How can you build trust when working with marginalized communities?

Be clear about your intentions. What are you goals and what do want to accomplish? Are you comfortable with being uncomfortable? Are you open to listening to those who challenge your perspectives? If not, then please don't engage as you aren't ready for this work. Remember that 'ally' is a verb and it's not a title you give yourself. It's one that has to be continuously earned through your actions. When working with marginalized communities understand they are not a monolith. They will have ideas and goals that differ from yours and that's okay. Do NOT center yourself into their narrative or act as if you know everything. Do NOT see yourself as a savior b/c you aren't. Do ONLY what is asked of you (if you even asked) and be open.

I'm part of a team organizing the "King's Table," an exclusive banquet celebrating guests from various marginalized groups. We extend love through a four-course gourmet dinner, entertainment, and meaningful conversations. Operating globally in Orange County-CA, Mexico City, France, and recently, Bangkok's Red Light District, we encountered a cultural shift. Planning with our Thai partners, we recognized the incongruence of our Western banquet format. Thais favored floor seating and buffet-style dining, aligning with the small village backgrounds of many attendees unfamiliar with Western cuisine. Adapting to this, we revised our program to respect their cultural preferences, prioritizing a genuine connection over imposing our customs.

For those espousing research as an addition to this post and failing to highlight Indigenous Research Methodologies relying solely on Western Research Methodologies you've missed a huge factor. Whilst this post refers to marginalised not specifically Indigenous many marginalised communities are Indigenous or have a large population that carry colonial load. We are sick of being researched through only a Western lens. I will also add co-design and co-management as extremely important processes.

Speaking to researchers trying to approach minority communities for clinical trial participation: 1) Don't go to the community as an expert; go as a student 2) Understand that minority communities are not homogenous, e.g., 'traditional' African-American, 'recent' Black immigrants, refugees, and more within the Black community. These sub-communities are similar in some respects but have significant cultural differences. 3) Engage in collective advocacy but tailored implementation. 4) Not all 'Black people' live in historically Black neighborhoods. In many cities, gentrification has dispersed the community. Rethink strategies for outreach. 5) Consult, involve, and collaborate with the community - don't just seek to inform the community. 6)..

You cannot build trust if you think you already know the answer. Trust takes an investment of time, an open mind, and a willingness to be vulnerable. Trust can be built through understanding one another, sharing food, stories, experiences and laughter. Do your homework, learn about the communities you are working with, their challenges and barriers - and don't make excuses for any of those. Trust involves looking at the other person's perspective, working with communities holistically, and not rushing into 'problem-solving mode'. Number one, remembering that no one has the answer - working together to identify needs and build appropriate solutions will build trust.

In my experience, sincere and open listening demonstrates care and humility: I am listening because I recognize that I do not everything there is to know about this subject, and I respect that another’s voice may bring new learning or information. We listen also to check our power, to recognize the impact that we may have in a particular space, and to create room for others.

Engaging in active listening unveils profound insights into a community's mores, values, traditions, challenges, and aspirations. It honors autonomy, nurturing trust and fostering respectful partnerships. Communities aren't passive; they actively shape their development as valued contributors and stakeholders.

Approach The Other with love. You may have a goal you are trying to achieve, but start by being humans together. Don’t just listen, engage ask questions, respond naturally.

I agree with the comments shared. In addition,consistency and reliability are important. Be consistent in your actions and follow through on commitments. Reliability builds trust over time!

What I have found helpful when working with people experiencing homelessness is to create the space for them to be the experts of their own experiences AND their needs. I have found that so often, the power differential between client and staff is driven by what the staff knows the client needs; in my experience and observations, this is where the relationship building breaks down. Listen to their stories, hear them when they tell you what they need, value their opinions and guide them toward the services they have chosen for themselves. As a service provider, I am a conduit to helping people meet their needs, I am not their parent or their boss.

I learned early in my faith formation the fundamental rule of treating others as you expect others to treat you. We must be the ones to live as examples of the world our hearts and souls desire. In community development, transparency is the most fundamental of all expectations. Transparency builds trust. For me, Transparency = Sharing. Sharing your funding focuses and communicating your expectations, all while sprinkling your understanding that some conversations will end in disappointment, are all elements of transparency. Stay true to yourself and treat others as you would like others to treat you!

Overcoming distrust and building a fresh foundation with marginalized communities is rooted fundamentally in listening and learning. Begin your efforts with understanding the unique context in which the community exists, and know that you might not be able to relate or feel relatable from their perspective. Acknowledge historical and systemic factors that may shape their experiences and their truth. The key is to actively listen to their voices, value their insights and validate their perspectives. Prioritize a two way dialogue that allows for reciprocal learning and be respectful of differing opinions. Transparency and accountability will play crucial roles. Demonstrate a genuine interest in their needs.

While working with marginalised and excluded communities, some simple steps might be helpful in building trust: 1. Ensure transparency through effective sharing of information across the stakeholders, including target community 2. Respect the culture and practices of specific community and use their language for communications 3. Feel free to share your accountability towards the cause and towards the society and delegate responsibilities with members of target communities

Be honest, truthful and keep your word. Do not promise more than you can deliver. Build a network and do your best to not overwhelm that network.

