Firstly, what do we mean by community? There are many definitions:
- It is a collective of people who come together, either physically or virtually, to support and engage with each other, forming a sense of belonging and shared identity. The benefits of having a community are numerous. It can be one locality, one national, transnational.
- A social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.
- A locality inhabited by such a group.
- It can be team based, with organisational cultures, national mindsets.
How does power affect a community?
- Power structures within society have a significant impact on social dynamics, influencing how individuals and groups interact, behave, and relate to one another. These power structures can shape social hierarchies, control access to resources and opportunities, and determine the distribution of authority and influence.
- What is power within a community? Power in a community is the ability to affect the decision-making process and the use of resources, both public and private, within a community or pressure from a particular project group. Power is simply the capacity to bring about change. It is the energy that gets things done.
- What does power mean in society? The capacity to influence power, in political science and sociology, is the capacity to influence, lead, dominate, or otherwise have an impact on the life and actions of others in society. The concept of power encompasses, but is not limited to, the notion of authority.
- What does power mean socially? Social power is the influence that an individual or an organisation has over others in a society. It is mostly achieved by gaining recognition from others. It can be achieved by many different means, such as wealth, status, or fame.
- What is the full meaning of power? Great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force. The possession of control or command over people; authority; influence: Words have tremendous power over our minds.
What about teams or cross functional teams within a locality?
- This can include leadership issues, leadership styles, conflict resolution, dealing with change, and individual and group stress.
Over the past few months Arran has been looking and discussing the issues for the Isle of Arran Local Island Plan
“INTRODUCTION The Isle of Arran is a valuable and unique part of North Ayrshire. North Ayrshire Council and partners are dedicated to working together with island communities and businesses to support Arran and acknowledge the importance of providing specific and tailored focus and support for the island community, its vital economy, and its outstanding environment“
There are 3 strands with three groups looking at the 10 year plan with a long-term strategic focus developed with and for the community: these 3 strands are ECONOMY, COMMUNITY, ENVIRONMENT
See www.voiceforarran.com Issue 146 July 2023 Arran Local Island Plan
But to get the best results from the three groups means close interactions, resolving conflict, often hidden, between the groups, and having a strategic view that will encompass all the islanders, which means a lot more dialogue between what appears to be the power of the Economic Group and the clear views of members of the Community Group and the Environment Group. So, there is a need for discussion on making groups work better together: The Dynamics of Teams helps individuals better understand group working for good strategic outcomes.
All three areas of the I (individual), Team and Task have equal importance and there are 4 stages of Group Development
What is important for the Arran Strategic 10-year Plan is that the three groups share the ultimate strategic objectives so a coming together to discuss, argue, redraft, think again, involve more islanders than usual in such discussions so becoming the real Arran Island Strategic Team that can represent Arran’s ideas to North Ayrshire as a cohesive plan. This does mean listening to the three groups and others carefully. Power is not the only consideration in such a plan. For example, is environment and a net zero carbon plan by 2030 a real possibility, and what does the whole island need to do to achieve this? What about the impact of climate change, is that being considered in the economics group? That includes businesses, transport etc. What about the Community? What strategic aim to make sure we have viable villages and resident villagers that support our systems infrastructure, or is the push really only to tourism and associated trades? Social housing is, we are continuously told a priority, but what about systems change re. second, third and even fourth holiday homes, where is that in the strategy? We see the lights this week in many houses that will then be dark for the next 3 months. I do think we need to see the Island Officer and NAC at the meetings, as well as a representative of Highland and Island Enterprise and the Scottish Government at all the groups, not just the Economic Group. Several questions still arise: Are we, as an island ready, or willing to expand housing and even hutting in special places, because financial support is available? NAC Local Development Plan 3 is coming, please let’s hear it for all Arran planning. Do not expand the village envelopes for yet more large housing developments. And perhaps the MOST important highest Agenda item in any strategic plan for Arran has to be a decent ferry service, low carbon, reliable, resilient with islanders given some sort of priority. Without that far more islanders will leave, taking with them the spirit of the residents in our Arran communities.
These STAGES OF GROUP DEVELOPMENT can be summed up as follows:
What is important for the Arran Strategic 10 year Plan is that all these bases are explored to get real inclusion and consensus for the future.
Finally, self-awareness is of course the important contribution we individually bring to the whole process. The context of each of us is unique, and whilst our upbringing, gender, siblings, schooling, culture and broader experience all contribute to our development, and personality, we often meet individuals whose experiences and personalities are so different to our own. Making teams work well is a personal journey too. Emotional intelligence is a vital ingredient for the work to be a success. Some people are more attracted to certain strands so listening to each other is vital. Listening and sharing is the start point to understanding.
KEY PLAN THEMES FOR ARRAN
See more: Arran Local Plan
To realise Arran’s vision of becoming an island in balance, three key plan themes determine the Island Plan with a set of key priorities and related actions that build on the existing strengths of the island and minimize risk and further fragility to the economy, community and environmental wellbeing.
ECONOMY: a model of an inclusive and green island economy
COMMUNITY: a vibrant, engaged, ambitious and resourceful island community
ENVIRONMENT: pioneering in the transition of Arran to net zero by 2030
Sally Campbell
January 2024