Power Shift Training Details | Embrace Communities

The Power Shift Overview Session

This session is designed to introduce organizations to Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) principles and the CommUnity-powered Framework for implementing these principles. This training event can be tailored for audiences of any size. Participants will be introduced to these concepts which are explored in greater detail in our Power Shift Training Series:

The Four Bedrock Principles of ABCD that lay the foundation for the Empowered Communities Framework (Power Shift - Foundations Series).
The Five Community Capacity Building Processes used to bring ABCD principles to life in a way that strengthens communities from the inside out (Power Shift - Implementation Series).

The Power Shift Training Series (Principles & Processes)

Learning Levels:

The full-length Power Shift Training Series is offered at multiple levels of depth and commitment, each one designed to accommodate where participants are in the ABCD learning process.

Introduction level is designed for individuals and groups who are seeking to support an ABCD practitioner but who are not taking a lead role in the community cultivation effort. This training is limited to the Principles portion of the training and is offered through as both a self-paced course and a facilitated course through our training platform.

Practitioner level is for individuals and small groups who want to implement an ABCD approach using the CommUnity-powered Framework. This series covers the 4 Bedrock Principles with the option of continuing through the 5 Capacity Building Processes of the Power Shift core curriculum. Practitioner level learning cohorts are limited to 8 participants to ensure deeper sharing and learning. This series is offered upon request.

The Train the Trainer Power Shift Series is for graduates of the Practitioner level training who want to train others using the Power Shift Curriculum with customized tools for their unique context. This year long offering combines training experiences with individual coaching and is offered to individuals and small groups of four or less.

Curriculum

Power Shift Part 1 - Principles Series: A basic understanding of Asset Based Community Development including:

The seven basic needs found in every community and an understanding of current investments in addressing these basic needs: Physical, vocational, environmental, social/emotional, the need for power and control, the need for collective voice, and psycho-spiritual needs. (Framework of Understanding Community Needs)
The difference between relief, individual betterment and community development approaches and when each is most appropriate. (Shift #1: Relief to Development)
How one-way giving approaches can undermine an empowerment effort and how to shift to an approach that fosters mutual interdependence. (Shift #2: Doing For to Doing With)
The importance of place and narrowing the scope of the development effort to a specific geographically defined group, neighborhood or sub-group of a school, neighborhood, or organization. (Shift #3: Cause to Community)
Basic understanding of the six types of assets and gifts found in every community (individuals, associations, institutions, physical environment, methods of exchange, and culture) and the role each plays in a development effort with particular attention on the importance of the "gapper" role. (Shift #4: Needs to Assets)

Power Shift Part 2: Processes Series: An overview of the five capacity building processes: Listening, Leadership Development, Team Building, Support Raising and Storytelling

How to conduct a listening project to discover the hopes, dreams, gifts and talents of the community. (Shift #5: Working our Plan to Discovering Dreams)
The three components of an effective leadership development process: one-on-one coaching, peer-to-peer communities of practice, and ongoing training through learning cohorts. (Shift #6: Participants to Owners)
The four CARE practices for effective team building: creating safe space, ask self-awakening questions, reflect collectively and enact the next faithful step. (Shift #7: Committee Building to Beloved Community)
How to build partnerships that can help sustain a community-defined, constituent-driven community development effort. (Shift #8: Outside In to Inside Out)
How to tell stories in a way that shifts harmful narratives (both at the community level and the larger narratives that shape society) to more hope-filled ones. (Shift #9: From Divided to United)

Context

We have tailored our Power Shift Training Series for these specific contexts. Each training will follow the Power Shift core curriculum but will include stories and case studies from specific context.

General Community Engagement: Stories shared will be focused on identifying and mobilizing community members in a way that leads to the development of a shared community vision and action teams designed to bring that vision to life.

Youth-centered Development: Tools used and stories shared will focus on how to identify, equip and mobilize youth and young adults to support or lead a community or school empowerment effort.

Faith-rooted Development: Tools used and stories shared will be focused on community empowerment and delivered with a spiritual lens that aligns with the organization's mission, vision, and values.

Education-focused Development: Stories shared will be focused on how to engage students, parents, and the broader community in the educational process.

With our levels of training customizable for these community engagement contexts, Embrace is able to design a training experience that will meet your specific needs.