Factors Affecting Community Development

2166 Words5 Pages

Empowering communities is an important part of health promotion, but it is quite hard to implement the concept of culture and empowerment within a working health promotion programme (Laverack, 2003). Culture cannot be defined in any one single definition, culture can be shared, taught, and is passed down from one generation to another (Kreuter, Lukwago, Bucholtz, Clark & Sanders-Thompson, 2003). Culture is viewed as a group’s values, norms and simply just the way of life (Kreuter, Lukwago, Bucholtz, Clark & Sanders-Thompson, 2003). Many different models have been established which incorporate different values and beliefs of different cultural groups; these models incorporate the key ideas and principles of community development and overall health in regards to the specific cultures. Culture also has a huge impact on community development and also aids in the empowerment of the community (Williams, 2004). As health promoters it is important to understand the values and beliefs of other cultures, and use those values and beliefs to empower and develop communities. Health promoters need to understand the key principles of community development, how culture impacts community development and also have a clear understanding about the Treaty of Waitangi, and use the Treaty of Waitangi in health promotion practise (Kreuter, Lukwago, Bucholtz, Clark & Sanders-Thompson, 2003).
Community development can vary between communities, due to differences in culture, beliefs, values, and a range of other different factors which effects community development. There are still a few principles of community development which ultimately remain the same no matter where or what cultural beliefs a community may have. Within a health promotion context when ...

... middle of paper ...

...le Model of Health. Massey University, 1-6.
Scottish Executive (2004). Working and learning together to build stronger communities. Edinburgh, Scotland: St Andrew’s House.
Tankersley, M. L. (2004). TE TIRITI O WAITANGI AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. Community Development Conference, 1-10. Retrieved from: http://www.volcan.org.nz/resources/treaty_of_waitangi_and_community_development.pdf
Williams, L. (2004). Culture and community development:Towards new conceptualizations and practice. Community Development Journal, 39, 345-359. Retrieved from http://cdj.oxfordjournals.org.ezproxy.aut.ac.nz/content/39/4/345.full.pdf+html

Moewaka Barnes, H. (2000). Kaupapa Maori: Explaining the ordinary. Auckland, NZ:
University of Auckland.
Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand. (2002). TUHA-NZ A Treaty Understanding of Hauora in Aotearoa. Retrieved 16 April 2014 from www.hpforum.org.nz

Open Document