SECTION II - WHEN DOES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT HAPPEN?

 

Community development is a planned process that requires certain prerequisites. Effective community development most often happens when:

• a challenge or opportunity presents itself, and the community responds;
• community members are aware of their power to act together to benefit their community;
• there is a desire to build on diversity and to find common ground; and/or
• change is taking place and community development is understood to be a positive approach to manage this change.

Each of these situations is described below. At the end of this section is a set of questions that will help determine whether or not your community has the resources in place that will support community development.

 

Responding to a Challenge or Opportunity

A crisis which threatens the viability of the community or an opportunity to enhance the quality of life in the community is often the driving force for community-based action. Community members perceive that action must be taken. A multitude of circumstances could occur that cause a community to respond.

Examples of negative circumstances that can motivate communities to consider a community development approach are:

• closure of a primary industry upon which many of the community members are dependent,
• a community facing significant social problems but with little that can be achieved until issues of community health and well-being are addressed,
• too many young people leaving the community,
• withdrawal of government funding for an initiative upon which the community is highly dependent, or
• frustration about the results of previous efforts and the desire to use a different approach.

Community development is not solely pursued as a response to negative circumstances or a crisis. Increasingly, community development is viewed as a way to build upon strengths (capacity) and take advantage of opportunities. Some communities view the community development process as a way to tap into the multitude of strengths, skills and abilities of community members.

 

Responding to an Opportunity

A group of friends on welfare talked about the idea of creating a community business. They knew that they had to become more self-reliant and their social workers had provided information about community loan funds for new businesses. They asked others to join them in the creation of a community-based economic development project. Because they had experience in both cooking and customer service, the group decided to open a restaurant. Their goal was to create jobs for themselves and others. It took effort, planning and the development of community trust to start the business, but there was an opportunity to do something and they took it. Today a successful restaurant is in place. The restaurant remains committed to hiring disadvantaged people.

Examples of positive circumstances that can result in community development are:

• the desire to build stronger connections between community members;
• an interest in creating grassroots initiatives to respond to interests or talents within the community (i.e. bartering, co-operatives, arts festivals);
• the potential to diversify economic activity within the community;
• the need to help community members help themselves (community gardens, collective kitchens, cooperative housing); or
• the opportunity to create programs or facilities for children, seniors or others in the community.

Regardless of whether the community is responding to a perceived threat or an opportunity, the motivation to pursue a community development approach stems from a belief that the community itself not only has the solutions but the ability to translate their ideas into action.

 

Lessons from Experience

• A community is a group of individuals wanting to achieve something collectively rather than separately.
• Regardless of how big or small the action, the feature that distinguishes community development from anything else is the collective approach to decision-making.
• Any number of things can trigger an interest in community development, so it is important to understand the need or problem as well as the possible solutions.

 

Points to Ponder

• Is there a threat or opportunity facing your community?
• Do you think community development could be a useful approach to responding to this threat or opportunity?

 

Community Awareness – The Power to Act

Community development stems from the belief that the community itself has or is able to develop solutions to the issues and opportunities within the community. Rather than waiting for someone else, community members believe in their own ability to take action. Some people may need to be convinced that they do in fact have the power to act and that the contribution they could make is of value. Too often we see outside experts or professionals as the ones with the answers and defer to them. Community development requires awareness by members that they too have expertise about their community. Although outside assistance may be needed, it should only be as a tool to develop community-driven responses in a way which responds to the community.

 

The Power to Act

Community members in a small rural community were disturbed by the fact that many of their young people were going to larger centres to find work. As a result of this concern and, after much work, a number of business people sponsored a small local sawmill. The mill is a success and other business opportunities are being considered to help create additional jobs in the community. Having seen one venture succeed, it is easier to plan others.

Discussion in the community may be needed to create the awareness that:

• community members are the experts with respect to the needs, hopes and dreams of their community;
• it can be beneficial to act together to achieve results; and
• all community members have skills, knowledge and abilities to contribute.

Without the awareness and belief that community members have the power to act and to bring about positive change there will be little motivation for community development. Motivation is not the only requirement for successful community development but it is a foundation.

 

Lessons from Experience

• Creating awareness and motivating community members to take responsibility for the future of their community can be a challenge. The best approach may be to use real examples of inclusive community development approaches as a powerful tool for creating awareness of the potential of this approach.
• Practical and small projects can be a great experience that demonstrates the power of collective community development. Starting small and building on strengths is a good strategy for building awareness and motivation.
• Community development does not work well if members see the answer to the threat or opportunity as being outside of themselves (believing, for example, that government should act on their behalf or that one large private-sector investor can turn the economy around and make the community a better place to live).

