COORDINATING THE BLUEPRINT FOR SAFETY: STRATEGIES TO STAY FOCUSED AND MOVE FORWARD

Transcription

1 COORDINATING THE BLUEPRINT FOR SAFETY: STRATEGIES TO STAY FOCUSED AND MOVE FORWARD A Blueprint crdinatr leads a prcess, whether wrking ne-n-ne with a key ally r whether utilizing a wrk grup r cnvening an interagency r cmmunity-wide meeting. Meetings f all shapes, sizes, and cnfiguratins are a main tl fr getting things dne in a Blueprint cmmunity. T build and sustain a Blueprint fr Safety requires skilled rganizing and facilitatin in many settings, frm persuading agency administratrs t supprting the adaptatin team; frm managing practice assessment and plicy writing activities t dealing with resistance, persnalities, and unexpected events. Blueprint crdinatrs cme t the psitin with many relevant skills, but with different levels f experience in applying thse skills. Sme will be seasned scial change advcates with lengthy experience in negtiatin, calitin-building, analysis, and managing change. Others will be relatively new t the wrk and familiar with such skills mre in thery than in practice. The fllwing strategies help expand and reinfrce necessary crdinatin skills. STRATEGY: SEEK ADVICE Seeking advice is a hallmark f skilled rganizing and facilitatin. Surces available t a Blueprint crdinatr include: Blueprint Advcate The Blueprint advcate is a prblem-slving partner: smene with whm the crdinatr can explre issues and scenaris in relatin t the pssible impact n victims f battering. Blueprint rganizers and supprters Alng with members f the adaptatin team, thse mst invested in the Blueprint are als likely t be knwledgeable abut key partners and prcesses. Knwledgeable cmmunity members and leaders A persn can have little direct cnnectin with the Blueprint adaptatin prcess, but be a valuable surce f infrmatin and advice abut the cmmunity r systemic advcacy and change. Fr example, a crdinatr might seek advice frm the directr f the YWCA r lcal rape crisis center, retired system practitiners, a frmer tribal chair, r cmmunity rganizers affiliated with scial justice issues. OVW-designated technical assistance (TA) prviders A TA prvider can cnsult n cmmunity-specific prblems related t rganizing the Blueprint and cnnect a crdinatr with in-persn training, webinars, and publicatins. Fr example, the fllwing Guide t Becming a Blueprint Cmmunity 1

2 kinds f assistance via Praxis Internatinal can help expand the knwledge and skills related t rganizing and facilitating the interagency, systemic change that is at the center f the Blueprint: Essential Skills in Crdinating Yur Cmmunity Respnse t Battering: An E-Learning Curse fr CCR Crdinatrs, in-persn training institutes, webinars related t advcacy and t criminal legal system change, and guides t analyzing institutinal practice. 1 Nn-prfit and scial change resurce centers, university extensin prgrams, and cmmunity clleges Classes, cnferences, and publicatins prvided by these kinds f rganizatins can be helpful surces f advice n such tpics as respnding t grup dynamics, facilitating effective discussins, crafting messages, and expanding cultural awareness and respect. Tribal and state calitins wrking t end vilence against wmen Calitins can prvide expertise and advice n issues related t data cllectin, legislatin, and plicy issues. GOOD ADVICE: THE COMMUNITY TOOL BOX A public service f the Wrk Grup fr Cmmunity Health and Develpment at the University f Kansas, the Cmmunity Tl Bx prvides free n-line tl kits related rganizing and crdinating cmmunity change, such as that invlved in establishing a Blueprint fr Safety. The Tl Bx prvides step-bystep guidance in cmmunity-building skills, frm creating and maintaining partnerships and assessing cmmunity needs and resurces t building leadership, enhancing cultural cmpetence, and evaluating an initiative. Fr example, Chapter 16 in the Leadership and Management tl kit prvides hw-t advice n grup facilitatin and prblem-slving: (1) cnducting effective meetings, (2) develping facilitatin skills, (3) capturing what peple say, and (4) techniques fr leading grup discussins. 1 Fr details n available resurces and technical assistance, g t Guide t Becming a Blueprint Cmmunity 2

