How can you effectively engage with a new community?

Listen first. And then listen some more. Ask questions, and don't jump in with your own opinion or thoughts. Your goal is to get a sense of who the community is before you can ever tackle engaging with them effectively.

I found that when you care about people in the community you will find people who will love you back. I know that if you are new to a community asking questions you will find people from that community who want to talk about their community and once they know who you are they will share what they learn about you and share that information with others. This experience open doors to new information and building friendship. “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭4‬:‭23‬, ‭26‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Know your goals and MAKE SURE they align with the goals of the community you're looking to serve. If your goals don't align, research and speak to the community and found out why. Don't not proceed with goals that don't align and reflect the community you're trying to serve. This is a sure way to reduce buy-in and achieve failure.

Do your "homework" and learn more about the community you wish to connect with. "What do you need?" or "How can I/we help?" are two four words phrases that are critical to ask. Listen, listen, and listen some more. Offer an open house, community gathering, or a listening (!) session to meet more people. Get involved with your local chamber of commerce -- and when I say involved, don't be a listing in a directory. Show up and be seen. Show up and connect. Show up and discuss how you can help the community grow together. Invest the time. It's well worth it.

Always focus on becoming an advocate before becoming an activist! That means learning before acting. Ask community members at all levels what is important to them, what they want you to know, and what changes they would like to see. I've seen wonderful projects fail dealing with Native American tribes because no one thought to confer with and honor elders. Many years ago, a brilliant concept to help African villages access water through playground equipment that worked as a water pump was introduced and supported by major international groups around the globe. The project failed for numerous reasons--the foremost being that no one worked directly with the villagers the system would impact.

Start where People are at. Speak to the People who live and work there. Meet them where they hang out and where they feel comfortable. In their Place. Find out what People want. Then with Passion and Purpose communicate how, by working together, you can all make it happen to make their Place the best it can be. Start to see the magic happen!

Tested community engagement approach - Make community realise that you are working to benefit community, and when you are actually benefitting community, you receive the ensured community cooperation and support. Goals and objectives derived from those goals define interaction with community, the goals, objectives and needs of the community be defined, in case community is not aware, and goals which can serve the community. Mutual collaboration for fulfilling community needs enables effective engagement, collaboration and community support.

Before engaging a new community, clarify your outreach goals and measurement methods. Define your purpose, target audience, and understand their needs. Communicate your value proposition effectively and set expectations. Implement SMART goals for focus and alignment with community priorities. Establish feedback channels and an evaluation plan to measure impact. This structured approach ensures meaningful engagement and connections between your initiative and the community, fostering a successful and impactful outreach.

Recognizing everyone is uniquely formed. Each individual community has its own uniqueness as well. If you can learn to appreciate and embrace the uniqueness of the community with care and respect it is more effective to help the people to engage with you. An adage says, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” The acts of service with care and respect can be applied to one individual or to apply in the community in large. It all depends on how you do it.

In my experience a review of the strategic plans of the organization you’re working for and the municipalities/communities you are about to engage with are two great things to help in goal setting!

Actively listen, offer valuable contributions, partner with local leaders, adapt your approach, and celebrate collaboration. It's about building real connections and mutual benefit, not just talking at them.

Go on a listening 👂 tour. Ask the right questions and you’ll learn what makes people engaged with their community. Then, find the aspects that will motivate your involvement, too. Always show respect and curiosity when you are the outsider rather than the expert coming in to teach them.

Researching the community helps to understand the unique differences and goals of that particular community. We often approach community outreach with a one-size-fits-all and miss the mark because we don't honor the differences each community presents, no matter how big or small. If we research first and understand the needs of that community, their communication style, what they respond well to, and what they like, we have a better chance of being successful with our community outreach and programs. An example of this is how we talk about food in relation to certain chronic conditions. Instead of saying "eliminate," we should say "reduce the intake" to be more inclusive of cultural connections to certain ways of cooking and food groups.

Also be aware of your optics. You may have the best intentions, but do YOU ‘look the part’? Are you the best carrier of the message or will someone else engender more trust? I recommend you be self-aware.

