1. Module #1 – Introduction to Community Development

2. What is a Community? Place Population Political system
Social organization
Cultural system
Economic system
Dimensions of Community
“Community” must be defined so stakeholders can be identified and appropriately involved in the various stages of the community development process.
The term “community” has different connotations. It is the generic concept for how individuals or groups interact socially.
“Community” must be defined so stakeholders can be identified and appropriately involved in the various stages of the community development process.
Dimensions of Community:
Place: Determines how government focuses resources geographically
Population: Becomes important when considering growth potential, employment, infrastructure elements, and institutional services such as education or health care
Political system: Focuses on distribution of power and collective decision-making
Social organization: Looks at how social classes and government, business, and civic and volunteer organizations are structured
Cultural system: Explores values and beliefs, which are held in common by a group of people and determine behaviors of individual members of the group
Economic system: Examines strategies for wealth and job creation
“Sense of community” is the phrase commonly used when describing the origin and maintenance of the social orders established within the group.
Community also refers to groups or groupings of people who happen to have something in common—pursue a common interest or live in a common place.
A community of interest may share ideas, beliefs, or concerns, as when a group is described as being a “special interest” group.

3. What is Community Development?
PROCESS
OUTCOME
Structural changes in a community, including use of resources and the function of institutions
Increased capacity of people
More community assets such as jobs, income, buildings, and city parks
More resources being used by people
Growth and development often are used interchangeably.
Growth and development can occur simultaneously or independently of one another.
It can be either positive or negative, depending upon the the perspective of the person making the judgment

4. What is Community Development?
Citizen participation , both in purpose and function, distinguishes community development from other types of interventions.
Unless people buy in to self-help and the decision-making process is open to all stakeholders, the process should not be designated as community development.
A comprehensive process to manage change that involves citizens creating a shared vision for the future
Distinguishing Characteristics
Focuses on the whole community.
Emphasizes public participation as self-help.
Uses participatory democracy as a model for decision making.
Uses a holistic approach.
Often initiates the process using a paid professional from outside.

5. Why Practice Community Development?
Can sustain community success despite minimal problems.
Addresses a critical need, such as safety.
Can begin the healing of a divided community.
Decreases feeling of hopelessness after years of neglectful community building.
Allows people to participate in a civic dialogue.
Gives voice to ordinary citizens.
Creates a common vision for the community.
Improves crisis response.
It doesn’t matter where the community is on the spectrum of success. What matters is how engaged citizens are in the decision-making process.
The practice of community development is perhaps the most important action a community will every take. It is through this process that a community will address its problems, react to change, determine its future, and create the quality of life citizens desire.
Community development provides a process for citizens to engage in civic dialogue , which can lead to new ideas and long-term problem solving rather than short-term fixes.
Public dialogue gives voice to ordinary citizens. They must first understand how to become involved in community affairs and how to access information needed for to analyze problem and develop action plans. When citizens participate meaningfully in community issues, they can \ take ownership and see that the desired results are achieved.

6. Framework for Community Development
ASSUMPTIONS
VALUES
PRINCIPLES
Assumptions: Guides how we view and treat people.
Values: Describes what the community development practitioner believes, which guides actions
Principles: Guides the daily decision-making of the community development practitioner
Practice: Implementation of the community development process and achievement of desired outcomes
These elements form the foundation for all elements of community development. What individuals and organizations assume to be true about people and their relationships guides how individuals and organizations approach community development and the allocation of resources. Principles provide the guiding framework for how community developers practice their profession.
PRACTICE

7. Community Development Assumptions
People are capable of rational behavior.
Significant behavior is learned behavior.
Significant behavior is learned through interaction over time.
People can give purposeful direction to their behavior.
People can impact their environment toward a desired future.
ASSUMPTIONS
People are capable of rational behavior. They can come up with logical solutions to issues that affect them and help make community decisions.
Significant behavior is learned behavior. As such, people learn to define themselves in terms of race, gender, class, and other types of formative characteristics.
Significant behavior is learned through interaction over time. Interacting with other community members builds relationships and allows honest discussion.
People can give purposeful direction to their behavior. Purposeful direction is guidance based on the community’s collective vision of the future.
People can create, shape or reshape much of their collective environment to formulate a desired future. Many assume people cannot direct their own behavior—particularly those who rely upon social and charitable services—but community development promotes this capacity in all citizens.

