Issue 12

Community Development Practice Insights From Around the World About IACD IACD is the only global network for professional development practitioners. We support development agencies and practitioners to build the capacity of to realize greater social and economic equality, environmental protection and political democracy. What do we do? IACD links people to each other. We facilitate learning and practice exchange, both virtually and face-to-face. We work with partners to deliver regional, national and international events, study visits and conferences. We document the work that our members are doing around the world by collecting case studies, tools and materials on community development, and sharing these through our website, publications and ebulletins. We carry out projects, drawing on international experience.

IACD aims to give its members a voice at the global level, advocating for community development principles and practice in international forums and consultations. IACD has consultative status with the UN and its agencies.

Contributing articles Our international Practice Insights publications are issued three times a year, each one focusing on a particular theme of relevance to community development. If you would like further information or to contribute to future editions, please contact [email protected] Alternatively, IACD members are welcome at any time to contribute news items, research, case studies or other materials to our members’ Facebook site and to the IACD website.

Join us For full details and to join, go to www.iacdglobal.org/join-us.

Benefits of membership include: • Daily Facebook News posts about community and international development; • Access to the Global Community Development Exchange resource bank on the IACD website; • Opportunities to participate in Practice Exchange study visits; • Discounted rates at IACD conferences; • Discounted subscriptions to the Community Development Journal; • Opportunities to share work and experiences with a global audience, through our website, Facebook sites and other publications; • Members also have the opportunity to nominate to serve on the IACD Board of Directors. Our next Annual General Meeting will take place in June 2019, coinciding with WCDC2019 in Dundee, Scotland.

www.iacdglobal.org The views expressed in this publication are primarily those of the respective authors and not necessarily those of IACD. 2 Practice Insights | Issue 7 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world

Contents

Editorial – Huston Gibson ...... 4 On Community Development Education...... 5 Creating a Profession in Fits and Starts ...... 7

Using Standards to Support Page 5 Community Development Practice...... 10 Registration of Professionals: The Pros and Cons...... 13 Growing a Learning Culture: The Role of a Standards Body in Community Development Education...... 15 Work-Based Community Development Training in Scotland: The Linked Work and Training Trust Model...... 18 Young People and Community Development Education...... 21 Practice Exchange 2018: Sustaining Page 18 Indigenous Wisdom and Cultures—Bali, Indonesia...... 24 Community Work Education and Training at Maynooth University, Ireland...... 28 The Evolution and Practice of Community Development Through Extension Services in Philippine Higher Education...... 32 Community Development and Education in East Asia...... 35 Community Development Education in Kenya...... 38 Page 35 Designing With: An Engaged Studio Approach to Applied Community Development Scholarship...... 40 Online Community Development Education...... 43 The Global Community Development Exchange (GCDEX)...... 46

On the cover, from left: 2018 Practice Exchange participants, Jenny Royle, Anthony Cook, Fiona Bettesworth, Brent Hales, I Putu Wiraguna, I Gede Pandu Wirawan, Page 38 Chia-Mei Hsia, Jamie Mapleson, Paul Lachapelle. Not pictured: Lisa Barnes. Photo: ©Real Indonesia, used with permission.

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Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 3 Editorial Huston Gibson, Guest Editor

As an evolving profession, educators Collectively, this issue of Practice and practitioners may find their way Insights provides an array of topical to community development from articles; however, by no means is the various backgrounds, but often are list exhaustive. Instead, learning from linked by common goals. these various thoughts and approaches to CD education delivery At the World Community is meant to prompt further Development Conference (WCDC) conversation about CD education 2018, in Maynooth, Ireland, IACD and how the International Standards launched the International Standards may influence the future of CD for Community Development Practice education. (http://www.iacdglobal.org/wp- content/uploads/2018/06/IACD- I wish to invite you to join myself and Standards-Guidance-May-2018_Web. several of this issue’s authors at the pdf). WCDC 2019 in Dundee, Scotland, where we will be holding a workshop Since, the Standards have been on this topic, about this special translated into several languages and edition of Practice Insights; we Community Development disseminated around the world. sincerely hope you will help this Education: Practice Insights discourse continue, by being a part This special edition of Practice From Around the World of it! Insights spotlights dialogue on CD Community development (CD) education and its connections with It is also highly warranted that we education is a timely topic for practice, with contributing authors recognize and thank Deborah (Deb) the International Association of offering: Albin of Montana State University Community Development Extension, Community Development • A reflection on an evolution of (IACD) to address, one of for her invaluable contribution to this CD education (Hustedde); utmost importance to our issue’s layout, copy-editing, and discipline and profession, and • A reflection on an evolution of general getting it done. Thank you! one which will continue well CD practice (McConnell); beyond this special edition of . Practice Insights. • Views of how standards and registration fit into the discourse of CD (Clarke, Jennings, Ross); Huston Gibson, Ph.D. • An example of work-based Associate Professor learning (Downie); and Director, Community Development Program, • An example of youth-based CD Kansas State University, USA education (Faulkner); [email protected]

