CO Info 1                                                                             By:  Willem Blok

 

-- A brief reminder to 'get on terms' when we communicate about Community Organisation --

 

Explanation of terms

- Community Organisation = the method

- Community Work = the practical work

- Territorial Community Work = neighbourhoodwork (see Henderson and Thomas: "Skills in

  neighbourhoodwork")

- Categorial Community Work = supporting specific categories of the population, such as

  elderly, unemployed and disabled people

 

Main tasks of community work

Source: (translation of) H. Broekman, Opbouwwerk Methoden, technieken en terreinen, Dr. Gradus Hendriks-stichting, Den Haag, november 1991, ISBN 90 72846 04 0

 

1. SUPPORTING INITIATIVES OF VULNERABLE SOCIAL GROUPS

  - social-organisational support

  - strategical support

  - educational support

  - facilitation       

2. SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION AND INNOVATION

  - research and signalise

  - development and renewal

 

Community work

Source: Fred Milson, An introduction to Community Work, Routkedge & Kegan Paul, London and Boston 1974. ISBN 07100 7840 4 (c), ISBN 07100 7841 2 (p), p.17

 

Community work includes:

a.  helping local people to decide, plan and take action to meet their own needs with the

     help of available outside resources;

b. helping local services to become more effective, usable and accessible to those whose

     needs they are trying to meet;

c. taking account of the interrelation between differenr services in planning for people;

d. forecasting necessary adaptations to meet new social needs in constantly changing

     circumstances.

 

"(..) the essential purpose of all community work is to enable people to play a more effective part in social affairs."

 

Skills and contents of community work

Source: CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION - COMMUNITY WORK GROUP (A): "Current issues in community work", Routlefdge & Kegan Paul, London and Boston 1973. ISBN 0 7100 7687 8 (c), ISBN 0 7100 7688 6 (p), p.23/26

 

A. QUALITIES COMMUNITY WORKER

- Ability to establish relationships, to communicate and to create confidence

- Accessibility to all members of the community and to representatives of organisations

  across age, social and political barriers

- Flexibility in adapting to many situations. The ability to 'wear many hats'

- Sensitivity and patience and ability to work at the pace of the group

- Capacity to work towards long‑term objectives.

 

B. KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED IN COMMUNITY WORK

- Intimate knowledge of local social and political structures,  local services, facilities and

  sources of support

- Knowledge of processes of group interaction, methods of  communication, educational

  methods

- Knowledge of organisation, e.g. procedures in committees, at public meetings, processes

  in referrals, office administration including finance

- Knowledge of programme development, the running of group activities and the

  management of premises.

 

C. THE CONTENT OF THE JOB

- Study of the community in all its aspects, using both statistical and factual information and

  the feelings of people in a continuous process of interaction

- Reconnaissance and analysis, surveys, diagnosis, prognosis, review of progress and

  achievements

- Problem‑solving, helping a group to clarify issues, decision making, adoption of a strategy,

  planning of tasks

- Working as a member of a team, helping groups to form and to work towards their aims,

  understanding the roles of other workers and agencies

- Co‑operation with voluntary and statutory bodies and influential individuals and groups,

  acting as a link to provide information, advice, guidance and referral

- Mediation between conflicting interests, personalities and groups

- Administrative and secretarial work with and for groups, including minutes, records,

  accounting, fund‑raising, negotiations with statutory bodies

- Training indigenous leaders, on‑the job training for helpers, student supervision

- Public relations, speaking, broadcasting, editing and publishing, press liaison conferences,

  exhibitions, campaigns, protest meetings

- Working with uninvolved people in detached work or where membership and support is

  poor, recruitment of volunteers

- Political involvement in advocacy in helping to meet community needs.

 

The workers' own views of their roles and functions, when resented in this shorthand form, suggest a bewildering multiplicity of tasks, often conflicting and thus demanding a considerable range of skill and knowledge, as well as personal qualities of objectivity and integrity.

 

Education of community workers - List of contents and subjects of a curriculum and of courses about community organisation

Source: CALOUSTE GULBENKIAN FOUNDATION - COMMUNITY WORK GROUP (A): "Current issues in community work", Routlefdge & Kegan Paul, London and Boston 1973. ISBN 0 7100 7687 8 (c), ISBN 0 7100 7688 6 (p), p.162/163

               

  1.  The meaning, nature, or structure of `community'                                

  2.  Definition of the terms community work, action, development, organisation           

  3.  The historical background, origins or development of community work              

  4.  The rationale, values, justification or purpose of community work                       

  5.  Similarities or differences between community work and other methods of social work

  6.  The planning or organisation of community work

  7.  Professionals and professionalism in community work  

  8.  Roles, skills, strategies, tactics or techniques of community work 

  9.  Relationships' in a group or community                        

10. The identification of needs or problems in a community

11. Social change or social action                                

12. Pressure groups and other means of intervention in community work

13. Conflict, contest and consensus

14. Power or social control

15. Consumer or community participation                           

16. Voluntary organisations and voluntary workers in community work

17. Community leaders and leadership

18. Politics or political implications of community work

19. Community care

20. Social surveys and social research

 

Fieldwork in community work

Source: MILSON FRED: "An introduction to Community Work", Routkedge & Kegan Paul, London and Boston 1974. ISBN 07100 7840 4 (c), ISBN 07100 7841 2 (p)

 

The general aims of fieldwork are enable students to have:

1. Experiences of working in an organisation undertaking community work.

2. Knowledge and experience of a particular community, its problems and the organizations

     working in it.

3.  Knowledge and experience of some of the social needs and forms of social provision

     with which community work is concerned.

4. Opportunities for the application of knowledge and principles to actual community

     situations

5. Opportunities to develop the skills and techniques necessary for effective community

     work.

6. Opportunities to develop self-awareness and a disciplined use of the student's own

     personality as a helper in a variety of community work situations, flexibility of response to

     many different             people and situations, as well as clarity about aims.

 

------------------------ REQUEST: if you quote, mention the source. As I did -------------------------