Community Development Process Research Articles

The Importance of Christian Youth Ministry Involvement in Community Development in the Mayibuye Community

This article reports on the findings of the Christian youth ministry involvement in community development in the Mayibuye community (Tembisa-Gauteng Province, South Africa). The article employed the use of Richard Osmer’s model of the four tasks of practical theological interpretation in describing and analysing the situation in the Mayibuye community. The tasks sought to give an understanding of what is happening in youth ministry and community development contexts in the Mayibuye community. The study relied on both documentary analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews. The findings revealed that several socio-economic challenges antagonize local communities, and young people are the most affected, as they possess a more significant number amongst all community sectors. The findings further discovered that the youth and youth ministry involvement is limited in community development processes amid local communities. In this light, the Mayibuye community has been experiencing a low level of education, gender inequity, unemployment, sexual-related challenges, substance abuse, and illicit conduct amongst the social ills. The study introduced promoting values, enhanced respect for others, driving service with integrity, and more as the benefits of youth ministry involvement in community development. The study also recommended further empirical studies on youth ministry involvement in community development, enhancement of collaboration between local religious communities and government, and engagement of young people in community development processes. Keywords: Community development, illicit conduct, social cohesion, social justice, youth ministry

Assessing the Role of Youth Groups in Community Development in the Nkwanta South Municipality

The youth is said to be the backbone of every society because of the critical role they play in the community development. The youth, therefore, form the pivot of societal development. This paper assessed the role of youth groups in the community development in Akyode Traditional Area in the Nkwanta South Municipality. The research adopted a mixed-method approach, specifically concurrent triangulation where the researchers employed both the quantitative and qualitative approaches to study a phenomenon at the same time. The simple random sampling technique was employed to select 200 respondents for the study. It was realized that the youth groups play diverse roles including sensitizing members on the importance of education and initiating community development projects. It was also realised that there is a positive relationship between youth development and their role in the community development processes in the area. The study recommends that the competences, attitudes, values and skills of the youth could be further developed through symposia, club meetings, workshops, conferences, seminars and sports and games to enable them to contribute meaningfully towards community development.

Preventing social isolation: Otsuchi town after the Great East Japan Earthquake

ABSTRACT On 11th March 2011, Japan was struck by an earthquake of tremendous force, the Great East Japan Earthquake. A social issue that emerged during the early stage of reconstruction after the disaster was social isolation. This study aims to explore a process by which community action of the affected people can be promoted to prevent them from experiencing social isolation. The process was applied in the temporary housing estates built in Otsuchi town, Iwate Prefecture, after the great tsunami. In this case study, we analysed the processes of local government restructuring and community development as well as intervention effects developed by us in this process. Consequently, the barriers to the development of community actions for preventing isolation were identified: inefficiency in the local management system; a lack of cohesion in stakeholder perceptions; and disconnectedness between the system and interventions. These findings have implications for reconstruction planning, which include (1) a reconstruction strategy that defines the goal and shares a prevention policy, while addressing the treatment needs of the rapidly emerging of stakeholders and communication training for the staff supporting the affected people and (2) the community interventions that build consideration of community readiness and linkage to the local system.

Exploring how accessible cultural practices impact on community development: The case of InclusivOpera at the Macerata Opera Festival in Italy

ABSTRACT The growing importance of inclusion for community development cannot be overcome, especially in areas characterized by cultural clashes, economic disparity, and urban marginalization. In this perspective improving community exposure to the arts and extending the access to cultural programs might play an important role. Arts accessibility might magnify important impacts on the community such as the (re)interpretation of the value of diversity, the enhancement of individual capacities through creativity, the empowerment of citizens’ political and democratic participation, and the reinforcement of the sense of belonging of a community. On these grounds, the aim of our article is to describe and discuss what arts accessibility is and how the adoption of inclusive practices by arts institutions might improve community development programs. We also present a case study, the InclusivOpera project at the Macerata Opera Festival (MOF) in Italy, which stands as a critical case to understand how arts accessibility might trigger community development processes.

