Customer Involvement. The Challenge to Go Beyond the Minimum

Transcription

1 Customer Involvement The Challenge to Go Beyond the Minimum

2 Low-Income Input Organizational Standards: 1.1, The organization demonstrates low-income individuals participation in its activities 1.2, The organization analyzes information collected directly from low-income individuals as part of the community assessment.

3 Tri-partite Board Representation What s the Minimum? Policy Council Membership Check-off the Organizational Standards Box

4 Difficulty recruiting low-income representatives to the board/committees What is the Challenge? Difficulty engaging low-income representatives once on the board/committee Difficulty getting responses to surveys, interest in focus groups, input into the needs assessment, etc.

5 Let s Think About This From Another Perspective This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

6 Commitment vs. Tokenism The first challenge is committing to getting a critical mass of low-income residents involved. Tokenism is isolating. Miriam Axel-Lute October 2014 Shelterforce Newsletter

7 Why is Customer Involvemen t Important? Community engagement in underserved populations is more than simply a democratic exercise, it is a matter of social equity. It s an effort to ensure equitable input on policies and fair implementation of those policies.

8 Why is Customer Involvement Important? Diversity of thought, diversity of experiences makes any team of people stronger. Miriam Axel-Lute October 2014 Shelterforce Newsletter

9 And, another Way to Think About It This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

10 We Need Experts Content Experts Context Experts

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12 Using Experts to Make Decisions Engaging low-income voices is a purposeful and focused effort.

13 What the Experts Bring to the Table A collective view of the needs Planning & Zoning Center at Michigan State University;

14 Where are the Experts?? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA

15 Case managers identify people they work with Recruitmen t Strategies Invite prospective directors to serve on advisory committees to the board Asking low-income customers to provide tours to board members and leadership to help ID folks who are already leaders in their community

16 Recruitmen t Strategies Leadership belong to organizations, such as Rotary and Kiwanis, and talk about the needs of the agency Word of mouth can be more effective than social media

17 Website Social media Facebook, etc. Recruitmen t Strategies Flyers, posters Face to Face interactions with customers Head Start parents

18 Retention of Context Experts

19 Barriers to Effective Partnerships Mistrust early on Past relationships and personalities that harbor grudges/bad blood Lack of openness or willingness to listen to and acknowledge ideas of others Competing for limited resources Planning & Zoning Center at Michigan State University;

20 Barriers to Effective Partnerships Lack of transparency in identifying who has the power, who make final decisions Creating equal participation and standing amongst all parties within partnership Cultural differences that lead to confusion of differing expectations Establishing and maintaining credibility and consistency Planning & Zoning Center at Michigan State University;

21 3 Underlying Principles of Engagement Build Relationships Strengthen Trust Form Partnerships

22 Building Relationships Constructing relationships is the first essential principle in the customer and community engagement process. Begins with a common interest, a shared goal, a desire to take action on an issue or subject matter Based on a willingness to collaborate and learn from others. The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

23 Building Relationships And, includes: Not imposing one's own values on others Removing judgements Recognizing that everyone you meet can teach you something The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

24 Building Relationships Checking in with each other Meeting people where they are at Connecting with people at multiple levels The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

25 Building Relationships Making the first step Disrupting the like-minded bubble Setting aside business as usual approaches The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

26 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

27 Customer Engagement Trust: Between the agency, customers, partner organizations, stakeholders is the most important factor for successful engagement and is the result of mutually supportive relationships Can be strengthened by investing time in the agency, dedicating intellectual and other resources to shared interests or issues, and contributing to existing efforts. Planning & Zoning Center at Michigan State University;

28 Engaging the Context Experts Elevate the Voice of the Context Expert Your role in designing authentic customer engagement is to elevate the voice of context experts and advocate for their involvement in the work. The Context Experts Lisa Attygalle, the Tamarack Institute

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30 Engaging Context Experts Break down silos - work together and share information and resources Link policy makers to context experts Create advisory councils Look at how staff and volunteers are spending time and whether this aligns with a people-centric approach.. The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

31 Engaging the Context Experts Provide context experts with ownership and the ability to shape the solution Honor and recognize the time and talent of the context experts Change approaches to truly put the client at the center Adopt a "fail forward" approach - continue to learn and change The Context Experts Lisa Attygalle, the Tamarack Institute

32 Engaging the Context Experts View the context expert as a partner who has a stake in your work. Use an asset-based approach to figure out the strengths that each person brings and determine together how they can contribute meaningfully. The Context Experts Lisa Attygalle, the Tamarack Institute

