A guest blog by Annie Moon.
Are you a change maker on a mission to increase your social impact by being a positive force for good?
Keep reading for some top tips and deep insights for developing the HOW factor. There’s even a link to grab your space at When Good Stuff Happens, a FREE virtual summit (14-20 October) jam-packed with trailblazing models and awe-inspiring case studies which showcase what happens when the HOW factor becomes the WOW factor for being the difference in local communities.
Years ago, when I first started out in community development (this was pre-internet, when community development meant working face-to-face with local groups and people), an experienced community development manager correctly guessed which college I had trained at through observing my community development practice. She did this without having a crystal ball to hand or having access to my CV!
“How did she do that?”, I hear you ask.
A very good question indeed. At the time, I was out in the field, helping local communities with their neighbourhood plans. Every step of the way was focused on the PROCESS – stakeholder engagement, action planning and feedback.
Of course, outcomes were important too. However, without being underpinned by a strong participatory process to encourage genuine ownership and real community buy-in, a set of standalone outcomes would have been meaningless and, going forward, probably unsustainable. So, ‘focus on the PROCESS’ was the key which was repeatedly drummed into us, ensuring it became our professional mantra. This was exactly what the community development worker had observed.
Fast-forward two decades (or thereabouts) and I’m still happily obsessed with ‘PROCESS’ as a key ingredient in helping to create positive outcomes for people and planet. In fact, I live by this concept to such a degree that I decided to inspire others by showcasing the game changing models that I’ve come across. These are notable as a well thought out and participatory process are evidenced by delivering phenomenal outcomes.
To discover this collection of ground-breaking organisations and the people who lead them, join me for the “When Good Stuff Happens” FREE Virtual Summit (14-20 October 2018) that I’m hosting.
It’s a series of pre-recorded interviews (20 – 40mins) delivered daily to your inbox during the event week.
Let’s take a closer look at the “HOW” factor with some of the featured guests.
World Health Innovation Summit
Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone worked in harmony to look after their own (and everyone else’s) health and well-being? This scenario isn’t some sought-after Utopia. It’s fast becoming a reality with Gareth Presch’s World Health Innovation Summit (#WHIS). Based on a Facebook for health concept (Gareth calls it ‘healthbook’), it’s a rapidly evolving platform and network which reaches deep into local communities (both on- and offline) and draws in partners from every sector. The result? A growing collective willingness and responsibility to look after one another. Gareth shares how #WHIS is rewriting health and social care.
The World’s Biggest Garage Sale
It’s a well-documented fact that the pressures of modern-day living often lead to intensely fractured local communities with high levels of disconnect and isolation. The Australian-based The World’s Biggest Garage Sale has found an innovative way to overcome this in a not-so-low-profile way. The model itself is exactly what it says on the tin: The World’s Biggest Garage Sale. However, it is so much more than this. Sure, high quality donated goods are sold (and any unsold items are donated to charity), stopping landfill and closing the loop in the circular economy. Funds raised go towards worthy local causes.
Yet the beauty of this model lies with the people themselves. Local people donate and local people volunteer. Suddenly, local people who have lived in the same neighbourhood for years and never spoken to one another, are involved in the biggest project that their community has ever seen and – guess what – they start conversations. Friendships blossom, trusts grows and the community blooms again. Tune in to hear CEO Yas Grigaliunas’s enthusiasm for why community matters.
An Cosán Virtual Community College
For me, the ultimate form of community development, is led by the people themselves – those that are best placed (with the right support and facilitation) to shape what happens next. An Cosán Virtual Community College, a community-based learning model, trains local people to be community leaders addressing the issues they identify, courses such as community leadership and community drugs work, given the tools to take action in their own neighbourhoods. Liz Waters, CEO, picks up the story.
To explore these and experience more ‘HOW’ factor models showcase at ‘When Good Stuff Happens’ FREE Virtual Summit, book your space now.
I’ll look forward to joining you there!
For more information and to register: https://www.bethedifferenceva.com/when-good-stuff-happens
Annie Moon: Founder of ‘be the difference’ – helping change-makers supercharge their social impact, without wasting precious time, money or resources. The magic sauce? 25+ yrs not-for-profit know-how combined with a virtual assistant toolkit.
The #WhenGoodStuffHappens interviews are now available for free on Annie’s website.