Community Development Initiatives Research Articles

Assessing the Enactus Global Sustainability Initiative’s Alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Lessons for Higher Education Institutions

Various institutions across the world encourage young people to get involved in community development initiatives and set up small businesses that contribute to the sustainability of society. There is a growing body of literature suggesting that Enactus International is a key stakeholder in this endeavor, as university students’ transformational innovations are developed and exported through Enactus-established collaborations. However, further investigation is required to identify how this phenomenon works. Previous studies have not explored Enactus student teams’ sustainability practices in relation to global goals, and most were limited to the context of a particular institution. As a result, this article examines the relationship between the Enactus sustainability initiative and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, thus identifying critical lessons for South African higher education institutions as well as HEIs in other nations facing comparable circumstances. A focused review methodology is used in this analysis to assess the Enactus global sustainability initiative’s alignment with the SDGs, which involves a comprehensive search of the Web of Science and Scopus databases to identify relevant articles. As the year 2030 approaches, the authors warn that university stakeholders’ resistance to change and knowledge gaps about sustainability practices, as well as other limiting factors identified in this study, may impede the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals in the country. This study intends to encourage higher education institutions as change agents, stimulating them to take the lead in overcoming obstacles to the attainment of the SDGs by 2030. The study illuminates cogent approaches necessary for HEIs to create a more sustainable world. It specifically highlights the multidisciplinary perspective and collaborative opportunities offered by SDG-driven organizations.

Making space at the table: Engaging participation of people with dementia in community development.

The Building Capacity Project is an asset-based community development initiative that aims to reduce stigma and promote social inclusion for people with dementia. Using a community-based participatory approach, we conducted research to examine the relational patterns and participatory practices within and across project sites in two different regions of Canada (Vancouver and Thunder Bay). Five focus groups and five individual interviews were conducted with team members and community partners (n=29) and analysed for themes. The overarching theme of Making Space at the Table explains how the participation of people with dementia has served both as a value and a practice shaping the relational work throughout the project. Three sub-themes include: Maintaining a common foundation; Creating communication pathways; and Fostering personal connections. Together, these findings show how community development can support the meaningful participation of people with dementia in their communities through processes of collaboration that focus on individual and collective strengths, that allow time for the work to unfold, and for building relationships that foster trust and respect for diversity.

The Ubuntu Philosophy in Community Development in Iyowa Community, Edo State, Nigeria.

Purpose: The concept of Ubuntu philosophy, which emphasizes the interconnectedness of humanity and the importance of communal relationships, has gained attention in various fields, including community development. The Sustainable Development Report 2019 points out that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) might not be achieved, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is a gap in the literature on how Ubuntu philosophy has been applied in practice in community development initiatives. The extent to which Ubuntu philosophy has been applied in community development initiatives in different regions and contexts remains unclear. The main objectives of this study is to focus the Ubuntu philosophy on community development in Iyowa Community.
 Methodology: The research design for this study was qualitative in nature, using a phenomenological approach. The sample size for this study was 30 participants, including community leaders, development practitioners, and community members. Participants will be selected based on their knowledge and experience with Ubuntu philosophy and community development. The study used purposive sampling to select participants who had experience in community development and are familiar with the Ubuntu philosophy.
 Findings: The study found that there was good knowledge of the Ubuntu philosophy among community members. Based on the Ubuntu Philosophy, there was increased collaboration in the community has led to access to resources like water, roads, community security, and other amenities that have aided in community development. There was a mixed feeling on whether the Ubuntu Philosophy had ushered in development in Iyowa Community. While some acknowledge that it has greatly aided in bringing about community development, others believe it has only helped a little, and some feel it has made a small contribution but is not enough. 
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: In conclusion, the Ubuntu Philosophy has been successful in fostering a sense of unity and collective responsibility among community members, which has enabled them to achieve common goals and support each other during difficult times, and has had a positive impact on community development in Iyowa community and that the government creates an enabling environment for community development initiatives.

