Full Description
Working with Communities examines the critical ideas about community work and associated concepts such as social inclusion, social capital, community participation, community capacity building, and community partnerships. It provides students with the theoretical foundations of community work related to current practice.
Practice skills are explained through excellent case studies, and a range of practitioner perspectives. This blend of practice perspectives assists the reader in their understanding of communities and community work by providing guidance for explaining the complex relationships between government and non-government roles, partnerships and community participation.
Contents
Part 1: Theoretical foundations of community work1. The practice of community work in contemporary AustraliaThe use of the term 'community work'The values and principles that underpin community work practiceHow is community work understood in contemporary Australia?The use of the term 'community' in contemporary societyRationales for community workThe way forward for community work2. Contemporary contextual influences on community work practice in AustraliaThe context of community work in contemporary AustraliaKey contextual influencesDeficit policy approachesThe availability of on-line technology in community work and the rise of online advocacy3. What is community? Elements of community structure and functioningUnderstanding community: A sociological perspectiveCommunity as locality and interactionsCommunity of interestCommunity as a social systemOn-line communitiesElements of structure and functioning of communities4. Community: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectiveIntroductionWhite constructions of 'community'An Aboriginal concept of communityNew ways of working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities5. Why do communities act?Communities taking actionFactors that might lead to communities taking effective actionPart 2: Practice frameworks and conceptual approaches to working with communities6. Conceptual approaches to community workConceptual approaches for community work practiceA typology of four conceptual approaches to community workThe contributions approachThe instrumental approachThe community empowerment approachThe developmental approach to community work7. Practice frameworks for working with communitiesReflexive practice and ethical issues in working with communitiesInteractional community development practice frameworkBuilding capable communities for health promotionThe assets-based community development approach (ABCD)Culturally dynamic partnerships (CDP)8. Government roles in working with communitiesGovernment roles in community workGovernment practice in supporting community sustainabilityGovernment social policy agendas: Social inclusionRole of government in program and service developmentGovernment-led community engagement9. Roles of the non-government sector in working with communitiesThe roles of the non-government sectorTypes of non-government organisationsThe government-NGOs relationship in service provisionDeciding who should provide services and programsThe future of volunteers in the non-government sector in community workPart 3: Practical applications and processes in working with communities10. Community decision makingParticipative community decision-makingKey principles of participative decision-makingStructures for decision-makingTechniques for community involvement in decision-making11. Partnerships in working with communitiesDefining our termsThe rationale for partnershipsKey principles for effective partnership workingWithin sector, across sector, and bridging community partnershipsPartnership beginnings and endingsPartnership strengthening12. Community participation: a global perspectiveBackground to community participation practiceRevitalising community participationCommunity participation: A global perspectivePractising community participation: Key principles13. Understanding and assessing community capacityDefining community capacityCommunity strengthIndigenous understandings of community capacityMethods of assessing and developing community capacityCommunity capitals and community sustainabilityStrategies to develop entrepreneurial social infrastructure14. Community leadershipWhat is community leadership?The relational approach to community leadershipGender and community leadershipSome challenges of community leadershipCommunity leadership skillsDeveloping community leadership15. Community planningWhat do we mean by community planning?Key activities in community planningThree examples of community planningCommunity recovery planningTechniques for gathering information for community planning16. Building knowledge about working with communitiesDeveloping informed practiceAreas in which research and evaluation are valuableEthical research practiceResearch partnerships