 

Points to Ponder

• Do individuals in your community believe they have the power to bring about change?
• If community members do not believe they have the power to act, how can you create this awareness?
• If they do have this awareness, how can you build upon it and sustain it?

 

The Desire to Build on Diversity and Find Common Ground

Communities are made up of individuals with a variety of cultural backgrounds, beliefs, interests and concerns. One of the greatest challenges is to find the common ground out of the diversity. Success requires that a good cross-section of community members participate.

 

Finding Common Ground

Two non-profit agencies were frustrated by the fact that very few job opportunities existed in their community for mental health survivors. There were mixed feelings and much ignorance about the abilities of the survivors and many doubts about supporting anything that could create a financial dependency. These two agencies acted as the catalyst to bringing together community people to increase awareness, consider options and develop innovative and community-based solutions to the problems. They discovered that everyone was interested in sustainable and meaningful employment, regardless of other differences, so they proceeded to create a cooperative that was run by and for the mental health survivors. This helped improve understanding and enhanced community relations.

Inclusive processes are those that:

• are open and participatory in nature;
• respect differences and value all contributions;
• ask questions rather than impose answers;
• look for solutions and areas of agreement;
• break down barriers to communication such as the use of jargon and stereotypes; and
• provide a variety of opportunities for participation.

Examples of the way communities include a variety of people in community development processes are:

• town-hall meetings,
• focus groups,
• coffee gatherings and potluck suppers,
• discussion papers that provide an opportunity for response,
• questionnaires about community matters,
• surveys that identify the skills and abilities of community members,
• local media reports,
• e-mail and chat rooms,
• planning workshops, and
• interviewing individuals in leadership roles.

Failure to involve a cross-section of community members and interests will weaken your community development effort. To be effective, all sectors must be involved. Invite community leaders to participate, and design strategies to bring together individuals who do not normally participate in community processes. Make sure that it is the right time and that there is enough interest to proceed.

 

Sometimes It Doesn’t Work

A rural town was trying to organize a formal community development initiative with other groups and agencies in the community. Some felt there was an urgency related to funding cuts while others seemed content to share information about current and future events. They held several meetings that were well-attended, but didn’t seem to be getting anywhere. For the fourth meeting, they hired an outside facilitator who tried to find a place from which to begin. As it turned out, there was no common need or issue beyond the sharing of information and networking. They decided that, for the time being, that was a good enough goal and that a community plan or shared initiative was not that important at that time.

Community development is not one set of interests within a community imposing a solution or action on others. Community development is a democratic process and involves the active participation of a variety of people. The strength of community development is that it is an approach that brings individuals of diverse interests together to achieve a common purpose.

 

Lessons from Experience

• Inclusion must be intentional. Identify the variety of interests in your community and develop strategies for involvement.
• Inclusion of a wide spectrum of interests can push people out of their comfort zones. Acknowledge this and get some experienced help if it becomes a problem.
• The process is as important as the results. A process that fails to be inclusive is not good community development, regardless of the results.
• If certain people or stakeholders in your community are skeptical or don't wish to participate, keep them informed and continue to invite their participation. An inclusive process keeps the door open.
• To be inclusive, keep asking the questions "who else needs to be involved?" and "are we unintentionally excluding someone from the process because they are not connected to a group or organization in our community?"
• Don’t just include the official or regular leaders. There is a lot of talent and energy in those less recognized in community activities.

 

Points to Ponder

• Which individuals or organizations should be involved in a community development process?
• Think of other community processes with which you are familiar. Who was left out of these processes? How could they have been included?
• What challenges can you identify in designing an inclusive community development process in your community?

 

Understanding Change

Community development involves change. The community must understand that community development will bring about changes as well as address issues that have already taken place. Some of the changes will be anticipated, but others will occur as part of the process and may not be foreseen.

Community development can bring about significant transformations in the community. These can involve re-structuring, shifting of power, new relationships, and new economic or community activities. Even positive change can be stressful and needs to be managed. How we respond to, cope with, or handle change is known as managing transition and is a part of the community development process.

Community development is usually initiated by individuals who have passion and vision. If, however, community-based structures are not put into place to support this, even the best efforts can fail. Structures to support change can vary depending on the size and complexity of the endeavor. The following structures are examples:

• a community development plan,
• a communication strategy, and
• a hub of individuals or organizations established as a focal point for community development.

