Presence To Contribution March 2009 Tri-Counties Regional Center By Claudia Bolton, HSA Helen Sanderson Associates

1. Presence To Contribution March 2009 Tri-Counties Regional Center By Claudia Bolton, HSA Helen Sanderson Associates

2. Community Building: A definition from the experience of Options in Madison, WI. Community building is the way we learn about purposefully forming and organizing relationships, based on an emerging plan which captures a person’s desire to explore and develop new memberships and relationships. Community building is focused on extending a person’s opportunities to contribute to mutual relationships and is consciously oriented toward building the habits and skills of welcome in community settings. Members of Each Other, by John O’Brien and Connie Lyle O’Brien, 1996

3. Community What does “Community” Mean to You?

4. Moving from Service Life to Community Life A Good Paid Life CommunityLife Service Life ‘Important to’ recognized Focus on connecting, building relationships and natural supports ‘Important to’ present • To and for present • Closest people are • paid or family • Few real connections • Important for addressed • No organized effort to address important to • To and for present • Active circle of support • Included in community life © The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices, Inc. 2008

5. Moving from Service Life to Community Life A Good Paid Life CommunityLife Service Life • To and for present • Closest people are • paid or family • Few real connections • Important for addressed • No organized effort to address important to • To and for present • Active circle of support • Included in community life © The Learning Community for Person Centered Practices, Inc. 2008

7. Relationship and Community Building Work Must Be Intentional. What Can We Do To Make Sure It Happens? Even When the Laundry Is Not Done

9. The Community Connection Approach • Learning about the person • Community Mapping • Mapping our networks • Making a contribution • Sustaining and Building Opportunities

10. Learning about the Person Several Tools: Circle of Support Relationship Map Good Day, Bad Day What is Important to Me (from PCT) Who am I, My Gifts and Capacities Who am I, My Style Hopes and Dreams

12. Relationship Mapping How these tools help: Identifies who is important to the person Who can contribute to getting the person better connected Identifies relationships that can be strengthened and supported Shows the balance of family, friends and paid support in the person’s life Identifies community opportunities for participation

13. Relationship Map Original map developed by Judith Snow Modified by Claudia Bolton Exchange Participation Friendship Intimacy Participation: People, work, organizations, networks, associations, volunteering, community places you participate in Intimacy: People you love, who love you, partners, family, friends,anchors, (can include pets and animals) Exchange: People who you pay or who are paid to provide services to you: hairdresser, doctor, landlord, bank teller, teacher, personal assistant, employees. Friendship: People you like, friends, family, people you like to be with, people who like to be with you (can include pets and animals)

14. Friendship Acquaintance Membership Keeping in Touch Being Part of a Family Having a Partner Being a Neighbor Being Known in a Neighborhood Ties and Connections

15. John O’Brien, Reflecting on Social Roles June 2006

17. Pam the Artist

20. Pam has a gift with animals

21. Good Day Bad Day

25. Working Gifts and Waiting Gifts “We all have Working Gifts…These are the gifts we develop and strengthen throughout our lives. But we also have waiting Gifts, Gifts waiting to be called and developed. We don’t often know what are waiting gifts are until we’re pressed into service”. Henry Moore, Asset Based Community Development, When People Care Enough to Act, Green, More and O’Brien, 2006

26. Having a Valued Role – Being Somebody!

27. Matching Staff and Matching Community Support

29. Support For Pam People who: Will stay until the event is over Can go at my pace (slow) Will not get into power struggles Will not take it personal when I am in a bad mood Will laugh and be silly with me Information and expectations about what will happen when we get there Support to get ready to go Physical assistance when the ground is uneven or I am tired Close attention paid to me so I don’t do things that are unwelcome by others Ability to; distract me or make me laugh when I am in a bad mood Scout out new opportunities where I will be a welcomed member Must love animals, country and Christmas music, crafts, visiting the elderly and my family

30. Community Opportunities

31. COMMUNITY MAPPING People – who do you know? What are the key relationships you have or want to develop? Groups and associations – where do people meet up regularly in an organized or formal way? Third places- those places in every community where locals gather to visit, share news and be among others. Such places are a great spot to meet the neighborhood “connectors” (those people who know everyone else) and to assist someone to become a “regular”.

32. COMMUNITY MAPPING Sheila’s cafe Citizens advice Hospice shop Betty Health Centre Yoga Slimming club Church and Hall flower arranging class Priest, Fr Simmons home Community centre Women’s group Coffee morning George, pub landlord, darts, fishing, pool, open mike. allotments Library. Reading group.

33. Are on neutral ground Act as a leveler Conversation is the main activity Anyone can become a regular They have a low profile The mood is playful They can feel like a home away from home Third Places

34. Cindy and Friends at Dennys

35. Stables are Great Places to Hang out and be Part of a Community

38. Presence Participation Contribution

39. From Presence to Contribution Example from Helen Sanderson Associates, UK

40. Presence to Contribution Example from Julie Malette, HSA

41. Community Groups • What are the groups expectations of it’s members? • What is the membership like? • Who are the welcomers? • What support will the person need?

42. Community Places-Supporting ParticipationRevision 11-08

43. Patterns of Community Building • Pay attention to natural cues • Stand alongside Remember… • Nothing about relationships is fixed – • Community building work is rarely ever over

44. Characteristics of a Community Connector • Confidence in understanding the person • Trusts community members • Has high expectations • Trusts people to work out problems and • Gently assists when needed • Calls on others willingness to help

45. Community Connector • Is well connected • Focuses on gifts and capacities • Believes in community hospitality • Confidence in the capacity of people to do what is right • Has replenished capacity to forgive • Is flexible, and willing to laugh when things go wrong

46. Staff Development and Community Building Skills • Have staff do their own relationship maps • Identify staff who are natural connectors • Encourage staff to get involved in the community themselves • Encourage staff to be more curious, out-going, and to take more risks • Use the Skills and Tools to shape Habits

47. Learning AboutWhat Works and Doesn’t Work

49. Cindy With a Circle Graphic of the People in Her Life and their Roles

50. The Four Questions • Things We’ve Tried • Things We’ve Learned • Things We are Pleased About • Things We are Concerned About • Plus One: Given what we know. What’s Next?