What is community development?
CDX
subscribes to the definition of community development, found in the current National Occupational Standards (NOS) for Community Development
Work:
The key purpose of community development
work is collectively to bring about social change and justice, 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 premise 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 work alongside people in communities, build
relationships with key people and organisations to facilitate the
identification of common concerns, and help build autonomous groups. They
create opportunities for non-formal learning, which will help to increase the capacity
of communities. By enabling people to act together, community development
workers help to foster social inclusion and equality. Education and training
needs are based on core values and processes characterised by autonomy of
individuals and groups, change and development, justice and equality,
collective action and skills of participatory learning.
Community development workers support individuals, groups and organisations in
this process on the basis of certain values and practice
principles