Analyzing Community Needs in the City of Urdaneta Using Text Analytics

Community needs assessments are one of the functions of city managers/administrators to find ways to collect accurate data/information that represent the most important needs of a community. In such assessments, a commitment to community participation is very important to determine current situations and identify issues for action, establishing the essential foundation for vital planning. That’s where a community needs assessment comes in; it can be used to inform and improve any community development initiative. The main objective of this study is to conduct a needs assessment focusing primarily on identifying community needs in the City of Urdaneta. This study utilized a mixed method whereby data were collected and analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively to analyze the community needs of the City of Urdaneta. The quantitative data were used to describe the population that resides in the city, and they were the respondents to the study. This method was utilized to obtain a direct picture of the services that the City of Urdaneta is providing to its stakeholders and provide a better understanding and explanation of their needs. The result reveals that respondents were not satisfied/dissatisfied with the drainage management provided by the city, especially when the rainy season comes, which resulted in flooded streets around the city. Based on the flood-prone map, some barangays were situated in flood-prone areas, worsening the flooding problem. The result also shows that the city should manage people with mental health and animals roaming around the city as they may pose a danger to the public. However, the respondent is satisfied with the services provided by the city based on the comments/opinions based on the word/ word patterns such as “improve services”, “good services” and “excellence services”. It is suggested that the city government should improve the city drainage system to eradicate or minimize flooding during rainy seasons, provide better mental services to stakeholders, and provide services that will control stray animals that roam around the city since they could endanger the public.

The Role of Local Government in Community Development in Pakistan

Local governments play pivotal role in fostering and facilitating community development, a vital aspect of societal progress. This research aims to explore and analyze the multifaceted role of local governments in community development initiatives. Through an extensive literature review and case studies, this study investigates the key responsibilities, challenges, and best practices employed by local governments to ameliorate conditions of their communities. The research delves into the various aspects of community development, including social, economic, and environmental dimensions. It examines how local governments engage with stakeholders—residents, community organizations, and businesses—to identify needs, set priorities, and implement strategies tailored to the unique characteristics of their regions. Furthermore, the study investigates the policy frameworks, funding mechanisms, and resources that local governments utilize to support community development projects. The research relies upon qualitative methods and data collection mainly from official documents and research. Findings from this research helps not only understanding challenges and means employed to address them by local governments in community development.

Go-along interview assessment of community health priorities for neighborhood renewal.

Healthcare systems are increasingly investing in approaches to address social determinants of health and health disparities. Such initiatives dovetail with certain approaches to neighborhood development, such as the EcoDistrict standard for community development, that prioritize both ecologically and socially sustainable neighborhoods. However, healthcare system and community development initiatives can be untethered from the preferences and lived realities of residents in the very neighborhoods upon which they focus. Utilizing the go-along approach to collecting qualitative data in situ, we interviewed 19 adults to delineate residents' community health perspectives and priorities. Findings reveal health priorities distinct from clinical outcomes, with residents emphasizing social connectedness, competing intra- and interneighborhood perceptions that potentially thwart social connectedness, and a neighborhood emplacement of agency, dignity, and self-worth. Priorities of healthcare systems and community members alike must be accounted for to optimize efforts that promote health and social well-being by being valid and meaningful to the community of focus.

Analysis of the contribution of the Youth Livelihood Program towards enhancing Self-Reliance among the Youths in Lira City, Uganda

Purpose: This study investigated the contribution of the YLP towards enhancing self-reliance among the youths in the west division of Lira City. Methodology/approach: The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design. A closed-ended structured questionnaire with a five Likert scale was used to collect data from a sample of 249 respondents based on the program theory postulated by Reynolds (1998); it entails the logic behind how programs are built, with particular emphasis on the program process. Data were analyzed using both descriptive statistics and inferential statistics aided by SPSS (version 20). Results: The findings suggested that the YLP program enhanced self-reliance among the youths by 11.1%. The youths in Lira City West Division moderately benefited from livelihood support (3.10, SD = 1.08) and institutional support (Mean = 2.71, SD = 1.241). A robust regression analysis revealed a positive and significant relationship between the YLP program and self-reliance (R2 = 0.111). Livelihood support (Coef = 0.159, p-value 0.0025) was found to be positively and significantly correlated with self-reliance. However, the statistical analysis revealed that institutional support had a negative relationship with self-reliance (p-value > 0.05, 95% CI). Limitations: During the study, it was difficult to find some respondents since they were scattered looking for activities to earn a living therefore extra efforts were ensured such as using research assistants in order to find the respondents. Inadequate funds to facilitate the study like transport to the field, and printing questionnaires were also a problem. The researcher got a loan from friends and the bank to cover the gap. Contributions: This study contributes to the understanding of local community development initiatives using the empowerment approach.