8. Community Development Values
All people have basic dignity.
People have the right to help make decisions on issues that impact their well-being.
Participatory democracy is the best way to conduct a community’s civic business
People have the right to strive to create the environment they want.
People have the right to reject an externally imposed environment.
The more purposeful interaction and dialogue within a community, the more potential for learning and development.
Implied within a process of purposeful interaction is an ever-widening concept of community.
Every discipline and profession is a potential contributor to a community development process
Motivation is created through interaction with the environment.
VALUES
All people have basic dignity. Communities should banish formal policies and informal practices that allow racism, sexism, classism and other forms of discrimination.
People have the right to help make decisions on issues that impact their well-being. The people’s voice must be heard and honestly considered regardless of their various viewpoints, interests, or opinions.
Participatory democracy is the best way to conduct a community’s civic business. Systems must not only reduce barriers but encourage citizen participation.
People have the right to strive to create the environment they want. Community development should focus on what people desire for themselves and not what someone else thinks is right for them.
People have the right to reject an externally imposed environment. People have the right to voice opposition to projects they deem detrimental to their quality of life. Community development should seek to bring people together so various opinions are heard, especially from those in the community who will be most impacted by the action.
The more purposeful interaction and dialogue within a community, the more potential for learning and development. Attitudes and beliefs tend to change after people spend time with new, unfamiliar groups. Over time, prejudices and stereotypes can be replaced with respect for differences in background, interests, and cultures.
Implied within a process of purposeful interaction is an ever-widening concept of community. People realize they have access to information outside of the community and consider this when developing lists of assets and resources.
Every discipline and profession is a potential contributor to a community development process. While the basic building block of community is the individual, the resources of organizations and professions should be identified and relationships developed among them.
Motivation is created through interaction with the environment. Sometimes a person is considered apathetic when he or she really just feels there is little that they can do about issues of concern to them. People must be given situations in which they can learn how to make a difference. Community development must allow citizens to learn new skills and concepts that will motivate them to address issues of personal concern.

9. Community Development Principles
Self-help and self-responsibility are required for successful development.
Participation in public decision-making should be free and open to all citizens.
Broad representation and increased breadth of perspective and understanding are conditions conducive to effective community development.
Methods that produce accurate information about the community are vital to the process.
Understanding and general agreement are the basis for community change.
All individuals have the right to be heard in open discussion, and the responsibility to respect opposing viewpoints.
Trust is essential for effective working relationships.
PRINCIPLES
Self-help and self-responsibility are required for successful development. Community residents know more about what they need than do paid consultants. Citizens should articulate their thoughts and commit to change; the community developer should organize citizens so they realize their power, capabilities, and potential in the change process.
Participation in public decision-making should be free and open to all citizens. While some may not participate in every facet of the community development process, their ideas, opinions, and support should be sought throughout the process. Wider involvement and the freedom to express opinions without fear will produce the strongest array of experience, knowledge, skills, and resources required for the work to be done.
Broad representation and increased breadth of perspective and understanding are conditions conducive to effective community development. Because it is not practical for every citizen to participate in every community decision, committees are often formed to do the work of community development. It is important that committees or task forces be open to representation from all stakeholder groups and that participation be encouraged.
Methods that produce accurate information about the community are vital to the process. Information is necessary to assess the community, identify critical issues, and analyze strengths and weaknesses so that an action plan can be developed, implemented and evaluated.
Understanding and general agreement are the basis for community change. When making decisions, consensus should be sought so the plan can be supported by both sides.
All individuals have the right to be heard in open discussion, whether in agreement or disagreement with community norms, and the responsibility to respect opposing viewpoints. Individuals have the right to be heard but also the respectful obligation to let others speak.
Trust is essential for effective working relationships. Trust must be fully developed throughout the community before maximum potential can be achieved. Establishing trust diligent attention and time, especially in communities with a history of problems or misused power. Trust will only occur if the community development process adheres to the assumptions, values, and principles discussed here.

