Community Development Theory:

Basic introduction on how community development theories develop and work

Prepared and submitted by; Group Four (MACD First Batch) (pls put our name) Nicholus Tint Zaw

CONTENT 1. Introduction 2. Core Concepts & Content 3. Functions of theory 4. Definition of Community & Development 5. Holistic Approach 6. Democracy 7. Citizen Role 8. SUMMARY

1. Introduction There is no clear point at which type of approach directed toward this end became identified as Community Development. Agencies, associations and scholars have been proposing and promoting definitions for community development with abandon. The most common practice to set up community development theory is eclectic approach to theory building; mean taking idea and concept from different multiple disciplinary which might be useful in development work. Eclectic Approach to theory Building in Community Development 1. 2. 3. Had borrowed, Continue to borrow and Models and theories from sources.

2. Core Concepts & Content Community practice and theory will varied according to time, place and in different society as the community social system is always changing. Therefore, the theories of development practice also have to adopt those changes to meet the development need in respect the social system. For that reason, Community development theory has to be dynamic by necessity and demand by the environment where it will going to apply. Then, an issues raise is that the conditions faced by community development practitioners simply require constant situational theory building. To fill this gap for development practitioners, eight core principles were developed and it will also helpful to identify what are the community develop activities and what are the community related activities.

8 Characteristics for Community Development Work 8 Core Principles for Community Development Work 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Focus on unit (Community) Induce non reversible structural change Use paid professional Initiation by external to the unit Emphasize public participation Participate for self help Increase participatory democracy (community decision making) Use holistic approach

3. Function of Theory As part of the theory development practice, the community development practitioners applied the following method to set up the hypothesis of their community development work and concept. A theory should be answered the following questions as what is the goal and objective of theoretical action/activities and why it should be applied, what will happen if this thing will applied/implement in filed activities, how this action will stimulate the resources for development work, and as finally, what are the general procedure should be followed in development work. Figure 1: Explanation on type of theories and their description on theory development work.

T of questions ype What is? Why is it? What would happen if ..? What wouldstimulatelearning? What should be done?

T ypeof theory Descriptive Explanative Predictive Heuristic Prescriptive

3.1 Community as System When those developed theories are applied, the practitioners are considering, same as sociologist, as community as a social system and it work with inputs and result outputs. And, those outputs may affect on the outside environment of community as feedback and those feedbacks can return to community as input again for next transformation process

Figure 2: The Community System Framework.

Input (Feedback)

Transformation

Output

To operate above system, people are involving as role not a individual person, mean each individual can represent the different role in different setting of community. As example, a man may take father role in his family and at the same time, take leader role in their community boundary or group. Differentiation of a person from the civic roles they may perform is very important in community development practice

4. Definition of Community & Development 4.1. Definition of Community There are many types of social systems which community development intends to focus on a specific type, which community interacts with many other types of systems. It is necessary to differentiate communities form other classification of social systems. There are many ways to define community. Each of the standard definitions may be sufficient in most situation but they vary in terms of the elements included. A community is a particular type of social system distinguished by the following characteristics. - People involved in the system have a sense and recognition of the relationships and areas of common concerns with other members. - The system has longevity, continuity and is expected to persist.

- Its operations depend considerably on voluntary cooperation, with are minimal use sanctions or coercion. - It is multi-functional. The system is expected to produce many things and to be attuned to many dimensions of interactions. - The system is complex, dynamic and sufficiently large that instrumental relationships predominate. -Usually, there is a geographic element associated with its definition and basic boundaries. Communities are expected to produce goods, services or situations. Communities of different scales may overlap in are geographic area. All the people available to perform roles and structures operating as part of the system may not be located in referenced geographic area.

4.2 Conventional nature of communities There are many theories that treat communities as natural organisms that are properly subject to natural law (Plato, 1945). Community development theory chooses to treat communities as conventional systems. Community development theory accepts that it is natural for people to help regular arrangements for social interactions.

4.3 Development In some situations development is used as are synonym for growth. When use without reference to quality or consequences, development may be good or bad. Development is a concept associated with improvement it is a certain type of change in a positive direction. Development that objective is always positive. There are no objective measures of what constitutes improvement. Objective indications of change certainly are possible. Development is a judgment that can only be made by people according to their own values, aspirations and expectations. In community development the term development is taken as a reference to a particular type of conscious effort to stimulate improvement. In which the result of development is positive change. These are; - A system subject to change exists. - Change will take place incrementally, within a process, over a rather extended time. - Once this state. process has begun, it is very unlikely that the system will be able to return to the original

- The process is stimulated and given direction by conscious effort. - During the conscious effort to provide direction, a theory / model of development

Provide reference points and expectations. - At each stage, the system is in are configuration it has not experienced before.

