Community
visioning
Many communities begin their visioning project by determining
the vision or desired future. Others look at where the community currently
finds itself before identifying the desired future. Both approaches have
produced quality results in visioning projects around the country.
However,
starting with the vision statement is preferred because it sets a positive tone
for the process from the very start. This process convenes residents holding
very diverse perspectives who come into the process with personal agendas.
By
starting the process with the development of visual themes, participants
recognize early on that despite the different views, there are many areas on
which they all agree. Experiencing such a “win” early on in the process sets the tone for participants to work toward agreement throughout the process.
A vision is a “stretch”
In spring 1961, President John F. Kennedy, seeking increased funding for
space exploration, described a most ambitious vision: to land a man on the Moon
before the end of the decade and return him safely to Earth. At the time, The United States had only launched an astronaut into “sub-orbital” space, let
alone going to the Moon. The vision, in the midst of the space race, was
inspiring and motivating. The country vowed to move ahead on the vision and the
ambitious timeline. Achieving the vision had its costs. In 1967, three Apollo 1
astronauts perished during a launch practice session because, some say, the
timeline was too demanding. Staff within the space program learned from the
tragedy, changed their approach, and continued working toward Kennedy’s goal.
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin walked on the Moon and
returned safely to Earth with fellow astronaut Michael Collins. Kennedy’s clear
vision with specific outcomes, the timing of the space race, the program’s
ability to bounce back from a loss, the enthusiastic commitment of the masses,
and a number of other variables produced a technological achievement for the
ages. On a summer day in 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed the masses
at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. His “I Have A Dream” speech stirs as
many souls today as it did on that memorable afternoon. Communities continue to
struggle toward the future he described for all of the country’s children and
people.
Picture the
desired future
A community vision is
an expression of possibility, an ideal future state that the community hopes to
attain. The entire community must share such a vision so that it is truly owned
in the inclusive sense. The vision provides the basis from which the community
determines priorities and establishes targets for performance. It sets the
stage for what is desired in the broadest sense, where the community wants to
go as a whole. It serves as a foundation underlying goals, plans, and policies
that can direct future action by the various sectors.
Only after a clear vision
is established is it feasible to effectively begin the difficult work of
outlining and developing a clear plan of action. A vision may be communicated
through a statement, a series of descriptions, or even a graphic depiction of
how the community would look in the target year. Communities have used a number
of methods and media to create and express their visions, their desired
futures. The following ingredients are crucial to generating an exciting
community vision.
A. INCLUDE A HEFTY DOSE OF POSITIVE
THINKING
In developing a community vision, it is important
not to be constrained by either political or economic
realities. For many people who think negatively, it is
challenging to focus their energy on how things can,
rather than on why things cannot happen. People
who have been through successful visioning projects
have challenged themselves to move beyond the constraints and to dream about what their ideal
community would be like.
In developing the action
plans, they focus their thinking on what must
happen to ensure that the vision becomes a reality. It
is always better to aim too high than too low.
Positive thinking will be reflected in the vision statement itself. The statement should be entirely in
positive terms and in the present tense – as if it were
a current statement of fact. The vision and its components should be stated in clear, easily understood
language that anyone in the community could
understand. The vision statement must be reached
by consensus and encourage the commitment of
diverse community members. It is the vision that
will drive the entire planning process – every action
plan will be designed such that, when implemented,
it will help bring about the desired future.
B. STRONG VISUAL DESCRIPTIONS
In the visioning process itself, stakeholders can literally ask and answer such questions as:
• What words do you want your grandchildren to
use to describe the health of the community?
• If the very best quality of life existed in the
community, what would be happening?
• What common values exist across all perspectives
and interests within the community, and how do
they manifest themselves?
• How are people interacting with one another in
this desired future?
How are decisions being
made?
• What is unique to our community that no other the community has, and what does it look like 20
years from now.
C. A LONG TIME FRAME
The stakeholders select the time frame of the vision
project. It is probably more useful to set a vision for a
point at least 10 years into the future. Although
communities would like to be able to achieve a desired
future in the short term, the reality is that many
changes will take a great deal of time to bring about. An effective vision typically addresses a period stretching 15 to 25 years into the future. A quality vision
statement has these important ingredients:
• positive, present tense language
• qualities that provide the reader with a feeling for
the region’s uniqueness
• inclusiveness of the region’s diverse population
• a depiction of the highest standards of excellence
and achievement
• a focus on people and quality of life
• addresses a time period 15 to 20 years into the future
• the language that is easily understood by all
Comments
Post a Comment