Outcome harvesting as a methodology for the retrospective evaluation of small-scale community development interventions

PurposeUndertaking evaluations of public health interventions can be problematic, particularly where there are multiple stakeholders and high degrees of complexity. This is especially true with regards to the evaluation of community interventions that can include multiple actors with differing priorities, budgets and resources. Using the example of a place-based community wellbeing project, this paper discusses the practical application of ‘Outcome Harvesting’ as a methodology for retrospective, responsive and collaborative evaluation in public health research. ResultsOur example shows that Outcome Harvesting can be effectively applied to the evaluation of community development initiatives and is likely to have potential in evaluating public health interventions more generally. Our case study also found it was well suited to retrospective evaluation, although the earlier the work can begin the more beneficial it is in understanding the project and in gathering sufficient data. ConclusionOutcome Harvesting shows promise for evaluating community development initiatives, allowing evaluators to work closely with key stakeholders to arrive at a mutually agreed and verifiable set of outcomes. However, challenges remain with regards to engaging a broad range of participants and with ensuring adequate time and resources are available to evaluate initiatives effectively.

Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Capital: Journey of Community Engagement toward Community Empowerment Program in Developing Country

The importance of social capital in analyzing economic progress and development has long been acknowledged. However, little research has actually looked into how social capital functions and what role it plays in community development initiatives. This case study explores communities’ experiences of receiving CSR funds informing a community development program. The informants of this study were the participants of the CSR program from three communities forested by three companies’ CSR, which received reward funding from the Indonesian government. By using qualitative data collection, this study interviewed five to seven people who participated in the CSR programs or approximately 16 people. This study found five ways that social capital contributes to the success of a CSR program. They are (1) increasing the likelihood that people will participate in the program; (2) lessening individual ambiguity caused by certain program implementation uncertainties; (3) fostering morale and motivation among participants; (4) promoting knowledge sharing; and (5) strengthening the sense of togetherness. In the future, additional case studies from various regions of Indonesia and other nations may examine local conditions and diversity when implementing CSR programs.

The Effect of Spatial Unemployment on the Neighbouring Regions’ Economies: A Regional Case Study of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa

This article investigates the degree of spatial dependence of unemployment on neighbouring economies with possible implications for cross-border community development initiatives. The local municipalities within the KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa are used as a case study. Spatial econometric techniques are employed that incorporate dependence between regions in close geographical proximity. Disaggregated data and knowledge about the dynamics at a sub-regional level are usually unavailable for designing employment policies, especially for regional economies in under-developed countries. The results suggest an absence of spatial unemployment clustering and autocorrelation between neighbouring economies. The absence of externalities implies that little mutual dependence exists between adjacent economies, and therefore municipal unemployment patterns can be viewed as spatially random. The economy of a region is therefore fundamentally heterogeneous in that its unemployment rates are determined and influenced by its unique and diverse factors rather than neighbouring unemployment trends or patterns.

Upcycling Fabric Waste for Home Decoration by Implementing Islamic Art Approach

Humanity's activities cause the destruction that occurs in the world as a caliphate, as stated in Surah Ar-Rum (30), verse 41 of the Quran. One of the products that might harm the ecosystem is waste. Various countries, including the Indonesian Government, have competed with numerous initiatives and policies to save environmental sustainability. The author of this study provided training on how to conserve the environment by processing trash, particularly fabric waste. Bina Nusantara University's community development initiative invites numerous assisted MSMEs to participate in a waste management training session. Participants are instructed on how to transform fabric waste into useful interior products. The techniques conducted start from joining fabric waste with patchwork, quilting, and applique connection techniques. From the connection results, the product's value can be increased again by adding a digital screen printing technique. Islamic Art is one of the many motifs that can be used. Implementing Islamic geometric patterns and floral, vegetal, and calligraphy designs on interior accessories are some examples of Islamic art motifs. Apart from being able to decorate the interior of the home, particularly by giving it an Islamic feel, the objective of creating this product is to conserve the environment through upcycling technology.

