Building Trust in Slow Community Change Projects

If you work with ethnocultural communities, and you want to explore sensitive topics, it is doable. I have talked about topics that range from what I would consider "comfortable" - such as resilience and healthier aging to "extremely uncomfortable" - such as mental health, violence, and abuse. One of the first and most important steps before you do that is to develop and gain their trust. There is no sustainability in what we do, no matter how important it is, without earning the trust of the people we serve and support. How do you do that? Well, this was my approach when I began my work on older adult mistreatment (elder abuse): 1. Identify and map out the community organisations in your area/city that meet the requirements of your services/support/project. 2. Reach out to community/cultural/spiritual leaders of those communities - ideally with an email and then a face-to-face meeting (introduce yourself and be transparent in what your ask is, but also suggest that you would like to know how you/your organisation can be of benefit to the community). 3. Ask to be invited to community events or gatherings as a gentle entry into the community, and so they can familiarise themselves with you. 4. Remember - it's about the community, their needs, and voices. 5. You may need to do these community event visits several times to earn and develop trust (trustworthiness is also a pillar of trauma-informed care). 6. Once trust is earned, and you have been able to engage the community in conversations around their needs, you can address your ask and adapt it to the community and the concerns they share with you. This sort of community engagement will also bring with it benefits and growth, plus, if you're in the field of social support and community engagement and advocacy, you know how important these steps are. Trust first. Your ask comes later.

I walked into a room full of frustration. The project was off track, the budget was bleeding, and trust had worn thin. As the new project manager, I had 30 days to rebuild what was broken not just the plan, but the relationships. 💡 Here’s the exact trust-building strategy I used to shift the momentum one conversation, one quick win, and one honest update at a time. ▶ Day 1–5: I started with ears, not answers. 🎧 Active Listening & Empathy Sessions I sat down with stakeholders one by one, department by department. No slides. No status updates. Just questions, empathy, and silence when needed. 💬 I didn’t try to fix anything. I just listened and documented everything they shared. Why it worked: They finally felt heard. That alone opened more doors than any roadmap ever could. ▶ Day 6–10: I called out the elephant in the room. 🔍 Honest Assessment & Transparent Communication I reviewed everything timelines, budgets, blockers, and team dynamics. By day 10, I sent out a clear, no-spin summary of the real issues we were facing. Why it worked: I didn’t sugarcoat it but I didn’t dwell in blame either. Clarity brought calm. Transparency brought trust. ▶ Day 11–15: I delivered results fast. ⚡ Quick Wins & Early Action We fixed a minor automation glitch that had frustrated a key stakeholder for months. It wasn’t massive, but it mattered. Why it worked: One small win → renewed hope → stakeholders leaning in again. ▶ Day 16–20: I gave them a rhythm. 📢 Clear Communication Channels & Cadence We set up weekly pulse updates, real-time dashboards, and clear points of contact. No more guessing who’s doing what, or when. Why it worked: Consistency replaced confusion. The team knew what to expect and when. ▶ Day 21–25: I invited them to the table. 🤝 Collaborative Problem-Solving Instead of pushing fixes, I hosted solution workshops. We mapped risks, brainstormed priorities, and made decisions together. Why it worked: Involvement turned critics into co-owners. People support what they help build. ▶ Day 26–30: I grounded us in reality. 📅 Realistic Expectations & Clear Next Steps No overpromising. I laid out a realistic path forward timelines, budgets, trade-offs, and all. I closed the month by outlining what we’d tackle next together. Why it worked: Honesty created stability. A shared plan gave them control. 💬 In 30 days, we hadn’t fixed everything but we had built something more valuable: trust. And from trust, everything else became possible. Follow Shraddha Sahu for more insights

