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The Working Waterfront . february / march 2024
Collaboration buoys Downeast communities Cobscook Institute, Caring Collaborative maximize impact
CCC’s executive director, Charley Martin-Berry, says “the ith 180 miles of seacoast and less than mission hasn’t changed a whole 13 people per square mile of land, lot” in the ensuing 17 years, but Washington County’s assets and “the priority populations did challenges are entwined with its geography. Fishing intentionally change. We care and other natural resource-based activities are about the lifespan. And who essential to the economy, which is deeply affected by is at the table has evolved. It’s expanded to include more adultthe vicissitudes of weather and a changing climate. And relationships—person to person and organiza- serving agencies. “In Washington County, tion to organization—are vitally important to ensuring collaboration is the name of the people here can thrive economically and socially. Cobscook Institute and The Community Caring game. It’s bad form if you’re not Martin-Berry Collaborative are two Washington County nonprofits collaborating,” that center their work on social connection and collab- says. “It’s what we do to improve oration. They have very different missions yet share a outcomes. If our partners are commitment to enhancing quality of life in the region succeeding in their missions, Charley Martin-Berry, the Community Caring Collaborative’s executive director. we’re succeeding in ours.” by building relationships that help get things done. PHOTO: LESLIE BOWMAN Prior to the CCC, there was “I think it’s fair to say that communities that are rural have some unique challenges,” says Kara fierce competition for resources McCrimmon, one of Cobscook Institute’s three among service providers in County. Deb co-directors. Among the challenges she describes are Washington geographic isolation, fewer options for jobs and social Burwell of Paddling the Rapids, engagement, having to go further for services, fewer who works with organizamental health providers, and limited access to food tions throughout the Downeast and transportation. Addressing these issues, she says, region, notes that when funds potentially become available in requires “a slow, steady building of relationships.” Cobscook Institute (formerly Cobscook Community an area where resources have Learning Center), located in the coastal town of not been plentiful, there can be Trescott, began as a community development initia- a “piranha-like” response. The tive based on educational models such as the Danish CCC has fostered a more producfolk school, where people of all ages learn together and tive approach, with what Burwell describes as “a deep devotion support each other. “When Cobscook was founded in 1999, it was to nurturing collaboration, the people who came together and sat in a circle and ethic of sharing what people asked what we could do,” says McCrimmon. One of have” and a recognition that the to-dos was based on a request from a student who “none of us can do this alone. It’s Shaun Haskins, left, and Kara McCrimmon serve as co-directors of the Cobscook asked, “Could this new thing have a way a pregnant too complicated.” Institute. PHOTO: LESLIE BOWMAN Like Cobscook Institute, the teen can do high school?” In response, in its sixth year Cobscook began offering a public four-year CCC works at maintaining through what high school program in partnership with Calais High connections describes as School. Cobscook’s high school incorporates outdoor Martin-Berry activities, skill-building, and hands-on learning on “formal, ongoing convenings.” “Convening is so central to the Institute’s own campus. Cobscook’s other programs include cross-gener- what we do. It’s in the air we ational educational and cultural opportunities in breathe. That’s the space where everything from writing to birding and pottery- partners can come together.” The CCC Council, made up of making to leadership development. “Mingling among generations yields huge benefits,” CCC staff and directors of many says Shaun Haskins, another of Cobscook’s co-direc- of the partner agencies, meets tors. “It gives kids anchors in their broader communi- monthly to share information, ties.” This is especially important in a region with an support each other’s work, and increasing percentage of older people. “Where kids align mutual goals. The Work don’t feel valued or feel like they have opportunities, Group, which includes direct service workers and people they leave,” Haskins says. Cobscook’s programming has evolved based on what they serve, also meets monthly people say they would like to do or learn or teach. But to ensure that the CCC and soliciting meaningful input is not a one-time task. “It other agencies are responsive to Kara McCrimmon, one of the Cobscook Institute’s three co-directors. PHOTO: LESLIE BOWMAN means inviting people to share their ideas about what’s current needs. The synthesis happening here, and what’s of organizaneeded, again and again and tional and individual collaboration barriers too,” says Martin-Berry. “They understand the again,” says McCrimmon. is embodied by the Neighbor Group, barriers. It means so much for them to give back.” Achieving that is an ongoing which has been meeting every other practice and perhaps an everNew initiatives have arisen from the Neighbor “ In Washington County, Friday since 2015. Although it is Group’s input, and Martin-Berry calls the particichanging practice. collaboration is the name supported by the CCC’s offering of pants “the architects of those programs.” Machias-based The meeting space, food, and gas cards, Community Caring Central to the success the convenings and collaboof the game. It’s bad form it is comprised of nonprofessionals rations, Collaborative (CCC), with says Martin-Berry, are authentic relationships and was instigated by a community more than 45 organizational built on trust and a willingness to be vulnerable. Or as if you’re not collaborating.” member in response to a 2013 antipartners, approaches relationHaskins puts it, “Relationship-building is critical. We poverty workshop. It offers peer-to- kind of live or die based on the relationships we have, ship building at the macro and peer opportunities to help each other like anyone living in a rural community. Through micro levels. The CCC was and to get messages (such as, says repetition, the relationship grows.” founded in 2007 to address issues affecting at-risk infants, young children, and their Martin-Berry, “I can’t get a call back” or “I can’t get a job “I see something similar on islands,” says Burwell. families and to remove the barriers to collaboration because…”) to people who can effect systems change. “If it’s blowing a gale and you can’t get off-island, you “They have experienced a lot of stigma, and logistical have to depend on each other.” among the agencies that serve them. BY DORATHY MARTEL
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