Community Development

Community Development in Canada, Second Edition teaches you how to be successful in working with communities such as seniors clubs, youth centres, First Nations drop-in centres, or employment centres for homeless people. This text features selected case studies from each province and territory to illustrate principles of community practice, and discusses development in Aboriginal and international communities and the future of community development and social welfare in Canada. The Second Edition has been fully updated with current research, statistics, and case studies. It also contains new content on the social determinants of health, the relationship between physical and mental health, and community economic development.

Beginning with the foundations of community development, An Introduction to Community Development offers a comprehensive and practical approach to planning for communities. Road-tested in the authors’ own teaching, and through the training they provide for practicing planners, it enables students to begin making connections between academic study and practical know-how from both private and public sector contexts. An Introduction to Community Development shows how planners can utilize local economic interests and integrate finance and marketing considerations into their strategy. Most importantly, the book is strongly focused on outcomes, encouraging students to ask: what is best practice when it comes to planning for communities, and how do we accurately measure the results of planning practice? This newly revised and updated edition includes: increased coverage of sustainability issues, discussion of localism and its relation to community development, quality of life, community well-being and public health considerations, and content on local food systems. Each chapter provides a range of reading materials for the student, supplemented with text boxes, a chapter outline, keywords, and reference lists, and new skills based exercises at the end of each chapter to help students turn their learning into action, making this the most user-friendly text for community development now available.

The social justice principles that guide the work of community development are increasingly under threat from the current worldwide resurgence of far right politics. The dangerous escalation of economic inequalities calls for new ideas on power and new approaches to practice. Linking theory to action using international case studies, key concept summaries, and even cartoons, this new edition of Community Development offers a wealth of practicable solutions for anyone committed to social and environmental justice.

With the topics of community and how local communities can be supported to take control of their lives, services, and environment still high on the public agenda, this second edition of an invaluable guide provides a timely introduction to community development, its origins, and the different forms it takes. Updated to reflect developments in policy and practices, current trends and challenges, as well as recent debates about the changing nature of community itself, it also shows how community development can be applied in a variety of policy areas. Accessibly written, this guide will remain essential reading for community organizers and students of community development.

Founded in a perspective that speaks to the diversity of contexts and processes used across Canada, this work is nevertheless firmly grounded in theory, offering an in-depth analysis geared toward advanced study in community practice. This depth is further strengthened by the diversity of topics represented in this collective work: community work in various regions of the country exploring issues of poverty and environmental activism; community work with immigrants and refugees, and with trans communities; feminist community organizing as well as organizing with persons with disabilities and with members of linguistic communities; and, finally, artsbased community work with the elderly. This book is published in English. - S’il reflète une diversité de contextes et de processus mis en oeuvre partout au Canada, cet ouvrage est toutefois fermement ancré dans la théorie, convenant aux études avancées en pratique communautaire. La diversité des sujets que propose cet ouvrage collectif est d’un intérêt particulier, qu’il s’agisse du travail communautaire dans diverses régions du pays explorant les questions de la pauvreté et de l’activisme environnemental; le travail communautaire auprès des immigrants et des réfugiés et avec les communautés de personnes trans; l’organisation de la communauté féministe ainsi que celle des personnes handicapées ou celle des membres de communautés linguistiques, et enfin, le travail communautaire axé sur les arts auprès des personnes âgées. Ce livre est publié en anglais.

Community Development in an Uncertain World provides a comprehensive and lively introduction to modern community development. The book explores the interrelated frameworks of social justice, ecological responsibility and post-Enlightenment thinking, drawing on various sources including the wisdom of indigenous peoples. Recognising the increasing complexity and uncertainty of the times in which we live, Jim Ife promotes a holistic approach to community development and emphasises the different dimensions of human community: social, economic, political, cultural, environmental, spiritual, personal and survival. The first section of the book examines the major theories and concepts that underpin community development. This includes a discussion of core principles: change and wisdom 'from below', the importance of process and valuing diversity. The second section focuses on practical elements, such as community work roles and essential skills. The final chapters discuss the problematic context of much contemporary practice and offer vision and hope for the future.

In a world in which social divisions are widening not lessening, it is essential for community development, or any other practice committed to social justice and sustainability, to understand how power works at every level, from grassroots projects to movements for change. This exciting and practical book is filled to the brim with useful ideas for busy practitioners. Building on the work of Paulo Freire, theories are presented in interesting and straightforward ways to provide an everyday reference for practice. Contained in these pages is all you need to give your practice a critical edge!

Communities have long been ahead of governments in responding to changes in the economy, forging ahead with innovative grassroots projects that now make up a substantial portion of economic development initiatives. Having made major gains in practice and having built local capacities through innovation, Community Economic Development now stands at a crossroads. In Building for Social Change, Eric Shragge, Michael Toye and colleagues from across the country offer a timely critical examination of CED practices and debates. This book is designed for CED practitioners, for others working in community-based organizations and those being trained. There are a growing number of post-secondary programs in English Canada that educate students in CED and related fields such as regional development, yet there are not many publications that provide analytical perspectives and debate. The goal of this book is to describe and analyze CED practice, primarily in Canada, through a wide range of subjects--the evolution of its definitions, economic dimensions and the key elements that form its context. Building for Social Change situates CED in wide political, economic and social contexts: rich examples of the scope and practices, and some of the limits--in Aboriginal communities, as a tool to support women, psychiatric survivor enterprises, housing and worker ownerships--are explored to help spur further critical discussion and debate.