- It operates as a learning process. - Accomplishments in the process can be evaluated only in terms of the judgment of people in the system. - The results are judged to be more positive than negative and worth the costs.

4.3 Theories of community development There are many ways theories of community development, which we like to describe a brief type of community development theory. They are;

1. Community development theory recognizes that maintaining roles, structures and processes
which are performing well is vital.

2. The working the community system has a dual structure. One side is designed for stability, for
regular performance, and for predictability. The other side of the system is designed for evaluation and change.

3. Community development theory accepts the proposition of classical conservatism that the
cumulative opinions and rules of communal life are to be respected.

4. Community development theory suggests; a balanced respect for the potency of both tradition
and social invention.

5. Community development theory proposes that it is far more likely for the system to
overweight the conservative side.

6. Community development theory advocates that in addition, community system should allow
an equality of standing for citizen roles.

7. Community development theory does not present total participation as the ideal which results
from the freedom of people to decide for them.

5. Holistic Approach A Holistic Approach means that all factors are taken into account as a whole, interdependent on each other for the benefit of all. Many theories are used in community development. Each of the theories that may be used is watched in the context of the whole. The first step is to build a concept of the whole, even if incomplete and inaccurate in some respects. This is based on the position that a reasonable notion of whole is possible before its constituent parts are understood. There is much kind of holistic approaches in community development. The way of approaching are economic, education, health care, clinical training in the community, culture, psychology and others need for our human living life. As various theories are applied to parts, e.g. culture can be thought of as a part, but if does not operate discrete from the rest. The expectation is that culture parts will relate to politics, economics and physical surroundings in an interacting mode. For example- according to the disaster of Nargris cyclone in Myanmar: at that time, many people help in many ways to approach by food, to get clean water, help by metal( encouragement, do recreation), clothes, medical

and other the necessary thing in human life for the people who are suffered in that area. That way is helping together for those people not only food but provide as their essential need. Even before particulars are known, the expectation is that each part or aspect will operate with reciprocal relationships. The holistic approach involves relational thought. Instead of thinking about each element by itself, each is envisioned in the context of a totality (Olilgy, 1979). However, functionally they are interactive and interdependent. It is helpful to think about a single dimension, as long as it is remembered that people, communities and societies are multi- dimensional. In fact, each dimension, traditionally treated as separate concerns organized by disciplines, touches and is touched by the others. Therefore, it is necessary that concentration on a single dimension must always be moderated. To be practical, intelligence about a single sector must be interpreted in the context to the whole, the totally or the system, it means unity is the best way to find out our problem to get quality of life. Integrated design is a collaborative method for designing buildings which emphasizes the development of a holistic design. The holistic approach provides a way of looking at situations that stresses relationships and interdependences. In practice, activities start in different sectors at different times and each sector is likely to be in a different stage of structural development. The process involves incrementally connecting one thong with another. The best illustrations are those situations in which experimentation is necessary to increase knowledge and experience, when there are uncertainties about possibilities. Community development theory has to counter the popular image of integrated activities as being always marked by centralized control, and as working from a preconceived model of the proper configuration. This popular model can be applied effectively in the production function. The point is that this is not the only way to work toward practical integration. The mechanistic approach to integration is applicable in some situations. Therefore, an integrated approach turns on the capacities of the system to differentiate the kinds of integration that fit the variety of circumstances. Health care, education, the arts, recreation and economic opportunity are among the myriad factors that influence a communitys quality of life, says Robert Pittman, a community development specialist with Janus Economics of Atlanta. Community improvement does not happen by accident Community improvement does not happen by accident. It happens when local citizens plan and work together cooperatively and inclusively. Pittman says economic development is commonly regarded as creating jobs in a community through recruiting firms and the facilitation of business start-ups. A more holistic definition of economic development would include raising the standard of living and quality of life for all residents through higher-skilled jobs and diversifying the local economy in a sustainable manner. Community development, on the other hand, is a broader field that encompasses economic development. The outcomes of community development include: 1. 2. 3. 4. Improved infrastructure, Better health care, Lower crime rates and Improved education and other advancements.

