1. Empowerment and Social Change
I. The Empowerment Perspective

2. Definition Power and control over important outcomes and resources.
An active rather than passive stance.
Positive mental health.

3. Levels of Analysis Individual. Key Concepts. Research Examples.
Self-efficacy and locus of control.
Participation in activities and organizations.
Research Examples.
Research repeatedly indicates that perceived control reduces the experience of stress and increases positive health and mental behaviors (Presson & Benassi, 1996; Yarcheski et al., 2004).
Social activism may increase feelings of empowerment (Stone & Levine, 1985; Ramierez-Valles & Brown, 2003). 

4. Levels of Analysis (cont…)
Organizational.
a. Key Concepts.
Organizations that help people gain control over there lives are empowering organizations. Those that influence policy-making decisions and allocation of resources to community members are empowered organizations.
b. Research Examples.
Empowering organizations.
Grawitch, Gottschalk, & Munoz, 2006

5. Levels of Analysis (cont…)
Empowered organizations.
Riger (1984).
Snow et al. (1980).
Community.
Key Concepts.
"An empowered community is one that initiates efforts to improve the community, responds to threats to quality of life, and provides opportunities for citizen participation."

6. Empowerment and Social Change
II. Strategies for stimulating social change

7. Social Change Strategies
Citizen Participation
=involvement in any organized activity in which the individual participates without pay in order to achieve a common goal.
Networking.
Consultants.
Professionals with special knowledge or skills to bring to bare on a problem.
Education and spread of information.
Critical awareness-an understanding of the larger social or political problem.
Public policy.

8. Strategies: Concepts and Research
Citizen Participation.
Predictors of social activism.
O'Neil et al. (1988).
Kelly and Breinlinger (1996).
Advantages.
Disadvantages.

9. Strategies: Concepts and Research (cont…)
Networking.
Umbrella organizations.
Clearinghouses.
Prevention First Incorporated
Advantages.
Disadvantages.

10. Strategies: Concepts and Research (cont…)
Consultants.
Services of community psychologists.
Needs assessment.
Program evaluation.
Advantages.
Disadvantages.

11. Strategies: Concepts and Research (cont…)
Education and spread of information.
Public policy.