24 May 2016. I made a move to the social sector after 27 years of corporate life. After managing a 1,500 crore business with thousands of employees, shifting focus to a non- profit rural initiative at a seemingly small scale raised many questions – internally and from my peers. But I am grateful to our co-founders Ronnie and Zarina who supported me as I navigated a new landscape – literally and figuratively. I visited Swades villages in Raigad and experienced first-hand, the transformation of our rural communities and the promise they hold when empowered with the right tools. Reflecting on these fabulous 8 years, here are some of my biggest learnings: 1. Earn community’s trust: Community, is the strongest catalyst to create sustainable social change. It is imperative that we earn their trust - through conversations, community-building exercises and above all, patience. The Village Development Committee that plays the eyes and ears of Swades on ground is an excellent example of how a supportive and aspirational community drives change. 2. Build team confidence: Understand the motivations, strengths and challenges of your key stakeholders and teams. Invest in building 3 Ps – process, people and performance. Engaging meaningfully with the team by way of town halls, competitions, recognitions goes a long way in creating a transparent and inclusive environment where one can leverage every insight (especially of those on ground) that’ll help collectively chase a common goal. 3. Share learnings to create replicable models: Social sector unlike corporate sector thrives on collaboration, not competition. There is excellent work happening the world over in the social sector and with regard to government initiatives. So expand your peer networks, indulge in knowledge sharing with corporate CSRs, other NGOs, governments, academicians. Swades model is a combination of some of the brightest ideas adopted from other institutions – for one, BRAC (Bangladesh) that is one of the few to adopt a holistic model of change.   4. Adopt a climate lens: At the outset include ways to make the model green – with renewable energy, local resources, mindful use of resources. The Swades toilet with compost pits, community-led water conservation efforts, solar-powered water / lighting programs are fine examples of how social change can be environmentally conscious. 5. All Hands (Head and Heart) on deck: Measuring social impact is not the same as measuring profits. Considering the human aspect of the effort is crucial to creating a compassionate model where the team, community and all other stake holders can work seamlessly and contribute most effectively. Hope you will find these useful. Ronnie Screwvala Swades Foundation

🗣 What if trust was the starting point—not an afterthought? Too often, systems rush to ask for parent input without doing the hard work of building genuine trust. But trust is the foundation of transformation. Without it, co-design is just a performance. Families impacted by child welfare have experienced deep harm—from being surveilled, blamed, and separated. If we want to work together to "UnSystem the System" and allow for healing instead, we must start by building relationships that are safe, consistent, and rooted in respect. Here's what that looks like: 1) Show up with consistency: Trust isn’t built in a single listening session. It takes time, follow-through, and a willingness to return even when the conversations are hard. 2) Listen without fixing: Many parents have never had the chance to speak their truth without judgment or interruption. Let them lead. Hear their stories. 3) Center humility: It’s not about proving your commitment. It’s about honoring their experience. Be open to learning, being wrong, and trying again. At Alia, we’ve seen how the deepest innovation starts with the simplest act: showing up with openness and care. When parents feel safe, seen, and valued, the door to true collaboration opens. What have YOU learned about building trust across power differences? Let’s rethink this together. PS: This post is part of my series on reimagining child welfare. Follow along as we explore what it takes to build systems that heal. #ChildWelfareReform #UnSystem #LivedExpertise #TrustBuilding #FamilyVoice

I used to think creating community health change was as simple as writing a solid policy, presenting strong data, and launching a well-designed program. I was wrong. We have entered communities with research-backed strategies and the best intentions only to be met with silence, resistance, or polite disengagement. We have the evidence and the framework, but we didn’t have their trust, which doesn’t come from statistics. It comes from sitting with people, listening without agenda, and allowing their lived experiences to shape the process. We sometimes show up with answers before even asking the right questions. Next time 
✅ If you want lasting change, start with listening.
✅ Build programs with communities, not just for them.
✅ Trust is built in conversation, not in spreadsheets. People don’t want to be told what’s best for them. They want to be heard, respected, and included. That’s how real public health impact happens, and we move from talk to transformation. Let’s stop designing public health around systems and start designing it around people. What’s one change you wish your community could make to make health services more accessible and inclusive? Are you ready to move from talk to action? Let’s connect. #DrSumayya #thepublichealthmuse #communityfirst #publichealthadvocate #Inclusivehealth