Tensions and dilemmas experienced by a change agent in a community–university physical activity initiative

Abstract

This article presents a case study of a community-university physical activity initiative in which the author operated as a change agent responsible for facilitating community intersectoral collaboration, capacity, and autonomy. Change agents in community-institution initiatives typically work with communities or organizations to initiate and maintain a change effort. Using a first-person, insider action research approach, the change agent examined a set of dilemmas and dynamics she faced throughout the course of the initiative, and framed these in terms of tensions occurring along three continuums: (1) process-product, defined by the challenge of finding a balance between building capacity and delivering concrete and timely results; (2) insider-outsider, linked to the duality of roles of the change agent and community partners, and ensuing conflicts of identity, territory, loyalty, and accountability; and (3) bottom-up/top-down, associated with the difficulty of respecting local circumstances and needs while simultaneously operating within set parameters. The author critically reflects on the role of institutions involved as partners in community-institution initiatives, and draws attention to the complexity of the change agent's role in such initiatives. Recommendations for practice are offered, including the need for communityinstitution initiatives to provide sufficient time and resources for community capacity-building processes to develop, properly support change agents in their multiple roles and core functions, and develop their own capacities to engage in community capacity-building and change.

Tensions during a process of change – implementation of the Bologna educational reform in Swedish specialist nursing programmes

“…In accordance with the findings of Faubert [4] our results show dichotomization between what constitutes research and what constitutes development work. Such separate interests generated tensions.…”

“…The first, deterministic change theory describes change as a slow and incremental process, seldom in the intended direction and impossible to influence by actors. It is focused on tensions in relation to identity, territory, loyalty and accountability [4] . Its opposite, voluntary change theory, is the idea of instant change as an effect of management decisions and reforms and is recognized in reported success stories following collaborative initiatives in health care [5,6] .…”

Schools for Health and Sustainability

“…There are a number of challenges within a change agent role described by Faubert ( 2009 ) which are similar within the school experience. The balance between focusing on process and building long-term capacity versus producing short term outcomes that can generate good will and momentum is a challenge.…”

“…The balance between focusing on process and building long-term capacity versus producing short term outcomes that can generate good will and momentum is a challenge. Training and support for change agents around some of these issues is one of her recommendations which are equally applicable for a health promotion practitioner based in the school system (Faubert 2009 ). Faubert ( 2009 ) discussed that while there are these ongoing tensions one of the strengths in the dual role is being able to provide a distanced perspective while at the same time becoming immersed within the community.…”

Discours commémoratif Muriel Driver 2013

“…Dans la littérature du domaine des affaires et de la gestion, les interventions en matière de changement sont souvent décrites comme des « projets », parce que ces interventions ont clairement défini des résultats qui tiennent compte de la portée du changement, de la nature de toute contrainte de temps, des ressources humaines, financières et autres disponibles et de la norme de qualité requise pour le produit final (Battilana et al, 2010;Crawford et Nahmias, 2010;Kendra et Taplin, 2004). Tout cela signifie que les agents de changement efficaces doivent posséder les connaissances et les compétences requises pour aborderà la fois les processus de changement et les résultats (Battilana et al, 2010;Faubert, 2009) Pour aborder les processus de changement, il faut avoir la capacité d'appliquer la théorie et les faits expliquant ce qui motive les gens et les organisationsà prendre part au changement, pouvoir comprendre les façons dont les relations interpersonnelles peuvent influencer un effort de changement, et avoir la capacité d'élaborer des plans détaillés, mais flexibles, pour orienter la mise en oeuvre du changement (Battilana et al, 2010). Selon Pink (2009), les principaux eléments de motivation pour les personnes et les organisations sont l'autonomie, la maîtrise et le but.…”