BY STACY RAFFO, COMMUNITY COACHING PROGRAMS ASSOCIATE, THE HUB

More than 20 people are participating in The Hub’s year-long Community Coaching Fellowship to support them in becoming better leaders – and cheerleaders – in supporting communities to spark positive change for their areas. Recently, we brought the fellows together for a day of in-depth learning, and we want to share some of our top takeaways to support everyone in becoming more impactful leaders.

If you find yourself taking the lead on community projects (or have a desire to do so!) or are serving in leadership roles with community volunteers or groups, these tips are for you: 

1 // Set ground rules at the outset of a meeting or project

It’s important for everyone on your team to be operating with the same basic parameters, to understand how you’ll reach decisions and to address differences of opinion. Here are a few of the ground rules that we have found helpful. Create a way for everyone to get involved in choosing the best ones that fit for your group and make sure to leave space for people to bring their own ideas.

• Keep the tone positive, even when addressing challenges
• Pair concerns and challenges with ideas for solutions
• Step forward, step back – contribute to conversations, and also be sure you’re making space for others to contribute as well
• Leave your personal agendas at the door and be mindful of the greater good of the community
• Respect differences – whether it’s a difference of opinion, a different perspective on the world, a different idea for a solution to address a challenge – everyone brings value to the conversation
• Be inclusive – work to ensure you’re including everyone who wants to be included and you’re keeping the door open for others to join – and transparent (don’t work behind closed doors)
• Look forward, not back – history can hold important lessons for us, and also we need to build with an eye toward a new and different future
• HAVE FUN!! (Arguably *the most important* when engaging in volunteer work!)

2 // Be available and show up

If you’re leading a team, trust and relationship building is at the foundation of everything you do. Being present, available, and showing up for others is one of the best ways to do this. Show up when you say you will and follow through on your promises.

The Hub’s Executive Director, Stephanie Tyree, shared this quote on building trust, “Gain trust by the thimbleful; lose it by the bucketful.” 

Once your team knows that you are going to keep showing up and doing what you committed to do, their trust in you will grow. This will lead to more successful projects, partnerships and collaborations.

3 // Set goals and keep moving forward

Your role as a community or team leader is to help keep your group on track and also to help them see the big picture. Having clearly defined goals will keep your team moving forward. Support your team in determining what are achievable goals in the immediate, medium and long-term. Break down objectives and tasks to keep momentum moving – and don’t forget to celebrate small wins along the way.

As you progress, drive forward discussions, decisionmaking and action by remembering to continually ask clarifying questions. This allows everyone to have a voice in the discussion and ownership in the accomplishments. 

4 // Engage new people and keep up support for the people you have

There are always more people in your community that can contribute to your team’s goals and projects, keep trying to engage those people. Continue to ask people what they are passionate about, when you find their passion, let them utilize it in a way that benefits your project. Some people may not be interested in attending a regular meeting, but they are more than willing to be in the work with you through volunteering on a project, donating an item, or something else.

Being respectful and inclusive of differing ideas and opinions, and being a cheerleader for other team members, building them up and letting them “own” and lead projects, tasks and responsibilities can help to keep people involved for the long term.

Reach out to other community leaders from around West Virginia as well, determine what has been successful in their community, learn how you can adapt or replicate it in your community. Learn how they have engaged and embraced new ideas and people, what their best tools and tips are and how you can incorporate them into your work. People like to be asked for their advice and opinions, and it never hurts to try to reach out.

5 // Be patient and embrace the hiccups and failures

Creating positive changes in your community takes time, there isn’t a switch or magic fix. Building up a community-based team can be an art, not a science. There is not a road map or guide that is a one size fits all approach. You will try something that doesn’t work, and it’s OK to embrace that failure as an opportunity to learn. Keep trying new things and remember there isn’t a defined finish line.

Quick Tips to Improve Your Leadership Skills

1. Identify leadership potential in others and embrace it
2. Listen to needs
3. Be inclusive and welcoming of new ideas
4. Reflect what people say back to them
5. Be flexible and adaptive!
6. Serve as a connector and a motivator
7. Bring your knowledge and skills to the table, but allow others to bring theirs as well
8. Be compassionate
9. Read the energy in the room and pump it up when it’s needed
10. Celebrate small wins along the way

BY KAYCIE STUSHEK, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS SPECIALIST, THE HUB

This year has shifted the perspectives and needs of communities across the state. Multiple, layered crisis points have emerged as communities work to address public health; supporting the most vulnerable West Virginians; equality and safety for residents; and other pressing challenges.