Women Participation in School Governance in Lalitpur, Nepal: A Participatory Development Practice

Participation is an important dimension of good governance. In Nepal, there seem positive changes in women's participation in School Management Committees (SMC), Parent Teachers Association (PTA), and school administration but the participation of women has become a far-reaching goalin public school governance. This article is about exploring how women's participation could contribute to promoting good governance practices in community schools. Authors have applied an interpretative inquiry and participation and feminist standpoint theories to make out the meaning in this study which was carried in two public schools in Lalitpur, Nepal. The finding reveals that his meaningful representation of women in school governance is likely to minimize the governance challenges such as absenteeism, low parents’ participation, poor resource mobilization, transparency, and accountability.These positive transformations contribute to the community development process. However, enabling environment for women is needed to ensure their meaningful representation in school governance structures. This study is beneficial to educationists, planners, and development workers in Nepal.

Actors of Community Development: Insider and Outsider Perspectives

The diverse socio-economic and geographical situation of Nepal contributes to the complexity of community development. In such varied contexts, holistic community development faces many challenges, addressing cross-cutting issues like health and education, which may be viewed differently by men and women, as well as different castes, ethnicities, economic status, political associations and religions. The community's well-being must be the central focus of every development intervention, yet there is no one opinion that reflects the diversity of opinions within every community. How can community development practitioners listen to all viewpoints and find an accepted method to achieve grassroots development in such a complex environment, when they themselves come from diverse backgrounds and education, and bring their own attitudes and opinions? The central focus of this study was to investigate the reflective practices of community development at the grassroots level of rural Nepal. The study investigates the practices and perceptions of community development practitioners and their reflexivity regarding their life experiences and efforts to adequately relate to diverse communities. For this, critical reflective inquiry has been used. Practitioners with extensive experiences were chosen as research participants for that purpose. The life experience of both authors and the practitioners is interpreted through the lens of actor perspective on community development. Additionally, we consider how the insider and outsider perspectives of development practitioners may influence their work. Three key elements with the potential to directly interference the process of community development in rural Nepal were explored: local people as subjective forms of beneficiary; community development practitioners as mediators of interventions; and development policies as a roadmap of community inclusion. The dynamic involvement of these three elements is crucial to reach goals envisioned by community development interventions, yet often the practitioners are ignored. The paper concludes that the success of such interventions rests upon the active and reflective intercourse of this triangulation.

Italian Community Co-operatives: Structuration of Community Development Processes in Italy

ABSTRACT Italy is famous worldwide for its co-operative sector, and this firm model has proven to be efficacious in redressing many social inequalities over the past two centuries. This paper aims to examine how local communities in diverse regions have adapted this traditional form to the contemporary trend of bottom-up community development processes. Furthermore, the paper compares the Italian initiatives with the international literature on community co-operatives and assesses to which extend similarities and differences are viewable. The qualitative analysis considers 7 co-operatives in various areas of Italy, and analyses result from 15 semi-structured interviews with managers. Findings show the intense work undertaken before the co-operatives’ registration, the negotiation of purposes and objectives with external partners, how founder groups have a key role in determining each firm’s approach to local development, and how further networks with external subjects are deeply influence the co-operatives’ work.

Learning communities and physical education professional development: A scoping review

Learning communities (LCs) in a variety of formats are touted as an effective strategy for continuing professional development (CPD) in physical education. This study’s purpose was to provide an overview of the research on LCs in physical education for professional development between 1990 and 2020. A scoping review undergirded the research process and search parameters included full-text empirical studies in 12 languages. Ultimately 95 studies were found. A descriptive analysis revealed teachers as the focus in 75% of the studies; fewer studies focused on initial teacher education students, teacher educators, and facilitators. The largely qualitative studies reflected an international database (18 countries; four multinational studies) with South Korea, the US, and England dominating the literature. Four features spotlight thematic findings: (a) facilitation, (b) the process of community development, (c) the focus of the group and (d) the product(s) of the group. Learning communities as a CPD approach in physical education appear to be effective in a variety of ways. Little evidence, however, exists regarding their sustained nature over time, or how teacher engagement in LCs may result in substantive student learning. Contributing to the scattered nature of literature to date was the interchangeable use of communities of practice (CoP) and other forms of LCs. Often communities were not theoretically aligned, the development process of communities not explained, nor evidence provided as to how the community studied contained the qualifying features of a CoP or LCs. Future research, therefore, should detail the nature of community and fidelity to the theoretical framework.

