PART 3: SUSTAINING

Conflict Resolution:

Address Issues Before They Arise

When working together with others, there is bound to be a time where personal differences or viewpoints result in a conflict. When these conflicts are not acknowledged or addressed, resentment can build, resulting in a lack of motivation for organizers and participants alike and possible burn out.

Succession planning

While it is not possible to anticipate all kinds of problems before they come up, the few common ones that have caused issues in other aging in place groups include succession planning, sustainability, community “culture” and interpersonal conflicts.

Issues around the long-term sustainability of the initiative such as succession planning hinge on the steps you have taken previously. For example, if you have created an environment where people are actively taking leadership on new activities, or if you continuously expanded the core group to include additional members, then succession planning might not be a hard task.

However, if participation levels are not ideal and activities are organized and led by only a few people, then it might be worth it for you to undertake a refresh for your group and start driving up engagement.

Facing it head on

For issues around community “culture” such as gossip, resentment or pre-existing grudges, it is best to resolve them head-on instead of sweeping them under the rug. Some groups have found that addressing rumours directly at community meetings or in newsletter communications can be effective in shutting down any misinformation that might be circulating.