How can you adapt to unexpected challenges during a community organizing project?

Coincido que diversas herramientas, gráficos o el FODA son útiles para ejemplificar y sintetizar el panorama actual. Detectar cuáles son las necesidades actuales y siempre evaluar prioridades y recursos que se posean. También abrir espacios de dialogo donde todos los miembros puedan colaborar aportando diversas perspectivas para ir registrando experiencias y puntos en común o miradas distintas que enriquezcan la evaluación de la situación. De ser necesario se puede pensar en involucrar otras organizaciones que puedan aportar su experiencia. Tejer redes con otros espacios es clave.

In my experience, challenges can also bring extremely useful information that can help our project become more successful. I personally love challenges; I see them as helpers towards the goals we want to achieve. Community organising is hard work and emotional too. We can often get demoralised by unexpected challenges. In my experience, using positive thinking can help turn a challenge into learning. I like to ask myself and the team: how is this challenge going to help us achieve our goal? What is this challenge telling us? How can we use this challenge to our advantage?

One of the key successes that can be adopted is an adaptive management approach where the project is redesigned to meet the needs of the target group as per the prevailing context or circumstances. The first step is to analyze the current context with key stakeholders and target groups, analyze the activities and how they align to the changed context, redesign activities, and objectives that are out of context, implement the activities, and monitor to ensure they are meeting their intended objectives and you can close or redesign as per the monitoring findings to ensure they meet the intended purpose.

I also find a RACI chart to be effective here. Team members can refer to the chart, to see who is responsible for what in challenging circumstances. The point of contact for the area of challenge will sort things out for smooth sailing.

Using challenge as a source of change,in my view i think challenge can create a clear room for change to happen so i take that perspective and live on that spirit in challenging environment. Assessing source of challenges and how to avoid such challenges by creating new opportunities so that challenges can not hinder my persona and organization growth again.

Adapting to challenges in community organizing involves a flexible reevaluation of your project’s goals and strategies. Assess whether your current objectives are still attainable and relevant in the changed context. Be prepared to modify your plans, setting adaptable and realistic goals using tools like SMART criteria. Importantly, maintain open communication with your team, partners, and community, ensuring transparency and securing their support for any changes. This process is not just about reacting to unexpected challenges, but proactively preparing for them and seizing new opportunities for growth and impact.

During challenging moments standing behind your team and supporting their roles is key. We have the opportunity to overcome them as a team but in many cases those team members are the ones who will execute the change in plans. Inviting their perspective and actively listening builds trust. Building a plan together solidifies it.

Be honest. Let the community know that unexpected challenges arose. Ask them for the ideas on what could be done to get around them, don’t just review your goals and ideas. Communities have survived because they their own ways of doing things. Ex- maybe the bus company flaked but the community already knows you can’t rely on the buses in this area, so they’ve set up a shuttle relay to get folks around. Engage the community transparently when challenges arise. Engage community to help you understand the nature of the challenge and how they’ve adapted before. Seek their input, share updates, and collaborate on solutions. By involving everyone, you can collectively navigate unforeseen organizing obstacles more easily.

Challenges are inherent in community organizing efforts because you are bringing diverse individuals and perspectives together to address a problem or achieve a common goal. To navigate the unexpected, it's crucial to proactively set expectations at the beginning of the project. Collaborate with key leadership, community members, partners, and interested parties to establish clear agreements, ensuring a shared understanding of the processes to tackle challenges when they arise. This will serve as a roadmap and can ensure a rapid and coordinated response.

Finding ways to build trust from the beginning of engagement can lay a solid ground work for challenging moments. One such tool is a set of Community agreements built by the community itself.

Plan for the unexpected. I know this may sound very vague but build in time — you build time into your timeline for unforeseen setbacks and challenges. Nothing ever goes perfect, it should be a best practice to expect mishaps so you should cushion your timeline to account for delays. Additionally, clear lines of communication accompanied regularly scheduled team check ins as well as one on ones if necessary. From experience, if your priorities or goals are always shifting in the organizing space you should force rank your calendar every day. Focus on the most immediate or pressing items!