Planning for change, long term: The 100-year plan

This article draws on the place-based practice as research work of Associate Professor Anna Francis, to consider an alternative model for developing long-term approaches to creative community development. Francis’s research into the effects of having professional arts practitioners facilitate public-participatory art within community development and urban regeneration initiatives has led to specific types of impact: fostering community development and cohesion in underprivileged areas of Stoke-on-Trent; influencing local government policy; and developing new initiatives and cultures in social arts organisations. A key part of that work has focused on the development of The Portland Inn Project since 2015, a creative artist and community led regeneration initiative, in a deprived area of Stoke-on-Trent, supporting community members to make positive change and development, via an embedded and varied arts development programme. Since 2021, The Portland Inn Project has developed thinking and action around the development of a Community Led 100-year plan for the neighbourhood. The 100-year plan borrows from landscape architecture and design thinking to empower communities, funders and policy makers to resist short-term project-based thinking, and to begin to think more holistically and sustainably, which can have significant benefits, socially, politically and environmentally.

CONCEPT OF CO-PRODUCTION AND THE URBAN POOR'S HOUSING CHALLENGE IN BANGLADESH

Co-production is more than an idea; it is a gathering of thoughts collaborating to find common results. Co-production within the community becomes successful when the community people lead their processes themselves. Through this theme, the communities can enhance their capacity to respond constructively to future problems. Besides, community people, the government, and other organizations play important roles in regulating, financing, and managing the whole process, being potential actors. Slowly, a transformation is taking place in the relationships between the stakeholders—that is, being equal partners in development. This type of relationship strengthens the sustainability of community development initiatives. In some cases, the application of co-production at the grassroots for a better life has encountered numerous challenges limiting participation at various levels. Our study aims at exploring the concept of co-production in housing scenarios, identifying the outcomes of this concept by indicating active roles encountering diverse ways that actors and participants may face challenges to make it successful in the housing process. This paper also focuses on finding out the benefits and drawbacks of co-production in housing and the effectiveness of management policies in the context of Bangladesh. For achieving these objectives, an effective literature review of the existing knowledge on this theme of “Co-Production” has been followed as the study methodology. The results from this study depict that co-production within a community can be an alternative approach to addressing the housing issues of the underprivileged community of society. Although having the challenges of socio-economic and political dynamics, a flexible participatory approach to co-production can be successful in Bangladesh, with an appropriate management policy undertaken by the stakeholders.

Firming non-political actors to enhance the quality of urban service delivery. A review on the City Development Forums in Uganda

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the dependability of non-political forums specifically considering the City Development Forums in Uganda. This investigation was motivated by the idea of City Development Forums being a known spectrum for Non-Political Forums to play a role in affairs otherwise affecting a City or Municipality. Research methodology: A Desk review method was adopted in which data was collected from obtainable resources specifically Publications, the Internet, Official Reports, etc., followed by cross-referencing and collation of data. Results: The outcomes reveal that a set of six principles inform City Development Forums, viz. shared accountability of every stakeholder in ensuring sustainable development; integrated planning framework for sustainable urban development; effective coordination among every urban stakeholder; local teamwork and networking; bottom-up broad-based stakeholder participatory consultations; and mobilization of resources for sustainable urban development. Limitations: This study adopted a review of secondary data yet if primary data were to be used, maybe, the results would have been different. Therefore, a different study can be conducted using primary data to determine whether these results hold sway and, if any, the justifications for the noticeable variances. Contribution: This study contributes to the understanding of local community development initiatives using the empowerment approach.

Cultivating Vibrant Gardens in Urban Communities: Success Factors of Community Gardens in Beijing and Shanghai

Community gardens have emerged as community development initiatives with proven environmental, social, and public health benefits. While many studies evaluate the benefits of community gardens, fewer studies evaluate the success and failure of gardens, especially in China. This research uses four case studies of state-sponsored community gardens in Beijing and Shanghai to analyze social and organizational factors that help and hinder the success of community gardens. Factors impacting success are multi-faceted and interactive, and relations between residents and local government staff determine success throughout different development stages. In the design stage, the involvement of residents and their vision are important to success. In the maintenance stage, the leadership of key actors, including Residents’ Committee staff and volunteers, residents’ preparedness for self-governance, and external recognition are the most significant factors. The findings corroborate literature on factors of community gardens’ success while contributing new insights about the organization and governance of community gardens in the context of a top-down political system.

