Advantages and Dis Advantages of Further Study Abroad
Understanding Community Development
Jim Cavaye Cavaye Community Development “The real voyage of discovery consists not of seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust Rural community development is a process conducted by community members. It is a process where local people can not only create more jobs, income and infrastructure, but also help their community become fundamentally better able to manage change. The “concrete” benefits of community development, such as employment and infrastructure, come through local people changing attitudes, mobilising existing skills, improving networks, thinking differently about problems, and using community assets in new ways. Community development improves the situation of a community, not just economically, but also as a strong functioning community in itself. Rural community development builds the five capitals of a community – physical, financial, human, social and environmental. It is through participation in their community that people rethink problems and expand contacts and networks; building social capital. They learn new skills, building human capital. They develop new economic options, building physical and financial capital. They also can improve their environment. Community plus Development Community development combines the idea of “community” with “development”. We discussed earlier the concept of community – a group of people with a shared identity. Hence, community development relies on interaction between people and joint action, rather than individual activity – what some sociologists call “collective agency” (Flora and Flora, 1993). “Development” is a process that increases choices. It means new options, diversification, thinking about apparent issues differently and anticipating change (Christenson et.al., 1989). Development involves change, improvement and vitality – a directed attempt to improve participation, flexibility, equity, attitudes, the function of institutions and the
Jim Cavaye Cavaye Community Development “The real voyage of discovery consists not of seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” - Marcel Proust Rural community development is a process conducted by community members. It is a process where local people can not only create more jobs, income and infrastructure, but also help their community become fundamentally better able to manage change. The “concrete” benefits of community development, such as employment and infrastructure, come through local people changing attitudes, mobilising existing skills, improving networks, thinking differently about problems, and using community assets in new ways. Community development improves the situation of a community, not just economically, but also as a strong functioning community in itself. Rural community development builds the five capitals of a community – physical, financial, human, social and environmental. It is through participation in their community that people rethink problems and expand contacts and networks; building social capital. They learn new skills, building human capital. They develop new economic options, building physical and financial capital. They also can improve their environment. Community plus Development Community development combines the idea of “community” with “development”. We discussed earlier the concept of community – a group of people with a shared identity. Hence, community development relies on interaction between people and joint action, rather than individual activity – what some sociologists call “collective agency” (Flora and Flora, 1993). “Development” is a process that increases choices. It means new options, diversification, thinking about apparent issues differently and anticipating change (Christenson et.al., 1989). Development involves change, improvement and vitality – a directed attempt to improve participation, flexibility, equity, attitudes, the function of institutions and the
References: Aspen Institute 1996 Measuring Community Capacity Building: A Workbook-inProgress for Rural Communities. The Aspen Institute, Washington D.C.. Biggs, S. 1999 Community Capacity Building in Queensland: The Queensland Government Service Delivery Project. Unpublished paper. Office of Rural Communities, Brisbane, Queensland. Commonwealth of Australia. 1996 State of the Environment Australia Report. Commonwealth of Australia, Canberra. Entergy Corporation 1992 Community Development Handbook: A Guide for Facilitators, Community Leaders and Catalysts. Entergy Corporation, New Orleans Louisiana. Flora, C.B. and J.L. Flora. 1993. “ Entrepreneurial Social Infrastructure: A Necessary Ingredient.” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences 539: 48-58. Flora, C.B., Flora, J.L. Spears, J.D. and L.E. Swanson. 1992. Rural Communities: Legacy and Change. Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. Kenyon, P. 1994 Ready Set Go: Action Manual for Community Economic Development. Municipal Association of Victoria, Melbourne Municipal Association of Victoria, 1994 Four Case Studies in Rural Development. Streetlife Video Series. Sanders, I.T. 1958 Theories of Community Development. Rural Sociology 23(1): 112. Shaffer, R. E. 1989 Community Economics. Economic Structure and Change in Smaller Communities. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa. Further Reading Christenson, J.A. and Robinson, J.W. (1989) Community Development in Perspective. Iowa State University Press, Ames Iowa. Kenyon, P. 1994 Ready Set Go: Action Manual for Community Economic Development. Municipal Association of Victoria, Melbourne. Phillips, C. 1992 Changing Communities: A Practical Guide for Rural People and Community Leaders. Rural Health Project, Uniting Church of Australia, Melbourne