The goal of Community Builders is for residents to take a leadership role in the community, spearheading resident engagement for a one-year assignment. This program provides an opportunity for residents to get to know their neighbors and build lasting community with one another. Community Builders will engage other residents in organizing and participating in events and activities in their communities, advocate for community needs and suggestions, and collaborate with Home Forward staff.

Program Goals

The program could have lasting value in ways that:

❖ Help residents get to know each other
❖ Positively impact residents’ experiences
❖ Make communities thrive
❖ Engage communities in activities and events
❖ Help relieve stress

Best Practices for Community Engagement

Community among residents can be intentionally built through engagement and collaboration. Here are some successful practices that build long-term community engagement.

Collaborative Leadership & Shared Responsibility

The combination of residents working together as a team to guide events and activities, and individual residents spearheading specific tasks, works well. Success is achieved when residents, partners, and Home Forward staff work together. It takes a team effort and a collaborative leader who appreciates other people’s skills and talents.

Culture of Inclusion

It requires mutual respect, effective relationships, clear communication, and expectations. In an inclusive environment, people from all cultures can freely express who they are and their own opinions and points of view.

Resident Activity Committees

These groups can plan and manage activities. All residents are welcome at activity committee meetings. Commitment to a regular meeting date and time is important.

Community Partners

Community partners bring valuable services and opportunities to make connections and build a sense of belonging, responsibility, and ownership.

Face-to-Face Outreach

To encourage people to participate in activities away from home, a personally delivered invitation works best. Trusted staff are effective inviters – as are residents who can explain community engagement benefits from a common perspective.

Conflict is not always bad

Conflict often expresses a commitment to engagement and ownership in the results. Challenges, especially when successfully managed by residents and staff, can build relationships. Conflict management skills are helpful in successfully leading community engagement.