Community development is often supported by more formal organizational structures such as community development offices, community development corporations or not-for-profit organizations. A formal structure may not be needed every time. It is best to wait to determine what is most appropriate for the situation. The key thing to keep in mind is that support structures are necessary to manage the community development process as well as the change it creates. As this is an ongoing process, the structures will not be static. They will change and adapt as the community moves forward. Make sure that you see the structures you create as mechanisms to support your action, not as ends in themselves.

 

Understanding Change

A Community Development Corporation (CDC) had been receiving base funding to create jobs in an isolated area. The jobs were part of the fishing industry economy that was slowly collapsing. Over a three-year period, new economic activities began to be created in eco-tourism and the CDC had to re-think its services. They shifted from being employment-focused to facilitating business start-ups and seeking community financing for joint ventures and partnerships. As the financial agencies had not moved as quickly to cope with the changes, the CDC also became an advocate for policy and program changes that reflected the new priorities and opportunities.

 

Lessons from Experience

• Make community members aware that change will occur and may be stressful. Do not minimize the stress that can be caused by change. Develop strategies for managing change and transition.
• Community development requires a balance between process and action. This can often be difficult to achieve. Take time to develop an effective plan, communication approach and focal point for your activity. These structures will be beneficial in the long run.

 

Points to Ponder

• What changes may result from community development activity?
• How will community members react to this change?
• What actions can you and your community take to offset the impact of change?

 

Checking the Readiness of Your Community

Before initiating a community development process, you need to determine if the conditions just described in the previous section are in place within your own community. To determine if your community is ready, gather sufficient information so that you can answer the following questions:

• Is there a common issue or challenge facing your community?
• Are community members aware of their power to act together to benefit the community?
• Can you think of examples where community members have acted together to achieve a common purpose?
• Is there potential for a community development process to be inclusive?
• Do you believe there is willingness in your community to identify common ground rather than focus on differences?
• Is community development understood as a process that will bring about change?

If the answer is "yes" to all the questions above, then your community is in a strong position to consider a community development initiative.

If, however, the answer to some or all of these questions is "no", you must seriously consider whether the timing for community development is right. Communities are dynamic and the current situation will change over time. Think through what action is needed. Ask yourself if you can take an active role in creating some of these conditions.

The following are some of the indicators that your community may not be in a strong position to initiate a community development approach:

• the community has already adopted a different approach or process for resolving the issues that are of primary concern, and there is no interest in community development approaches;
• anger and conflict characterize the relationships that exist between community interests;
• community members are resisting or do not accept the need for change;
• community leaders and volunteers are involved in other projects and cannot make a commitment to a community development process; and/or
• community capacity is very limited due to issues of well-being or health, and these issues must be addressed prior to launching a community development process.

Readiness is a key issue. The power of community development is that it is a long-term approach. It is important to start a community development process with a strong foundation. It takes time to build the conditions that support community development. Don’t set yourself up for failure. Start where your community is at and build on its strengths.

 

Lessons from Experience

• If you do not believe that community development is viable in your community, try to apply the approach to one or two smaller initiatives such as the development of a community garden or a playground for children. Providing opportunities for community members to achieve positive results together is an excellent way to create the conditions needed for community development.
• When communities are in conflict, or there is a lack of clarity about direction, seek advice from those who have experienced similar situations and have attained successful outcomes.

 

Points to Ponder

• What information do you need in order to determine if the conditions for community development are present?
• How would you go about obtaining this information?
• What can you do to create the conditions that will support a community development approach?
• How could you get others to become interested in community development?

 

The Need for a Catalyst

Many communities appear to have the characteristics that support community development and yet there is no community development initiative or plan in place. The reason for this is that the conditions that support community development are not, in and of themselves, enough to initiate community development. A spark or catalyst is needed. A catalyst for community development is an individual or group who believes change is possible and is willing to take the first steps that are needed to create interest and support.

 

Catalyst

Sarah has ten years of experience in the community development field. As a resident of her community, which is an inner city neighbourhood, she was asked to facilitate the development of a community development plan. She acted as a catalyst by:

• bringing people in the neighbourhood together,
• creating an interest in community development,
• leading a visioning process, and
• drawing upon a number of tools and techniques that assisted community members to develop a community plan.

Sarah helped to start the process and, with other community members, created the vision and the community development plan. There is now a larger group of community members who are implementing the plan.

Community development catalysts create a vision of what is possible. They ask questions and promote discussion among community members. By creating interest, energy and motivation for action, the catalyst makes community development come alive.