• Various examples of CD education as implemented around the globe (McCardle, Dollente, Suet Lin Hung et al., Muia, Taminga, Gibson);

• A look at how we might collaborate internationally, towards improving CD education knowledge exchange (Stansfield);

• And, a special pictorial of the October 2018 IACD Practice Exchange in Bali (Lachapelle).

4 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world On Community Development Education

Ron Hustedde The community development field continues to grow across the globe. It is argued that this expansion is rooted in three factors: devolution, the subsequent growth of non-governmental , and the revived interest in community and the politics of place and interests. Community development can be defined by solidarity and agency. Solidarity is about identifying a common core of shared interests, while agency is about people defining and acting on those shared interests. This multi-disciplinary field is rooted in the values associated with social justice, felt needs, and the democratic principle of civic participation. Community developers are nurtured through a variety of educational initiatives.

Indications of Growth and Fragmentation

Since the University of the Philippines began its community development department in the 1970’s, higher education has continued to serve the field. An IACD preliminary web search recently identified over 1,000 degree and certification programs in Europe, the Americas, and parts of Asia and Africa. In addition, community development skills and knowledge are also sponsored by government and non- governmental organizations and professional groups.

In 2003, I raised the question in the Community Development Journal of whether there was an international core canon of knowledge and standards for preparing community development practitioners among institutions of higher education. While community development educational offerings continue to grow, I believe the question is still valid. We do not have an international venue for a comprehensive debate and deliberation about the purpose and direction of community development education. From my perspective, this communication fragmentation weakens community development education and impedes the impact of our field. We need to make the voice of community development more potent in national and international circles.

An Action Plan To Move Towards Greater Cohesion

The purpose of this article is to suggest a plan of action to foster the growth of community development education that will lead towards greater clarity and cohesiveness. I propose IACD move forward with these four initiatives over the next three years. www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 5 Initiative One: Who is Doing What? strengths and limitations of an with hermeneutical or folk knowledge We need to understand who’s doing international certification body for to create emancipatory knowledge. Is what in community development community development education, there a balance or bias in community education. What are the community while honoring the unique contexts of development education? What are the development degree and certificate communities of place and interests. various dimensions of community- programs across the globe? What is the We should also find ways to encourage engaged learning and how does this core curriculum, standards, and key healthy debate and on-going dialogue learning impact the practitioner and values of each program? What is their to advance the field and face new community? How does one balance the source of funding? What are the challenges. These international need for theoretical concepts with credentials of the instructors? How venues are essential to addressing process and communications skills? many people are being trained? How our fragmentation and making us What kind of education and awareness do they apply their knowledge? What is more potent. must community developers need in their self-professed impact? If we the future? While the field has understand the patterns and breadth of Initiative Three: Expanding expanded and matured, there are other these programs, we can build Our Community Development questions about community communication bridges and establish Virtual Library development pedagogy that have not venues to encourage deliberation about The Global Community Development been investigated. We need to find the direction of community Exchange (GCDEX) in ways to fund research initiatives about development education. We can was designed to create a virtual place community development learning and explore questions about community for community development educators, encourage publication in the development global standards that practitioners, and learners from across Community Development Journal, have been defined by the Standards the globe to share teaching and edited books, or other outlets. Council for Scotland (2009) and are learning experiences, tools, and being investigated by our colleagues in resources. The GCDEX resources Each of these four initiatives will require South Africa. include course syllabi, course materials, significant investments of time, and various tools. While the service is creativity, participation, and financial Initiative Two: Creating International being run by enthusiastic volunteers, it commitments to advance community Venues For Advancing Community needs professionals in the information development education. I am eager to Development Education to New Levels business to move it towards the next cooperate with other IACD colleagues We need international venues for stage. A key depository can help bring who are interested in working on these representatives of community greater cohesiveness to our growing key initiatives and in contacting development educational programs to but fragmented field. potential funders such as philanthropic deliberate about key standards, values, foundations. I can be reached via email and pedagogical research about the Initiative Four: Community at [email protected]. field. At this point, the Standards Development Pedagogy Council for Scotland has taken the There has been a lack of significant Further Reading international lead in identifying core research on how community Community Development Professionalization standards and requirements for development practitioners learn. Paulo Steering Committee (South Africa). Retrieved January 1, 2019: http://www.cdpsc. educating community development Freire challenged the traditional co.za/partnerships.htm. practitioners. The Community banking concepts of education with a Development Professionalization focus on consciousness-raising and Gruidl, J. & Hustedde, R. (2015). Towards a robust democracy: The core competencies Steering Committee (2019) in South building on indigenous knowledge. critical to community developers. Africa is pursuing similar goals. I Others, like Habermas, have focused on Community Development, vol. 46, no. 3, believe we need to investigate the the integration of technical knowledge pp. 279-293. Hustedde, R. & Calvin, J. (2003). News from the International Association for Community Development: Facing the current challenge of the community development field: expansion and fragmentation. Community Development Journal, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 175-177. Melling, A. & Pilkington, R. (2018). and Transformative Education: Changing Lives and Transforming Communities. London, : Palgrave Macmillan.

