Introduction:
In this essay I shall make a critical comparison of different theories and approaches of community organising. By focusing on main aspects of Paulo Freire and Saul Alinsky’s models of community organising I shall discuss how applicable these models are in the UK. By drawing examples from experiences of applying Root Solution Listening Matters (RSLM) and Participatory Action Research (PAR) frameworks in my practice. I shall demonstrate relationships and differences between the two. By addressing key elements of theories of power and conflict I shall highlight the main characteristics of both and use these theories as lenses to view some problems in the communities. By comparing models of community enterprise I shall reflect on future opportunities of a budding community enterprise. Finally by outlining the methods of evaluation I shall reflect on my chosen framework for evaluation of my work.
Methodology:
I have applied a qualitative methodology for this essay to provide a literature review and given examples, where relevant, drawn from my practical experiences of working with communities in Bordesley Green (BG), Birmingham and in overseas.
Discussion:
Paulo Freire, and Saul Alinsky’s approaches:
Paulo Freire, and Saul Alinsky are a few of the pioneers of global grassroots collective movement, which is at the heart of community organising. Their theories are based upon organising communities from the below, who are most deprived, socially isolated and segregated and disempowered due to social, economic and political systems. The essence of Freire’s epic book titled “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” (1972) is about challenging the state imposed bureaucratic top down “banking education system” that incre...
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Although poverty has minimized, it is still significant poverty which is characterized by a numerous amount of things. There are two types of poverty case and insular. “Case poverty is the farm family with the junk-filled yard and the dirty children playing in the bare dirt” (Galbraith 236)Case poverty is not irretraceable and usually caused if someone in the household experiences “ mental deficiency, bad health, inability to adapt to the discipline of industrial life, uncontrollable procreation, alcohol, some educational handicap unrelated to community shortcomings” (Galbraith 236).Case poverty is often blamed on the people for their shortcomings but on some levels can be to pinpoint one person's shortcomings that caused this poverty. Most modern poverty is insular and is caused by things people in this community cannot control. “The most important characteristic of insular poverty is forces, common to all members of the community, that restrain or prevent participation in economic life and increase rates of return.
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Global and local communities seek the greatest opportunities for prosperity and self-fulfillment, but there exists certain criteria that must be met in order to achieve those ends. The most successful communities incorporate the inherent values and virtues of a specific group of people. Communities ought to establish goals to be attained by their members, giving them a sense of cohesion and cooperation. Ideally, communities dictate a rule of law to lead them towards some elements of justice and mutual benefit.
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This chapter began by introducing the concept of a civil society. Chirico (128) described it as people organising outside of government channels to meet social objectives. She pointed out that social movements in the past have focused on communities within nations while the current movements focus more on involving people from diverse parts of the world in order to promote human welfare regardless of where in the World they happen to be. Chirico shared a quote from Simmel (128) that really resonated with me and, in my opinion, captured such a complex concept into a short and simple sentence. He said that “Humanity is the collective life, the same people who from other perspective are organized into societies, polities economies, families, and so on”. I take this to mean that we are all, basically, the same; we are all humans who are trying to make it through whatever life we have been given to live. People are just people. I think the concept of civil society is one that I wish more people would understand and embrace instead of holding on to prejudice, judgement, and ignorance. According to Chirico (128), individuals who help do so out of a sense of shared experience by recognising that everyone is a victim of global problems and that anyone can help. There are endless ways to participate whether it be through a formal organisation such as NGO’s, The Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, and The Peace Corps, through non-profit organisations and advocacy, or more individually by making donations, sponsoring a child, mentoring, volunteering in their communities. These are regular people who volunteer, and sometimes risk their lives, to fight for equal rights and treatment for all.
Frequently however, issues arise amongst a community that need attention. In this essay I will outline and discuss some of these issues and the interventions, projects or programmes designed and used to tackle and combat them. The three models of intervention or, ‘Community Development’, I will discuss in this essay, "Social Planning", "Community Development", and "Social/Community Action", all have the same aim regardless of how it is accomplished and this is to improve and maintain the conditions which affect the lives of the community.
Firstly, it has the capacity to transform public services. Public service professionals need to be transformed from fixers to facilitators. In the same way, communities or users now become their equal partners. Public services and welfare systems should be delivered in ways that are likely to be more participative as well as more equitable. Secondly, co-production promotes equal participation. Everyone has the capacity to participate on equal terms. In addition, it fosters equal partnership between providers and users. Thirdly, co-production is essential to building sustainable public service. In terms of sustainability, co-production enables people, which are the most valuable assets, to develop, flourish and expand their capacities (Boyle and Harris,