Course Title: EDLD 507 Community Organizing & Change Faculty: Rev. John Hughes, MSW
Contact Number (619) 992.2685 Email: johnhughes@sandiego.edu
Michael Eichler, MSW
Contact Number (619) 594.2381
Email: meichler@mail.sdsu.edu
Office Hours: Available upon request Summary Description: The study of social change prepares non-profit administrators to understand the historic and regional environment in which they operate. Students will be exposed to different change models with an emphasis on the history and development of Consensus Organizing as a practical approach. Participants will learn concrete skills necessary to apply Consensus Organizing within their practice setting. Practice – Participants will conduct an issue analysis within a community setting incorporating the diverse self interest of nonprofits, civic associations, regional initiatives, and community leaders. Special focus will be placed upon developing a proposed community action plan for creating change within a practice arena. Course Objectives: 1. Students will have gained an understanding of the context of social movements, including but not limited to labor, and civic rights, etc. 2. Students will gain an understanding of diverse professional roles with the community context. 3. Participants will reexamine social service delivery and constituency development. 4. Participants will move from a theoretical understanding to embrace the hard skills necessary to bring about change in a practice arena. 5. New insight will be gained on the importance of continually updating information gained from the community context. 6. Participants will be able to reframe their existing role as a professional to include community and social change. 7. Students will embrace a model of social change that integrates with their personal political and ethical beliefs. 8. Participants will understand the roles of government, foundations, social services, and other community professionals in the process of community and social change. Required Readings: All students are asked to purchase the following books: Tipping Point – Gladwell Building Communities from the Inside Out – McKnight & Krutzman Origins of the Civil Rights Movement - Aldon Morris, chapters 1, 3, 8 (optional reading) Consensus Organizing – Michael Eichler Program Length: This is a 3 unit course consisting of nine interactive classes (4:30 – 7:30 pm) of approximately 3 hours in length meeting on Thursday’s June 4, 11, 18, 25th July 2, 9, August 13th and two full Saturday classes on June 20st and June 27th from 9:00 am – 4:00pm. Additionally, students will be required to complete 45 hours of community based practice. Page 1 of 5
Required Assignments/Grading Criteria: Class Participation – Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss readings and to contribute the discussion. Students are expected to attend each class in its entirety. Because of the accelerated and demanding content of the course no absences will be excused. Papers - Development of a Proposed Community Action Plan Working in pair’s students will develop a proposed Community Action Plan to assist local nonprofit organizations in becoming more responsive to their community. The attached change process (below) will guide the development of the Plan delineated in four short 3-5 page papers applying the Consensus Organizing model: 1. Identification – Students will have the option of: 1) identifying organizational opportunity/issue which has the potential of building bridges to a broader constituency. Or 2) identify an organizational inconsistency between their agency and a local community. Due: June 18th 2. Assessment – Who are the potential partners? What “community” are you going to analyze? What is the impact on the community? What problems will the community initiatives create? What problems will the organizational inconsistency create for community members? What are the assets of the community? What is the self interest of key stakeholders? What are the roles for each stakeholder? What are the potential strategies to be employed? Due: June 25th 3. Intervention – What are the possible interventions which could be pursued to create change within the community? What resources would have to be utilized? How would the agency have to function differently? Are their potential partners who should be included in the change effort? What potential outcomes would results from the proposed intervention? Due: July 2rd 4. Report to Organization – The results of the Proposed Community Action Plan will be shared with Executive level leadership of the organization. Particular emphasis will be placed on the analysis of the meeting during an in class debriefing session. Due: Aug 13 Students working inside of the agency and outside of the agency will form a team. The following roles will be played by each following but not limited to: Roles 1. Internal agency student a. Set appointments b. select issue c. gather information - internal d. establish starting point provide insight into self interest of agency e. frame the work of your partner and establish trust f. observe reactions from presentation 2. Outside student organizer a. reflect on issue importance b. define opportunity c. gather information – external Page 2 of 5
d. record information from stakeholders e. analyze self interest f. prepare presentation demonstrating mutual self interest g. Make presentation 3. Debrief from presentation a. Review the sequence of events b. Reactions c. Clarity of information shared d. Lessons learned e. Modifications to strategy f. Chances of successful implementation Presentation – Approximately 10 minutes will be devoted to sharing the proposed community action plan and the report to the agency. Special emphasis will be placed on the results of the debriefing session. Grading – Refer to University Grading Policy • Participation 10% • Proposed Community Action Plan (80%) o Identification 10% o Assessment 10% o Intervention 30% o Report to agency 30% • Presentation 10% Please Note: No late or emailed papers will be accepted.
