Community Engagement- the Motor of Transition

Transition Training 2007

How to translate all that interest and energy into action?

Transition Training 2007

Abundance -one of the Keys to Creating Community Involvement.

“how do people of Western civilization, particularly those addressing the environmental

crisis, shift from a scarcity paradigm to one that spawns abundance in the context of

our environmental realities?”

Canty, J.M. (2005) Environmental Healing: Shifting from a Poverty Consciousness. EcoPsychology.org.

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• Association *Awareness * Agency = Attitude behaviour change

A³ = ABC

David Ballard,. Using learning processes to promote change for sustainable development, Action Research Sage Publications Volume 3 Issue 2, June 2005

The “End of Suburbia effect”.

“Healthy functioning requires that we have faith that our needs will be met in the future; without this confidence, our trust in the world is damaged. Damaged trust can lead to four neurotic reactions that are likely to impact environmental behaviour: narcissism, depression, paranoia and compulsion”.

Winter, D.D. & Kroger, S.M. (2004) Winter, D.D. & Kroger, S.M. (2004) The Psychology of Environmental Problems.The Psychology of Environmental Problems. New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Transition Training 2007

Why Don’t People Act?

“ Our key finding is that consumers are generally happy to act sustainably where it does not impinge on their key priorities and cause them inconvenience”

Holdsworth, M. (2003) Green choice: what choice? Summary of NCC research into consumer attitudes to sustainable consumption. London, National Consumer Council.

Transition Training 2007

Why Do People Act?

“in this context, motivating sustainable consumption has to be as much about building supportive communities, promoting inclusive societies, providing meaningful work and encouraging purposeful lives, as it is about awareness raising, fiscal policy and persuasion”

Jackson, T. (2005) Motivating Sustainable Consumption – a review of evidence on consumer behaviour and behavioural change. Centre for Environmental Strategy. University of Surrey.

Transition Training 2007

Models for understanding the underlying dynamics

• Frames

• Motivational Interviewing

• Change models

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Lessons from Addiction/Change

Transition Training 2007

Motivational Interviewing.

…constructive behaviour change seems to arise when the person connects it with something of intrinsic value, something important, something cherished. Intrinsic motivation for change arises in an accepting, empowering atmosphere that makes it safe for the person to explore the possibly painful present in relation to what is wanted and valued”.

Miller, W.R. & Rollnick, S. (2002) Motivational Interviewing – preparing people for change. New York, The Guilford Press.

Transition Training 2007

Insights from MI.

• Express empathy• Develop discrepancy• Roll with Resistance• Support self-efficacy• Offer time and space to

digest• Information Exchange not

Information Dumping

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Another way of assessing your community

Group Motivated by How to presentchanges in lifestylethat reduce carbonemissions

% UKpop.

Settlers Security, belonging and identity

Safe Living 21

Prospectors Success, self esteem andesteem of others

Smart Living 44

Pioneers Inner directed, with a desire to explore the new

Ethical Living 35

Stephen Hounsham, Painting the Town Green, How to persuade people to beenvironmentally friendly, GreenEngage, 2006, p9, from work by Maslow, NEF, and Pat Dade

The FRAMES Model.

1. Feedback of personal risk or impairment2. Emphasis on personal responsibility for change3. Clear Advice to Change4. A Menu of alternative change options5. Therapeutic empathy as a counseling style6. Enhancement of client self-efficacy or optimism

Miller, W.R. & Sanchez, V.C. (1993) Motivating young adults for treatment and lifestyle change. In: Howard, G. (ed.) Issues in Alcohol Use and Misuse by young adults. Notre Dame, University of Notre Dame Press.

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What is our Role?

“our role is to compassionately assist in its death process, trying to ease the burden and pain of its passing. This includes restraining the impulse for revenge among those who see their foundations undermined by the new. For the emerging … society, our role is to compassionately assist in the birth of a new way of acting in the world. As with any birthing process, there will be some pain and trauma associated with the … birth. Our role is to minimise the pain and nurse the new society to full health”.

““a dual role, hospice and midwife”. a dual role, hospice and midwife”.

Korten, D.C. (2000) Korten, D.C. (2000) The Post Corporate World – Life After Capitalism.The Post Corporate World – Life After Capitalism. San Fransisco, Berrett-Koehler Publishers.San Fransisco, Berrett-Koehler Publishers.

Abdullah, S. (1999) Abdullah, S. (1999) Creating a World That Works for All.Creating a World That Works for All. San Francisco, San Francisco, Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc. Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.

Transition Training 2007

Home Groups – maintaining and sustaining

Transition Training 2007