The process for creating community value through regeneration is not a linear process. Here are some guidelines:
0. What is Regeneration?
- Define Regeneration: Build a shared understanding that regeneration is about revitalizing the Common Good—the collective well-being of the community, environment, and economy.
- Discuss the 22 Tests for Regeneration: Take time to thoroughly discuss these principles to ensure everyone understands how regeneration can be measured and guided. The tests typically address areas like community engagement, sustainability, and long-term impact. Don’t be formal.
- Align Goals with the Common Good: Ensure that every community action or project aligns with the broader goal of enhancing the Common Good rather than individual or short-term gain.
1. How Do We Create Community Value?
- Interview Community Members: Conduct face-to-face or survey-based interviews with diverse community members to understand their most urgent needs, desires, and pain points. Ensure representation from all demographics (age, gender, socioeconomic status, etc.).
- Interview Cultural and Social Organizations: Conduct workshops with organizations most invested in listening to the “unmet needs” of the community. Deep listening, please!
- Understand the Community Value Pyramid: The community value pyramid includes layers like basic needs, emotional needs, and aspirational goals. Start by addressing foundational needs before progressing to higher-value initiatives.
- Build and Strengthen Trust: Focus on transparency, communication, and inclusivity to build trust, which is crucial for participation and collaboration. Trust is the foundation for long-term engagement and success in regeneration projects.
- Where to begin? What projects will build Community capacity? Culture, Nature, Economy?
2. Involve Community Leaders
- Identify Leaders through Conversations: Talk to various members of the community to identify leaders who have influence but are also committed to the common good rather than personal gain.
- Look for “Ego-Free” Leaders: Seek out leaders who prioritize the well-being of the community over their own recognition. These leaders tend to have strong, capable teams and foster collaboration rather than competition.
- Look for women and youth leaders: Seek out leaders who are traditionally excluded from official positions of authority. They may very vocal, but lack the access to the critical resources.
- Leaders as Change Agents: Ensure these leaders are actively involved in planning, decision-making, and inspiring others to get involved in regeneration efforts.
3. Identify Community Anchor Institutions
- Map Existing Institutions: Identify key institutions that are already contributing to the community (e.g., schools, religious organizations, local businesses, non-profits). These are trusted entities with deep roots in the community.
- Promote Regenerative Practices: Work with these institutions to help them adopt more sustainable and regenerative practices, such as reducing environmental footprints or supporting local economic initiatives.
- Align Missions with Regeneration: Encourage these institutions to align their missions with regeneration principles, helping them protect nature, support local projects, and contribute to long-term community well-being.
- Understand Institutional Resistance: When institutions lose power, they often resist and derail community change inititatives. Identify these obstacles early, and find ways to encourage their participation. How can the role of the bureaucracy be minimized?
4. Identify Community Assets and Ecosystems
- Conduct Asset Mapping: Identify physical, cultural, and social assets that already exist in the community, such as public spaces, cultural traditions, local talents, and strong networks.
- Recognize What’s Missing: Highlight the gaps in services, resources, or infrastructure that need to be filled to promote regeneration (e.g., lack of green spaces, limited access to health services, etc.).
- Enhance Public Goods and Services: Examine the existing public goods (e.g., parks, schools, health services) and explore how they can better serve the community’s regenerative goals. This might include expanding services, improving accessibility, or increasing community ownership.
5. Action and Approach
- Explore Tested Methods: Study examples of methods that other communities have successfully used for regeneration, such as community-led agriculture, green energy cooperatives, or cultural revitalization projects. How do we bring diverse organizations to work together?
- Evaluate Suitability: Analyze which methods might work in your community’s specific context, considering factors like available resources, skills, and community priorities.
- Consider New Approaches: Innovate or adapt new methods that fit your community’s unique needs. These might include new technologies or practices that emphasize sustainability and inclusivity.
6. Community Projects
- Set Criteria for Success: Define clear criteria for community regeneration projects. This might include sustainability, inclusivity, scalability, and impact on the Common Good.
- Assess Current Capabilities: Evaluate what the community can achieve now with existing resources and skills, and identify where external support, training, or collaboration might be needed.
- Build Collaboration and Accountability: Establish collaborative structures that ensure all stakeholders are accountable. Encourage partnerships between local organizations, institutions, and residents.
- Start with Pilot Projects: Begin with small, manageable projects that can deliver quick wins and build momentum. Use these projects as learning opportunities to scale up more ambitious efforts.
- Business Models: what are innovative ways to bring different segments of the community to work together to create community value? What does integrated development look like?
7. Community Wellbeing
- Define Outcomes: Clearly define the desired outcomes for community wellbeing, such as improved health, increased economic opportunities, stronger social connections, or enhanced cultural vitality.
- Return to the Beginning: Ensure the outcomes you seek are aligned with the community value pyramid and the needs identified at the outset. Regeneration should always be measured against these original goals.
- Measure Impact: Use qualitative and quantitative data to measure the impact of regeneration efforts on community wellbeing. Regularly collect feedback and adjust strategies to improve effectiveness.
The Regenerative Marketing Institute is a open-collaborative project founded by Philip Kotler, Christian Sarkar, and Enrico Foglia. Learn more about us >>