Community development

Question 1

What is community development:

Answer 1

Community development is a structured intervention that gives communities greater control over the conditions that affect their lives.

Question 2

Aim of community development

Answer 2

Community development aims to address the issues of powerlessness and disadvantage, so it involves all members of society and empowers people as a part of a process of social change.

Question 3

Principals of community development

Answer 3

1. Sustainability- refers to the means of configuring communities and human activity so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while planning and acting for the ability to maintain these ideas in the long term.
2. Diversity- refers to the quality of being different
3. Human rights- refers to the basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled to
4. Social justice- historical inequities should be corrected, the redistribution of wealth, power and status.
5. Addressing disadvantages- is the responsibility of government, policy makers, treasury and the united nations
6. Valuing local knowledge, culture, skills and resources- promote and help people on how to use skills that will both develop and maintain their sustainability.

Question 4

Empowerment

Answer 4

refers to increasing the spiritual, political, social, or economic strength of individuals and communities. It often involves the empowered developing confidence in their own capacities. The more people are involved in decision making and action, the more empowered they feel and more motivated they are to remain involved.

Question 5

2 types of empowerment

Answer 5

1. Individual empowerment- the individual’s ability to make decisions and have control over their personal lives.
2. Community empowerment- individuals acting collectively to gain greater influence and control over the determinants of health and the quality of life in their community and is an important goal in community action of health.

Question 6

Factors influencing levels of participation by the community

Answer 6

1. Time pressure
2. Skills they can offer.
3. Accessibility
4. Experience
5. Type/ nature of the intervention

Question 7

Levels of participation

Answer 7

1. Information- informing people in the community what is planned. In this level the organizers of the intervention make all the decisions and carry out the intervention of the community. The community is not really involved, they are just informed about what is going on.
2. Consultation- the process of asking for feedback about the interventions planned. This is usually done by offering a number of options and listening to the feedback.
3. Deciding together- the intervention organizers work with people in the community to make the decision together about what will happen. This may be a form of a vote or a round table discussion.
4. Acting together- a set up on the participation ladder from deciding together is to carry out together. In this level the organizers and community would decide what to do together and then put the plan into action together
5. Supporting communities’ interest- the community conducts their own project or intervention themselves with the support of external providers.