10. Community Development Practice
Process
Outcome
Practice
People develop the ability to collectively help themselves and reduce reliance on external resources.
An orderly set of steps lead to problem solving, program planning and task completion.
The results that occur from the community development process.
Outcomes can be physical, environmental, or human capital; financial resources; or social capital.
Without process, the desired outcomes may be diminished or unrealized. Without successful outcomes, the process can be devalued or abandoned. Successful communities understand the role and contribution of each.
Community development is based upon the belief that people can work together to shape their own destiny if given the opportunity to participate in a free, open, non-threatening environment. Community development is not easy and requires people with specific knowledge and skills to facilitate the process. The results of the community development process are outcomes that increase the capital of the community.
Outcomes: Outcomes build capacity in the community in various areas. These areas need to be in balance. Social capital is related to other areas. If social capital is fully developed, other areas will be successful as well. It will be very difficult to build the community without social capital.

11. Community Development Process
ORGANIZE: Establish the organizing group and develop a plan for the process
ANALYZE: Collect and analyze data to determine community conditions
COMMUNICATE: Keep the public informed and engaged in the process
PLAN: Establish the management team to oversee the process and to create a vision and a strategic action plan with input from all stakeholders
IMPLEMENT: Establish action teams for specific areas of the action plan to achieve goals and objectives
EVALUATE: Review progress and achievements of action plan; revise as needed
CELEBRATE: Publicly celebrate accomplishment of goals and recognize efforts of those involved
SUSTAIN: Set new goals and objectives and begin again
PROCESS
The CD process provides the basic framework within which the community should work, altering details based upon its issues and resources.
Steps in the process are explained in detail on the following slides.
Slides include items to be considered and a checklist of tasks to be accomplished.
The details of how the process should be implemented are provided as suggestions only. Communities should develop the process based upon their needs and capabilities; however, the general framework should be followed and no steps skipped. The process will only be completely successful if followed entirely.

12. A Champion Convenes the Organizing Group
Who: Champion calls a meeting of key leaders
What: Organizational meeting
When: First step in process
Why: To determine level of interest and who will commit to a comprehensive community development plan
How: Champion organizes and chairs the meeting; champion may continue in chair role or another leader may assume that role
Consider:
Do we expand an existing organization or create a new one?
Who will champion the cause?
Do planning group members understand the community development process?
Should a professional community developer (facilitator) be used?
Are key stakeholder groups represented?
Do (Organizational Meeting):
 Meeting of organizers held
 Needs described and support sought
Community development process reviewed and adopted
Organizing group’s structure and name agreed upon
Use of a professional community developer considered
Finance committee established to identify financial resources to underwrite the process and sustain it
 Action items developed and assignments made
Stakeholder representatives chosen and meeting planned
Strategies developed to ensure participation of underrepresented stakeholder groups; must extend beyond mere invitation

13. Organizing Group Develops the Mission Statement and Identifies Stakeholders
Who: Champion who called the meeting or a professional community developer
What: Agenda items during organizational meeting
When: During organizational meeting
Why: To determine purpose and who should be involved
How: Leaders attending organizational meeting develop and approve mission statement and identify stakeholders
Consider:
What is the scope of the community to be addressed?
Who are the stakeholders in the community?
What is the organizing group’s purpose?
What does the Organizing Group expect to accomplish?
Do:
 Mission statement developed
 Mission statement used to guide decision making and keep organizing group focused on its purpose
Database developed naming key leaders in stakeholder groups that have an interest in or will be affected by the community development plan
Future meeting planned for stakeholders identified in database

