Involve your larger community in this process. Attend community meetings, gather groups of people to talk, or take a more formal approach by organizing focus groups and developing surveys. However you decide to listen and learn, consider asking these questions to guide you toward a common team purpose:
• What do you see as the community’s challenges?
• Why should we address those challenges? What would happen if we didn’t address them?
• What are the community’s strengths?
• What would the community look like if youth violence were not an issue?
• What changes would you like to see in the next five or ten years?
Take the time to find out what your community wants to change and use that input to develop your team’s purpose. Residents are more likely to be receptive to your team’s work if they can see how you are using their suggestions.