Pittman explains: Economic development involves carefully planning and executing programs to recruit new firms, working with existing local firms in retention and expansion and facilitating business

start-ups. In addition, community development creates better communities that will attract and grow businesses. Without a good product to sell, it is hard to be successful in economic development. To conclude, we all have responsibility to serve for our earth, not only to serve single we give our hands to get peaceful life that is each of our empowerment for our earth as much as we can. That is our human dignity. To do more the world than the world does for you, that is success, Henry Ford. Thus, if people, independently accountable our responsibility in life everything would be going well for the benefit and the world would be peaceful.

6. Democracy Community Development Theory is to set up Democracy, Democratic mode. Theory postulate that capacity of Community systems will expand with the introduction and increasing use of Democratic structuring. Community development theory suggests that as the level of complexity and uncertainty increase, Democratic structuring become more suitable. Democracy fits best with small, stable and home generous community. Large, dynamic community is theories of Democracy. Small or large community is not based, based on how democratic structuring can be appropriate regardless of community size. Intelligence embodied that shifting the civil system with more diverse intelligence. The existing intelligence called my those who are active is allow to penetrate the systems and after activities of citizen attempting to influence events that recognized as legitimate and encouraged to involve in the democratic systems. The origin state of intelligence is enhanced. 6.1 Individual participation in society 1. The individual participation stimulates the learning and development of individual in classic democratic theory. (Lively, 1977). Benefit of learning and development through civic participation fall increased learning and individual growth. Learning and development through participation in public problematic solution relate to rational behavior common in choice for these fellowship the dictates of selfish utility maximization. Community development theory, the benefit from the learning and development, through participation a person become active and as incident of participation Diversity. Increase knowledge, so phistication and resourcefulness regard if public affair and personal improvement. Participation may bring for individual adjustment of expectation, behavior and view of the world after active participation before. Individual level, civic participation increase profit of information, skills, and comprehension of individual within the democratic structure systems. Community development theory postulates that increased capabilities and effectiveness of community systems brays substantial benefits to the people who are members.

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These would be no purpose in working for the elaboration of community system to improve abilities and performance unless these were benefits in excess of cost to the people served.

10. Community development theory is directed toward improvement of community systems, not only toward individual improvement. 11. Community development theory, the participation individual that people should become active in citizen role, involvement is mode of systemic capacity building.

6.2 Democratic characteristic Democracy relate to Democratic characteristic as follows. 1. 2. Table advantage of the data, Ideas and energies available from any members, and Place information, perspectives and preferences from many sources in interaction to force learning, synthesis and creativity.

7. Citizen Roles

Linked with concept description in chapter 3, community as system, the roles which take by each individual is affect on the (transformation) operation of community system. There are many roles which have involved in community work. Among then, for the community development work, the citizen role of each individual is more important and affection factor for community work. For that reason, it is one number of core principles to set up community development theory and define the community it is community development work or not. Look at in the citizen role; there are three basic roles for individual citizen. Some are mandatory and some are elective by personal preference and motivation. As summary, we can say as below list for citizen roles;

1. Mandatory Prescribed (subject) roles, 2. Accepted Prescribed roles and 3. Autonomous (citizen) roles.
To match with the democratic way in community development, all citizen roles are important to bear in each individual citizen. Only the ways which allow the inclusive participation will make the long lasting development practice and attitude, promote rights and equity which will make a lot support on community social capital. For that reason, the community development model/theory will base on the basic principles of democratic characteristic.

8. SUMMARY Community development does not provide detailed prescriptions appropriate to every community system is supplies, to those would consciously intervene in community system, a conceptual frame-

work. It presents a logical basic for and general guides to the use of open system or democratic structuring, and the application of a holistic approach in efforts to stimulate the building of capacities, and to improve the performance of and in community system. Community development establishes an orientation toward community Systems and human behaviors to be considered relevant in and for this level and type of social organization. It does not purport to give answers to the basic questions of what, why, or how for every community system. It does provide a conceptual platform. There are many ways theories of community development but, these theories process can change each a particular though, information, action, especially in community development. Theories of CD mostly interest to collect everybody in to the same structure to behave in the same manner. CDT have a logical basic but those theories can change with many ways that its pattern mostly defined contextualization in citizen role. CDT cannot same every time that it can divide in state, country, urban, and rural area.

References; 1. 2. Biddle, B.J. Role theory. New York: Academic press, 1979 Christenson, James A., and Robinson, Jerry W., Jr., editors. Community Development in America. Ames: Iowa State University Press,1980 Cook, James B. Advocacy of Grassroots Citizenship. Journal of Community Development society, 1975 Lewis, Michael. The Culture of Inequality. Meridian edition. New York: New American Library, 1979 Plato. The Republic of Plato. Translated with introduction and notes by Francis MacDonald Corn ford. New York: Oxford University press, 1945

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