Intentional Community Building: Creating Connections and Trust with Barry Cram
- Catherine Huckaby
- Jul 24, 2024
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 5
When working in local government, building trust with the community takes time and patience. It’s an art that requires genuine commitment and consistent effort. This goes far beyond organizing neighborhood meetings or special events; it’s about fostering real connections and creating a strong sense of belonging among neighbors.
Over the past decade, Barry Cram has honed his community engagement skills in cities with populations ranging from 100,000 to nearly one million. In this post, we’ll share valuable insights from his journey, highlighting the complexities and profound rewards of cultivating meaningful relationships within communities.
The Importance of Intentional Community Building
As a Senior Planner with the City of Allen in Texas, Barry has learned the importance of prioritizing relationships closest to home. Though he values all forms of community, experience has shown him that the neighbors who surround us often play the most crucial role in our lives.
Taking the time to develop relationships with your neighbors helps build trust and mutual assistance, making it easier to tackle common challenges together. Knowing your neighbors creates a welcoming atmosphere, fostering a sense of belonging and shared responsibility within the community.
"There are so many expressions of community that are valid but that can take up much of your time, including work, church, civic, online, or some hobby. I think it’s also extremely important that you are intentional in remembering your first community - your neighbors."
He appreciates the career opportunities he's had, in cities that actively promote and facilitate neighbor-to-neighbor collaboration and education. He believes these initiatives enhance communication, reduce conflict, and foster stronger, more resilient communities.
Patience and Persistence in Building Relationships
Barry underscores the necessity of patience and persistence in community engagement efforts. As with other meaningful endeavors, creating strong, lasting relationships, requires time and effort. The process also involves a genuine commitment to understanding and supporting one another.
"We should not expect to take shortcuts in building relationships. You have to have a strong desire to stay the course to really make a difference. You have to know going into this field, that just like anything else, there are no shortcuts."
Transforming Communities: A Success Story
One of Barry's favorite stories involves working with a neighborhood to take on a new community project. This story illustrates the transformative power of community involvement, patience, and the importance of seizing the right moment.
"I was working in the City of Fort Worth and had been plugging away, building consistent relationships for a few years and a neighborhood group told me they wanted to do something new in their community. They had gone to our annual Awards & Workshops, liked what they saw some of the other neighborhoods doing, and felt like they could do more. The fact that they finally took me up on my offer to help them was great because I remember having conversation after conversation where I offered to start something new with them, but they weren’t ready…until they were."
The neighborhood's journey began with a desire to go beyond routine events to find a way to make a meaningful impact beyond their boundaries. Their willingness to embrace new ideas and collaborate with the city and a local nonprofit agency led to the implementation of a successful project, nationally recognized at the Neighborhoods, USA (NUSA) Conference.
Innovative Community Projects: Repurposing and Inclusivity
Barry is known for his passion for helping others capitalize on their strengths and fostering partnerships to create impactful collaborations. One of his strategies for achieving this is to stay current with emerging technology and progressive ideas in community development. During a brainstorming session with neighborhood leaders, he drew inspiration from a recent blog about using repurposed wood for projects.
"They invited me to their planning meeting, and I had a few ideas from a blog I was reading about how people were building furniture from repurposed wood. It was fascinating because what once was a deck was being made into a bed frame. I offered to help look for a nonprofit that needed beds and then others started getting excited about doing it. From there it just took off!"
The proposed project would not only provide beds for those in need, but also foster a sense of accomplishment and unity among neighbors. A key aspect of this community project was its inclusivity and family-friendly nature. Barry understood how important it would be to involve all members of the community, including children, in such a meaningful activity.
"They needed it to be a family-friendly event that could be done on a Saturday. They even had a barbecue during the actual workday. The adults were cutting and sanding the wood and the kids were painting it. It was neat because they felt good about being able to do something for other people in need."
Barry and his teenage sons showed up the morning of the "build day" to help build and paint bed frames and enjoy food and fellowship with families from the neighborhood. Once the beds were completed, he and his sons helped deliver them to a local nonprofit.
By creating a welcoming environment, they made certain that all participants could contribute and share in the pride of their joint accomplishment: constructing and providing beds to families who had been resettled following a period of homelessness.
Building a Relationship Portfolio
Barry emphasizes the importance of viewing relationship management as a skill that can be developed and showcased, similar to any other professional competency.
"Managing relationships is a skillset and having a relationship portfolio to put on your resume - that's a real thing! I'm thinking about the guys over here in the Community Development Division. We're in an open office and I hear their banter back and forth all the time. They don't take shortcuts. They don't let vendors, construction workers, subcontractors, or other people take shortcuts. That’s not how you build a building and I think it’s the same thing when building relationships."
In community engagement, just as in construction, cutting corners can lead to weak foundations. Building strong relationships requires diligence, integrity, and a commitment to doing things right.
"We should not expect to take shortcuts in building relationships. Some parts are intangible, but you have to be willing to be a part of and understand the struggle behind it all. The longevity and the patience that goes along with it can be daunting."
He acknowledges that some aspects of relationship building are challenging to quantify. However, these elements are crucial to creating deep, meaningful connections that can build trust that withstands the test of time.
The Reward of Making a Difference
Barry shares that while seeing the positive impact of our efforts and the joy it brings to others is incredibly fulfilling, it can also be challenging.
"When you’re new in this field and don’t have the experience working with people, it can be tough. You have a strong desire to stay the course, to really make a difference. You have to know going into this field, that just like anything else, there are no shortcuts to success."
His thoughts serve as a reminder that creating meaningful change requires dedication, perseverance, and a genuine love for the community. Despite any bumps in the road, when community engagement is executed effectively, the results are beneficial for the neighborhood and personally fulfilling for city staff and residents they collaborate with to enhance their community.
Conclusion: Building Stronger Communities Together
Barry Cram's insights into community building offer valuable lessons for anyone hoping to foster stronger, more meaningful relationships within their neighborhoods. By prioritizing intentionality, inviting everyone to the table, and understanding the intangible aspects of relationship building, we can create supportive and vibrant communities that enrich our lives and the lives of those around us.
The effort organizations invest in helping neighbors build these connections leads to a greater sense of belonging and a shared purpose that can transform our communities!
More Resources
View these helpful resources from Barry:
Community Enhancement Department, City of Allen, Texas: This department focuses on improving the physical, economic, and social health of the community through neighborhood improvement programs, public health initiatives, and proactive community engagement. They aim to enhance livability by fostering partnerships and educating residents about property maintenance and health services.
Community Engagement Office, City of Fort Worth, Texas: This division of the Communications and Public Engagement Department works to strengthen relationships between the city government and residents by promoting participation in local governance and community initiatives. They facilitate communication and collaboration to ensure that community voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes.
Neighborhoods, USA (NUSA) Conference: An annual event that brings together neighborhood leaders and advocates to share best practices, discuss challenges and promote community engagement strategies. The national nonprofit conference is held in different locations each year, drawing participants from across the United States.