33 Engaging Context Experts Remove Barriers: Consider time, schedule meetings when people can attend Make forums more inclusive-individuals could be intimated by crowds of service providers-create comfortable and welcoming spaces-remove barriers Explore possibilities in making focus groups/meetings more inviting Consider the full geographic area served by the organization and ways to be inclusive The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

34 Engaging Context Experts Remove Barriers: Break down transportation barriers to participation, e.g. provide transportation, childcare, etc. Pay people for their contributions Be attentive to restrictions around food, physical barriers, disabilities that need accommodations

35 Engaging the Context Experts Remove Barriers to Participation Use plain language in documents and resources Allow time for relationship building Consider the power balance within the room The Context Experts Lisa Attygalle, the Tamarack Institute

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37 Increasing Participation Organizational Change Create a hiring policy that sets lived experience on par with paper credentials: 1. Recognize formal credentials are equivalent in value to lived experience 2. Recognize natural consequences build strength 3. Be meaningful, not tokenistic The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

38 Increasing Participation Organizational Change 4. Hire people with experience in your agency 5. Use flexible scheduling for individuals to be involved The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

39 Increasing Participation Organizational Change Strengthen customer participation on board of directors Cultivate an internal culture where leadership, as opposed to power, is valued. Encourage and develop leadership skills organization wide Include people impacted by decisions in decision making processes Recognize the role customers have to play in the development of programming - e.g. meeting needs and identifying candidates for programs. The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

40 This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

41 Supporting Context Expert Engagement Develop long-term relationships that: Go beyond a specific project Are mutually beneficial Are built on mutual respect Ensure that customers drive efforts to shape the future of the organization Planning & Zoning Center at Michigan State University;

42 Supporting Context Experts Peer Support Create Peer Advisory Groups Create peer support programs and peer mentoring programs The Poverty Roundtable HPE- Ontario Trillium Foundation

43 Inform Consult Increasing Participation Involve Collaborate Empower

44 Inform Here s What s Happening Fact sheets information about the agency Websites information about the agency Social Media Facebook, Twitter, etc. Open House bring people to the programs Adapted from the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum The Tamarack Institute

45 Consult Here are Some Options, What do You Think? Focus groups Surveys/polls Online Forums Workshops Public Meetings Comment Boxes Adapted from the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum The Tamarack Institute

46 Involve Here s a Problem, What Ideas do You Have? Include people in decision-making Involve people in activities, outreach, etc. Adapted from the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum The Tamarack Institute

47 Collaborate Let s Work Together to Solve this Problem Look to other persons for advice Board committees Online communities Working groups/study circles Adapted from the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum The Tamarack Institute

48 Empower Citizen Committees/Public Advisory Committees Individual votes Adapted from the IAP2 Public Participation Spectrum The Tamarack Institute

49 Positive Aspects of Partnerships Opens lines of communication Interconnectedness leads to shared knowledge, resources, access to others Enhances complementary characteristics and resources Permits collaboration towards common goals Further solidifies trust and interconnectedness Planning & Zoning Center at Michigan State University;

50 How can we intentionally build/improve relationships with everyone involved in our organization? Get Uncomfortable: Move away from consensus and agreement so that difference can emerge. Call it what it is, call people out, and support each other's learning and change

51 Board Retentio n of Custome r Reps. Clarity with board expectations Using a committee comprised of staff, other low-income board members, and the ED to support the low-income reps and keep them engaged Orientation to all new board members Seek low-income member input during meetings Insist that lowincome voices be heard

52 Pay attention to what is being discussed and how Board Retention of Lowincome Reps. Make sure everyone is equally up to speed on terminology and necessary skills Developing a culture where questions can be asked and jargon is avoided is crucial

53 Have strongly facilitated meetings. Board Retention of Lowincome Reps. Strong, inclusive facilitation can go a long way to making sure everyone has their say. Frequently remind everyone that non experts can and should weigh in. Get in the habit of pointing out people who haven t said anything in a while and invite them to comment.

54 Board Retention of Lowincome Reps. Beyond content and process, personal relationships make a lot of difference in how functional a board is and how comfortable board members feel speaking up. But those relationships need to be intentionally cultivated.

55 Leadership Development Preparing Low-income Reps for Successful Participation Strategies Step Up to Leadership Parent Leadership Institute

56 Board Engagement Tips

57 Board Engagement Plan for Board recruitment The group is the way to go Engaging customers is only the beginning Northwest Nonprofit Notes - May 2014 by Emily Anthony and Julie Edsforth

58 Is It Worth It? This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

59 Questions?????