Agricultural Extension among the Farming Community in Sri Lanka

Conventional agricultural extension approaches are insufficient to assist farmers in dealing with increasingly complex challenges in the agriculture sector. As part of the process of community development, this study aims to identify challenges among farmers and provide support for developing high-quality technologies adoption mechanisms through the community development process. This paper presents the help of conceptual applications for developing an innovative agricultural extension mechanism in Sri Lanka. It is mainly based on the following objectives; (1) to identify the structural performance of agricultural extension systems, (2) to identify achievements and constraints to improve the innovation-friendly extension process, and (3) to provide suggestions on the extension process. Preliminary results from previous studies show that the novel process influences adaptive group thinking rapidly. The integrated approach provides lessons for development and food security, and sustainability improvement. The lessons learned from this initiative can be applied to efficient participatory extension and training models. Long-term sustainable development of agricultural communities necessitates the establishment of new innovative development strategies based on a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of development resources while considering the characteristics of socio-demographic territories and strong policy development to fill gaps and expose critical information to policymakers.

Development of Urban Community Through Creative Business Groups Towards Independent Village in Menteng Village Jekan Raya District Palangka Raya City

The purpose of this research is to find a strategy in developing Creative Business Groups in Menteng Village, precisely in the RT 05/RW XII environment and its surroundings. The group's efforts have been to recycle used tires into useful items, for example making flower pots and others, focusing on the environmental theme. Furthermore, mentoring is carried out because the group understands that they have potential in the field of business for the development of their group. They mobilize the community to join together in managing the business and its environment in collaboration with stakeholders (RT). The strategy used is to analyze pentagonal assets and determine asset advantages using the Orid Technique, which is then described in the program strategy analysis table (related to program potential, expectations, and plans). The summary of the agreed program is to strengthen group management and design development efforts for infrastructure development before the business is realized. The Asset Based Community-Driven Development (ABCD) approach is used as the method of this action research, namely community development carried out based on the assets owned, namely human, social, and supportive environmental assets. Community development process with independent participation (self-mobilization) through Appreciative Inquiry. The discovery of data is covered in the FGD process, interviews, observation and documentation, and the evaluation techniques used are before-after and historical plots. Program changes can be analyzed by looking at the development of a more structured group management and realizing the development of a business development plan. So that if the business starts operating, in the future it can have an impact on strengthening the economy, social and environment of the community.

Disaster Management and Community Development: A Pakistani Perspective

After making thorough on-ground observation it is observed that because of hazardous development of populace, evolving needs, financial rivalry and also inflation of the assets for social welfare administrations at the worldwide level are decreasing. Keeping in perspective the contracting position of assets for social welfare and group advancement the idea of investment rose in range of sociological areas and group improvement. Participatory approach gradually and steadily came into use in the group advancement discourse. It was trailed by a fast development in the advancement of techniques for including rustic individuals in looking at their own issues, setting their own objectives, and checking their own accomplishments. It is essential to note that an effectively included and enabled domestic populace is key for effective community development process. This paper deals with similar themes on community development and disaster management in Pakistan.It discusses the fundamental prologue to the worldview of involvement of local community; ontological transformation in disaster administration and procedure of community based disaster management in Pakistan.