Curriculum: Week One/June 4th –Traditional approaches to change and essential elements/ Identification Understanding traditional approaches to social change including but not limited to: advocacy, paternalism, collaboration, conflict organizing, revolution, policy changes and human services will be explored with their intrinsic assumptions. An overview of key elements of social change will be presented from a historic and contemporary perspective. Reading: Tipping Point – Gladwell (read entire book) Week Two/June 11th - Introduction to social change from a historic perspective Class will focus on an introduction to social change within the context of non profit organizations. Students will gain insight to the importance of social change from a historic perspective. Reading: Roots of the Civil Rights Movement – Morris (Optional) Week Three/June 18thth - Social change in San Diego/Assessment Students will understand the regional dynamics of San Diego and inherent challenges to working within this context. Special emphasis will be placed on building social capital and social networks. Reading: Building Communities from the Inside Out – McKnight (chapters 1-3), Eichler, introduction, chapters 1 – 2. Page 3 of 5
Week Four/June 20st – Introduction to Consensus Organizing (Saturday) A full day will be dedicated to an overview of the essential elements of Consensus Organizing as a model of social change. A brief introduction to the Mon Valley case study and the roots of Consensus Organizing will be presented by video and lecture Students will understand the importance of self interest, power, and both internal and external resources. Reading: Comprehensive web search on Consensus Organizing, Eichler chapter 3 Week Five/June 25th – Integration of Consensus Organizing within nonprofits/Intervention The application of Consensus Organizing will be explored within the context and organizational contradictions of nonprofits. Participants will understand the importance of utilizing community resources, redefining organizational roles and the importance of external resources. Reading: Eichler chapter 4-6 Week Six/June 27th – Skill Building and Social Change – Part 1 (Saturday) Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the skills associated with Consensus Organizing, i.e., interviewing, analysis of self interest, etc. Students will understand the roles of government, foundations, social services, and other community professionals in the process of community and social change. Reading: Building Communities from the Inside Out – McKnight (chapters 4 – conclusion), Eichler 7, 8, 10 Week Seven/July 2rd –Skill Building and Social Change (Part 2) The development of skills necessary to apply Consensus Organizing will be reviewed and practiced. Reading: Eichler, Chapter 9 Week Eight/July 9th - Review of Interventions Students will make informal presentations of their issues, assessment and intervention. Review of the key concepts and approach of Consensus Organizing will be discussed Reading: Eichler, chapter 11, 12, 13, epilogue Student Coaching – Students will be required to meet with faculty between July 11 and Aug 13 for one mandatory session. Faculty will be available for additional consultation as necessary. Week Nine/August 13th – Presentation and Feedback Presentations by students with practical feedback by faculty will be provided. Special emphasis will be placed on integration of Consensus Organizing principles within the context of nonprofit organizations. Proposed Change Process 1. Issue Selection a. Will this issue resonate with the internal and external environment? b. How will this issue be viewed by the agency? Why will the ED like this? c. Assessment within the external environment. Why will this resonate with the community? 2. Testing the issue a. Flipping issue. How could you reframe this issue? Page 4 of 5
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b. Stakeholder identification and interviews c. Who beyond the organization is interested in this issue? d. What are they currently doing about this issue? Self- Interest a. Mutual Self-Interest b. Assets of the community and agency Strengths of the community and agency Potential barriers Roles a. What is the role of the community? b. What is the role of the agency? c. Other roles needed? Intervention strategy a. How will the stakeholders make this happen? b. What are three possible options to present? c. Specific proposed changes d. Be specific about what the change will look like e. Be measurable Presentation a. How would you explain this effort to a foundation, government, residents and a faith leader? b. Does it pass the “grandma test�? Roles of the pairs a. Internal agency student i. Set appointments ii. select issue iii. gather information - internal iv. establish starting point v. provide insight into self interest of agency vi. frame the work of your partner and establish trust vii. observe reactions from presentation b. Outside student organizer i. reflect on issue importance ii. define opportunity iii. gather information – external iv. record information from stakeholders v. analyze self interest vi. prepare presentation demonstrating mutual self interest vii. Make presentation c. Debrief from presentation i. Review the sequence of events ii. Reactions iii. Clarity of information shared iv. Lessons learned v. Modifications to strategy vi. Chances of successful implementation
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