Es importante contar con un equipo en el que su mayoría sean miembros de la comunidad marginada para no imponer nuestra voluntad o una agenda ajena al conocimiento de los demás. Ser transparente, por lo tanto, implica darles herramientas para que puedan pensar y hacer guiados por sí mismos respetando sus valores, ética y visión ante los resultados que se deseen obtener.

Consistency is crucial in cultivating trust with marginalized communities. Showing up is important but showing up consistently establishes reliability, demonstrating that commitments are steadfast. Predictability reassures these communities, fostering a sense of security. Over time, consistent actions demonstrate accountability and genuine dedication to inclusivity. This reliability is a cornerstone for trust, essential for dismantling historical apprehensions. Consistency signals respect, acknowledging the significance of long-term relationships. In a world where marginalized communities often face systemic disparities, a consistent and dependable approach becomes critical for dismantling barriers and building lasting trust.

Nothing builds relationships like spending time with the community one serves. Indeed, as a former Peace Corps Volunteer, I fully appreciate why Peace Corps is a 27 month commitment. The first 3 months at a site, volunteers are meant only to observe and listen. The rest of a volunteer’s first year is spent cultivating community relationships. In their second year of service, more action to takes place because there is a sturdy foundation of trust between the volunteer and their community. More succinctly, building trust requires: 1) removing preconceived notions / coming in with an open mind 2) listening to the community members 3) spending time with the community throughout the process 4) supporting projects they are spearheading

Identify advocates and ambassadors that can help open doors. Please do not reinvent the wheel, there are a whole host of organisations and individuals that you could and should use to develop partnerships through. This approach also ensures rapid trust building and advocacy.

No none enters your house without knocking the door. Community entry techniques are critical for impactful engagement in development work. Theses include culturally sensitive approaches aimed at forging connections and nurturing relationships within communities. In my role as an HIV Peer Educator, I prioritized courtesy visits to each community's traditional leader. These visits were pivotal as they garnered the leader's endorsement, symbolizing approval and support. Subsequently, accompanied by a trusted member, often a linguist, I ventured into the community. This endorsement not only validated my presence but also facilitated trust-building and acceptance among community members.

Who determines “these marginal group/people”? By what or whose standards do they arrive at which group/people are marginalized? What is the difference between “marginalized group/people” and bigotry? Surely bigotry isn’t the basis to decide which groups of are marginalized or not. We are all “God’s People”! Only God can make that classification without prejudice and an open mind. Certainly man cannot make that distinction. What makes people different? Ethnicity? Age? Certainly not not the color of their skin, nor the language they speak.

As a professional in project management and diversity in African contexts, I have learned that having cultural sensitivity is crucial for success. It is important to gain a deep understanding of the local cultures, traditions, and social norms and to respect them in all interactions and projects. To be culturally sensitive, we should involve community members in decision-making processes and strive to understand their diverse needs, perspectives, and cultural contexts. We can achieve this by conducting focus groups and participatory action research. These methods help us gain a comprehensive understanding of culturally diverse perspectives and determine how we can take them into account, leading to more impactful and sustainable outcomes.

At the beginning of class I write down my student's hobbies, interests, favorite songs or books on a index card. I use the information to put them into groups for projects and to match student backgrounds to discussion topics.

It’s important to not have a one dimensional approach to diversity and inclusion. In order to truly respect diversity and inclusion, you must understand intersectionality. Interesectionality is the idea that systemic oppression must be understood through multiple identities. So, it’s important to understand both between group and within group diversity. Paying attention to how social identities like gender, race, social class, national origin, and religion produce cumulative forms of systemic impact is critical.

In my experience always include a feedback mechanism to ensure timely action that corresponds to dynamics at any time…..this minimizes surprises and keeps all stakeholders engaged.

All of these mentions are important. In addition to this, you should not allow individuals who participate in acts that do not uplift diversity to partner with you. Our nonprofit served in a collective with an anti-Black group. We attempted to educate the organization on how to support the Black community, and they did not want to listen and continued to not exemplify diversity and inclusion. Moving forward, we opted to no longer partner with this organization.

I have found the Yohlar Inclusive Innovation Framework a great methodology which includes the Toolset, Skillset and Mindset to enable and facilitate sticky, sustainable and successful change. Use the power of three in all engagement approaches - Communicate, Collaborate and make sure you Celebrate outcomes, outputs and impact.

Building trust with marginalized communities starts with genuinely listening to their needs and believing in their expertise about their own experiences. Far too often, strategies are formulated without their crucial input. Trust is fostered when we acknowledge that marginalized communities are the most knowledgeable about what they need. By empowering them to create solutions and providing the necessary resources for stabilization, we not only build trust but also pave the way for sustainable and effective change. It’s about partnership, respect, and recognizing the value of their voices.

I strongly caution against cultural appropriation as it undermines respectful and inclusive engagement with marginalized communities. This practice disregards their heritage, traditions, and beliefs, reducing them to commodities for external agendas. Embracing cultural appropriation perpetuates power imbalances, erodes trust, distorts community identity, and fosters a sense of exploitation, potentially harming marginalized groups.

Ensure community engagement and ownership. If the community is engaged enough in all the project phases on different levels, the sense of ownership will be strongly instilled within. The sense of wonders hip will definitely be a great success factor for any intervention/ project within marginalized communities.

Conduct public outreach where people live, work, and congregate. Don't expect them to come to you. Take advantage of new technological advances and techiques to make it easier for the public to participate.