In businesses, corporations, government and community work, “empowerment” is a buzzword. In the field of community wellbeing and social justice there is a constant emphasis voiced around the central need to empower people in order to bring about positive change – whether its women, first nations communities, young people, people with disabilities, or marginalised neighbourhoods. It feels like a commitment to empowerment is verbalised at every opportunity, yet I often feel as though you actually observe empowerment being practised in a consistent and effective way relatively rarely.
At COACH Network, we see empowerment as a profound, ongoing relational process grounded in the thinking, actions and interactions of everyday life, not a fleeting or abstract concept. Drawing from the insights of US sociologist Meredith Minkler, we understand empowerment as “a process where access to information and resources enables a person to gain control over their life.” This definition isn’t just academic; it’s the beginning stage of a very practical framework that has the potential to guide and inform every aspect of the way we related to people and support their growth.
Empowerment at COACH is recognised as a journey. It acknowledges that gaining knowledge and resources is just the starting point. The real magic happens as individuals start making decisions and taking actions that directly shape their life’s trajectory. This process isn’t linear or uniform; it varies greatly from person to person, emphasizing the necessity of a personalized approach in through relationships like mentoring.
When seeking to empower a person or group the first step is always to assess where they are in their personal journey through understanding their story or stories. What are their current strengths, capabilities and knowledge? What barriers do they face, and what resources are they lacking access to? Understanding these elements allows us to tailor our approach, ensuring that empowerment is not only a vague goal but a targeted path forward.
The power of I do, We do, You do…
To further outwork this tailored approach, COACH has developed the “Empowerment Grid,” a tool that helps a leader or mentor visualize and map out the empowerment journey. This grid is a practical application that breaks down the steps of empowerment into manageable actions aligned with a person or groups growing capabilities.
In the initial stages, when capacity and confidence might be low, the empowerment role is more hands-on. Role modelling and demonstrating tasks, explaining processes, and encouraging questions to build knowledge, understanding and confidence. As knowledge and confidence grow, the empowerment role shifts from doing to guiding. This transition is crucial as it supports the next stage of movement from learning to applying. The empowerment role and journey may well spend quite a length of time in this ‘doing together’ stage, with mini steps forward (and even sometimes back) as the person or group gradually and continually attempt and outwork the skill, task, or role they are being empowered into. The whole time the alongside nature of the ‘empowerer’ in this space gives security, encouragement, and continual access to information, resources and clarification along the way.
In the final stages, where we see that strong capability and confidence has been built, we step back, allowing the room for a person or group to perform tasks and lead activity independently. This phase is critical as it reinforces their autonomy and cements their confidence in their newly acquired skills, knowledge or leadership. The empowerment role becomes one of recognition and celebration of the person or groups achievements, affirming their journey from dependency or marginalisation to independence and leadership.
Celebrating Every Step
As partners through COACH network, we celebrate every step of this empowerment journey. We understand that each small step someone takes is part of a larger transformation—not just for the individual but for the community as a whole. By empowering one person, we are potentially uplifting entire families and communities, creating a ripple effect of positive change.
Empowerment, therefore, is not a one-time event but a dynamic and continuous process. It’s about building capacity, confidence, and independence, one step at a time. This is the heart of what we do across COACH Network, and why empowerment is a reality we live and breathe, not just a buzzword we use.
Remember, true empowerment is about enabling individuals to take control of their destinies, transforming their lives and their communities progressively and sustainably. We invite you to join us in this transformative journey as part of COACH Network, where we turn the ideal of empowerment into everyday reality.
Sam Hearn
National Director
COACH Network