Community Development Work and Participation (5cr)

Objective

The student
- Is familiar with the role of civil society in different contexts as a creative space for change
- Is able to differentiate between different approaches to working for change with marginalised groups and communities
- Is able to understand and apply the role of the professional as an active agent in empowering people and communities
- Is able to plan, implement, evaluate the complex strategies of community development work
- Is able to demonstrate a developed approach to communicating learning from practice
- Is able to demonstrate an understanding of the need for accountability to users in professional work

Content

- Participatory professional practice in relation to strategies for change
- Critical appreciation of different models and strategies for working for change
- Creation, planning, implementation and evaluation of community development activities and strategies
- Restorative justice in communities Basic strategies of conflict resolution and mediation, Family group conferencing, Network building
- Accountability in professional work

Materials

Use at least one of the following references for the case study report:Alliance, Sectors Skills Council (no publication year). National Occupational Standards for Community Development.Block, Peter 2008. Community: The Structure of Belonging. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. (Available via EBL.)Green, Gary P. & Goetting, Ann 2010. Mobilizing communities: Asset Building as a Community Development Strategy. Temple University Press. (Available via ebrary.)Hawtin, Murray & Percy-Smith, Janie 2007. Community Profiling: A Practical Guide. Open University Press. (Available via ebrary)Herbrechter, Stefan & Higgins, Michael 2006. Critical Studies, Volume 28: Returning (to) Communities: Theory, Culture and Political Practice of the Communal. Rodopi. (Available via ebrary)Hutchinson, Gunn Strand (ed.) 2009. Community Work in the Nordic Countries: New Trends. Oslo, Universitetsforlaget. (print copies only)Joseph, Miranda 2002. Against the Romance of Community. University of Minnesota Press. Available via ebrary.Porkka, Jouko and Pentikäinen, Marja (eds.) 2013. Community of the Future. Challenges and New Approaches to the Community Based Social Work and Diaconia from the CABLA Approach. Helsinki, Diaconia University of Applied Sciences.AND At least one article from Community Development Journal: http://libguides.diak.fi/c.php?g=145942&p=958107

Teaching methods

Role of civil society actors in community workDifferent approaches to working for change with marginalised groups and communitiesdifferent models and strategies in community development work and participatory social workParticipatory evaluation strategiesApproaches to communicating learning from practiceNeed for accountability to users in professional work as a tool for increasing participationContact teaching on community work methods, models and strategiesCommunity work methods, models and strategies will be applied in a case studyAction research and activity-based assignment: teams will plan and implement case studiesTeams will present the results of the case studies in a seminarTeams will write a report of the case study

Employer connections

The case studies will be comibined to working life organisations and Diak',s projects.

International connections

There is no need for earlier studies in community development.

Completion alternatives

A literature exam of three books on a general exam day (rästitenttipäivä). The books will be agreed with the responsible teacher.

Further information

A student can apply for RPL (AHOT) for this study module. Observe that the RPL application deadline for autumn semester 2017 was on 31.1.2017.