Chapter 9 building and strengthening collaborative community partnership

Question 1

describe the values of Partnerships in community psychology

Answer 1

• dynamic
• reciprocal relationships
• two or more people or organizations
• shared set of goals (find mutual and practical solutions).
• network of constructive working relationships with clients, communities, organizations, and professional colleagues (diverse sectors and academic frames of reference)
• also commonly referred to as relationships

Question 2

Collaboration in community psychology

Answer 2

nature of the mutually beneficial relationships and processes in which community partners engage
• knowledge involved - exchanging information, sharing resources, and enhancing the capacity of others to achieve a common purpose by sharing risks, resources, responsibilities, and rewards

Question 3

Is there one right way to build relationships? Explain

Answer 3

Not one right way to build relationships
• there are competencies (knowledge, skills, & abilities) that can help us to be more effective in building strong, sustainable partnerships

Question 4

What do community psychologists value in decision making?

Answer 4

• Recall that, as community psychology practitioners we value shared power and a collaborative approach to decision making
• Partnerships - as transformative learning opportunities to achieve mutual and/or individual goals

Question 5

How are partnerships transformative learning opportunities?

Answer 5

• Partnerships - as transformative learning opportunities to achieve mutual and/or individual goals

Question 6

What do new partnerships bring diversity in?

Answer 6

• perspectives
• political connections
• technology
• audience members
• funding
• experience
• content expertise
• sense of ownership to a collaborative endeavor

Question 7

How do community psychologist form new partnership?

Answer 7

1) builds a relationship with an organization
2) works with that organization to build further relationships
• Community liaison - reach out to the broader community,
• Develop partnerships with individuals, community organizations, etc.

Question 8

What does each partner or partnering organization have?

Answer 8

• unique history
• set of norms
• interests
• context

Question 9

How does the strength of your relationships matter in community psychology?

Answer 9

Having partnerships with different gatekeepers and decision makers who have greater or less power to get things done—or to obtain approval using a collaborative leadership approach—impacts the influence of the partnership

Question 10

How do community psychologists have a unique vantage point?

Answer 10

a focus on systems (an ecological level of analysis), and an appreciation for diversity

Question 11

2 common and generalizable competencies within the partnership

Answer 11

• 2 common and generalizable competencies within the partnership literature:

1) collaborative consultation
2) group facilitation.

Question 12

Collaborative consultation

Answer 12

• form of consultation that uses a shared decision-making process and feedback loops throughout the work
• goal of helping all partners more toward a mutually desired goal and empowerment (move towards holistic solutions)
• may take more time and communication than hierarchical relationship
• ability to: demonstrate leadership/management skills, to resolve
conflict, to engage in problem solving, and to help all the partners move toward a mutually desired action

Question 13

Gray (1991)’s 6 proposed benefits of a collaborative approach

Answer 13

1) more comprehensive ability to analyze social issues (higher quality solutions)
2) the greater ability to reframe social problems differently from more adversarial approaches
3) a process that better ensures various stakeholder interests are shared
4) solutions provided by those who are closest to the issues (enhances community members’ willingness to collaborate further)
5) an increased potential for improving relations among stakeholders
6) potential for developing mechanisms for future partnership-based action

Question 14

Can collaboration occur only with a facilitator, liaison, or mediator?

Answer 14

Collaboration can occur with or without a facilitator, liaison, or mediator.
• However, a community psychologist-practitioner can be effective in helping to bring people together, to help structure the dialogue within the context of a specific meeting or set of meetings, and to gain insight
from community members to work together more effectively
• What it takes to support a collaborative process varies substantially with context.

Question 15

5 key factors for success of community collaborations

Answer 15

1) mutual trust and respect among the partners
2) an appropriate mix of stakeholder representation
3) membership cohesion
4) collaborators who value cooperation and see advantages to participation
5) members who are able and willing to compromise. Whether it is ensuring representation or encouraging compromise, a community psychologist who is attempting to enhance these conditions requires a complex set of
valuable skills

Question 16

Group facilitation in community psychology

Answer 16

One of the challenges of playing a consultative role in a collaborative effort can simply involve knowing who to bring together and how to arrange a new group of people.
• The conflict, anxiety, or role confusion that is sometimes unavoidable within a partnership.
• Having knowledge of group dynamics and processes, in addition to tailoring your approaches to those people and situations, can help you assess almost any group-related situation.

Question 17

6 key group facilitation process skills and description of each

Answer 17

1) Diverse decision-making: Ensuring that a wide range of
people are engaged in decision making and can have helpful dialogue in a safe environment

2) Interpersonal communication: Utilizing effective
interpersonal communication skills (e.g., active listening,
paraphrasing, reframing, challenging, moving on)

3) Conflict analysis: Assessing the issues, players’ concerns, and positions of stakeholders to better understand conflicts and assist in resolutions
4) Animating consensus building: Facilitating and energizing consensus-building

5) Facilitation: Using a diversity of techniques (e.g., circles,
mediation, interviewing, use of narrative) to enable groups to achieve their goals for dialogue, planning, and decision making

6) Crisis intervention: Applying problem-solving and clinical skills when appropriate to address major problems that arise and become barriers to progress

Question 18

Why is it useful to be knowledgeable in foundational theories? List and describe

Answer 18

(helps provide a lens from which to understand how groups work)
• group dynamics - the behaviors and psychological processes that occur within or between social groups
• group cohesion and social identity theory - group bonds,
identities, and in-group/out-group relations
• normative social influence - influence of expectations on group and individual attitudes and behaviors
• sense of community – the extent to which individuals feel they are fully connected to an interdependent community

Question 19

How can community psychologists develop their competencies? Indicate some sources of training beyond academia

Answer 19

Competency development:
gaining a strong research and theoretical training in community psychology
• seek out training in group process and collaboration (in order to gain the important knowledge, skills, and abilities)
• specific courses in group processes, or more general courses such as social psychology, organizational development, and organizational leadership (cover group process and group relations in curriculum)

Sources of Training Beyond Academia
• workshops, webinars, or training institutes in professional organizations in your academic field or allied disciplines
• group facilitation skills
• leading difficult dialogues
• mediation
• negotiation