For
community action to achieve its maximum potential, the entire community must be
involved. The entire community is
represented on the CAA Board by the three sectors of the tripartite board.
Public officials are there because they formally represent both the
general public and the local government. Low-income
people are there because they know the problems of poverty.
The balance of the community are there because the CAA can succeed only
through support and partnerships with other service agencies, private employers,
churches, law enforcement, unions, etc.
CAAs were created to eliminate
poverty by eliminating root causes of poverty.
The Board has been given responsibility to carry out this mission.
The Board's greatest single resource is people.
This statement is true of the Board's own membership.
Each member of the Board has vital talents, experience, contacts and
resources to offer.
Public officials usually bring
knowledge about public relations, public opinion, social values and funding.
They can serve as ambassadors of good will to the public.
Representatives of the poor are a fundamental source of information on
conditions and problems of poverty. Their
participation and involvement on the Board, on its committees and at
neighborhood levels are critical to CAA efforts.
Also important is their ability to help develop public and institutional
understanding of, and support for, the programs -- and the
positive effects those programs can have on the community.
Representatives of the private sector often have business or program
expertise. They are sources of funds
and other resources. Finally, they
provide balance to the Board by representing the remainder of the community.
In addition, Board members can (and should) enlist the understanding and
assistance of their friends and personal contacts to pursue the CAA mission. (From
"Toolkit in a Nutshell for Board Members," full text available at http://www.cencomfut.com/Toolkit
in a Nutshell.htm)