Standards Council for Scotland. (2009). The competencies for community learning and development. Retrieved January 1, 2019: http://cldstandardscouncil.org.uk/resources/ the-competences/.

Ron Hustedde Past President, Community Development Society & served on the IACD Board for 8 years; Extension Professor of Community Development, University of Kentucky, USA [email protected]

6 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Creating a Profession in Fits and Starts Charlie McConnell

In 1977, I became a community organizers and educators, with library of case studies, research, development educator teaching at what might now be called a “head, and more theoretical scholarship. a higher education institute (later hands and heart” approach. The Gulbenkian Foundation’s 1973 absorbed by the University) in report, Current Issues in Dundee, a city on the East Coast of That same year my first book, The Community Work, had Scotland, which, this year, plays Community Worker as Politiciser of recommended a discrete host to the World Community the Deprived, was published. It was community work profession in Development Conference. Scotland influenced by Freire’s Pedagogy of Britain, and probably made the was the place to be. The Labour the Oppressed and Alinsky’s Rules most important single contribution government had just published a for Radicals, as well as the growing to the creation of our new report on the need for the canon of community development/ profession. It was the Gulbenkian professional training of community education literature report, together with an article by education practitioners and local John Benington about the work of authorities were creating the CDP in community work jobs by the Scotland’s approach is resonating and hundreds following the reorganization of municipal getting traction in countries where people government across the country. are keen to rebuild or, for the first time, build Additionally, the non-governmental a profession for our field, such as Kenya, sector was employing dozens of Georgia, Ethiopia, New Zealand, the community development-type posts, funded in large part by the Philippines, and Nigeria. government’s Urban Program established in 1968 (copied from the American War on ). A small country of barely five million was taking community development and community education ideas to its heart.

I became a lecturer in the Department of Community Education and Social Work, having had a work background in both. With the government’s professional training report to guide us, over primarily coming out twelve months we designed new of America and Britain. My book the city undergraduate and postgraduate focused upon the politicizing role of Coventry in 1973, that convinced programs. The former provided community workers could play me that this was the field I wanted access for mature students who working in poor, urban to enter. had prior experience as community communities. In doing so, I wanted activists. The postgraduate course to point out that this was a Community development was not a was for applicants with a degree different role of that of the political new idea in British public policy. and, in some cases, another activist, and needed to be informed For two or three decades it had professional qualification as well as by professional ethics, knowledge, been promoted overseas across the some proven community action and skills. Commonwealth, as part of Britain’s experience. Around 30% of the supposedly benign preparation of course involved practice-based Since the early 1970’s, the British fifty or so countries for placements in agencies National Institute of Social Work, independence, social and economic supervised by experienced the Routledge/Association of development, and democracy development workers. I was keen Community Workers book series, building. But its adoption as an we designed programs that would the Community Development intervention to support the provide students, who had a Journal, the British government’s regeneration of Britain’s towns and passion to help disadvantaged twelve action research Community cities recovering from wartime communities, with an Development Projects (CDPs), and damage, and as a political understanding of the structural reports from the Gulbenkian commitment to replace C19th causes of poverty and inequality, as Foundation were creating a home- slums, was new. It was a product of well as practical toolkits for grown, as well as international a social democratic and interventions as community teaching and learning resource managerialist belief in public