The Role of Creative Placemaking

The Role of Creative Placemaking

An evidence cycle framework for community development initiatives

Abstract Evidence is a central concept in epistemology, and good evidence is essential for developing effective community development programs. There is a range of theoretical approaches for helping to understand and ensure program effectiveness, but none uses evidence as a central pivot, and they may be difficult for the managers of community development programs to apply. An evidence-focussed theoretical framework and tool could help build the evidence literacy of communities and their advocates, assist community groups and members that struggle to gain representation, and help ensure that community development programs are inclusive, efficient, and effectively improve health and wellbeing outcomes. This paper presents an eight-step evidence cycle conceptual framework for helping communities ensure evidence is foundational to all stages of their programs. The steps are recognize, gather, appraise, integrate, use, create, manage, and share evidence. Each step is described, and example approaches applicable to both descriptive and intervention evidence are provided. A tool (specifically, a rubric) for program managers to self-assess their work against the cycle, informed by UK-based development network, Bond’s five principles for evidence use in community development (voice/inclusion, appropriateness, triangulation, contribution, and transparency), is also provided. The approach, which is applicable to all stages of a program, has the potential to not only increase managers’ and participants’ evidence literacy, but to also facilitate attention to evidence throughout the life of a program and beyond, leading to better results for community development.

Impact of community development initiatives and access to community markets on household food security and nutrition in Ghana

In this study, we investigate the impact of community development initiatives and community markets on household food security and nutrition using nationally representative dataset of 16,772 households in Ghana. We estimate a multinomial endogenous switching regression of the impacts of these interventions on food security and nutrition while accounting for unobserved heterogeneities of households and communities in the allocation of these interventions. The results show that both interventions significantly increase household food security and nutrition, although the effects are much larger when these interventions are implemented together than in isolation. Moreover, the intervention strategies come at a cost of economic inefficiency in resource allocation which ends up making some households worse off. Thus, policymakers could consider implementing specific but complementary development interventions together and improving engagement with beneficiaries of such policies to ensure interventions are indeed effective and pro-poor.

Implications of Gender Stereotypes on Community Development Initiatives in Dadaab, Garissa County, Kenya

This paper examined the implications of gender stereotypes on community development initiatives in Dadaab region of Garissa County in Kenya using data collected for an MA Thesis. The paper has been motivated by increased perceptions that gender stereotyping has continued to bar development especially in developing countries such as Kenya. The Specific objectives of this study were; to examine how socially-constructed gender norms influence community development in Dadaab Sub County, to explore how religious beliefs on gender influence community development, and to assess the influence of cultural beliefs on gender in community development in Dadaab Sub County. The study adopted correlational design which engaged 293 men and women respondents selected through Convenience sampling. Social role and gender schema theories were used to explain behavior of men and women based on societal expectations and the process of gender construction and maintenance through cognitive organization and interpretation. Data was collected using focus groups and interview schedule. The study found out that men and women had divided roles where responsibilities for men in the families included; protecting the families from danger, decision making, fending for the family as a bread winner, transportation of animals from one place to another, disciplining the children, fencing, digging wells and boreholes and ensuring the woman does not struggle to work in order to feed a family. Additional findings show that the community in Dadaab believes that gender equality is demeaning to men by affecting their roles in the family. The inequality has also deprived women of opportunity for employment hence, reduces the household income in the long run. The study found out that the cultural belief in the Somali community in Dadaab adopts a patriarchal framework, where the man is expected to be the breadwinner and head of the household with an obligation of providing the family with steady and reliable income. The study recommends deconstruction of the patriarchal nature of the Somali community that downplays the role of women in society by way of policy to manage stereotyping of women and advocate for gender equality and social inclusion and participation of both for sustainable development.

Lowe's launches new community development initiative

Corporate Philanthropy ReportVolume 37, Issue 5 p. 3-3 News Briefs Lowe's launches new community development initiative First published: 07 April 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/cprt.31247Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume37, Issue5May 2022Pages 3-3 RelatedInformation