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Growing Communities
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Teamwork and community building
Teamwork and community building
Documenters often tell us that they appreciate getting to know, learning from and working with each other. We define space made intentionally to promote these activities as community of practice events— communities of practice are defined as "a group of people who "share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly."
Supporting these communities of practice — both among Documenters and program staff across organizations — is central to the kinds of outcomes we want to see. Here are a few ways we do that:
Paired assignments
Network sites frequently assign Documenters to cover public meetings in pairs—one to take written notes and one to live-tweet. Having Documenters navigate public meetings in pairs allows staff editors and producers to cross-reference information but it also creates opportunities for Documenters to meet and collaborate.
Online and in-person workshops
For Documenters: In addition to other workshops (ex: Covering Your Local Government) our monthly community of practice gathering is focused on community building and creating opportunities for generative relationships between people in our network.
For staff: City Bureau’s Documenters Network team hosts a monthly check-in for all program staff across the network, known simply as the Network Call. You could consider a similar gathering for your team members to get together with partner or allied organizations.
Online message board
Our Discourse forum on Documenters.org is an important part of our network. Documenters staff members are encouraged to post on the message board frequently on issues related to local news, civic events and program updates. Staff also send out a community profile of a Documenter each week: the profile is based on an Airtable form that Documenters can fill out if they desire. Documenters who don’t check the message board often can choose to receive an email digest of recent posts and replies.
—"During the twenty-first century, activity will increasingly take place in self-organizing, system shifting networks. This resource offers resources and discussion space for those who want to better understand network approaches to transformation and improve their skills in facilitating this transition."
Charmaine Runes,
Documenter
Charmaine Runes,
Documenter
“My way into the message board was to look at the Documenters introductions. I found those really fun. You know, I follow people on Twitter and retweet their threads or whatever else they’re working on, but it was fun to get to know them on a different level rather than just seeing their avatar and their Twitter bio.”
Template: Online Community of Practice Agenda
Template: Online Community of Practice Agenda
Each local Documenters site hosts a monthly gathering exclusively for Documenters. While these events can serve as training opportunities, they’re mostly focused on community building. Participants have told us again and again that getting to know and working with other Documenters is one of the highlights of the program. We’ve shared a sample agenda for these gatherings below.
Consider democratizing events just like you’re democratizing the skills of local journalism! Train and pay community members to facilitate breakout groups during the monthly gathering. Better yet, invite them to host or organize portions of the event. Here's an agenda to help you get started:
Developed by City Bureau
—"Community ambassadors, sometimes referred to as community connectors, help to make communities better by leading and supporting projects such as peer education campaigns, public health initiatives, community safety efforts and other social service programs. In whichever field they work, community ambassadors connect people with information and guide them to services, programs and other resources."
Checklist: Community Listening
Checklist: Community Listening
The Listening Post Playbook is a great resource for how to listen to your community, foster dialogue and create news products in line with your community's need and values. Each of the points below is described in full in the playbook.
Choose a community
Visit and listen
Survey and document
Craft questions
Engage with community members
Create content
Keep the conversation going
—"Whether you are a journalist, media outlet or civil society group, these steps will get you into a flow of listening to your community, creating stories that resonate, and fostering an ongoing conversation with people. Walk through the playbook at your own pace. Check out our toolbox of resources and learn how partners across the country have used these strategies in their own communities."
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