yhcdn.net

All of the case studies demonstrate how a Community Development approach can support communities to become stronger and more engaged with society and public bodies.

By focusing on the community’s knowledge of their neighbourhood Community Development enables real needs to be identified as well as potential solutions.

• This means that public services will be more effective as they will be designed in a way that ensures they are used by the community. 
• Communities may identify through participatory exercises needs that they can meet themselves or in partnership with others.
• Community Development practitioners will have a range of potential techniques that can be used by communities and expertise in determining which approaches to use in any given situation.

By focusing on collective action Community Development encourages people to share their different skills and expertise and to learn from each other.

•  Effective collective working ensures that all the different voices within the community are heard and avoids the problems associated with the loudest voices being the only ones that are heard.
•  Community Development practitioners are experts in suggesting techniques and approaches that can be used to include and involve all different interests within a community, particularly those who are seldom heard.

By strengthening the confidence and skills of community members through their involvement in community groups and all the informal learning that goes on within such organisations, Community Development practitioners can support and encourage community members to engage with public bodies in a wide range of partnerships.

•    CD practitioners have a clear analysis of the blocks and barriers to local community members becoming involved in ‘top down’ initiatives.
•    They can support public bodies to adapt their policies and procedures, and develop their own staff’s skills, so that they can be effective partners in joint activities and ventures.
•    CD practitioners have expertise in different forms of partnerships and which would be most appropriate to use in any situation.

By encouraging people to learn from each other through reflecting on their activities and those of other community groups, Community Development practitioners promote both informal and formal learning

Often people who have poor educational experiences learn through their community activities and gain skills in learning and an interest in continuing with their learning, sometimes going on to study and at others times taking their learning and confidence into gaining employment.

Voluntary organisations and community groups may need to develop additional skills in organising, or take on new legal structures in order to deliver public services.

•    Community Development practitioners have the skills to assist groups to undertake organisational audits and help them to decide on appropriate legal and organisational structures to meet their agreed objectives.
•    They will also have information about experts who can help them with particular specialist aspects.