what is community development course all about

by Thelma Glover 8 min read

This interdisciplinary course analyzes principles and practices of community change and development, beginning with definitions of community and the role of communities in social and economic change.

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What are the models of community development?

Six Models of Development

  • 1. ...
  • 2. ...
  • (3) Socialist/Marxist Model of Development: The Socialist model of development is a general model in which several socialist thinkers advocate several different views about development goals and means. ...

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What is considered community development?

Why should you identify community assets?

  • They can be used as a foundation for community improvement.
  • External resources (e.g., federal and state money) or grants may not be available. ...
  • Identifying and mobilizing community assets enables community residents to gain control over their lives.

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What is a Masters in community development?

What Can I do With a Degree in Community Development?

  • Community Development Organizations (Portland Area)
  • Community Development Organizations (National/International)
  • Additional Community Development-Related Resources
  • List of Employers and Job Titles Developed from Job Postings in Handshake for Community Development Majors
  • Professional Associations

What is community development training?

Three important elements were identified:

  • a concern with social and economic development.
  • the fostering and capacity of local co-operation and self-help.
  • the use of expertise and methods drawn from outside the local community.

What is the main purpose of community development?

Community development seeks to empower individuals and groups of people with the skills they need to effect change within their communities. The main purpose of the community development is to aware the people and build their capacities for the enhancement and improvement their communities.

Why is it important to learn about community development?

Community development is important because it provides the foundation a city builds off of to improve the lives of its citizens. It creates strong, diverse communities that are able to attract and keep talent, start and grow businesses, and overcome issues that arise.

What is the study of community development?

Community development is a holistic approach grounded in principles of empowerment, human rights, inclusion, social justice, self-determination and collective action (Kenny, 2007). Community development considers community members to be experts in their lives and communities, and values community knowledge and wisdom.

What does social work and community development course entails?

Course Details Graduates will be able to apply social sciences, such as sociology, psychology, political science, public health, community development, law, and economics, to engage with various stakeholders in order to develop interventions that solve social and personal problems; and create social change.

What does a community development worker do?

Community development workers help individuals, families or whole communities to bring about social change and improve the quality of life in their local area. They act as the link between communities and a range of other local authority and voluntary sector providers, such as the police, social workers and teachers.

What can I do with a degree in community development in South Africa?

407 Community Development Jobs in South Africa (19 new)Program Coordinator (Community Management) - McKinsey Forward Program. ... Assistant Consultant. ... Family and Community Worker x2. ... Communication Officer: TB Programme. ... ED and BEE Manager. ... Executive & Wellness Coaches. ... Executive & Wellness Coaches. ... Executive & Wellness Coaches.More items...

Where can I work with diploma in community development?

diploma in community development Jobs in KenyaCommunity Representative at Poa Internet. ... Community Representative at Poa Internet. ... Community Health Outreach Volunteers at Peace Corps Kenya. ... Community Health Outreach Volunteers at Peace Corps Kenya. ... Community Liaison Strategist at Gold Star Kenya. ... Download the app.More items...

What can I do with diploma in community development?

Professionals currently working in relevant occupations and who wish to acquire knowledge and skills in community development.Social workers.Community development specialists.Counselors.Project Managers.Policy Makers.Self-employment.

How long is community development course?

This programme takes three years and by the end of this course, the trainee should be able to: Understand various intervention measures in solving social problems in a society. Use local resources to empower the societies in order to become self reliance.

What are some examples of community development?

Neighbourhood and Community Centre Coordinators have described community development as:planning services.servicing self help groups.running support and social action groups.building community networks.participating in inter-agency meetings.undertaking needs assessment.increasing people's skills.More items...

How long does it take to study social work and community development?

Course duration: 2 Years. Course duration: 2 years. Admission requirements: KCSE D(Plain).

What is the difference between social work and community development?

Social work is defined here as professional intervention to address situ- ations of personal distress and crisis by shaping and changing the social environment in which people live. Community development is defined here as the employment of community structures to address social needs and empower groups of people.

What is community development?

Community development is a process where people come together to take action on what's important to them. At its heart, community development is rooted in the belief that all people should have access to health, wellbeing, wealth, justice and opportunity. New!

What is empowerment in the community?

Empowerment - people should be able to control and use their own assets and means to influence. Collective action - coming together in groups or organisations strengthens peoples’ voices. Working and learning together - collaboration and sharing experiences is vital to good community activity. See our work ➜.

What is community development?

Community development is a process where community members are supported by agencies to identify and take collective action on issues which are important to them. Community development empowers community members and creates stronger and more connected communities. Community development is a holistic approach grounded in principles of empowerment, ...

When is community development appropriate?

Community development may be particularly appropriate: to address social and community issues: Community development is a good approach when you are trying to create change at a community or neighbourhood level.

What is ABCD Institute?

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) Institute. (link is external) – based at the Northwestern University in Illinois, the ABCD Institute has a range of resources and shares news updates about ABCD initiatives. Borderlands Institute of Community Development.

How does community development benefit children?

Children and families directly involved in community development initiatives may benefit from increases in skills, knowledge, empowerment and self-efficacy, and experience enhanced social inclusion and community connectedness (Kenny, 2007).

What is community in a community?

Community: A community is often a geographical area; for example, a local government region or a particular town. Community can also be defined based on shared interests, identity or characteristics (e.g., a particular cultural and linguistically diverse community or the LGBTIQ community). Community in a community development sense refers to the citizens of the area, and does not usually refer to service providers or organisations.

What is an ABCD?

Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD): ABCD is a version of community development that begins the development process by identifying and building on a community’s “assets” rather than needs.

What is community participation?

Participation: In community development, participation refers to the full involvement and leadership of community members in planning, developing, delivering and evaluating community actions or initiatives.

What is CLD in education?

CLD is a field of professional practice that enables people to identify their own individual and collective goals, to engage in learning and take action to bring about change for themselves and their communities. CLD uses a range of formal and informal methods of learning and social development with individuals ...

What is CLD process?

“CLD as a process engages with people in communities around their issues and concerns and encourages both personal and community development .”#N#“CLD treats people as the experts in their own lives and trusts them to come up with solutions to the issues they face.”#N#“CLD is where I see a constant commitment to social justice.”

How does community development work?

Since community development is a process that can get rather complicated based on the circumstances, planning and preparation are key principles necessary for it to work. The instigators of community development need to be able to take a look at what they want to do and how they want to do it. It's not an easy task to enact widespread changes, so careful consideration and preparation are required to make sure that all needs are being addressed and that there are legitimate reasons behind the actions being taken. The process is a long one, and there's often quite a bit that needs to be done in order to accomplish a single goal.

What are the basic principles of community development?

Basic Fundamentals and Principles Of Community Development. For every concept, theory, or method, there are certain basic fundamentals that determine its very nature. These facets are referred to as principles and they act as the key identifiers for a concept down to its simplest state. They are similar to the materials ...

What is character in a community?

The character-the overall sense of a place-of a community is typically set and introduced through the appearance of the community.3 It's an ingrained habit-or an instinct, in some instances-for people to judge or come to a conclusion about something based on a quick observation. A community will have a positive or a negative association attached ...

Why is awareness important in community development?

Awareness is a key principle of community development because it allows communities to identify things like resources and needs within their own space. A potential issue that's causing harm to a community and/or its members isn't going to have a giant sign saying "FIX THIS!". with an arrow pointing at it.

What is inclusion in a community?

From a social or community-based perspective, inclusion is best defined as actions taken to make sure that everyone is equally valued and has equal access to resources.4 It's basically a way to put everyone in a community on a level playing field, regardless of what it is that makes them different from their peers.

Is community development a single person?

Like its name suggests, community development isn't really something that is done on an individual level or by a single person. In order for it to actually accomplish something, the members of the community itself need to get involved and work together.

Why is community development important?

It is important to identify pre-existing skills, structures, partnerships and resources and work with, and respect these. In addition, programs that are integrated into existing structures and processes are more likely to be sustained.

What is context in community development?

Context refers to the range of physical, economic, political, organisational and cultural environments within which a program sits. Context can have a negative or positive impact on a program and is ever changing. Community development practitioners need to be aware of the current context and be ready to respond to changes in context.

What is the ABCD model?

The ABCD is a well developed concept and approach to community development that has been put into practice extensively in the United States. ABCD is a community development tool that focuses on identifying and using the assets, talents and strengths in the community rather than emphasising the problems, needs and deficits. Focusing on the positive assets will help build the community, giving residents hope and a positive vision for themselves.

What is workforce development?

Workforce development is a process initiated within organisations and communities in response to the identified strategic priorities to ensure that people have the abilities and commitment to contribute to organisational and community goals.

What is organizational development?

Organisational development is about ensuring that structures, systems, policies, procedures and practices of an organisation reflect its purpose, role, values and objectives and ensure that change is managed effectively. Building capacity of an organisation to improve health is a complex task.

What is Cassowary Coast Regional Council?

By bringing together Jumbun elders, children and parents, Cassowary Coast Regional Council has helped the people of Murray Upper, record and document their cultural craft and knowledge in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Yasi.

Who can register?

Applicants may only register once they have received confirmation from Unisa that their application for admission has been accepted. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification. Admission to the alternative qualification is not automatic.

How to choose your modules

Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.

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The Colonial Legacy

  • The notion of community development owes a great deal to the efforts of colonial administrators. After the Second World War the British Colonial Office became concerned with ‘community development’. Mayo (1975: 130) suggests that administrators ‘concocted’ the term out of their attempts to develop ‘basic education’ and social welfare in the UK colonies. For example, a 194…
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The Move Away from Education

  • To make sense of the notion of community development it is helpful to situate it alongside other strands of community work practice. Here it is useful to consider Thomas’ (1993) discussion of the five main strands or approaches that characterized community work in the early 1980s. He talked about: Community Action.Community action was seen as focusing on the organisation o…
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Capacity Building

  • Some of the classic concerns of community development found expression in the early 1990s in the notion of ‘capacity building’. There was an interest in developing the ability of local groups and networks to function and to contribute to social and economic development. On the whole, though, the idea of capacity building often remained associated w...
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Community Participation and Debates Around Social Capital

  • In the late 1960s there was some exploration of different models of participation and their relationship to community development. Since then concern around popular and community participation in key agencies such as the United Nations (see community participation) has been part of the discourse of community development. As Midgley et al (1986: 23) have noted, the not…
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Reappraising Community Development

  • With moves in Scotland, for example, from community education to community learning and development, and continuing debates around the notion of community development, there have been some interesting changes in the way the notion is being approached in some key quarters. One of the significant aspects of this has been the resurfacing of education – in particular infor…
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Conclusion

  • Along with Thomas and others we argue here that there is some merit in restricting the notion of community development to those approaches that focus on the cultivation of local democracy, mutual aid, local networks and communal coherence. Economic development and the quality and appropriateness of state and other services may well form a part of this attention – but are not t…
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Further Reading and References

  • Batten, T. R. (1957) Communities and their Development. An introductory study with special reference to the Tropics, London: Oxford University Press. Chapters on: Trends in community development; Agencies and communities; Some principles of agency work; Directing change; Aiding community projects; Projects in disorganized communities; Building community; The sch…
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Other References

  • Barr, A. (1991) Practising Community Development. Experience in Strathclyde, London: Community development Foundation. Barr, A., Hamilton, R. and Purcell, R. (1996) Learning for Change. Community education and Community Development, London: Community Development Foundation.Beetham, D. (1992) ‘Liberal democracy and the limits of democratization’ in D. Held (…
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Outcomes of Community Development

What Is Not Community Development?

Community-Based Work and Community Development Work

When to Use Community Development

Who Can Do Community Development?

What Is The Role of A Community Development Practitioner?

  • The key role of community development practitioner is to resource and empower the community (Kenny, 2007). This is done through a broad range of actions and activities that change depending on the context. Community development practitioners support community members through the provision of information needed to identify issues and plan actions. T...
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Difference Between Community Development and Other Approaches

Key Terms

Further Reading and Resources

References