"The United Nations defines community development as 'a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems.'"
Community development is focused on building the capacity of communities to develop and implement their development plan. It is a multidisciplinary approach that involves collaboration between communities, scientists, public institutions, and private sector entities.
Anthropology: The study of human societies and cultures.
Sociology: The study of human social behavior and systems.
Economics: The study of production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Policy and planning: The process of creating and implementing policies and plans for community development.
Environmental studies: The study of the impact of humans on the environment and the natural world.
Gender studies: The study of how gender shapes social and cultural practices.
Health and wellness: The study of the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of individuals and communities.
Education: The study of the process of learning and teaching in formal and informal settings.
Political science: The study of the theory and practice of governance.
Rural development: The process of improving the economic, social, and environmental conditions of rural areas.
Urban development: The process of improving the economic, social, and environmental conditions of urban areas.
Community organizing: The process of mobilizing community members to work together towards a common goal.
Participatory approaches: The process of involving community members in decision-making and planning.
Social entrepreneurship: Using entrepreneurial principles to create social value and address social problems.
Non-profit management: The management of organizations that have a social mission rather than a profit motive.
Fundraising: The process of raising money for a nonprofit organization or a social cause.
Grant writing: The process of applying for and securing funding for community development projects.
Project management: The planning, organizing, and overseeing of projects from start to finish.
Evaluation and monitoring: The process of assessing the effectiveness of community development programs and projects.
Cultural competency: The ability to understand, appreciate, and work effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds.
Participatory Community Development: This approach emphasizes the involvement of the community in the decision-making process, planning, and implementation of development projects. The primary goal of participatory community development is to empower the community by fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility in the development process.
Asset-Based Community Development: This approach focuses on helping communities to identify and utilize their assets, strengths, and resources to drive sustainable development. The main objective of asset-based community development is to build on the positive aspects of a community rather than focusing on its deficiencies.
Capacity Building: Capacity building is a process aimed at enhancing the community's ability to mobilize and effectively use resources to achieve their goals. The approach focuses on developing the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities to promote sustainable development.
Advocacy and Policy Development: This approach involves working with community members to identify issues and concerns relevant to their community and advocating for the development of policies and programs that address these issues.
Social Mobilization: Social mobilization is a process of bringing together community members to collectively identify and address development challenges. The approach focuses on facilitating collective action among community members to achieve sustainable development.
Sustainable Livelihoods: This approach emphasizes promoting sustainable economic development by identifying and supporting livelihood strategies that improve the well-being of the community. Sustainable livelihoods aim to create opportunities for self-sufficiency by focusing on economic development and environmental conservation.
Gender and Development: Gender and Development approaches aim to address gender inequality and promote equal opportunities for men and women. These approaches focus on empowering women and promoting gender-sensitive development to ensure that development benefits are distributed equitably.
Community-Based Natural Resource Management: This approach emphasizes the conservation and sustainable management of natural resources by involving the community in the planning, management, and monitoring of resource-use activities.
Rural Development: Rural Development approaches focus on improving the social, economic, and environmental well-being of rural areas. The approaches involve improving access to education, health, and other basic social services, as well as promoting sustainable economic development to create opportunities for income generation.
Urban Development: Urban Development approaches are aimed at improving the social, economic, and environmental well-being of urban areas. The approaches involve improving infrastructure, access to basic services, and promoting sustainable economic development.
"Typically aiming to build stronger and more resilient local communities."
"Community development is defined by the International Association for Community Development as 'a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes participative democracy, sustainable development, rights, economic opportunity, equality and social justice.'"
"The key elements of community development include the organisation, education, and empowerment of people within their communities."
"Community development seeks to empower individuals and groups of people with the skills they need to effect change within their communities."
"These skills are often created through the formation of social groups working for a common agenda."
"Community development as a term has taken off widely in anglophone countries, i.e. the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, as well as other countries in the Commonwealth of Nations."
"The Community Development Journal, published by Oxford University Press, since 1966 has aimed to be the major forum for research and dissemination of international community development theory and practice.Community development approaches are recognised internationally. These methods and approaches have been acknowledged as significant for local social, economic, cultural, environmental and political development by such organisations as the UN, WHO, OECD, World Bank, Council of Europe and EU."
"These methods and approaches have been acknowledged as significant for local social, economic, cultural, environmental and political development by such organisations as the UN, WHO, OECD, World Bank, Council of Europe and EU."
"There are a number of institutions of higher education that offer community development as an area of study and research such as the University of Toronto, Leiden University, SOAS University of London, and the Balsillie School of International Affairs, among others."