Key Factor 7: Talent, Leadership Structure, and Sense of Community

The type of organizational leadership structure selected for the implementation of a prevention program will depend to a great extent on the existence of community. A sense of community is an important factor related to community readiness and contributes to the establishment, maintenance, and value of a strong local leadership structure (Chavis and Wandersman 1990).

Research has noted that people are more likely to participate in a community prevention effort when they:

• Feel that they belong to the community;


• Share similar values and goals with the community;


• Feel that they can influence the community;


• Share an emotional or spiritual connection with others in the community that has developed through a history of working together for common goals or some significant shared event (McMillan and Chavis 1986).