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 7 participation in town planning and established the first National support from civil servants and in an interventionist national and Occupational Standards for our local authority officials. Not local state. Community work was profession; I became its first chair. because its criticism was wrong, also seen by the Labour In Scotland, its work on Standards but it came off as “biting the hand government as a way of harnessing was taken on by the Scottish that fed them” and, in my view, the energy of the post 68 Community Education Council and, disempowered many local generation of student community later, by the Community Learning practitioners. And, since the 1970’s, activists into public service. and Development Standards we have had a vociferous minority Whatever the motive, I was hooked Council. of practitioner’s hostile towards the into a career where I could be (or at idea of community development least speak) radical and get paid Some of that support architecture being a profession, fearing it would for it. has since disappeared—due to distance a professionalizing changes of government in the UK community development field from The two decades from the mid- and Scotland and severe public disadvantaged people. The creation 1970’s to the mid-1990’s in Britain, investment cuts post 2010—or has of the Community Development and especially Scotland, were ones changed in name. But most in Foundation in the late 1980’s is a where we built the architecture of a Scotland still exist through the case in point. This was created in new profession. Several graduate work of the Scottish Community the face of opposition from some in and postgraduate courses were set Development Network, Community the field who felt that the creation up across Scotland, including Development Alliance Scotland, the of a national institute would lead to on-the-ground apprenticeship Scottish Community Development government control and schemes that directly linked higher Center, and the Community interference in community education training with community Learning and Development development’s role of speaking work in situ, thus widening access Standards Council Scotland. In “truth to power”. for working-class activists into a paid job. By the late 1970’s, The ACW (Association the Scottish Association of of Community Community Workers had more Community development Workers) conferences than a quarter of membership language, policies, and practice not and some of the of the wider UK ACW literature became a (England has ten times the only hold on, but are engaging battle ground between population of Scotland). A rich more and more stakeholders those seeking a stream of publications based precisely because it has forged stronger profession upon Scotland’s experiences in and maintained a strong (and and those opposing it. community development relatively open) professional Many practitioners and came on tap as teaching and academics, supposedly learning resources, including support infrastructure that can and experts in community the Scottish Journal of does speak based upon extensive organizing, proved Community Work and experience of what does unable or unwilling to Development and the Scottish and doesn’t work. organize practitioners Journal of Community collectively, precisely Education Practice Theory because they feared (CONCEPT). I became the first that a community chair of the Scottish Community contrast—tragically almost—all of development profession would Work Trainers’ Forum in 1979 and, the architecture of our profession primarily voice its own interests in the 1980’s, played a central role has disappeared south of the and distance itself from the in creating the UK Standing border in England over the past powerless in society. Conference for Community decade. Why did this support Development. architecture dissolve so quickly in Scotland, too, has seen challenging England in contrast to Scotland? public expenditure cuts and huge From the mid-1980’s, I had returned The chief reason was huge cuts in increases in poverty, as well as to the field helping to create the state investment for community growing Community Development learning and development-type challenges over the past decade. Foundation and then, as CEO of jobs and agencies and the growing Community development language, the Scottish Community Education influence of anti-state conservative policies, and practice not only hold Council, both national support politicians. Scotland didn’t avoid on, but are engaging more and institutes for our field and advisers cuts and the neo-liberal wave, but more stakeholders precisely to governments in Britain and has more successfully ridden them. because it has forged and Scotland, respectively. In 1999, maintained a strong (and relatively together with the professional Some responsibility for the failure open) professional support associations, trades unions, to sustain the profession in England infrastructure that can and does employer associations, and training was self-inflicted. Much community speak based upon extensive agencies, we established the UK work practice, funded by the state, experience of what does and Training Standards for became highly critical of local and doesn’t work. The field has also Community Learning and national government. The British handled the critical relationship Development – PAULO – named in CDP Program is a case in point. with state and employers in a less honor of Freire. This was the British Prolific in its output of writing and confrontational way. The creation government-funded agency that influence, it did much to undermine of what is now called the

8 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Community Learning and managers, and scholars have For More Information Development profession in played such a leading role within You can find out more about the development of the profession in Scotland over four decades has IACD ever since; and because the Scotland in The Making of an allowed for career progression and profession in Scotland has become Empowering Profession available to for the appointment of people with the best organized of any country download free from the Standards community development in Europe. I don’t believe this is a Council http://cldstandardscouncil.org. uk/about-cld/history/. knowledge and experience into co-incidence. Scotland’s approach senior roles, some within the civil is resonating and getting traction in service and as senior managers countries where people are keen to within local government and other rebuild or, for the first time, build a Charlie McConnell agencies. These government and profession for our field, such as Past President, IACD agencies are willing to promote Kenya, Georgia, Ethiopia, New He was the Head of Community and drive CD ideas and approaches Zealand, the Philippines, and Learning and Development across public policies and fund Nigeria. The recently published with the Scottish Government and held many leading roles in programs, even during times of International Standards for some of the listed agencies for challenging public investment cuts. Community Development Practice much of this period. report was the direct result of [email protected] Internationally, Scotland also IACD’s close partnership with the punches above its weight. This is in Community Learning and large part due to IACD being Development Standards Council transferred there twenty-one years Scotland. ago; because Scottish practitioners,

