Scribd
Upload
492 views6 pages

Community Development: Definitions & Principles

Community development involves the participation of community members in activities that affect their well-being. It is a mutual learning process involving community resources and external partners. The top ten principles of community development are community participation, ownership, empowerment, lifelong learning, inclusion, access and equity, social action, advocacy, networking, and self-help. Community development aims to improve communities through respecting diversity, addressing local needs, collective action, acting on behalf of members, collaboration, and supporting self-determination. A study of development projects in Pakistan found they facilitate NGO registration but the process is lengthy. Projects provide various supports to NGOs but limited funding. They work in both participative and authoritative ways with NGOs.

Uploaded by

Nabeel Ahmed
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
492 views6 pages

Community Development: Definitions & Principles

Community development involves the participation of community members in activities that affect their well-being. It is a mutual learning process involving community resources and external partners. The top ten principles of community development are community participation, ownership, empowerment, lifelong learning, inclusion, access and equity, social action, advocacy, networking, and self-help. Community development aims to improve communities through respecting diversity, addressing local needs, collective action, acting on behalf of members, collaboration, and supporting self-determination. A study of development projects in Pakistan found they facilitate NGO registration but the process is lengthy. Projects provide various supports to NGOs but limited funding. They work in both participative and authoritative ways with NGOs.

Uploaded by

Nabeel Ahmed
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

 Community Development

 Definition:

“A group of peoples with a common characteristic or interest living together within a


larger society” or a “body of persons or nations having a common history or common
social, economic, and political interests”

“Community development is the participation of people in a mutual learning experience


involving themselves, their local resources, external change agents, and outside
resources. People cannot be developed. They can only develop themselves by
participating in activities which affect their well- being. People are not being developed
when they are herded like animals into new ventures.” Julius Nyerere,1968
 Community Development Top Ten
Principles
Common top ten principles widely used to community Development, details as follows :

 Community Participation
Everyone has a valuable contribution to make and communitymembers can join in
at any level. Volunteers and community members are integral to the decision-making,
evaluation, provision, participation and direction setting at all levels of the organization.

 Community Ownership
Members are actively involved in decision-making and have
ownershipof the centres activities. A voluntary management  committee Comprising
elected members who live, work or participate in the local community
governs each centre. The governance model is developmental, working co-operatively
and collaboratively with staff, volunteers, centre participants and the wider
community , thus generating a range of community benefits.

 Empowerment
A process that respects, values and enhances people’s ability to have control over their
over their lives is put into practice. This process encourages people to meet their needs
and aspirations in a self-aware and informed way which takes advantage of their skills,
experience and potential. Change and growth occurs through informing and
empowering individuals and communities.

 Lifelong Learning
Learning is integrated into all aspects of centre activities, thus building and supporting
the personal skills, knowledge, abilities and resilience of people. They develop the
health, wellbeing and connection of people and their families, through formal
and informal pathways in education, employment and self-development.
 Inclusion
The diverse contributions that people make are valued, no matter what their background
or varying abilities. Individual and local needs are
acknowledged and addressed, often through informal [Link] these need
s and issues through a range of methods isinstrumental to informing the planning and
development of activities and programs.

 Access and Equity
Centres are accessible and welcoming. They promote a fairer distribution of economic 
resources and power between people byaiming to improve the social, environmental, 
economic and cultural infrastructures within their communities.

 Social Action
Internal and external factors that impact on the local community are
analyzed and relationships between individuals, groups and Organizations and within
the community transformed through collective action.

 Advocacy
In meeting individual and group needs, Centre act with, or on behalf of, community
members.

 Networking
Networking, forming alliances, collaborating and working with individuals,
groups, other agencies, government,and business are crucial, with interaction between 
formal and informal methods to achieve connections within the local communities.

 Self Help
Individuals are supported in coming together in a caring group environment to share
information, knowledge, skills and life experience in order that each participant can
reach their own personal goals.
 Community Development Practice

Community Development: Principles and Practices 

Objectives:

 To define regional economic development in the context of community development


principles and practices

 To analyze three models of organizational practice

 To provide an historic overview of early community development efforts in the province