To truly understand a community, spending time living among them is essential. Sharing meals, joining in cultural events, and attending their gatherings fosters trust, encouraging them to open up and share information freely. This immersive approach creates a bond that facilitates deeper insights into their way of life.

Find a local community member who can help you navigate the community, and share insight on community dynamics. This could be a Chamber employee, an economic development director, a city manager, or retired community leader.

To engage with a new community, listen actively, contribute valuable content, ask questions, and be respectful. Understand the community's culture, follow guidelines, and build relationships by being authentic. Consistency in participation fosters trust and integration.

In community outreach, thorough understanding of the target community is vital. Beyond gathering facts, delve into their culture, history, values, and norms. Learn about communication styles, decision-making processes, strengths, and resources. Identify concerns, issues, and existing networks. Consider perceptions of outsiders and newcomers. Collaborate with existing groups and leaders. Avoid assumptions and stereotypes through diligent research. This informed approach prevents mistakes, fosters a positive relationship, and ensures a respectful engagement with the community.

In the first place, we should research about the values, norms, and cultural sensibilities of the community. Once we have adopted these things, we can easily engage with the new community. In this case, community mobilization and sensitization are more important.

Listen First: Before diving in, spend time observing the community's dynamics and culture. Understand their values, communication style, and common topics. Introduce Yourself: Share your background and interests in a friendly and authentic way. Let others know why you're joining the community and what you hope to learn or contribute. Contribute Meaningfully: Look for opportunities to add value beyond self-promotion. Ask thoughtful questions, share relevant insights, and offer support to existing members. Connect on a Deeper Level: Participate in discussions, respond to comments, and build relationships with other members. Show genuine interest in others and their experiences.

Building relationships with a new community is important and sincere work. I found that staying overnight in their villages helps a lot. It makes the people feel comfortable with me, builds trust, and lets me learn about their culture and problems. This helps me plan better for their development. But staying overnight isn't always possible, so visiting regularly is also important for keeping a good relationship. It's crucial to keep promises from the start to build trust, and never promise something you can't do. People should feel like you're one of them, not an outsider. Following these principles, I've been able to build strong relationships even in remote areas.

Ask a lot of questions. Show that you are genuinely interested in the perspective and experiences of those who you are meeting.

Get to know the key individuals and invite them to coffee and hear their stories! This will help you learn about them and their interests and allow you to share a bit about yourself. Consider this "friend-raising!"

It's important to realize that building rapport and trust takes time. Sometimes you won't see the results of your relationship-building for years. Stick with it. Keep showing up. Share coffee and meals together.

Building rapport and trust with a community increases the value of meaningful connections. You are then considered the expert or the go to person for what you do. Adding your personality to that, creates a genuine connection that adds to your personal branding. Being YOU goes a long way in community!

Trust is the keystone for any relationship. To earn it you have to commit to it and never look back. Once you say you are going to work with a new community, you also say you’ll never leave them. Trust me

One thing I’ve found helpful is building rapport and strong relationships with a new community through active listening, authenticity, empathy, cultural responsiveness, and being aware of unconscious bias. In my experience, it’s important to acknowledge and respect the cultural norms, values, and traditions of the community. By demonstrating cultural sensitivity and adapting the approach accordingly, organizations can foster trust, credibility, and mutual understanding, paving the way for meaningful collaboration and positive impact within the community.

Building trust with friends in your community is like building a big, strong bridge! Here's how: Listen: Before building, we need to know where to put the bridge. So listen to your friends and see what they need and like. Talk Nicely: Just like a bridge needs two sides to connect, talking needs to go both ways. Be Helpful: Help them up! Just like a bridge helps people get across, be helpful to your friends too. Keep Promises: A sturdy bridge holds its promise of getting you across. Play Together: A bridge brings people together, so have fun with your friends too! By following these tips, you'll build strong bridges of trust with your friends in your community, just like building a big, strong bridge to connect places!

I have it helpful to involve the community in shared decision-making through advisory boards to ensure diverse representation and meaningful engagement. I also recommend establishing clear objectives, transparent brainstorming processes, and regular meetings for members to discuss issues and provide input. Foster two-way communication with the broader community, empower advisory board members to make informed decisions, and evaluate effectiveness for continuous improvement. Through collaboration and accountability, advisory boards can drive positive change and build stronger communities.