14. Organizing Group Collects and Analyzes Information Related to Condition of Community
Consider:
How can information about the community be gathered?
Who will gather the information?
Who will analyze the information?
How will accuracy, validity, and reliability of data be assured?
Who will organize the information for public use?
Consider:
How can information about the community be gathered?
Who will gather the information?
Who will analyze the information?
How will accuracy, validity, and reliability of data be assured?
Who will organize the information for public use?
Who: Organizing group and CD professional identify organizations/individuals with research and analysis skills and obtain commitment to participate
What: Information and data that will provide foundation for CD process
When: Preliminary data can be compiled by Champion or CD Professional before the organizational meeting with remainder complied between organizational meeting and meeting of community stakeholders
Why: To provide factual basis for process and the action plan that will be developed; to increase use of data rather than emotion in future dialogues and decisions
How: Organizing group establishes a research committee to identify community organizations with research capacity. Research committee can oversee citizen surveys, focus groups, town hall meetings, workshops on critical need areas, business opinion surveys, and other methods to obtain demographic data as well as public opinion
Do:
 Information, both fact-based as well as public opinion, gathered
 An environmental scan of community conditions performed and a community profile prepared
 A SWOT analysis conducted (strengths/weakness/opportunities/threats)
 Critical needs listed
 A report prepared to serve as a basis for communicating with the public; it should document need and resources that will fund the community development process
Who: Organizing group and CD professional identify organizations/individuals with research and analysis skills and obtain commitment to participate,

15. Organizing Group Communicates with the Public
How will the organizing group keep the public informed?
How will the organizing group seek public input?
How will organizing group members who represent specific stakeholder groups keep their constituencies informed?
How will the media and other public outlets be involved?
How will the “hard to reach” be reached?
Consider
Communications committee established
Communications infrastructure put in place, including internet site
CD process materials developed
Public input acknowledged and acted upon, even if the action is only to hold it for future consideration
Periodic reports to the public and to financial/in-kind contributors published
The CD process branded through the use of logos, t-shirts, cups, bumper stickers, etc. Do
Who: Communications committee with guidance from CD professional and in conjunction with research committee
What: Development of two-way communications plan between organizing group and the public
When: Throughout the entire process
Why: It is a critical element of success; public input is needed from all stakeholders to identify critical issues; public information is needed to engage citizens and maintain their support for the process
How: WWW site, local media, public access cable channels, billboards, printed materials distributed through stakeholder groups, public speakers bureau, schools, churches; any public venue

16. Organizing Group Expands and Develops the Community Development Action Plan
How can the organizing group more broadly represent stakeholder groups?
What is the shared vision of stakeholders participating in the process?
What must be included in an action plan to realize this vision, including timeline and resources needed?
Who is on the team that will oversee implementation of the action plan?
Consider
Organizing group expanded to include representatives from all stakeholder groups
A vision statement adopted to guide action plan
Action teams representing all critical-issue areas organized
Plan management team of 7-9 people appointed by organizing group to keep the process moving forward Do
Who: Organizing group
What: Extra stakeholders join in to adopt a shared vision statement, action teams are formed to develop an action plan for each issue area. Each action team must develop goals, objectives, strategies, a timeline, and needed resources for its issue area. The action teams’ plans will be combined into a master document covering the entire community. The organizing group appoints a plan management team for the ongoing process.
When: After data has been analyzed so supporting data can be provided to identify and justify each critical issue area. Representatives from ALL stakeholder groups must be identified and participate in this meeting. Stakeholders should be given a chance to volunteer for action teams of their choice.
Why: Data is needed so stakeholders can identify and justify each critical area. Data will also be used to develop action plans. Action plan teams must be appointed to manage the process for each critical area and the plan management team provides overall guidance for the process.
How: Organizing group appoints action teams and respective chairs and the plan management team.

