Community Profiles Action Planning
The Community Profile is a process by which communities take stock of where they are today and develop an action plan for how they want to operate in the future (see brochure). The process provides a method for citizens to affirm community strengths, find collaborative approaches to meet challenges creatively, and manage change. One of the major outcomes of the Community Profile is more citizen participation in the community and the affairs of its government. For more information, please contact Michele Gagne at 862-5046.
The Community Profile takes about six months to plan and organize, and
a weekend (usually a Friday evening and all day Saturday) to implement.
There are two distinct parts of the Profile, planning/preparation and
the event itself. The planning is critical to the success of the Profile. The
participants must represent a broad cross section of the community so
the process is not perceived as an attempt by a specific group to impose
its wishes and values upon the community. This must be avoided to ensure
success of the process.
Once a group has recognized the need for this kind of process in a community,
representatives of UNH Cooperative Extension meet with them to outline
the Community Profile. If they decide to proceed, they are asked to form
a Steering Committee who will do the following:
- make public announcements (press releases, cable television announcements, flyers, posters, etc) to inform citizens who wish to participate
- make arrangements for a date, site and refreshments. Often local schools can be used at little or no cost. Local volunteer or church groups or businesses may be willing to provide food. Organize Friday night pot luck dinner.
- research and contact funding sources if needed
- identify and invite a broad cross section of residents to participate. Everyone should be represented.
- identify facilitators and arrange for facilitator training.
- evaluate process, develop structure and plan for follow-up support of identified projects.
The Profile process:
