Understanding Community Development - Coursework Example

Table of Contents Particulars Page No. 1.0 Introduction 2 2.0 Understanding Community Development 3 3.0 Community plus Development 3 4.0 Principles of Community Development 4 5.0 Limited Use of Manuals for Community Development 5 6.0 Conclusion 7 7.0 References 8 1.0 Introduction This report has been designed in a comprehensive manner to enable readers with a complete understanding of the concept of community development and why are “How To” manuals or cookbooks are of limited value for those who are engaged in community development. The report initially focus on the concept of community development along with its associated principles with a brief and clear understanding of the community development process so as to ensure that readers are well acquainted to the topic. The report than moves to provide a discussion of why are how to manuals of limited value for those engaged in community development by focusing on academic literature available and considering issues and factors such as community context, community workers, principles of community development and other factors. Finally a conclusion is provided to ensure that the readers are not just equipped with theoretical but practical understanding of the entire topic under study. 2.0 Understanding Community Development Community Development has been in limelight since long time. It is a continuous process where different members of a community come together to ensure a collective action and ensure generation of a common solution to problems concerning a community at large. Community wellbeing (Economic, Social, Cultural and Environmental) factors evolve as a result of actions taken in the process of community development further community development may range from a small initiatives within a group to large initiatives involved in the broader community perspective. Community Development is a complete process targeting to strengthen civil society by prioritizing the actions of communities and their differing perspectives in the development of social, economic, cultural and environmental policies. For a better understanding let us look at the meaning and concept of different words forming “Community Development”. 3.0 Community plus Development Community Development combines with ideas of two distinct terms “Community” and “Development”. The concept of community makes it clear that it is a group of people from the same community or may be differing community who share a common identity. Hence community development relies on the joint activity of people interaction and not on individual activities which in sociological terms can be viewed as a “Collective Agency” (Harley, Stebnicki & Rollins, 2000). “Development” on the other hand is the continuous efforts which increase choices. In clear sense it means new options, diversification, anticipating dynamic environmental changes and finding solutions in a manner differently from apparent solutions to specific community problems. Development focuses on change, vitality and improvement where efforts are directed to ensure enhancement and improvement in participation, equity, functions and attitudes towards quality of better life. It leads to a net addition in the improvement of community where a job created in one place is a result of job lost in sum where else is eliminated. Thus putting both the terms together community development means a continuous effort where a group of people are actively engaged in a process aimed to improve and enhance the social, cultural, economic and environmental factors dominating the growth and development of a community. Now let us look at the rules or the principles of Community Development to ensure a deeper understanding of the concept. 4.0 Principles of Community Development There are no defined principles or recipe for the process of community development. However there are few set of key elements or principles which may be regarded as the major policies or principles for the development of community which are listed as under (Ife, 2006) It is better to start from the rural people as the existing situation and condition of people are the starting point for community development. Community development is more focused toward the common solution to existing concern of the community where the motivation, belief and commitment of people act as driving forces for community development. Inclusiveness plays an important role as all people in differing opportunity shall be given equal opportunity to come up with common solutions to specific problems concerning community. A holistic approach is essential for ensuring a strong building of economic, social, cultural, human and environmental aspects governing a community. Changed attitudes and networks are of prime importance along with reframing so as to help community members redefine their problems and find solutions to the same. Success should be recognized and activities should aim towards social motives. Not all activities are always directed towards development of the community. Thus we see the principles itself makes a clear identification of the concept and understanding of community development along with how the same is important for ensuring a better life. Now let us have a look at the different aspect to the topic by focusing on why and how to manuals or cookbooks are of limited use to those engaged in the process of community development by considering important relevant factors which are crucial for community development 5.0 Limited use of Manuals for Community Development People It is to be understood in clear and strict sense that there are no shortcuts for community development. Often when we have a glance at the resource guides for developing any action or initiative for the development of community, the guide is much inclined towards providing a cookbook method. That is the manuals provide a guide of clear and straight forward instructions of when and how to proceed which in real or practical sense does not matches with the problem or situation concerned proving itself of limited use for those who are engaged in the process of community development (Edelman, 2000). However, it is to be noted that this cookbooks or manuals can prove to be excellent source of new ideas and perspectives, but one can certainly not learn much of community skills alone by reading them alone from a text or manual. Manuals or cookbooks of community development further assumes or ascertains that the work process or the work flow occurs in an ordered and sequential manner where each individual task is completed and communicated in a linear fashion. However, when it comes to reality the community work is much more dynamic and requires real time judgement and actions to be performed which depends on varying situation and which in no sense can be written or texted in any manual making it again of limited use for those who are engaged in the community development. Furthermore, it is better to be unexpected and workers of community development in no sense should worry or look to find solutions in a linear fashion as described and explained in the manuals or cookbooks of community development. Furthermore, it is to be noted that every community and its community workers are different. Although the ideas with similar solutions can be transferred into other specific situations and community, however it is the unique identity of the community workers which shapes the experience and help in finding a concrete solution to a specific concern towards community development. It is useless to expect a project concerning any community to turn out the same as provided or texted in the manuals which again proves the limited use of manuals or cookbooks of community development for its workers (Craig, 2002). An expectation of a project concerning community development to be shaped or performed as per the cookbooks or manuals may further limit the possibilities to not allow the project to have its own distinct and unique identity and ensure take away from important work which could have been done or worked upon. The principles guiding for the process of community development are itself demonstrated or structured in an un-dynamic manner which is developed in a manner to provide quick tools for specific problems which again is not the case in reality. The principles are further over read with too much emphasized by the community workers making it more stringent and un- realistic in differing situations. Principles are set of rules which need to be altered or changed with dynamic situations however it is not in case of manuals or cookbooks of community development making it of limited use to those concerns with community development. Appropriate changes and guidelines can be much effective in nature than relying upon fixed, static and un-relevant principles guiding the concept of community development framework. Thus we see that the above discussion clearly makes a point to ensure that the readers understand the concept of how manuals or cookbooks of community development are of limited use to those engaged in process of community development. 6.0 Conclusion This report has been developed to provide readers with a clear understanding of the concept of community development. The report provides that community development is not an individual identity but a group work which looks for bringing a common solution to a specific community problem by focusing on economic, social, cultural, human and environmental aspects. Furthermore the report provides a clear discussion of why how to manuals or cookbooks of community development are of limited use for the community workers as the same are more of text or guidelines which are static and cannot in any sense be same with realistic concerns or solutions. In a nutshell, the report looks to provide both theoretical and practical understanding of the entire topic under study. 7.0 References Craig, G. (2002). Towards the measurement of empowerment: the evaluation of community development. Journal of the Community Development Society 33 (1), 236-245 Edelman, I. (2000). Evaluation and Community-Based Initiatives. Journal of Social Policy, 31 (2), 13 Harley, D., Stebnicki, M. Rollins, C. (2000). Applying empowerment evaluation as a tool for self-improvement and community development with culturally diverse populations. Journal of the Community Development Society 31 (2), 348 Ife, J. (2006). Community Development: community-based alternatives in an age of globalisation, 3rd Edition, Pearson Education: Frenchs Forest, NSW. Read More