3 STRATEGY: USE THE RULES Frm its decades f wrk with cmmunities seeking t change the respnse t vilence against wmen, Praxis has defined fur rules fr institutinal r systems change advcacy. Attentin t the rules helps a crdinatr keep each phase f the Blueprint fcused and mving a frward. #1: Centralize victim safety and engagement. Knwing the scpe and scale f vilence against wmen in ur cmmunities is ne way that we help t centralize the Blueprint s principles f victim safety and engagement. Wrkers analyzing prblems will drift tward increasing efficiency and away frm what wrks fr victims. It is easy t fcus n making the system run mre effectively frm the agency s perspective. This happens nt ut f bad intentins but because f hw institutins typically rganize hw cases are prcessed. Advcates centralize wmen and children s experiences within in their rganizatins. They have a key rle in leading interagency wrk t fcus n the needs, safety, and well-being f wmen/survivrs. #2: Develp a strng knwledge base. In ther wrds, hmewrk is critical. Effective crdinatin rests n knwledge f the Blueprint as an apprach and prcess, the structure and functin f cmmunity systems, lcal plitical and interpersnal dynamics, and the scpe and scale f dmestic vilence. We cannt assume that anecdtes, advice frm individuals, persnal experience, statistics, etc., shw the whle picture. There are many dimensins t develping a strng knwledge base, including statistical data, studying hw institutins prcess cases, and learning abut victims lived experiences with the criminal legal system. Research the issues and knw: Statistical and demgraphic data fr battering and dmestic vilence-related crimes Circumstances victims f battering face Institutinal respnses and their utcmes Hw wrkers are rganized t act n cases Institutinal assumptins, theries, and cncepts #3 Use a systemic and scial change analysis. In assessing and analyzing current practice, seek t expse systemic prblems, nt individual behavir. Guide t Becming a Blueprint Cmmunity 3

4 Fcus n case prcessing and weaknesses in case prcessing that cntribute t pr utcmes fr victims/survivrs. Knw and recgnize hw cmmunity systems standardize their respnses t battering. #4 Use a mdel f cnstructive engagement. Be respectful. An atmsphere f criticism r persnal attack is cunter-prductive t the Blueprint s emphasis n mutual, interagency prblem-slving. Assume that practitiners and thers participating in Blueprint adaptatin and implementatin can and will help. Build relatinships and trust. Wrk with peple as true clleagues. Understand the cnsequences fr victims and survivrs f using a judgmental apprach with practitiners: i.e., judgement and blame discurage practitiner penness and engagement with victims/survivrs. Remain slutin-riented and avid backing a practitiner r agency int a crner. As a leader, facilitate analysis and prblem slving. STRATEGY: BE ALERT TO COMMON PITFALLS A Blueprint crdinatr wh is prepared i.e., wh seeks advice and fllws the use-the-rule strategies utlined abve will keep the wrk mving frward. A skilled crdinatr will als stay alert and try t avid cmmn pitfalls related t rganizing and facilitating a multifaceted effrt such as the Blueprint. These pitfalls include: The temptatin t g it alne rather than face the ften messy and frustrating realities f grup prcess and investment r utilize the adaptatin team Overreliance n a ne-t-ne apprach at the expense f building an effective, invlved adaptatin team Reluctance t questin hw and why things happen as they d in the criminal legal system: i.e., limited curisity abut hw the system wrks r des nt wrk fr peple Ding nly thse tasks that the easiest r mst cmfrtable t d Accepting histric cnflicts as current prcess: i.e., assuming that because agencies r individuals have had a bad experience in past that they cannt wrk tgether nw Relying slely n an fficial bdy e.g., prsecutr r sheriff s ffice r prbatin agency t cnclude that a plicy r practice is gd, withut gauging the actual implicatins and impact n peple s lives Guide t Becming a Blueprint Cmmunity 4

5 Failing t keep practitiners and agency staff at all levels infrmed abut and invlved in Blueprint adaptatin and implementatin, frm thse in a central plicy-making and supervisry rle t first respnders Overreliance n cmmunicatin at the expense f persnal cntact, particularly when annuncing imprtant wrk r inviting peple t a critical discussin Lack f sufficient distributin, review, and cmment time fr plicy dcuments, leaving peple feeling left ut f the prcess Haphazard welcme and intrductins t thse attending Blueprint meetings and events, leaving peple feeling ignred and slighted Leaving under-served r ver-scrutinized cmmunities ut f the prcess r invited t participate as an afterthught. Limited r slppy data-gathering and presentatin Allwing ne agency r individual t use the Blueprint apprach and prcess t get anther Drifting away frm nging victim-survivr input and guidance Lack f advance preparatin (i.e., facilitatin, attendance, rles, prcess) and clear gals fr meetings The best way t avid these kinds f cmmn pitfalls brings a crdinatr full circle: seek advice and fllw the rules. This prject is supprted by Grant N TA-AX-K008 awarded by the Office n Vilence Against Wmen, U.S. Department f Justice. The pinins, findings, cnclusins and recmmendatins expressed in this dcument are thse f the authr(s) and d nt necessarily reflect the views f the U.S. Department f Justice. Guide t Becming a Blueprint Cmmunity 5