Theory and Skills of Working with Communities

What is Community Organisation (CO)? One of the primary methods of social work. Intervention in the communities to solve the community problems. Solution of the problems in the community through their collective involvement. Community organisation and community development are inter-related as two sides of same coin. The power structure plays a role in community organisation. The social workers need to know the community power structure to practice community organisation method, which is used for empowering people for their development

Definitions Murray G. Ross (1967) defines community organisation as a “process by which a community identifies its needs or objectives, gives priority to them, develops confidence and will to work at them, finds resources (internal and external) to deal with them, and in doing so, extends and develops cooperative and collaborative attitudes and practices in the community”. Kramer and Specht (1975) defined that “Community organisation refers to various methods of intervention whereby a professional change agent helps a community action system composed of individuals, groups or organisations to engage in planned collective action in order to deal with special problems within the democratic system of values.”

Community Organisation As a Method To meet the needs. To bring about and maintain adjustment. Helping people effectively to work with their problems. People to realize their objectives by helping them to develop, strengthen, and maintain qualities of participation, self-direction and cooperation. Bringing about changes in community and group relationships and in the distribution of decision-making power. The resources of the community are identified and tapped for solving the community problems.

Principles of Community Organization Murray G Ross Discontent with existing conditions in the community must initiate and/or nourish development of the association. Discontent must be focussed and channelled into organisation, planning, and action in respect to specific problems. Discontent which initiates or sustains community organisation must be widely shared in the community. The association must involve leaders (both formal and informal) identified and accepted by, major sub-groups in the community. The association must have goals and methods and procedures of high acceptability. The programmes of the association should include some activities with an emotional content. The association should seek to utilize the manifest and latent goodwill which exists in the community.

Principles of Community Organization Murray G Ross -cont. The association must develop active and effective lines of communication both within the association and between the association and the community. The association should seek to support and strengthen groups which it brings together in cooperative work. The association should develop a pace of work in line with existing conditions in the community. The association should seek to develop effective leaders The association must develop strength, stability and prestige in the community.

Principles of Community Organization Siddiqui Keeping in mind the actual practice situations in India Siddiqui (1997) has worked out a set of 8 principles. The Principle of Specific Objectives The Principle of Planning The Principle of People’s Participation The Principle of Inter-group Approach The Principle of Democratic Functioning The Principle of Flexible Organisation The Principle of Optimum Utilisation of Indigenous Resources The Principle of Cultural orientation

What is Community Development Community organisation and community development are interrelated. To achieve the goals of community development the community organisation method is used as means. According to United Nations, community development deals with total development of a developing country, that is their economic, physical, and social aspects. For achieving total development community organisation is used.

Community Organization and Community Development Some Distinctions Community organisation is a method but community development is a programme for a planned change. CO emphasizes the processes, but CD emphasizes the end or goals. Community organisers are mostly social workers and social change agents, But community development personnel can be from other professions including agricultural experts, veterinary experts, and other technical experts CO is not time bound. Where as CD is time bound and time is specified for achieving the development objectives. In CO people’s participation is important. But in community development people’s development is important

Community Organization and Community Development Some Distinctions In CO governments and external agencies assistances are not important or needed. But in CD external assistance from the government or other agencies is considered important. CO is used in all the fields but CD is used mostly in economic development and for the development of living standards of the people. In CO planning is initiated by the people through their participation. But in CD planning is carried out by an external agency mostly by the government. In CO people are organised to solve their problem. Where as in CD goals have to be achieved and for that people are organised CO is universal to all communities. But CD programmes differ from people to people depending upon whether the area is rural, urban or tribal, and other characteristics of the area.

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