Community RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DCE3411) Associate Prof. Dr. Roziah Mohd Rasdi Dept. of Professional Development & Continuing Education Faculty of Educational Studies Universiti Putra Malaysia roziah_m@upm.edu.my

Principles and Objectives of Community Development Topic 3 Principles and Objectives of Community Development

(A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE) WHAT IS COMMUNITY? (A SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE) Community is defined as a group of people in social interaction within a geographic area and having one or more additional common ties. The meaning of community comprises:  A territorial/geographic area  Social interaction Common ties (psycho-cultural)

As a cluster of people living within a specific geographical area The community as a Territorial Unit An identified area As a cluster of people living within a specific geographical area The area determines the nature/type and identity of the community e.g. : Campus community, community of Sri Serdang, community of Putrajaya

Consist of two dimensions: Community as a Social Group: Community as a Unit of Social Interaction Consist of two dimensions: Community as a Social Group: - Social groups have several basic properties such as a body of members, a collection of social roles, and a set of norms - Community as a group of human resources e.g. : Association of Traders, Workers Union, Student Association

Community as a Network of Interaction: - interaction is defined as a face-to-face encounter between two or more people - as a chain of input-output relationship (financial contribution, physical resources, labor force) - a Bank in which it consists of people giving a service to a group of customers - vertical and horizontal interaction

Stresses the idea of common ties or bonds among community members. The Community as a Psychocultural Unit Stresses the idea of common ties or bonds among community members. e.g. : Religion, culture, values, norms, vision Maintains identity, cohesiveness and security in the community

Stresses the idea of common ties or bonds among community members. The Community as a Psychocultural Unit Stresses the idea of common ties or bonds among community members. e.g. : Religion, culture, values, norms, vision Maintains identity, cohesiveness and security in the community

Not all interpretations of community have the geographical dimension Exception in the Definition of Community Not all interpretations of community have the geographical dimension e.g. : International community Community of engineers Community of entrepreneurs Community of pensioners

Production/distribution/consumption) Socialization Basic Functions of Community Economic Production/distribution/consumption) Socialization Family/neighbourhood – non-formal education Political Social control Participation Voluntary associations Mutual support Welfare, health, environmental resources

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT THE UN DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT The term ‘community development’ has come into international usage to connote the processes that allows community residents to come together to plan, generate solutions and take action developing the evolution of social, economic, environmental and cultural aspects of community (Hackett, 2004). Community development is the planned evaluation of all aspects of community well-being (Frank & Smith, 1999). Community development holds potential to build community cohesion by facilitating a community’s capacity to engag connections between individuals, organizations and local groups (Chaskin et al., 2001).

TWO RECENT DEFINITIONS 1. Community work is the process of assisting ordinary people to improve their own communities by undertaking collective action 2. A social work method (based on scientific process) which is directed towards achieving one or more of the following objectives: to satisfy the broad needs of the community and to create and maintain a balance between the needs and the resources in the community

CONT… to provide the community with the opportunity to exploit its strengths and potential (knowledge and skills) to develop these, in order not only to be able to deal with social problems and needs but also to prevent them. to effect change in the community, in group relations and the distribution of decision-making powers.

Community Development Chain Source: Adapted from Phillips & Pittman (2008)

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GOALS OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT 1. To achieve development objectives Every program at community level has specific objectives Collective objectives at local level become objectives at district and state levels

Community Development objectives should be in accordance with the goals at ministry and national levels.

To develop functional social institution Community development is based on principle of working in a group Indirectly, community development encourages the development of working committee, association, institution – all are having functions (functional) E.g. JKKK (VDSC) Youth Association Women’s Club

3. To strengthen community solidarity Strengthens interpersonal communication Through CD program, one knows each other in the community Towards community cohesiveness

4. Towards the development of local leadership All group initiatives need leaders Leaders - 2 types Formal leaders Non-formal Leader - Elected formally - Elected informally - Have affiliation with an organization/ agencies e.g. : District Officer Health Officer - Due to influence in the community because of reputation, expertise, popularity, etc. - Structured roles and functions E.g. : Village Head, JKKK Pensioners (doctor, teachers) - Have authority

5. To mobilize human resources People are important community resources - Labour (administer, planner, workers) CD process is HRD process Therefore, the more active the CD program is, the better mobilization of the human resources in the community

6. To increase the capability of community to face challenges To prepare people through educational process (non-formal) The emergence of social institutions facilitates this CD goal Challenges Fluctuations in commodity price (e.g. Palm oil – effect on palm oil farmers) ICT and education Influence of mass media Changes in demographic profiles (age, working parents).

7. To encourage participation at local level Planning Implementation Gaining the benefits of development with and by the people

PRINCIPLES IN CD 1. Based on local problems Dengue Fever Self-help program to combat the breeding of aedes mosquitoes Poverty Income-generating program at the local level

2. Every individual is a human resource 2. Every individual is a human resource. Therefore, CD is an HRD process 3. Goal of CD is to help people to improve their livelihood.

4. Leadership is important in CD, because it gives direction to people. Expenses in CD is a kind of investment. - participatory approach of development

7. CD should start from the grass root level, then expands to district and state levels. 8. CD based on felt needs. Therefore, the role of CD worker is to change unfelt to felt needs.

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