Evaluating the Contributions of Youth Groups in Community Development in the Nkwanta South Municipality

The youth constitute the backbone of every society and they have critical role to play towards community development processes. This study evaluated the role of youth groups in the community development processes in the Nkwanta South Municipality. The study adopted mixed method approach, specifically concurrent triangulation which allowed the researcher to employ both the quantitative and qualitative approaches to study a phenomenon at the same time. The purposive sampling technique was employed to select 180 respondents for the study. It was realized that the youth groups in the area sensitize their members on the importance of education. It was also found out that there exist a positive correlation between youth development and the contributions of youth groups in the community development processes in the area. The study recommends that the capacity, knowledge, attitudes, values and skills of the youth should be developed through organization of trainings sessions, workshops, conferences, seminars and sports and games to enable them contribute meaningfully towards community development. Keywords: Community development, self-help projects, youth groups DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/11-22-05 Publication date: November 30 th 2021

Using theory-based evaluation to understand what works in asset-based community development

Abstract Asset-based community development (ABCD) has become a popular approach to community work, with the claim that it can support high poverty communities to drive the process of community development. Yet there is little detailed evidence on the efficacy of the ABCD model, and how this relates to the political, economic, and social context in which the intervention is located. This article presents research from a community case study in Scotland to explore how Theory-Based Evaluation can clarify ABCD’s hypothesis for change. Understanding ABCD’s causal mechanisms allows a nuanced consideration of why it may have limited impact and highlights the importance of context when planning community interventions. The study demonstrates that ABCD can generate locally led activity and build social networks but is unlikely to achieve a ‘tipping point’ from activity generation into wider community association without pre-existing resources being in place. Community association relies on pathways of activism that support local action incrementally and require resources in support of this.

Bringing the design perspective to coworking-spaces: Constitutive entanglement of actors and artifacts

Different forms of coworking spaces have spread worldwide that use various artifacts (e.g., office settings, décor, furniture, equipment) to strengthen autonomy, flexibility, spontaneous interactions, and intrinsic motivation. However, the various manifestations of coworking spaces limit clearly defined boundary conditions for their successful implementation and demand a profound understanding of the interactions that take place among actors and artifacts. Using a flexible pattern matching approach, our study explains that artifacts can contour and create the possibilities for actors and define the borders, e.g., when, where, and with whom to communicate and work in coworking spaces. Our findings indicate that actors and artifacts are constitutively entangled in coworking spaces and play a key role in the community development process by fostering a shared understanding and identity, mutual interdependency, and common practices.

State Response, Community Development, and Covid-19

Almost all countries in the world are being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, including Indonesia. The Indonesian government is trying to take steps to improve the welfare of its people in the midst of this pandemic situation. This paper aims to analyze how the state responds to the impact of Covid-19 and how community development is being carried out in the face of Covid-19. This paper uses descriptive qualitative research with literature study methods related to government policies for the welfare of the community in the Covid-19 pandemic which is associated with the state response and the community development process in Indonesia. The results of this study show that the state's response is through issuing health protocol regulations, providing assistance to reduce electricity rates, distributing basic foodstuffs, and cash. The state also improves emergency response mechanisms, conducts outreach, involves the community, conducts tracing intensively. The state also faces obstacles, however input from the public and global organizations is used as evaluation material which makes further response increases. Meanwhile, community development in dealing with Covid-19 is carried out through active and sustainable community strengthening based on the principles of social justice, cooperation and participation from the community in making it happen. Keywords: State Response; Community Development; Covid-19

Extension Administrators’ Perspectives on Employee Competencies and Characteristics

Extension administrators discussed the competencies and characteristics of Extension professionals as they explored how Extension will need adapt to changing clientele, both in who they are and how they want to receive information. Extension education curriculum is not fully preparing future Extension employees in all required competencies, falling short on use of technology, diversity and pluralism, volunteer development, marketing, and public relations, risk management, and the community development process. Additionally, the Extension educator workforce development pipeline is not preparing a demographically representative population, leaving state administrators struggling to hire prepared professionals, especially those with in-culture competency (e.g., racial and ethnic minority and urban).