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 9 Using Standards to Support Community Development Practice Anna Clarke

In June 2018, IACD launched What are Towards Shared International Community Standards for Community Development Development Practice. The paper Standards? was the result of a sustained program of engagement with In an members and community occupational/ development practitioners across professional the globe and involved scoping the context, range of standards existing in standards different countries. These were essentially synthesized into one overarching describe what a set of standards, underpinned by person needs IACD’s agreed definition of to do, know, community development and and understand incorporating a set of shared in order to underpinning values. This can be carry out their visually summarized in the diagram role in a on the right. recognized, consistent, and Whether national or international, competent way. working with agreed standards Standards helps us ensure that community assist in the development practice is promoted development of one aspect of work. If your organization in a clear and consistent way based those working in the occupational field wants to explicitly embed the Standards on collective and shared of practice (both paid and voluntary) by throughout its work, a good starting understanding. IACD is keen to promoting “best practice” and bringing point is to use them to support the ensure the International Standards together the skills, knowledge, and development of a new Strategic Plan. for Community Development values that underpin the work. The Logically, if you work through this Practice is widely promoted. We Standards can be used in many ways to planning process—setting strategic are delighted that colleagues in support community development aims, key outcomes, areas of activity, several countries have already practice; some uses are detailed in the staffing and resource requirements, translated the Standards into table below. measuring impact, etc.—then you are, by other languages. This article design, embedding the Standards explores some of the different Putting Standards to Use across your organization. However, it is ways these Standards can be also perfectly valid to start using the applied to support learning and You can access the Standards at any Standards at any point that meets your enhance practice. point, for any purpose—even for just needs.

The International Standards for Community Development Practice set out eight Themes common across community development practice and eight Key Areas of practice related to these themes. Here are some examples of how you might use them to support practice development in each Key Area.

10 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world THEME 1 THEME 2 THEME 3 THEME 4 Values into Practice Engaging with Organizing for Change Communities Key Area 1 Key Area 3 Key Area 4 Understand the values, Key Area 2 Understand, develop, and Enable communities to processes, and outcomes Understand and engage support collaborative take collective action, of community with communities, working and community increase their influence, development and apply building and maintaining participation. access resources, and these to practice in all the relationships with participate in managing other key areas. individuals and groups. Example and delivering services. You can use the Example Example Standards to help build a Example Use the Standards to You can use the shared understanding and You can use the review your organization’s Standards when working sense of purpose among Standards to support Vision, Mission and Values with communities to build teams and organizations communities to plan a and to explore how your collective understanding working collaboratively. project or program of organization defines of the factors that impact work in response to an community development. local people and A good place to start with issue or identified need. Do you have a clear and marginalized groups. This this is in establishing a You might consider the collectively agreed helps to build shared common understanding following questions: statement of purpose that knowledge and of community puts community understanding, which, in development. This may • What is the perceived development at the heart turn, will lead to the seem unnecessary, but issue or need? of this? Has the identification of relevant the reality is that • Who is affected organization agreed on a and appropriate actions community development by this? set of values that are that address issues and is often taken to mean reflected in the work improve outcomes. You different things to • What evidence do carried out? could facilitate different people. we have to discussions around the Therefore, the definition is demonstrate this? Underpinning values of following or similar so important. By taking • What needs participative democracy, questions: the time to establish a to happen? sustainable development, shared understanding, rights, economic • What do we know misconceptions can be • What do we need to opportunity, equality, and about different avoided. do to make it happen? social justice are communities in this • What resources do fundamental to IACD’s area? For the same reason, it is we need? definition of community valuable to spend some • What are the range of development. Facilitate time agreeing on the • How can we access experiences of people discussion with values that will underpin these resources? who live in this area? the collaboration, colleagues, members, and • How will we know • How are power particularly when communities about the if we have had relations experienced communities and groups values that are important an impact? to you as a community in this area? are working alongside development other types of agencies. • What would help to organization. For example, in a improve power collaborative arrangement relationships? involving perhaps civil There are different ways servants/government of facilitating these agencies, NGOs, discussions and it is community organizations, important to ensure your and local communities, approach is appropriate consider how the values and inclusive for those of participative with whom you engage. democracy, sustainable With one community, it development, rights, may simply be small economic opportunity, group discussions, with equality, and social justice another, it may be a more are put into practice structured community within the collaboration in survey, and, with young ways that ensure the people, it may be through empowerment of drama, and so on. communities, particularly those most marginalized.

