Pre-requisites

CD820.406 Community Development and Social Change

Co-requisites

None.

Learning Outcomes

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

• Transfer a development framework from one situation to another, combining a range of historical traditions and philosophical approaches to community development.

• Critically examine various practice frameworks for community development in the light of their applicability to a number of different settings, contexts and with reference to faith and justice.

• Analyse and explore strategies for working within the power dynamics in various systems that together comprise the community setting.

• Critically evaluate leadership skills as a reflective practitioner, with application to planning, resourcing, managing and governing of community development initiatives.

Unit Description

This unit offers students a deeper awareness of community development principles through their application to a practice framework. The concept of a practice framework is explored by students as they are introduced to the way a social change initiative is always underpinned by historical traditions and philosophical perspectives. These may include equality, freedom, participation, empowerment, sustainability and self-governance. Learners are invited into the role of being a reflective practitioner who can discern and critique their own practice in the light of the values, traditions and philosophies their practice embodies, as well as integrate these reflections with faith and justice considerations.

The unit assists students to recognise and engage with various systems that interact and influence the community development setting. These systems represent the tapestry of political, legislative, economic, cultural, organisational, social, and familial power structures that give each community its shape and texture. Strategies for engaging with these systems and structures are explored.

Finally, the unit will assist students to develop specific skills to be utilised in a community development initiative.

Topics

• Framework and theories of Community
• Faith based activism
• Planning and administration.
• Resources, funding and budget management.
• Nurturing representative participation.
• Assisting community decision making and agreement.
• Community leadership development.
• Governance.
• Reporting and evaluation.

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Unit offerings

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.