Vision of Community

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