4.1 - Reflecting on Your Inclusive Vision for Community Engagement

   

Reflecting on Your Inclusive Vision for
Community Engagement

In Modules 1, 2, and 3, we focused on the Community Engagement Toolkit, building a core community engagement team, identifying focal groups and partners your district would like to strengthen their engagement with, and developing inclusive practices to strengthen relationships and engagement. Let’s begin this final module by reflecting on your district’s inclusive vision of community engagement. 

Revisiting the District Community Engagement Planning Template 

While community engagement is an ongoing process which continues to build and evolve based on community and district needs and priorities, the District Community Engagement Planning Template can be a guiding resource for this important work. As you have participated in this module series and completed the activities, you have had opportunities to plan for your district by examining where you are at and considering how to expand and strengthen your district’s community engagement practices.

 

Powerful Communities

john a. powell, the Director of the Othering & Belonging Institute, teaches that at the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion is belonging. Within that instersection of belonging is where an organization can truly engage the full potential of the people involved in and impacted by their web of systems and processes. This is where innovation flourishes, and where views, beliefs, and values are integrated.  Community engagement is about finding that intersection of belonging where power can be intrusted in the community members. This is where a true culture of co creation can exist and thrive. When we prioritize deep, authentic community engagement we defer to students and families. Power in systems of education should not imclude a power over students and families but a power with. Power with is communal, united, supported and safe for all.

 

 

 

Activity

Reread your district’s Community Engagement Planning Template, ideally with your core community engagement team. Fill in new information and plans as needed, and get clear about the following parameters:

• Who is going to help guide and implement this plan? Who do we still need to partner with for this work?
• Are we able to communicate why community engagement is essential for our students, families, and school district? Do we have clear messaging about its importance?
• Do we have a clear plan for how we are going to implement this Community Engagement Plan?
• Do we know what needs to be in place to implement our plan? Have we identified focal groups with whom we want to strengthen relationships and planned for how to do so?
• Have we established what will happen during the implementation of our plan? Do we have a clear understanding of how we will ask for/receive meaningful input on our progress and continue to partner with community groups to revise and improve the plan?
• Do we know what will happen next with the plan? How often will the plan be evaluated and by whom? How will we celebrate district growth in community engagement while still holding space for needed improvements?

 

Now that you have revisited your district’s community engagement plan, let’s go to section 4.2 to explore some strategies to turn your district’s vision into action.

 

Go to the Next Section: 4.2