Empowering Your Community, Stage 5: Implementation
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The Implementation stage launches all planned efforts and directly attempts to facilitate community change. Building on the previous four stages of community action (Wilkinson, 2023; Berardi & Brennan, 2020; Olson & Brennan, 2018), the time is now at hand to commit all resources and transform plans into action. During Implementation, actions, influence, and transformations of power relations contribute to the empowerment of community residents increasing the self-determination to influence their lives and environment (Matarrita-Cascante et al., 2020).
The development of community is not a one-time event in which success or failure is detailed. It is a process where the bringing together of actively interested and diverse community people is a measure of success. This stage is the final in the process of community action, which creates space and continued focus for further iterative action by residents aided by the evaluation and feedback provided throughout.
Including Implementation in Your Extension Work
Throughout the previous stages, resources were gathered and assessed, subgroups formed to focus on specific tasks, and active citizens recruited. In the Implementation stage, these resources are formally committed, and people are given the task of going forward to achieve the goals established by the organization and its subgroups. This stage in the process ensures that power is transferred to the community and not left in the hands of Extension agents or those leading the groups (Matarrita-Cascante et al., 2020). To maximize their impact, each subgroup should:
1. Meet to review goals, objectives, and immediate steps for action
As action efforts are launched, it is essential that all participants be clear about the planned goals and the methods for meeting these goals. It may be the case that newer activists are uncertain or unclear about the specifics of how change will be achieved. A brief meeting or transmission of information (video, email, action guide, etc.) would be useful in making certain that everyone involved is aware of (1) how to proceed and (2) the resources available to support successful action.
2. Identify clear and measurable stages or benchmarks for all objectives
While goals, objectives, and action plans have already been established in stage 3, it will be useful to identify clear benchmarks or measurable impacts. This will serve to provide activists with feedback and to show transparency where action efforts are making progress. Such measurable impacts will also show the general public that the organization is fostering positive changes on behalf of the community. As milestones are achieved, these can be promoted and marketed accordingly.
3. Take Action
Empowered with plans and a detailed background, activists and subcommittees can actively move forward. As they take action, opportunities and mechanisms for feedback and discussion should be presented and widely available. These opportunities can be through meetings, informal gatherings, email communications, or established contacts that can be reached to provide the insight and advice needed to adjust action plans.
4. Celebrate achievements (and failures)
As achievements are made and measurable impacts achieved, it is important to celebrate and promote them through informal celebrations, in the media, and in other promotional avenues. It may also be the case that some action efforts have failed. The fact that these did not reach success is irrelevant and should be celebrated as the first efforts of what will be many valid action efforts. Community development is achieved if diverse groups are brought together and channels of communication established since these are essential to achieving empowered residents. From this process, future efforts will emerge that will achieve success.
5. Evaluate and readjust
Community development and locally based action is a never-ending process. Both need to be continuously cultivated. As progress in various forms is made, it is essential that mistakes, obstacles, and inconsistencies in application be identified and addressed. To fine tune our action efforts, opportunities to effectively measure outcomes and provide feedback are vital to the long-term achievement of goals.
To provide feedback, formal debriefing meetings should be established at the conclusion of action efforts. These meetings can evaluate progress, identify obstacles, and explore new means for dealing with unforeseen problems. At these debriefing meetings, all subgroups/committees can report on their activities, progress, obstacles, and methods for adjusting to challenges. Collectively, these meetings set the stage for long-term action efforts and continued social changes.
Conclusion
The five stages of the community action process are made of more than individual actors and actions. These stages create an intentional process that brings together multiple community elements towards program solving and development efforts. The first stage, Initiation, focuses on recognizing, defining, and spreading awareness of the issue the community wants to address (Berardi et al., 2021). The Organization of Sponsorship stage involves gathering of resources to address community needs such as structures, organizations, and assets inside and outside of the community (Hernandez et al., 2022a). In the Goal Setting and Strategy Development stage, the community decides on goals to guide toward addressing the need, including developing targets and identifying strategies to achieve success (Hernandez et al., 2022b). In Recruitment, community members mobilize the people, money, materials, skills, and other resources to maximize impact and success of their action efforts (Hernandez et al., 2022c).
Lastly, through all the stages discussed in the community action process (Berardi & Brennan, 2020), but most directly witnessed during this Implementation stage, residents unite and work towards shared goals. In the community action process, channels of communication and interaction are established that cut across class and other lines. This is a remarkable achievement and represents community development. This process must be promoted and fostered on all possible occasions.
Building on the success achieved by this active group, the long-term process of achieving social change can begin. This long-term course of action will be characterized by numerous successes, as well as failures and setbacks. By producing a cohesive group of residents, a structure is in place that will operate proactively to positively shape local well-being. This group will also be able to respond to threats and emerging problems within the community. In the end this coordinated local capacity will contribute social and economic changes that benefit all community residents and groups.
References and Useful Reading
Berardi, M. K. & Brennan, M. (2020). Importance of Local Community Action in Shaping Development. Penn State Extension.
Berardi, M. K., Brennan, M., & Marcus, J. (2021). Empowering Your Community, Stage 1: Initiation. Penn State Extension.
Hernandez, T., Berardi, M. K., & Brennan, M. (2022a) Empowering Your Community, Stage 2: Organization of Sponsorship. Penn State Extension.
Hernandez, T., Berardi, M. K., & Brennan, M. (2022b) Empowering Your Community, Stage 3: Goal Setting and Strategy. PennState Extension.
 Hernandez, T., Berardi, M. K., & Brennan, M. (2022c) Empowering Your Community, Stage 4: Recruitment. Penn State Extension.
Olson, B. & Brennan, M.  (2018). From Community Engagement to Community Emergence: The Holistic Program Design Approach.  International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement. 5(1): 5-19. 
Matarrita-Cascante, D., Lee, J. H., & Nam, J. W. (2020). What elements should be present in any community development initiative? Distinguishing community development from local development. Local Development & Society, 1(2), 95–115.
Wilkinson, K.P. (2023). The Community in Rural America. Denver, CO: University of Colorado Press.
