Breaking down silos between community- based organizations: Coalition development

This chapter explores how community-based organizations broke down silos to work together and to form the South Tucson Prevention Coalition (STPC), whose goals were to prevent and decrease underage drinking in the City of South Tucson. Through the development of the STPC, distinct community groups were brought together toward a common cause. This led to significant changes in the way that community agencies and leaders saw their role within the larger community. It also involved organized collective efforts from numerous community members. This included long-term relationship- and trust building with a university researcher, sharing of resources by community agencies, the initiation of a shared funding source through a community-focused grant, and the dedication of all parties to the betterment of youth and the community at large. To understand the processes behind the events, we bring stories from leaders of the community-based organizations House of Neighborly Services (HNS) and the John Valenzuela Youth Center (JVYC). We explore how these organizations evolved from operating as independent silos to community partners. Through their stories, they demonstrate how critical consciousness contributed to the important breaking down of these silos so that they could work together toward a common cause.