C. Collaborative Community Problem-Solving

1. The Service Project Team

(a) Purpose

The collaborative processes presented throughout this Handbook and in the section below are meant to motivate not just one person, but a team of people functioning within a participatory process that includes both those served and those serving. Potential service beneficiaries or clients of the services should assist in the identification of needs and assets in the community, and help implement potential solutions. Service project team members facilitate the process by:

• leading the planning process which creates an action plan, the implementation of that plan, and the on-going monitoring and evaluation of the entire process;
• providing their own technical expertise and resources, as well as access to additional expertise and resources outside the group,
• serving as recruiters, mentors, and trainers during the implementation stage;
• ensuring that a succession plan is in place to account for changes in staffing and volunteers involved in the project.

One key to the success of this leadership team is their ability to achieve a healthy balance between inclusion of relevant participants and stakeholders functioning within a participatory framework and the ability of the group to keep the project moving forward in a timely fashion. If any one person were to function as the owner of the project and its processes, the odds are high that others are excluded to the extent that they can be or have any real stake in the program and its processes. This may lead to marginalization of a project and an inability to recruit and empower others to help enable a community or group to reach its developmental goals.

(b) Members

The leadership of the problem-solving team should incorporate:

• students who have experience as student volunteer coordinators with this project or issue area;
• campus staff and/or faculty who have experience and expertise in the project area; and,
• community leader(s) who play an integral role in managing the service projects at the sites.

(c) The Service Project Team

Addressing systemic issues is accomplished only if the planning of a project is coordinated with the other ongoing direct service and planning activities already in place on a campus or in the community. The most effective “problem-solving” teams do not function as islands or isolated group, but rather as an integral component of the overall structure. In this respect, they need to consider two key strategic issues: (a) how their action plans and projects will impact other ongoing programs, and (b) whether or not they are using their existing resources effectively. Project members can address these two issues by asking themselves the following questions:

• What connection do we have to the campus-based service program or community partner and their goals/long range plans in our project area?
• Are we working closely with the existing campus-based community service program?
• Are we utilizing the resources (e.g., volunteers, expertise, training) in the existing campus-based community service program or related agency(s)?
• Are we adopting current information (needs and/or assets mapping data, demographics) from the existing campus-based community service program or related agency(s)?
• Are we adopting a feedback system (e.g., meetings, surveys, performance reviews) from the existing campus-based community service program or related agency(s)?