Pre-requisites

None

Co-requisites

None

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, the student will be able to:

Unit Description

This unit provides a framework in which to understand the strengths and weakness of Non Government Development Organisations (NGDOs)and Community Based Organisations (CBOs), including churches and mission organisations, in responding to the needs of poor and vulnerable communities. It will examine relevant theories relating to community and community development, effective strategies and methodologies of community development, and explore issues of sustainability. The learner will be helped to understand the application of key Biblical principles of justice and compassion in the particular context of community development and unequal power relationships. This unit will also help the learner develop greater awareness and sensitivity to the ethics of evangelism in situations of economic vulnerability, and explore the distinctives of a Christian approach to development. The learner will be assisted to develop a robust theology of economic and social development in the context of grassroots development practice.

Globally, NGDOs and CBOs make a huge contribution to the development of communities that languish at the bottom, or towards the bottom, of the socio-economic pyramid, and who suffer from disempowerment and the daily realities of economic poverty. The learner will critique the nature and scope of the contributions made by NGDOs and CBOs, including an historical overview as well as the analysis of recent trends and current issues.

The church, in its varied and various manifestations, from national and international institutional expressions, through to extra-denominational Christian NGDOs, through to autonomous local congregations, is a major player in the delivery of relief and development . It is responsible for huge volumes of relief aid, both formal and informal. It manages a wide spectrum of development and welfare programs, and is involved in widespread advocacy for the powerless and marginalised, at local, regional, national and international levels. The learner will explore in depth a theological rationale for these ministries, analysing the Biblical record of God’s insistence that human society be characterised by justice and mercy, with particular attention given to ensure that the rights of those often pushed to the edges of society are respected, and are enable to meet their needs.
Our understanding of what makes for best practice in community development undergoes constant revision as NGDOs and CBOs grapple with the complexities of development. Even though some of the fundraising messages emanating from Australian NGDOs may give a contrary message, there are no simple solutions to complex poverty situations. Learners will be required to examine a variety of approaches to development, and will have the opportunity to interact with relevant specialists in a variety of Australian NGDOs and some CBOs. Special focus will be given to strategies of development whereby the communities are empowered to imagine and work for a better future. Consideration will also be given to the growing phenomenon of emerging patterns of more direct donor/beneficiary linking e.g. the so-called, internet-based “kiva effect”, and the rich country mega-church partnerships with poorer churches in low-income countries.

Biblical teaching on justice and compassion gives careful and specific emphasis to the needs of those frequently and consistently alienated and marginalised by mainstream society. Ethnicity, gender, disability or illness can all be factors in this process. Learners will be able to articulate a theology of inclusion, and have an appreciation of strategies most likely to ensure the inclusion of those often excluded from development processes and opportunities.

Partnership is a much-used descriptor of a wide range of relationships between the different “players” in community development. The term, however, implies a level of mutuality in those relationships - a sharing of goals, aspirations, and power - that is extraordinarily difficult to achieve and sustain. Learners will examine different partnership models, and in particular will be exposed to the experience of the Micah Network in its efforts to develop clear partnership values and practical guidelines.

Teaching Strategies

The learning process consists of three phases: Reading, Residential, and Research. Each phase has a blend of individual and group learning, and subsequent phases build upon the learning of those that come before.

The first phase is a Reading phase, and lasts for 12 weeks. The learner, as part of a small cohort study group (3 to 5 members), is guided through a reading program to explore the current scholarship on the practice of “Community Organisation and Development”.

Reading assignments are compiled with the help of the librarian, the educational technologist, and administrative support staff. Required weekly readings are posted to the unit website once a week for downloading, utilising Tabor Victoria’s Moodle platform.

Students are also required to read the prescribed textbooks in this phase.

During this first phase learners in cohort groups embark on a guided social inquiry, resulting in a research project . Hands-on research conducted in context by each participant allows him/her to gain an understanding of specific, emerging ministry concerns/questions encountered by Aid and Development agencies.

Second phase is a residential phase: Equipped with the reading and research, learners then undertake a Residential phase of 40 hours’ worth (one week, full-time) of residential study. During the residency, all cohort groups gather in a Aid and Development agency setting chosen because of a leader who is known as a thoughtful practitioner, and because the agency has a proven track record in “Community Organisation and Development”.

In the third Phase students complete a personal theology in which issues related to “Community Organisation and Development” are explored. Cohorts also plan and implement an intervention at the Aid and Development agency. The intervention is a professional presentation that summarises findings and proposes a number of ways the agency might go about addressing the emerging questions. The intervention invites agency leaders into theological reflection and constructive thinking about the concern and what might be done to begin addressing it. Following the intervention, the small cohort study group reflects upon and assesses their collaborative work.

Unit offerings

Face to face: (Every 3rd Year, Semester 2)
Face to face: (Every 3rd Year, Semester 2)

Please note

The Unit Offerings listed above are a guide only and the timetable for any year is the final authority. The College may vary offerings based on demand, regulatory requirements, continual improvement processes or other conditions.

This unit may be available in different modes of delivery i.e. online and face-to-face as listed above. The unit content will not differ between these modes of delivery. There will possibly be a difference in the schedule and/or the prescribed assessment tasks, however both will cover and assess the same content.