17. Plan Management Team Implements the Community Development Action Plan
How will the process be monitored?
Are timelines being met?
Have new issues emerged that warrant more action teams?
How can initial momentum be sustained through early successes?
How can more volunteers be recruited?
What internal and external resources can be tapped?
Consider
Regular meetings held between organizing group and plan management team to monitor and adjust actions
New action teams created as new issues emerge
Regular reports from action teams provided to plan management team
Early success stories publicized to sustain momentum
Public regularly informed about progress
More resources sought to sustain the process and achieve outcomes Do
Who: Plan management team, action teams, organizing group
What: Implementation of the original Strategic Action Plan, including early successes
When: After plan management team and action teams have been organized
Why: To provide structure and oversight for the process. Early successes needed to maintain momentum.
How: Collaboration between management team, action teams, organizing group and community volunteers

18. Organizing Group and Plan Management Team Evaluate the Community Development Action Plan
How will success be evaluated?
When and how often should process be evaluated?
Do any activities need to be added or eliminated?
What is going well and what needs to be improved?
What are the next steps to keep the process moving forward?
Consider Do
Evaluation procedures defined by organizing group and plan management team
Procedures developed to include scheduled interim evaluations
New action teams appointed as needed
Who: Organizing group, plan management team, action team chairs
What: Evaluation of procedures and progress
When: At specific intervals and at conclusion of process
Why: Maintain integrity of the process, ensure quality, and give opportunity to adjust if needed
How: Procedures for evaluation to be determined by the organizing group and plan management team

19. Community Celebrates Achievements of the Community Development Action Plan
What should be celebrated?
Who should be recognized?
What activities can be undertaken to celebrate?
When should celebrations occur?
Consider
Periodic public celebration events (can be public gatherings or published information) planned by organizing group/plan management team/communications committee
An annual progress report published
Volunteers from all stakeholder groups recognized, as is any progress toward goals
Recognition materials, such as t-shirts, discount coupons, prizes, and other creative items, provided at events Do
Who: Managed by the communications committee but includes all involved in the process
What: Celebration events
When: Throughout the process when success occurs; regular recognition of volunteers at events and meetings; communitywide celebration at end of process
Why: To create and sustain momentum, keep volunteers engaged, retain and increase funding and resources, create social capital and community spirit
How: Communications committee includes celebration activities into the communications plan

20. Organizing Group Works to Sustain the Community Development Action Plan
What new goals and objectives need to be addressed to achieve our vision?
What new citizen input needs to be considered?
Are any stakeholder groups still not participating and, if so, how can they be enticed to become involved?
Can issues identified earlier now be addressed?
Do any changes groups or teams need to be made?
What resources are needed to continue progress long-term?
How can the process be institutionalized throughout community organizations?
Consider Do
Who: Organizing Group and Plan Management Team
What: Activities that will sustain the effort until the community vision has been achieved; involvement of new leadership
When: At end of the process
Why: To ensure that the CD process is institutionalized within the community and that initial efforts are the beginning, not the end. New leadership will prevent burnout of existing leaders and expand the base of leadership to include underrepresented stakeholder groups.
How: Facilitated assessment process
Effectiveness of organizational structure and leadership evaluated by organizing group, which takes appropriate action
Resources to sustain progress sought
An action plan developed to begin the process anew

21. Community Development Outcomes
Environmental Capital
Human Capital
Physical Capital
Financial Capital
SOCIAL CAPITAL
Outcomes are the results of the community development process, which increased the community’s capital in a variety of areas—human capital such as a skilled work force, physical capital such as bridges, financial capital such as micro loan funds, and environmental capital such as natural resources.
All of these represent a physical increase in community capital that is visible and easily identified as a community asset.
Another element of community capital is less visible but equally important: Social capital.
Social capital is the extent to which members of a community can work together effectively to develop and sustain strong relationships; solve problems and make group decisions; and collaborate effectively to plan, set goals and get things done.

