Community Development: Creating Community Alternatives-Vision, Analysis and Practice

Suitable for courses in second year social work and above. This book explores the potential for community development to form the basis of an alternative to traditional welfare services. The book begins by examining the current crisis in human services and then offers community-based services as an alternative. It focuses on community development as the crucial factor required to make the community alternative effective. The author examines how community development can be achieved in social, economic and political terms and integrates ecological perspectives with issues of social justice. He then proceeds to examine how such principles can be practically applied by the human service provider.

Table of Contents:
*The Crisis in Human Services and the Need for Community The crisis in the welfare state Community-based services as an alternative The missing ingredient: community development The next steps *Foundations of Community Work: An Ecological Perspective Environmental crisis Environmental responses and green responses Themes within green analysis An ecological perspective: is it enough? *Foundations of Community Work: A Social Justice Perspective Structural disadvantage Empowerment Need Rights Peace and non-violence Participatory democracy *Ecology and Social Justice: A Vision for Community Development Ecology and social justice Emerging concepts Community Development An alternative vision: grounds for hope *Autonomy, Decentralisation, and Community Control Ideological foundations Autonomy Decentralisation Discretion Self-reliance Participation Co-operation Urban, suburban, and rural issues Community-based human services Getting there *Community Development: Social, economic and Political Integrated community development Social development Economic development Political development *Community Development: Cultural, environmental and Personal/Spiritual Cultural development Environmental development Personal and spiritual development Balanced development *Principles of Community Development The application of principles to practice The 22 principles Making connections *Community Work Roles The language of roles Facilitative roles Educational roles Representational roles Technical roles Two special cases: needs assessment and evaluation *Community Work Skills The problem with "cook books" Competencies Practice, theory, reflection and praxis Developing skills Demystifying skills Core community work skills Skill sharing *Practice Issues Practice frameworks Organisational context Values and ethics Professionalism Education and training The use and abuse of power Internal and external community work Long-term commitment Support Passion, vision, and hope