 Community Development: Principles and Practices “Rural development is the


participation of people in a mutual learning experience involving themselves, their
local resources, external change agents, and outside resources. People cannot be
developed. They can only develop themselves by participating in activities which affect
their well-being. People are not being developed when they are herded like animals
into new ventures.” Julius Nyerere, 1968 .
 Practices of the Community
Development Projects towards NGOs in
Punjab Province, Pakistan
This paper focuses NGO (Non-government organization) registration
through the government run community development projects (CDPs),
post registration facilitations by these projects for NGOs, requirements
made by the NGOs and the CDPs’ dealings with registered NGOs.
Though, the CDPs facilitate NGOs registration, the registration process is noticed
lengthy and complicated. The funding role of the CDPs is quite low as compared to
other facilitations provided while NGOs mostly require funding assistance. These
development projects operate in participative and authoritative way while working with
the NGOs. The study discussion suggests that improvement in NGOs registration
process, funding increase for NGOs’ development projects and participative and
cooperative dealings of the CDPs could enhance performance of both NGOs and the
CDPs.

 Original language  English

 Pages (from-to)  237-248

 Number of pages  12

 Journal  Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences

 Volume  35

 Issue number 1

 Publication status  Published - 2015

Common questions

Powered by AI

Julius Nyerere emphasized that community development is rooted in the participation of individuals in a mutual learning experience that involves their local resources and external change agents . Key principles include community participation, ownership, and empowerment. Community members must actively engage in decision-making processes, thus ensuring that they have ownership over initiatives and feel empowered to influence changes affecting their well-being. This approach fosters self-development rather than viewing communities as passive recipients of external aid, thus contributing to long-term empowerment .

Lifelong learning integrated into community development centers builds personal skills, knowledge, and resilience, enhancing personal and community growth. It supports individuals and families in developing health and well-being through formal and informal education pathways. This continuous learning process facilitates empowerment and self-development, enabling communities to address local challenges effectively .

Strategies to improve funding and operational support for NGOs in regions like Punjab include simplifying the registration process for quicker access to resources . Increasing funding allocations and diversifying funding sources can provide NGOs with necessary operational flexibility. Encouraging partnerships with private sectors and international donors can also enhance funding opportunities. Additionally, fostering a collaborative environment between NGOs and CDPs can optimize resource utilization and strengthen project outcomes .

NGOs in Punjab Province, Pakistan, play a crucial role in community development by collaborating with government-run projects for registration and facilitation. Despite the support from Community Development Projects (CDPs), NGOs face challenges such as a lengthy and complex registration process and limited funding support from CDPs, which are crucial for their operations . The performance of NGOs and CDPs could be enhanced by improving registration processes and increasing funding for development projects. This would allow for more participative and cooperative interactions between NGOs and CDPs, ultimately improving their effectiveness in community development .

Networking enhances community development projects by fostering alliances and collaborations among individuals, groups, agencies, government, and businesses . This principle promotes interactions through both formal and informal methods, building connections that are vital for resource sharing and collective action. By leveraging these networks, community projects can more effectively tackle local challenges and achieve broader community goals .

Participative governance models in community development emphasize the involvement of community members in decision-making processes. This approach encourages informed decision-making by drawing on the local knowledge and experiences of community members, ensuring that decisions reflect the community's needs and aspirations . By fostering a sense of ownership and empowerment, participative governance contributes to the sustainability and effectiveness of community initiatives, facilitating informed choices that align with local priorities .

Advocacy in community development centers involves acting with or on behalf of community members to address their needs . By identifying and voicing these needs, centers can ensure that broader community action aligns with individual and group requirements. Advocacy helps bridge the gap between personal issues and broader social change initiatives, ensuring that community projects are responsive and effective in tackling local challenges .

The study highlights key barriers faced by NGOs in Punjab, including a complex and lengthy registration process and insufficient funding from Community Development Projects (CDPs). To overcome these barriers, the registration process should be streamlined and funding for NGOs should be increased to support their development projects. Additionally, fostering participative and cooperative relationships between NGOs and CDPs could enhance effectiveness, allowing both entities to better address community needs .

Voluntary management committees play a significant role in community projects by ensuring that activities are governed by local residents who live, work, or participate in the community . These committees enable community ownership by involving members in the decision-making process, promoting a cooperative and collaborative governance model. This encourages local buy-in and alignment of the projects with community needs, ensuring accountability and relevance of activities to community interests .

Inclusion ensures that diverse contributions from people of different backgrounds and abilities are valued and incorporated into community development initiatives. This principle addresses individual and local needs by fostering an environment where informal interactions help identify issues that inform the planning of activities and programs . By promoting inclusion, community initiatives can more effectively reach and serve all community members, enhancing overall cohesion and effectiveness .

You might also like