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 11 THEME 5 THEME 6 THEME 7 THEME 8 Learning for Change Diversity and Inclusion Leadership and Developing and Infrastructure Improving Policy and Key Area 5 Key Area 6 Practice Support people and Design and deliver Key Area 7 organizations to learn practices, policies, Facilitate and support Key Area 8 together for social structures, and programs organizational Develop, evaluate, and change. that recognize and development and inform practice and policy respect diversity and infrastructure for for community Example promote inclusion. community development, development, using You can use the promoting and providing participatory evaluation to Standards to identify Example empowering leadership. inform strategic and learning and development You can use the operational practice. needs of community Standards to support the Example development practitioners development of You can use the Example and groups and then organizational polices that Standards to facilitate an You can use the design learning embed respect for organizational governance Standards to help opportunities to meet diversity and promote review with Trustees/ establish strategic the needs. inclusion. A clear Board/Committee outcomes (and program statement of purpose and Members, taking them and project outcomes) for This can be as simple or an explicit set of values through each key area key areas of work and as complex as you want should not only feature in and asking them to then use those to monitor or need to make it. For and inform the consider their and evaluate progress and example, you could organization’s strategic strengths and areas impact. Within this, you design a skills and plan, but should be for improvement. could consider how you knowledge checklist that reflected in the various can bring together covers all the statements policies and procedures of It is important to highlight different elements of in the Standards which the organization and that this is not just about evaluation (e.g. the people can use to rate embedded in every how they operate monitoring data captured themselves individually, in working aspect. internally, but also how by the organization, the teams/groups, or with they engage outwardly critical reflections of managers. Alternatively, This demonstrates strong with their own and other individual practitioners, you could take specific organizational communities. For and the experiences of key areas and break commitment to the values example, how do they groups and communities each statement down of participative make decisions as a involved). This will help in detail to identify key democracy, sustainable group, who is involved improve ongoing practice skills and knowledge development, rights, and has a say in that and inform policy elements required. economic opportunity, process, and how do development and equality, and social justice they reach out to others organizational priorities. through which respect for who are impacted by diversity and inclusion are those decisions? evidenced. For example, you could review how your current policies, procedures, and working practices impact different communities.

These are just a few examples of how the International Standards for Community Development Practice may be used but there are many more. As you use them, please share your examples and resources with other IACD members. You can download the Standards at http://www.iacdglobal.org/standards-accreditation/.

Anna Clarke Director for Communities, Prospect Awards CIC, based in Northern Ireland; IACD Director—European Region and Chair of IACD Training, Professional Development and Publications Committee [email protected]

12 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Registration of Professionals: The Pros and Cons Anne Jennings

This article will explore the pros and organizations, both internationally and outcomes for the communities they cons of registration of professionals, nationally. They are the Board and work with collaboratively. specifically for community development Members of both the International practitioners. When I started, I assumed Association for Community There are, however, clear distinctions it would be a “dry” subject to research; Development (IACD), based in Scotland, between the two groups in relation to however, I soon realized the importance and the Australian Community Workers registration and regulation of of the subject to our profession—local Association (AWCA), based in professional workers. IACD to global—and to our on-the-ground Melbourne. In addition, I’ve received encompasses the first category by practitioners. support and information from the CLD clearly undertaking a significant, broad, Standards Council (Community international role. Conversely, the CLD There are many examples of generic Learning and Development) in Scotland, and ACWA cross both sectors, while professional associations (supporting and from Cornel Hart, IACD member clearly being set up for the second role. not-for-profit or for-profit entities) that, and academic, in South Africa. South Africa is also currently working at various levels, are currently towards an accreditation process for CD undertaking this role. Further, there are To be clear, there are commonalities professionalization. Importantly, they a range of understandings relating to between organizations set up to (a) understand that, as an emerging what constitutes professional support and network people and discipline, CD requires full recognition associations. They broadly include the organizations relevant to community and accreditation as both an occupation following elements: development practice and scholarship, and a profession (see Hart’s informative e.g. IACD: and (b) those established to article in Practice Insights, Issue 11). In • Formed to ensure the Scotland, the CLD level of professional he key to community development Standards Council practice is standardized, practitioners’ decision-making concerning has a ten-year consistent, and professional organization membership is to history of positive effective. experience within be fully informed. Do your homework. the arena of • Aim to unite and inform Work out what is important to you. registration of people who work in the professionals, (also same occupation. T regulate professions, e.g. the CLD see the article by Colin Ross in this • Responsible for promoting and Standards Council and ACWA. Their edition of Practice Insights), including regulating the profession. mutual areas of operations include nurturing a strong culture of learning. promotion of the community This is similar to , although CD • Consist of mission, objectives, and development profession, organizational has not been developed as a discrete processes that are 1) aimed at promotion, policy development, profession there. Australian community registration, education and advocacy, networking and partnership development practitioners are, development of people in that building, training and development, nevertheless, supported, registered, and profession, and 2) involve specific regular member newsletters, and social provided educational opportunities by fields of knowledge and practices media. the generic ACWA, which, in common relating to values and clients. with the CLD, registers both full and • Generally, they are overseen by a Further, it is positively noted that the associate CD practitioner members, collective of skilled people who do IACD has established the International plus other community work professions. not receive financial remuneration Standards for Community Development for their involvement. Practice, available globally (and free) via So, for clarity, IACD covers the CD field Internet download. These first-ever from a global advancement, networking, • They are genuinely committed to international standards will assist and and collective support perspective, or their profession and work towards enable many countries’ professional the “big picture”, while professional moving it forward. associations in their endeavors to associations who register qualified To take this examination further I’ve develop and attain quality professionals, members operate at the national level, received great assistance from with the emphasis on positive within their individual countries. members of my own professional