 

Who Are Likely Catalysts?

Likely catalysts are:

• people holding jobs that have a community development mandate or regulatory function - municipal staff, Chief and Councils, staff of a non profit-organization, etc.;
• business leaders - Chambers of Commerce, business clubs;
• staff, volunteers or boards of directors of community agencies - not-for-profits, recreation associations, service clubs, social agencies, labour councils, women’s groups;
• community development practitioners and consultants providing technical assistance; and/or
• community members with a specific interest or concern or who just want action.

The issue of who will take on the role of catalyst is usually determined by the nature of the community development activity, by the stage of evolution in the process or by the resources that are available. Organizations and individuals can take on the role of community development catalyst as either volunteers or as part of their paid role or mandate. Some communities often find the resources to hire an individual with community development expertise to help them design and initiate the process.

Effective community development catalysts have:

• credibility within and knowledge of the community;
• a long-term vision, or recognition that one is needed, and awareness that the vision can be created by the community itself;
• a belief in the ability of the community to act;
• the ability to communicate and an openness to the ideas of others;
• the ability to motivate others and share power;
• the energy to initiate and sustain action;
• an openness to learning; and
• the ability to identify and connect with other related activities.

 

Can You Take on the Role of Community Catalyst?

Taking on the role of community development catalyst is important and requires careful thought. Do not begin the role if you are not going to be able to follow through with it.

As an individual you need to think through the following questions:

• Are your personal values, beliefs and attitudes compatible with the characteristics of community development?
• Do you have a vision for your community that you want to share with others?
• Are there other individuals currently carrying out this role with whom you could work?
• Can you motivate people and express ideas well?
• Will your acting as a catalyst result in a real or perceived conflict of interest situation?
• Are you able to balance the role of community catalyst with your other personal and work responsibilities?
• Do you have the flexibility and time to participate in meetings that may fall outside of standard business hours?
• Are you aware that community development takes time and that you may not see instant results?
• Do you believe you have credibility within your community?

If you are going to pursue the catalyst role on behalf of an organization, you should also think through the following questions:

• Are the values and culture of your organization compatible with the characteristics of community development?
• Does your organization have a vision for the community that it wants to share with others?
• Are there other organizations currently carrying out this role or that might work well in a partnership?
• Will your organization value your role as a catalyst and provide you with the time and resources needed to carry it out effectively?
• Will your organization acting as a catalyst result in a real or perceived conflict of interest situation?
• Does your organization understand the flexibility that will be required in terms of hours of work?
• What are the expectations of the organization in terms of results? Is there an understanding that community development takes time and that you may not see immediate results?
• Do you believe your organization has credibility within the community?
• Is the organization willing to promote and support a process where they will share power and decision-making with a cross-section of individuals?

You may not be able to answer all these questions on your own, or you may want to confirm your answers with others in your organization before continuing.

 

Catalyst

Robert was concerned about the safety of his and other children as they went to and from school. He acted as a catalyst to bring parents, community members and teachers together to eliminate safety problems for children in the community. He knew that it would take time but decided it was worth while to get it started and see it through to a satisfactory solution.

His first step was to hold a meeting to explore his concerns with others. The interest in the issue of safety was strong. Robert was able to provide the leadership needed to mobilize community members to do something about it.

The catalyst is a leader. Community members often make their initial commitment to community development because of the credibility and vision of the catalyst. If you are not prepared to sustain what you have started, respond to the unexpected and do some of the hard groundwork required to begin, it is best not to take on the role of catalyst. However, from the beginning of the process, it is important that other community members understand that a leader’s role does not involve doing everything by herself/himself.

If you are prepared to assume this role, the process described in the next section will be useful.

 

Lessons from Experience

• Building support for community development takes time. A catalyst may need to do groundwork and communicate with others to build a common vision for action.
• Catalysts do not have to be the source of all knowledge, skills and abilities. They do, however, have to know how to take the first steps and be open to the ideas and talents of others.

• The leadership role in community development may change over time, but it is important that community members themselves take some ownership for the community development activity.
• Letting go as community interest, energy and awareness is generated can be difficult for a successful catalyst. Make sure that community development action belongs to the whole community, not to just one individual or organization.

Points to Ponder

• Can you or your organization take on the role of the community development catalyst in your community?
• Are there others in the community who could work with you or take on this role?
• What strengths do you and others bring to the role?
• What challenges may be faced in carrying out this responsibility, and how can you respond to them?