Strategies are practical and specific targets related to the goals. They are the heartbeat of what action occurs in the community to solve a problem or issue.
There are six types of strategies. Each type of strategy plays an important role in changing the "conditions" within a community. The strategies listed progress from the easiest to most difficult.
STRATEGIES
PUBLIC AWARENESS
Providing factual information to community people which individuals can make decisions about their own attitudes and life styles and to create awareness about issues, ideas and activities.
EDUCATION
Provides community people with opportunities to improve their thinking, learning, coping and decision making skills. The strategy will change or reinforce personal behavior.
ALTERNATIVES
Activities and experiences which provide a positive way for people to experience their life in their community. Alternative provides a sense of accomplishment and an opportunity to interact with other people.
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION
the strategy makes constructive changes in the community organization to be responsive to individual needs. This is a complex and ongoing strategy and often involves formal collaborations.
ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE
This strategy is a planned and coordinated action in the community to change conditions which have a negative impact upon people. This strategy builds on a community organization effort to change attitudes, policies and realign available resources.
SOCIAL POLICY
Social policy strategies address the guidelines used in making personal decisions about lifestyles. These may be reflected in laws, ordinances, rules and regulations which govern behavior. These may be written down or formalized or guidelines understood by a community.
EXAMPLES
The goal:
Assure all youth in our county are offered a quality education and supported to complete the education.
Benchmark:
Lower the teen pregnancy rate.
1. Developed a public media campaign identifying the cost of individuals and society when teen pregnancy occurs. Using the newsletter series within 27 organizations, 3 newspapers, 4 radio stations, 5 school newspapers and 15 "in-house" business newsletters.
2. Provide a "lunch and learn" parent education course including teen pregnancy prevention to parents at 15 work site, 5 school and 22 churches. The target audience will be parents with children 5-12years age.
3. Provide resources to support 50 teen parents "family activity night." A support group setting, teaching parenting education, job skill placement, life skills and provide "on-site" public assistance service.
4. Comprehensive community based teen parenting program supported by a collaboration of civic groups, churches, school, volunteers, and county government.
5. Financial support for the comprehensive community based teen parenting program is in the basic budget of the school district, 5 churches, 2 civic groups, 3 volunteer organizations and the county. The goal of this strategy is to reduce the need for the program within 10 years.
6. School policy support teen parents in the event of pregnancy and parenting responsibilities. The will include providing quality education at all time, day care when needed and access to health care.
This information was prepared by the Chandler Center for Community Leadership, 2600 NW College Way, Bend, Oregon 97701-5998, Phone (541) 388-8361, Fax (541) 383-8002, Electronic Mail, hoguet@oes.orst.edu.
The Center is a collaboration of Oregon State University Extension Service, Central Oregon Community College and the Chandler Center. The Center began in 1992 to foster community-based leadership and to encourage individuals and community groups to take part in governing. The Center focuses primarily, but not exclusively, on developing and sustaining public policy issues, community systems, and collaborations.
Chandler Center for Community Leadership