How can you ensure that project outcomes have a lasting impact on the community?

Je pense qu'avant les SMART objectifs, il est important de réfléchir à ses valeurs et à la valeur ajoutée du projet pour la communauté. Aussi, il est crucial de comprendre l'environnement du projet.( culture, attentes et mentalité predominante dans la communauté, pratiques, législation, économie .... ) Sans ce, je pense que les objectifs risquent de s'envoler au gré des vents.

En amont ou en parallèle à l'implication, des parties prenantes, il serait important de les sensibiliser à la valeur, aux objectifs du projet pour eux et pour les générations futures.

The challenge many of us face with engaging stakeholders is the lack of support, guidance, and training. For example, many programs are launched to support rural communities but many of the community members may often lack experience making decision by committees or how to create SMART Goals. It’s critical to not only involve, but to train local stakeholders on how to be engaged in projects that have longevity or require buy-in for months or years.

Communication while a project is in the "dreaming" phase is essential. Including the community requires a commitment to reaching them where they are on the media they use. The messaging should be inclusive, every member of a community should hear that their input is valuable. Once the community has accepted a stake in the success of the project, including a trainer in the project to develop their skills in working in a team, goal setting and making decisions can be the difference between a solution being embraced and utilized or failure.

The challenge of community future-proofing, is looking forward and considering what might change. When communities create a comprehensive plan necessary for Block Grant funding, they identify issues that need to be addressed. Often these 20-year plans are viewed as "set in stone" objectives instead of as a living document to be revisited as the needs of the community evolve. To be adaptable a comprehensive development plan should be reviewed and discussed in public meetings. Leaders and the community must consider changing technology, attracting new businesses and industries, and in general being the community where people want to live and work.

Common evaluation questions are criteria based on meeting project objectives and that the target population is participating. Beyond a reliance on measuring the progress and completion of goals, adding a component that indicates integration into the greater community provides evidence of impact and sustainability. Creation of community, including every demographic, leads to the feeling of ownership to continued upkeep of the project's solution.