Organize the Community for Action

STEP 4: Develop a "core group" from the community.

When individuals and groups have expressed interest in participating in the program, you will need to begin to develop a “core group” or those individuals who will lead the effort on behalf of the community. (This “core group” or community team should not be confused with the “program team” described in phase one -— the team of “outsiders” from your organization whose job is to assist and advise this community team as they actually carry out the mobilization effort.) Developing and then supporting this core group are two of your own team’s most important jobs.

The power of groups

One of the great advantages of CM is the ability to harness the power of group dynamics. The advantages here include:

• Collective action often creates more power to advocate for changes in policies, relationships, resource allocation, access, and so on.

• Collective action can help bring to life inactive or ignored policies, procedures, and systems that are supportive of healthy communities.

• Combined resources can be stronger and more effective than uncoordinated individual resources.

• Collective action builds community members’ awareness that they are not alone in their concern about and experience with the CM health issue.

• Participation in supportive groups may reduce stress and even prevent some health problems by reducing feelings of social isolation and by increasing social connectedness—factors that are believed to contribute to a strengthened immune system.

• Group experiences can create conditions for new leaders to emerge and for leaders and other group members to practice new skills.

• Individual members’ skills can be complemented and enhanced by the skills and abilities of other group members (team work).

• Working with existing groups may strengthen their capacity to effectively address health issues.

• Newly established groups may evolve into local organizations or institutions that continue to work on the health issue or similar issues.

An old group or a new group?
Strategies for identifying and recruiting core group members
The role of leaders and external facilitators in group development
Core group norms
Documenting core group and other meetings
Assessing and monitoring core group capacity