Barriers to the participation of women in community development process in rural Ghana: a regression analysis

ABSTRACT Women across the world face a myriad of barriers in every sphere of their socio-economic life, negatively affecting their ability to utilise available societal resources to achieve their full potential. They are often relegated to the background when it comes to participation in community development and decision-making. The present study seeks to examine the relative strength of barriers to women’s involvement in the community development processes in rural Ghana. A multistage sampling technique was used to recruit 210 women from three rural communities in Ghana. A questionnaire comprising a series of scales was used to collect the data. The study found that the most critical barriers faced by women in rural Ghana include the patriarchal norms of Ghanaian society, as well as behavioural, and idiosyncratic patterns associated with their socialisation. The study recommends the provision of opportunities to communities to be able to empower and encourage themselves to make the cultural shifts necessary to overcome and address the key barriers women face. Community development processes must incorporate meaningful participatory approaches geared towards greater equality, freedom, and advancement of local community members, especially women.

Decolonizing social services through community development: an Anishinaabe experience

Abstract This article is a case study of a community review of an income assistance (IA) program from the perspectives of Anishinaabe First Nations communities that interact with Niigaaniin—an Indigenous-run social assistance program. Using a decolonial methodological approach, the review process revealed that the priority of achieving clients’ wellbeing involves engaging in community wellness and development from an Indigenous community-scale perspective. This participatory review of the program of IA enabled a continued decolonization of social services and community development processes, re-signifying the idea of individual-based social services towards a more Indigenous community-oriented focus. This process suggests that decolonization requires that these separate fields be unified into one participatory, community-centred, and practice.

Women’s participation in community development in rural Ghana: The effects of colonialism, neoliberalism, and patriarchy

ABSTRACT Women’s empowerment and gender equality have been given attention by development practitioners and communities over the last two decades. Studies show, however, that in the face of the increase attention to gender equality in community development, women’s advancement, and participation in both developed and developing countries are restricted. The situation of women involvement in the community development process in Ghana is abysmal. The purpose of this study was to ascertain how colonialism, patriarchy and neoliberalism serve as barriers to women within community development processes in rural Ghana. This paper is approached from transnational feminist perspective. A total of twelve (12) women from three randomly selected rural communities in Ghana were interviewed about their community development experiences. The findings implicate Western influence and structural factors in the low participation of women in community development processes in rural Ghana. This study found that Western interference in the form of the superimposition of a neoliberal capitalist agenda has had a negative consequence on the level of participation of women in their communities. This ideology has imbued in women individualistic ideals to the detriment of traditional communal life. The women were particularly disadvantaged by the reliance on level of education and fluency in English, as requirements for local government positions since English is the national business language. The existing patriarchal norms and values in rural communities such as traditional gender roles and “name calling” militate against women within the context of community development. Western interference, colonialism, patriarchy, and capitalist ideologies continue to hinder the involvement of women in the development of their communities. It is therefore important to address these issues to help better the lives of women in rural Ghana.

Social Justice and Community Development: A Multilevel Community Engagement Model to Effectively Work with Families Living in Culturally-Diverse Communities in Pakistan

The current paper introduces the Multilevel Community Engagement Model (MCEM) to help development agencies effectively work with families living in diverse communities in Pakistan. This model is grounded in family systems theory, participatory action research (PAR), and ecological systems theory. It is also informed by three empirical studies and the author’s reflections of his direct observations and experiences based on his work with development agencies. The MCEM uncovers important insights about the complex, dynamic, and reciprocal interactions among different groups of stakeholders at three different engagement levels (i.e., proximal, influential, and holistic). MCEM emphasizes a strong collaboration, effective coordination, and open communication among stakeholders within and between these levels. Development agencies can use and apply MCEM, which may help them adequately understand the needs of families living in diverse communities and address those needs in socially just manners. Additionally, MCEM honors community voice and encourages local knowledge, which may magnify the efforts of stakeholders’ groups who are involved in the community development process and situated within/between three different engagement levels and ensure the successful sustainability of development projects in Pakistan. Although, this model is grounded in research, which was carried out in Pakistan, it is intended to be adapted such that it can be transformed and applied in other countries/societies/cultures. The implications and limitations of MCEM are discussed.