What is Community Development?
Community Development is
an activity composed of both a task and a process. The task is to
achieve positive change, linked to equality and social
justice. The process is the application of the principles of
engagement, participation, empowerment and collective
decision-making in a structured and coordinated way.
The key purpose of Community Development is to work
cooperatively, to bring about community change and equality, by
working with communities to:
· identify their
needs, opportunities, rights and responsibilities
· plan, organise and
take action
· evaluate the
effectiveness and impact of the action
............all in ways which
challenge oppressions and tackle inequalities.
‘Communities’ can be defined geographically and/or by
interest.
Community Development starts from the basis that within any
community there is a wealth of knowledge and experience which, if
used in creative ways, results in high levels of participation and
can be channelled into collective action to achieve the
communities' desired goals.
Community Development Workers operate alongside people in
communities, build relationships with key people and organisations
to facilitate the identification of common concerns, and help build
cooperation. By enabling people to act together, Community
Development Workers help to foster community cohesion and equality.
Community Development in Tamworth is delivered in line with
national values and principles and the Community Development Team
are involved in a variety of initiatives at the heart of Local
Strategic Partnership activity within designated
neighbourhoods.
Community Development
Workers, along with other professionals are based directly in a
locality alongside a community; the aim is to provide professional
engagement without “doing unto” people. It is always
preferable that the community shares ownership of activity, which
develops pride and responsibility, rather than imposing any
conclusion on community members about what they should do. This
will rarely achieve long-term, useful, meaningful goals and almost
always leads to communities feeling like they are being pushed
around. This then creates a perception that things are being done
solely to appease others, rather than the community being empowered
to contribute to decisions about what is needed and to contributing
to finding and delivering solutions, based on informed local
knowledge.
The outcome of effective community engagement
and involvement should aim to create a individual and passionate
drive from the community, which in turn leads to stronger and more
sustainable communities.
Community Development -
Overview
Vision
Our vision is of
strong, inclusive and connected communities that are not only
sustainable but are actively participating in realising their own
potential, supported by effective Community Development
practice.
Why does Community Development exist
as a Service?
· To
engage, empower and involve residents of
identified communities in positive
activities
· To
build ongoing relationships within disadvantaged communities
· To
be in place within communities over the long-term
· To
provide skilled support to building positive relationships with
residents
· To
explore issues with local people & partners, to identify local
priorities
· To
lead partnerships in effective engagement & empowerment of
individuals and
communities,
utilising acknowledged CD best practice
· To
identify gaps around service, skills, capacity or confidence &
facilitate activities
aimed at filling
these gaps
· To
negotiate local links to deliver projects & activities to
address local issues
· To
co-ordinate engagement & Capacity Building activities within
identified
communities
· To
provide a Community Development contribution to aid response to
externa
l pressure
e.g. Duty to Involve, Empowerment White Paper
The Community Development Team is
based within the Community & Environment Directorate, in the
Partnerships and Community Development Dept.