Different community has different cultures. It is vital for us to do some overall research on what to do and not to do prior. When you invest in proper research and planning on how to deliver your services and engaging with the community effectively, we will be more well-prepared for the day ahead. By investing time in understanding their culture and preferences, we could build their trust at the same time and hence could deliver services in a way that resonates with the community. This approach ensures that when challenges arise, you can remain calm and implement effective mitigation strategies.

Involving a community isn't just about showing up, it's about building bridges, not walls. It's like creating a beautiful, strong bridge, connecting people with different ideas and backgrounds. Here's how we can do that: Listen Work together Celebrate differences Be open and honest By following these steps, we can move beyond simply inviting people to participate. We can create a thriving community where everyone feels valued, empowered, and connected. Remember, it's about building those bridges!

You learn so much about a community through community dialogue or conversations at the onset. Community involvement builds trust plus you get to understand their needs as you work together to build the ropes that will create a lasting difference. You also avoid making unnecessary investment and mistakes.

Joining a new group can be like going to a new playground! There are already lots of kids playing, and you want to join the fun. But how do you make new friends and have fun together? Here are some tips: 1)Watch: See other kids play and what they like to do. 2)Be friendly: Say "Hi!" and ask if you can join their game. 3)Share and take turns: If you have a cool toy, let others play with it too. Wait your turn when everyone wants to use the same thing. 4)Be kind: If someone falls down, help them up. Don't be mean or take someone else's things. Have fun! Play games, share stories, and learn from each other. By being friendly, helpful, and patient, you'll make new friends and have a great time on the playground - or in any new group you join!

Remember to learn the history of your organization and the community you want to work with. Spend time and listen and acknowledge where you are starting from and agree on shared goals. Even if you can't speak to things that happened or didn't go well in the past, you can give a commitment about how you will engage with the community moving forward. Try to understand how you can help and serve the community you want to work with. The relationship should be symbiotic, which means you may need to come to the table and contribute to community projects, coalitions and activities outside the scope of what you initially anticipated.

Engaging with a new community must start with knowing/understanding the community. People, successes, barriers, opportunities and resources. Trust comes with familiarity. Depending on what you are trying to accomplish you must know who the stakeholders and key opinion leaders are who understand the community needs. Who does the community TRUST? Get to know them and build rapport. Don’t go into a community telling them what to do they are the experts; come to listen actively and work with them on sustainable solutions. Hello I am Terry, and I am a public health professional always ready to serve!

To acquire a greater understanding of new communities I begin by researching and studying their strategic plans. Their plans offer a starting point to understand the tactical and strategic goals of the community. Examining intersectional identities of the community can also be useful. Is the diverse make-up of the community growing, or declining? Do innovative strategic actions lead to equitable outcomes for all members of the community, or just a few? Do new businesses desire to relocate to the community- why/why not? Collaborating with leadership from the Chamber of Commerce, Mayor's Office, local community centers, churches, diverse organizations, K-12, community & tech colleges & universities may also be useful.

Learn what the community needs are and find ways to help be part of the solution, whether it is through sitting on a board, providing a grant, or volunteering regularly. This not only builds relationships and establishes trust, but it makes you a part of the community and not just in the community.

Effectively engaging with a new community involves listening actively to understand the community’s needs, values, and challenges. Building genuine relationships based on trust and respect is crucial, as is involving community members in the decision-making process to ensure initiatives are relevant and impactful. It’s also important to be consistent and committed, demonstrating through actions that you are there for the long haul. Finally, engaging with humility and openness to learn from the community can foster a productive and mutually beneficial relationship.

Great words of wisdom Alexis. How's the family? Miss you and Abel at Liberty but so humbled at your success. We are in the process of learning about IMTA for our son. He's been accepted to attend the International Modeling and Acting Association in NYC in July where he will compete and demonstrate his acting and modeling skills and meet with some of the top casting agents around the world. We pray God's wisdom and health on him as we pray for you and your family. God bless. Keep sharing your amazing wisdom because today you gave me focus.