What is a Community Response Network (CRN)?
A Community Response Network (CRN) is a diverse group of concerned community members, service providers, agencies, businesses and professionals who come together to create a coordinated community response to adult abuse, neglect, and self-neglect.
A Coordinated Community Response – Community Response Networks (CRNs)
It is recognized that offering support to adults who may be abused or neglected – and having access to some new legal tools – is only part of what will make a difference in peoples’ lives. As well there is a need for increased coordination at the community level, not only of responses to individuals who are abused or neglected, but also coordination in terms of working towards prevention over time. CRNs are the vehicles for achieving increased coordination of community responses to abuse and neglect. Today, there are CRNs established or under development all over British Columbia.
CRNs provide a foundation for the community, as a whole, to work together as a team on an equal playing field, sharing power, and responsibility, to:
- Develop ways to coordinate and support their activities
- Facilitate and promote an interdisciplinary approach to services and support
- Keep track of how response is working
- Work on related activities such as community development, education, prevention, and advocacy
- Develop community protocols
- Support designated agencies in carrying out their responsibilities
What are BC’s Community Response Networks Doing?
CRNs around the province are reaching out to communities to establish a network of community agencies, local businesses, government agencies, and Health Authorities to provide help to adults who are experiencing (or at risk of experiencing) abuse, neglect, and self neglect. Working together as a CRN, people and their communities are making a difference.
What are BC’s CRN Members Learning as They Work Together?
As a result of working together on these CRN activities, guided by the community development principles of inclusion, meaningful participation, power-sharing, and building capacity, members have said:
- “Legislation alone doesn’t keep people safe. Communities keep people safe.”
- “The work is as much about the process of working together as it is about the outcomes.”
- “We need to change our thinking about who can make changes happen – it’s not just highly placed people.”
- “We have to listen harder, and pay attention differently. We need to see things as a series of circles, not boxes.”
- “We must be prepared to have the difficult discussions, to risk conflict. Trust is built when we find positive ways to address conflict or different experiences and perspectives.”
- “We try to create an environment where power-sharing and power equity for all members is a reality, rather than an ideal.”