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 13 To expand this “picture” the following • Registration and Recognition— For some volunteers and early overviews typify various objectives the requirements for registration varies career practitioners this may be a Scottish and Australian organizations between associations and daunting financial prospect. have been established to achieve (also countries, for example, registered • Time—National associations usually comparable to other similar members of CLD must have a have events, conferences, regular associations’ aims). Standards Council-recognized monthly and annual general qualification plus two years verified meetings, and member’s time is practice in a community learning valuable. Keep in mind the Community Learning and and development setting. Development Standards Council pressures of CD work and • Insurance—for example ACWA practitioners need to have family/ Deliver, maintain, and further develop holds an Association insurance quite/personal interest time and a professional approvals structure for policy which incorporates not over-commit themselves. qualifications, courses, and Professional Indemnity and Public development opportunities for • Employment—prospective and Products Liability Insurance, anyone involved in CLD. employers may request which covers all qualified full and applications from professional provisional members. Maintain and develop a registration association-endorsed system and establish member • Codes of Practice—can include members only. services for practitioners delivering codes for Professional Community • Ethical Codes of Conduct—these and active in CLD. Developers (paid or voluntary), and will not protect a person against Employers Codes of Practice, i.e. unethical or dishonest behavior, Maintain and develop models of ACWA has developed such a code. even in the community services professional learning and training • Continuing Professional sector. Scholars and practitioners opportunities for CLD practitioners. Development—accreditation, alike have made this point. endorsement, and, at times, Lead and contribute to relevant provision, of quality training against In summary, the key to community CLD policy and workforce set criteria that meets member’s development practitioners’ decision- information services. professional development needs. making concerning professional organization membership is to be fully Australian Community • Set the organization’s operating informed. Do your homework. Work Workers Association framework within National out what is important to you. For Occupational Standards (Scottish Develop, review, and accredit the example, is it recognition and example), which are the skills, education standards for the accreditation of community values, and processes required for community work profession. development as a profession and/or effective and appropriate being recognized, legitimized, and community development practice. Establish and enhance the supported as a community professional practice and ethical • Credibility—many employing development professional? standards of community workers. organizations seek staff who have registration (or are eligible to Remember both our international and Promote and advance the profession register) with the relevant national organizations are there to and contribute to the development of professional association, to ensure assist and answer your questions. Also new knowledge in community work. appropriate qualification and talk to other local CD practitioners; ethical understandings. seek their views and experience to Facilitate public recognition and assist you in your decision. The future • Quality Assurance—the people and confidence in the profession of the community development communities who engage CD of community work. profession, like many other areas of practitioners can appreciate the community sustainability, starts with quality of service and attention to individuals working on-the-ground and the process of delivery that is What are the Pros and Cons to moving to national and global expected from a member of a Registration of Professionals? approaches. Community development professional association. theoretical and practitioner pathways Using the overviews above, and other • Professional Support—provided support this approach. similar case studies, the following lists to individual and organizational some “Pros” or benefits that are members in a range of areas generally offered by professional relating to workplace and/or associations: . Anne Jennings (Dip CD; BSocSc; MA; PhD Candidate) Kimberley Transitions Project • Code of Ethics and Practice For the “Cons” or disadvantages side Guidelines—a requirement that Coordinator, Nulungu Research of the question the following points are Institute, The University of Notre members adhere to ethical and offered: professional practice guidelines. Dame Australia—Broome Campus [email protected] This is fundamental as members • Most professional organizations are often working with the most require the payment of annual vulnerable and marginalized fees, and some also have an initial groups in our society. application fee. Further additional expenses are accrued due to ongoing membership activities.

