Margaret Wheatly once said, “There is no power of change like a community discovering what it cares about.” Dare to Dream is about discovering what your community really cares about. The CARS process encourages participants to dream beyond present service delivery boundaries, funding criteria, government mandates, staffing components, regulations, and legislation when they define their needs.
Community members are encouraged to use their own words, their own definitions, and their own description of services and supports. Often community members and service providers get in the habit of defining community needs using the definitions of others. Once participants are able to define their needs in their own words, you will have the information you need to create responsive community services. Service models are built by gathering the multitude of the needs of its individual members into one collective direction or vision.
The CARS process requires community members to be actively involved in all aspects of the community development process. For this to happen a community first must identify effective leaders – someone has to get the ball rolling and keep the process on track. There are really two types of leaders in the CARS process: Operational Leaders and Community Leaders. Leadership change in inevitable in any community activity – the issue is not if leadership change will occur but when leadership change will occur. The CARS process helps communities plan for a change in leadership.
Leadership(PDF)/ Supporting Leadership(PDF)/
Leadership Succession(PDF)
To prepare for the development of a collective community vision and values you must gather the voices of past, present and future users of services and supports. You must also provide opportunities for service providers and government representatives to identify their perceptions of service issues, challenges and successes. Trust occurs when community members feel an openness to share ideas and feelings. Respect occurs when there is a willingness to listen to the ideas and feelings of other. Without trust and respect the CARS process breaks down.
Hearing the Voices(PDF)/ Active Listening & Facilitation(PDF)
Kitchen Table Meeting Template(PDF)
Grouping the Voices(PDF)/ Sharing the Voices(PDF)
The CARS process requires community members to be actively involved in all aspects of the community development process. For this to happen a community first must identify effective leaders – someone has to get the ball rolling and keep the process on track. There are really two types of leaders in the CARS process: Operational Leaders and Community Leaders. Leadership change in inevitable in any community activity – the issue is not if leadership change will occur but when leadership change will occur. The CARS process helps communities plan for a change in leadership.
Developing a Community Vision(PDF)
Creating Community Values(PDF)
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