Through virtual community conversations and also data gathering on the perspectives of West Virginians, The Hub has been working to identify needs and share out ideas for how residents can move into action around these challenges. 

We released surveys this summer targeted to two groups: invested community members across the state and the community and economic development professionals that are working to serve them. 

Our goal was to identify, from the perspective of West Virginians who are working to make a positive difference in their communities today, what are the most urgent needs communities are facing? And what are the most important actions we can take together to build resilience and prosperity in light of these needs? 

We received 120 responses that made it clear that even though we are spread out across the state, have unique challenges, and are working toward different kinds of goals, we have a similar vision for our state, its needs and how to move forward.

Survey respondents stated that the most urgent needs and corresponding strategies to address them are:

1. Support community-identified and community-led responses to these challenges. 

The clearest answer we heard from respondents is to support community-driven action! This included supporting and listening to all citizens equally, supporting the community to lead and direct its own future, and supporting residents in working with or becoming elected officials. 

Key quotes: 

• “The most important thing we can do is to bring people together to decide what they need, want, and are willing to work for.”  
• “Prosperity is built from the bottom up and never from the top down. Individuals and communities need a voice in shaping their future where they are.” 
• “Help communities build the infrastructure to tackle problems at the community level.”

(Check out The Hub’s 2019-20 Impact Report to see what community-led change happening in West Virginia looks like today!)

2. Identify the most vulnerable communities and align services and resources more clearly to support them.

When talking about which needs were most critical, respondents agreed that the most vulnerable communities and people among us needed to be identified and supported right now. Respondents also agreed that there was a need to align resources in more efficient ways, directing residents where they need to go to find the support they need without duplicating efforts or wasting time. 

Key quotes:

• “We have many vulnerable community members – of special worry are the ones that we don’t know about.”  
• “Remember the goal is our families. We need to be more informative to the general public regarding what services are available. If I am a lifelong resident of WV and work in this field and still have trouble identifying resources, how hard or discouraging for our families to identify that information without support or the means to do so.”

3. Invest in critical community infrastructure and strategies to build more prosperous cities and towns.

Respondents emphasized supporting communities to rebuild with resilience and prosperity in mind, including improvements to broadband, health access, business support, and education. Supporting small businesses and improving broadband connectivity were identified as top critical needs – respondents placed a strong emphasis in their comments on keeping local people employed and staying connected as two vital strategies to move successfully through this time. 

To help focus the work of community and economic development practitioners serving West Virginia communities, moving forward collaboratively in more strategic ways was identified as a strong need. An emphasis on planning, leveraging existing connections between groups, avoiding duplicating services, and working in partnership to diversify our economy were identified as key leverage points to build more resilient and prosperous communities. 

Key quote:

• “One of the hallmarks of the underlying reasons for WV poverty and lack of opportunity is isolation of communities in much of the state. Internet access can open up our state for so many opportunities: social, economic, education… that will have a long term, broad, positive impact.”

4. Create new community identities that are inclusive of all residents.

Many respondents noted a need to develop a shared vision and positive identity for their community that represents all of the people there equally, especially marginalized groups. 

Respondents pointed to the ways that national conversations are also reflected in their local communities in West Virginia. They lifted up a need for West Virginians to recognize that course-corrections are required to address systemic inequalities that disproportionately harm historically marginalized groups, such as communities of color, homeless residents, and residents facing addiction. Respondents suggested leaning into strategies that are more inclusive of everyone in the community. 

One clear tactic cited by multiple respondents was a need to shift entrenched negative narratives about what it means to be a West Virginian to stories that point toward a focus on inclusivity, hope, and positive action toward a brighter future. 

Key quotes: 

• “[We need to] establish and promote a positive shared cultural identity.” 
• “West Virginia can’t truly thrive until all West Virginians have equal access to safe living conditions, healthcare, mental healthcare, education, social support systems, and welcoming communities. Our communities must clearly be for ALL West Virginians.”
• “Encourage citizen led efforts that build collaboration and encourage diverse voices across all boards of directors. Fund things where organizations are working in collaboration with others.”   
• “[We need] a light at the end of the tunnel! Many people have developed a hopeless attitude.” 

