Abstract
Comprehensive Community Initiatives (CCIs) are of growing interest to social work and the social services field as they are an effort to move away from remediation of individual problems within neighborhoods to a comprehensive change effort that builds resident and institutional capacity for long term sustainability of healthy communities. Built on ongoing lessons learned from the community development field, CCIs are largely foundation supported projects that engage low-income neighborhood residents in a holistic change effort. However, based on what is known about community organizing, CCIs will likely face challenges as long as they involve a top-down approach with an outside funder entering a community to make change. This manuscript frames an adult education model of resident participation that can be used in CCIs and provides a case example illustrating the model in action. A discussion of how the model can be an effective means for communities to take advantage of outside resources while maintaining their power and voice for change is offered in conclusion.
Highlights
Comprehensive Community Initiatives (CCIs) are of growing interest to social work and the social services field as they are an effort to move away from remediation of individual problems within neighborhoods to a comprehensive change effort that builds resident and institutional capacity for long term sustainability of healthy communities
Based on what is known about community organizing, the success of CCIs will be partly based on an initiative’s ability to navigate the tension between resident participation and a top-down approach of an outside funder entering a community to make change
That through the careful development of resident participation, CCIs can be an effective way for communities to take advantage of outside resources while still maintaining their power and voice for change
Summary
At its best, is the voluntary gathering of individuals and groups with the intention of making positive change on specific issues for improved quality of life for the entire community (Gamble & Weil, 1995). Drawing on the writings of Habermas, Mezirow (1996) outlines the specific conditions under which members are free to participate in change efforts, including an open and inclusive environment in which each individual is free to discuss and question without judgment, the encouragement and space to critically reflect and share differing views and opinions, and the ability to come to a consensus that is informed and objective. Citizenship is another prominent theme in the adult education literature which underscores the importance of resident participation. No community is totally free from the many pitfalls of power differences, successful and sustainable change in low-income neighborhoods will only come from within this context
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