Mod 4 Flashcards
process through which communities are helped to identify common problems or goals, mobilize resources, and in other ways develop and implement strategies for reaching their goals they have collectively set.
Community organizing
a process in which local people, united by concern for renewing their own small territory, plan and act together from an organizational base that they control. It is practice that involves collective human effort centered on mobilization, advocating, planning, and the negotiation of resources.
place-based community organizing, Murphy and Cunningham (2003)
the process which builds/mobilizes people and other community resources towards identifying and solving their own problems, establishing people’s self-awareness and capacities to stage their own future…taking action collectively considering the bureaucratic structure and restrictive institutional arrangements
community organization; Dacanay (1993)
The characteristics of a community that affect their ability to identify, mobilize, address social health problems
Community capacity
One in which individuals and organizations apply their skills and resources in collective effort to meet their respective needs
Empowered community
Community organizing that starts where the people are and engages community members as equals
Participation and Relevance
Relationships and structures within a community that promote cooperation for mutual benefit
Social capacity
collective body of individuals identified by common characteristics such as geography, interests, experiences, concerns or values
community (in the context of community and public health)
Communities are characterized by the following elements:
membership
common symbol systems
shared values and norms
mutual influence
shared need and commitment
shared emotional connection
assumptions by Ross
- Communities of people can develop the capacity to deal with their own problems.
- People want to change and can change.
- People should participate in making, adjusting, or controlling the major changes taking
place within their communities. - Changes in community living that are self-imposed or self-developed have a meaning
and permanence that imposed changes do not have. - A “holistic approach” can successfully address problems with which a “fragmented
approach” cannot cope. - Democracy requires cooperative participation and action in the affairs of the community,
and people must learn the skills that make this possible. - Frequently, communities of people need help in organizing to deal with their needs, just
as many individuals require help in coping with their individual problem
process and a method is based on certain basic principles, which serve as guidelines to sound or effective practice
Community organizing
defines the lines according to which community organizing perspective must operate.
David (1982)
three primary methods of community organization
locality development
social planning
social action
based on the concept of broad self-help participation from the local community
process oriented
Locality development
heavily task oriented, stressing rational-empirical problem-solving” and involves various levels of participation from many people and outside planners
Social planning
“both task and process oriented”
has been useful in helping to organize disadvantaged segments of the population.
social action
recognizes that a problem exists in a community and decides to do something about it
INITIAL ORGANIZER
refers to the members of the community initiated the community organization.
GRASS ROOTS / CITIZEN INITIATED / ORGANIZED FROM BOTTOM UP
community organization is initiated by individuals from outside the community
OUTSIDE IN / ORGANIZED FROM TOP DOWN
most CRUCIAL step in the process. Here,
ORGANIZERS must study the community well
Gaining entry into the community
backbone of the work force and will end up doing the majority of the work.
EXECUTIVE PEOPLE - CORE GROUP of community members
Considerations on Recruitment of members:
(1) identify people who are impacted by the problem that they are trying to solve,
(2) provide “perks” for or otherwise reward volunteers,
(3) keep volunteer time short,
(4) match volunteer assignments with the abilities and expertise of the volunteers, and
(5) consider providing appropriate training to make sure volunteers are comfortable with their tasks.
long-term alliance among a group of individuals representing diverse organizations, factors or constituencies within the community who agree to work together to achieve a common goal
COALITION
larger group with more resources, people, and energy has a greater chance of solving a community problem than a smaller, less powerful group.
COALITION