Consulting Your Community

The audience that The Hub typically reaches through our work and our communications is a group that is characterized by a common motivation – West Virginians who want to make a positive difference in cities and towns across the state.

Our reach is not all-inclusive of the West Virginians who fall into this group. If you were to run this same survey in your own community, you may come up with different results.

This survey is the beginning. We are encouraging of West Virginians who are interested in finding out this kind of information for their own communities. If you are interested in running a similar survey in your area, email The Hub’s Director of Strategic Network Communications Emma Pepper at e.pepper@wvhub.org. She will give you the tools you need.

Final Thoughts

The events of 2020 have shifted the priorities of West Virginians along with the actions that need to be taken in the short term to ensure long term resilience and prosperity in our communities. 

At The Hub, we are both listening and acting to address these emerging needs and priorities. This week, we released our 2019-2020 Impact Report, including new strategies we are enacting now in response to the challenges West Virginians are facing today – read the report here. 

Through a clearer understanding of what people across the state see as their primary challenges and concerns, and where West Virginians feel that they need critical support in order to move forward, those of us working to build resilient and prosperous communities (including our team at The Hub!), can pivot our efforts to be more responsive and impactful in this time.

BY JENNY TOTTEN, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR, THE HUB

In early June, residents from around the state gathered in a Zoom room for Creating Community in a Time of Crisis, a virtual community conversation hosted by the team here at The Hub. Our featured were guest speakers were community leaders Blair Campbell from Pocahontas County and Dural Miller from the West Side of Charleston. Both of these leaders have a deep history of working in their communities as both small business owners and individuals bringing people together around a common cause.

Here, we are lifting a few of the key points that we took away from this conversation to help others across the state to strengthen their work. These are all ideas coming from the experiences of West Virginians today to support the work of their fellow residents.

1 ) Focusing on relationship building leads to more resilient communities when crises happen.

Both Blair and Dural pointed to being highly engaged as business owners in their communities long before current crisis points hit. They cited the relationships they built while being present for their neighbors and active in their communities as one reason for their successes in supporting people during times of crisis. Dural pointed to work that required him to be outside in his community as an important moment for him to engage with residents in the area, whether it related directly to the work at hand or not. Whether it’s through support for local businesses, the connections made through services coming from community-based organizations, or serving in nontraditional community leadership roles, it is key to have this network of trust created long before a crisis occurs.

2 ) If you are facing a crisis in your community and don’t know how to address it, reach out to people working in other communities around the state.

West Virginia is in the midst of many different crises, and knowledge and resources are being built up in different areas of the state. The group discussed how the Opioid Crisis, homelessness, food access, racism, and other long-standing crisis points have been exacerbated by current events, as well as how current events have highlighted structural and systemic challenges that have been in place for decades. West Virginians in communities around the state are tackling these issues, but they aren’t necessarily connected to one another. The group shared resources freely and places for others to connect during the conversation, which broke down the geographic divide between residents representing larger and smaller communities in the state, and showed how no matter the corner of the state we may reside in, we can all be a valuable resource for one another. Reach out and connect with other West Virginians. A search on Google may surface stories of other West Virginians who are tackling the challenges your community may be facing, and The Hub can help to connect you to others as well (Visit the homepage of our site to request help: www.wvhub.org.).

3 ) Finding new ways to stay connected with one another will keep community work moving forward.

Even though we can’t be face to face as often, don’t give up. Participants shared information about both the WV Food ER 2020 Facebook group and the community response on Facebook to Fairmont State University’s decision to remove fine arts degrees. Both of these instances relied heavily on community leaders’ ability to pivot their regular modes of communication and to give control to a large group of individuals instead of a single person setting the course of action. Social media isn’t the only tool that people are using to connect in this time, informal Appalachian porch networks have become an access point to reach neighbors and social distance parades have become popular. People are innovating and finding new ways to connect. Be ready to change course to meet people where they are at now.

4 ) In times of crisis, the oldest and youngest among us are vulnerable.

Helping our senior population combat loneliness during quarantine came up as an issue for several communities, and there was also conversation around how to help young West Virginians process and address the challenges they are experiencing. Organizing groups of residents and also creating community projects to help support seniors and youth are critical to the well-being of the entire community. Dural shared one example of how creating container garden kits with senior citizens has helped improve morale in the West Side community of Charleston, and also helps to pass the time when family visitations are limited. 

Do you have an idea to add to this list? Share it with others by using the comments section below!