent
OTHER?
10-15 percent
Source: Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam
Page 284
The Five Points of Partnership
A Campus & Community Partnership
Approach to Building Healthier Communities
Goal: Collaborative Initiatives
Creating healthier communities and overcoming
complex societal problems require collaborative
solutions which bring communities and institutions
together as equal partners and build upon the assets,
strengths and capacities of each.
Relationships, Language &
the Importance of Place
5 Points of Partnership
Point 1:
Identify the needs….and assets
•Relational Dialogue
•Mapping Resources
•Surveying
•Focus Groups
with Community
Free Space
Information
Referral
Funding
Partnerships
Networking
Volunteerism
Five Points of Partnership
Transitional
Housing
Five Points of Partnership
Need,
Issue &
Assets
Point 2:
Invite Partners…Build Relationships
Potential Partners
Faith Based
Organization
University
Local
Business
Non-Profit
Need,
Issue &
Assets
Artists
Neighborhood
Association
Bob & Jenny
Basham
(owners)
Neighbors
BGCAN
WKU
(ALIVE CCP)
Interdisciplinary
Departments
Five Points of Partnership
Potential
Partner
Potential
Partner
Potential
Partner
Potential
Partner
Need,
Issue &
Assets
Potential
Partner
Potential
Partner
Point 3:
Develop Ideas…Not Individual Agendas
Community
Needs
Organizational
interests
Building
upon
strengths
Building
capacity
Need
Outcomes
Shared
Vision
Goal
Methods
DEMOCRATIC
PROCESSES
Input and
Agreement
Decision
Making
Shared
Ownership
Conflict
Resolution
Principles
and Practices
Five Points of Partnership
Campus
Partners
Develop Ideas
ALIVE CCP
Campus
and
Community
Network
Community
Organizations
Develop Ideas
Community
Individuals
Five Points of Partnership
Potential
Partner
Develop Ideas
Potential
Partner
Need,
Issue &
Assets
Potential
Partner
Develop Ideas
Potential
Partner
Point 4:
Pool Resources…From the Community
Partnership
Sharing
Resources
Seeking Outside
Resources
Five Points of Partnership: Puerta a
Puerta
Safety
BG Police
Develop Ideas
ALIVE CCP
Networking
and media
Information
Gap
Demographic
Information
Hope
Harbor
Coordinator
Develop Ideas
WKU
Spanish
Club
and
HOPE
Volunteers
Five Points of Partnership
Resources
Potential
Partner
Develop Ideas
Potential
Partner
Resources
Need,
Issue &
Assets
Resources
Potential
Partner
Resources
Develop Ideas
Potential
Partner
Resources
Point 5:
Implementation…and Evaluation/Assessment
Successful campus-community partnerships must find ways to
preserve the integrity of each partner and, at the same time,
honor the purpose of the relationship and the growth of each
party.
Maintaining realistic and visible goals
throughout the process of implementation:
Dynamically linking short term and long term goals
Maintaining realistic and visible goals
throughout the process of implementation:
Dynamically linking short term and long term goals
Maintaining realistic and visible goals
throughout the process of implementation:
Dynamically linking short term and long term goals
Maintaining realistic and visible goals
throughout the process of implementation:
Dynamically linking short term and long term goals
Tools:
Power Mapping
Network Diagramming
Narrative Writing
Exploding the Issue
And more…
Linking partnership goals:
to stories/goals of individuals, organizations, communities
Use tools that span learning styles, work sectors, cultural backgrounds, etc.
Routinely ask for (and use!) input in ways that
encourage participation and dialog:
• Anonymous brainstorming
•
Round robin critiques and/or “critical friends”
•
Routine reflection on process and content
Make welcome space at “the table”
Establish long term
relationships with
individuals,
organizations,
community leaders, etc.
•Paratroopers vs.
Good Neighbors:
•Goals that benefit you
and rely on the work/
risk of your partners
Make welcome space at “the table”
Establish long term
relationships with
individuals,
organizations,
community leaders, etc.
•Paratroopers vs.
Good Neighbors:
•Goals that benefit all
and share work while
shifting risks to you
Make welcome space at “the table”
Evaluation/Assessment:
•
Creating evidence
•
Highlighting small wins
•
Celebrating success!
•
Turning short arcs into long arcs
Building in Assessment
Creating Evidence:
•
Building in evaluation from the start
•
Achievable, operationalized goals
•
Clear strategies to reach those goals
•
Measurable milestones for process outcomes
•
Efficient instruments for measuring success
Building in Assessment
Highlighting Small Wins:
• Allows intermediate
buildup of momentum
• Displays realistic
adherence to short and
long term goals
Building in Assessment
Celebrating Success:
•
Emphasize
• Strengths of individuals, organizations,
community, and partnership
•
Measurable changes
•
Links between small wins and long term goals
•
Fun and humor
Building in Assessment
Insert “fun/humorous” picture
here.
Change somber gray background
to something cheery.
Act enthusiastic.
Partnership Arcs
Turning short arcs into long arcs
Partnership Arcs
Turning short arcs into long arcs
5 Points of Partnership:
•
Identifying needs and assets
•
Inviting partners, building relationships
•
Developing ideas, not individual agendas
•
Pooling resources
•
Implementation and assessment
Conclusion
For effective partnerships, build in:
•
Participation
•
Dynamism
•
Evaluation
•
Learning
•
Celebration
Conclusion
Thank you for your time!
Questions or Comments?
Leah Ashwill, Director
Nadia De Leon, Community Engagement
Terry Shoemaker, Program Coordinator
Courte Voorhees, Community Based Research
Thank you for your time!
Questions or Comments?
Leah Ashwill, Director, ALIVE CCP
Nadia De Leon, Coordinator, ALIVE CCP
Terry Shoemaker, Coordinator, ICSR
Courte Voorhees, Assistant Professor, ICSR
Thank you for your time!
Questions or Comments?
Leah Ashwill, Director, ALIVE CCP
Nadia De Leon, Coordinator, ALIVE CCP
Terry Shoemaker, Coordinator, ICSR
Courte Voorhees, Assistant Professor, ICSR