22. Social Network Analysis and Mapping
Can represent relationships between individuals, organizations, businesses, or other community/region entities
Annie
Jason
Connie
Larry
Peter
Karen
Each dot can represent an individual and that person’s relationship to other individuals. It can also represent relationships between organizations or map community assets.
If Annie is looking for a job and Karen has one to offer, Annie can ask either Jason or Connie to provide an introduction. If Peter is looking for the same job, he doesn’t need an introduction. The same process can be used to identify how disease spreads or identify crime networks. It also can be used to identify community assets and where gaps exist.
Social capital is characterized by shared trust, shared norms and values, reciprocity, cooperation, social cohesion, volunteerism, mutual benefit, neighborliness, and a variety of other conditions that relate to relationships between and among individuals and the organizations through which individuals conduct the civic business of the community.
There are three types of social capital—bonding, bridging, and linking. Bonding social capital concerns relationships among those with personal familiarity, such as family or friends.
Bridging social capital represents relationships across ethnic groups, the workplace, or the neighborhood where one lives, with people who share interests or characteristics but have limited personal interaction.
Linking social capital represents relationships among social classes, the world on a more global scale, or groups where one segment has power and influence and the other does not. Social capital, unlike other forms of community capital, does not get used up, and in fact, the more it is used, the more of it is generated.
Social network analysis is the mapping and measuring of community relationships to reveal strengths as well as areas for improvement. Mapping can span the entire community or just specific sectors.
With regard to the community development process, social network mapping helps identify stakeholder groups and community strengths and perform gap analysis. It is a tool for identifying areas where work is needed to increase bridging and linking social capital.

23. Building Social Capital
Is there trust in the community?
Is there a shared vision for the community with priorities identified?
Is there a spirit of cooperation with problems and needs discussed openly?
Are people willing to accept leadership roles?
Does a well-developed communications system keep citizens informed?
Does the community have a history of working together?
What organizations or groups have strong ties to the community?
Does a sense of reciprocity exist in the community?
Are social norms and values recognized with social services that facilitate these values?
Do individual members of the community at large or in neighborhoods know one another?
Are there festivals, parades, or other public events that bring people together?
What is the level of volunteerism?
Are neighborhood organizations and citizen coalitions active?
Do people generally feel their participation in civic affairs can make a difference?
These are examples of questions that can be discussed to determine the level of social capital in the community.

24. Aspects of Development
Leadership
Development
Community
Development
Economic
Development
Holistic Approach to Development
Communities must maintain a balanced and comprehensive strategy for development. Leadership development creates skilled citizens with the desire to implement a community development process that prepares a community to take advantage of economic opportunity.

25. Chattanooga, Tennessee
Crisis: Worst air quality in nation
Organized: Task force of public/private/nonprofit sectors was organized to consider city’s future
Information Collection: Task forces conducted public meetings, studied successful cities, profiled demographics of community
Development organization formed: Chattanooga Venture formed, mission developed, community teams established
Strategic Plan: Included more than 200 programs and projects
Implementation: Outcomes achieved in all areas of community capital
Celebration: Community engaged throughout process and celebrated success.
Evaluation: Leadership evaluated progress many times and adjusted course as necessary
Sustained: Success continues through Chattanooga Venture
Success like that achieved in Chattanooga does not happen without effective leadership.
Lasting legacy of the process is a structure that allows people to work together to address common problems and opportunities with interests of all stakeholders considered.

26. Essence of Community Development
I think a healthy community is one where people are not just out for themselves, and they are not just working on their individual pursuits, but where they understand their relationship and responsibility to other people.
Wilma Mankiller, former chief of the Cherokee Nation

27. LouisianaCommunityNetwork.com