NOTES FROM

COALITION FUNDAMENTALS WEBINAR (Originally Aired 9/29/2011)

COALITIONS FUNDAMENTALS DISCUSSION INCLUDES:

  • What a coalition is and what it isn’t
  • Major stakeholders
  • Why they are perfect for community level change

WHAT ARE COALITIONS?

  • A formal arrangement for cooperation and collaboration between groups and sectors of a community.
  • Each group retains its identity but all agree to work together towards a common goal.
  • Perfect vehicle for bringing together community sectors to develop and carry out strategies to reduce substance abuse problems.
  • No two are alike.
  • Partners usually carry out programs as their “piece” of community-wide strategic plan.

COALITIONS ARE NOT . . .

  • A coalition is not a program.

ROLES:

  • The Leader is the navigator and advisor.
  • The Coalition is the captain of the ship.
  • The Board Member should represent a segment of the community, expert in their sector, networker, provides a reality check, and has access to bring in resources.
  • Volunteers – are the doers and workers. They are there because they have a connection to the issue.
  • One person should NOT do all of the work.

12 COMMUNITY SECTORS

  • Youths, Parents, Business Community, Media, Schools, Youth Serving Organizations, Law Enforcement Agencies, Religious or Fraternal Organizations, Civic and Volunteer Groups, Healthcare Professionals, State, local an/or tribunal governmental agencies, other organizations involved in reducing substance abuse. These sectors can identify issues and make changes in the community.
  • You may not need all sectors at the beginning unless you are funded. The DFC grant requires all 12 sectors be represented, CADCA only “suggests” 12 sectors be included. The identified community sectors are not necessarily an exclusive list.
  • Remember, all sectors bring their own agenda & issues to the table. It takes a skilled facilitator who knows how to listen to each of them, find out what issues are most important to them, and then be able to move them forward.
  • Sometimes it’s better to have your issue identified, then network to get the sectors you need involved.
  • Be creative if you can’t find every sector. For example, look at people who have significant spheres of influence.
  • Each sector should have a job to do.
  • Leaders can also be the people who do the work, and the “doer” (or action oriented people) should have a direct ear to leadership.

USING SPF SIG MODEL Includes . . .

  • Community Assessment
  • Analyze the issue or the problem
  • Build Skills and Talents
  • Develop a strategic plan
  • Implement interventions
  • Evaluation
  • Sustain the effort
  • SPF SIG is an ongoing process; the work still needs to get done while you are in the different stages of the SPF. If not, that is when people get discouraged and leave the coalition.

How do you know when you are doing the planning effectively?

  • You know you are NOT when the eyes roll to the back of the head.
  • You ARE planning effectively when you move very quickly into carrying out the action and strategies.

TOOLS TO MAKE COALITIONS GREAT:

Logic Models – This isa tool thatlays out your problem analysis process. All coalitions need a logic model.

  • It creates a picture of the relationship between the problem and multiple root causes.
  • Clearly states the problem (long term outcomes).
  • Surfaces the root causes (this is when you ask, “but why?”).
  • Identifies why these root causes exists in the community (this is when you ask, “but why here?”), which leads you to short term outcomes,which are what you expect to see once you implement your strategies.
  • From this you develop your strategy/activity to address the local conditions.

Why coalitions need logic models

  • They insure clarity on precisely how the group intends to make a difference
  • They establish a common language for how things will improve
  • They keep the focus on outcomes
  • They integrate planning, implementation and evaluation

Logic model leads you to the strategies and interventions you are going to carry out.

7 Strategies to affect community change:

  1. Providing information
  2. Enhancing skills
  3. Providing support
  1. Enhancing access/reducing barriers
  2. Changing consequences
  3. Physical design (changing how

a community looks)

  1. Modifying/changing policies (reaches

the largest amount of people)

Suggested Websites:

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