14 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Growing a Learning Culture The Role of a Standards Body in Community Development Education Colin Ross

A few months before the Second, a key feature of the CLD the concerns of practitioners, and a publication of this edition of Standards Council is that it has been crucial early focus for work was to Practice Insights, the developed through a combination develop a revised set of Community Learning and of bottom-up and top-down competences for practice based on Development (CLD) Standards processes. The impetus for engagement with the field. These Council Scotland celebrated its establishing it came from built on competences developed by tenth birthday. The experience community workers who saw that a predecessor body; the new set of those ten years points to the their practice lacked representation moved from a primary focus on contribution that a standards and that they needed more initial professional education to the body can make to community convincing answers to questions professional development of development education; this about their effectiveness and practitioners at all stages and in article aims to outline key accountability; there was also then a all contexts. elements of that experience response from government. When and its relevance to community the Standards Council was formed The new competencies have development education in 2008, it was with a remit from the provided the driver for a much more educators and practitioners in devolved government in Scotland. robust identification of CLD as a other places and situations. profession able to articulate its own This remit covered the approval of standards. The development of a Origins qualifications, courses and framework for competent practice, development opportunities, the encompassing values, ethics, and Every experience is shaped by its development of a system for behaviors alongside the context, so it’s important to begin registration of practitioners, and a competencies themselves, and with some explanation of the role in supporting continuing emphasizing the role of critical particular situation in which the CLD professional learning. The members reflection on practice and Standards Council has developed. of the staff team were (and continue professional development, has First, CLD in Scotland links to be) employed by the been fundamental to the Standards community development with youth government, while a committee Council’s contribution to work and community-based adult structure, broadly representative of CLD education. learning. At times it has been the field, was established to oversee understood as a department of local the key functions and guide the new Assuring the Quality of Courses government, at others as a “sector”; body’s development. and Qualifications the CLD Standards Council sees it primarily as a profession, identified Building Professional Identity The Standards Council inherited the through shared values and methods role of recognition or approval of of practice. The staff team undertook extensive qualifications in CLD primarily at outreach work to ensure that the degree (or postgraduate) level. Standards Council rooted itself in Approval is a process of quality www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 15 assurance of the courses as professional qualifications, which work alongside academic validation by universities. The Council has diversified this role into the approval of learning opportunities at other levels, provided, for example, by colleges or employers. Providers need to have courses verified through the Scottish Qualifications Authority before applying for approval, so that, in relation to degrees, the process focuses on the quality of professional education. At both degree and development level, the approval process is:

• Peer-led (the Standards Council provides training and support to practitioners and academic staff who form approval panels); • Based on dialogue with the provider; • Focused on the framework for competent practice; and • Sets a requirement that courses include a minimum of 40%

practice-based learning. One of the initial questions was who They must also provide a referee This model of quality assurance would be eligible to register and on who can confirm they have supports close links between what basis; and, underlying this, how evidenced these commitments. professional education and practice to combine the mission to maintain and is valued by both learning and continue to raise standards of The Standards Council is introducing providers and the field. It maintains a practice, with a commitment to a periodic re-registration process balance between academic and inclusion. The answer has been to that provides guidance on how to practice elements, and supports offer two types of registration. meet the expectations for pathways into and through professional learning and involves professional learning, particularly for • To be a registered member sample checks on how registered people active in their own requires possession of a members have done this. Alongside communities who have had limited bachelor’s degree approved by this, a process for de-registration, educational opportunities. The the Standards Council and two where serious issues of conduct or model needs continuing years verified post-qualifying poor practice arise, has been put in development, and the Standards experience (an “individual place. These developments meet the Council has limited resources for recognition process” recognizes demand from members for this. However, the existence and the potential for equivalent registration to represent more than recognition of the standards body practice experience while membership in a “club” and a loose has a key role in securing the ensuring rigor). commitment to practice principles. They are matched by a gradually position of CLD education within the • Associate registered members developing set of member benefits, academic institutions. have experience in CLD, in paid beginning with the basics of free work or as a volunteer. Establishing a Register access to Standards Council of Practitioners To register in either category, conferences and events and practitioners must make a formal progressing into areas such as There was no previous existence of a commitment to: enhanced access to university practitioner's register for community libraries. workers in Scotland before the CLD • The values underpinning CLD; Standards Council was established. Growing a Learning Culture • The Code of Ethics for CLD; It was clear there was no basis for a mandatory system, no immediate • Practice using the The strengthening of the link prospect of putting this in place, and CLD Competences; between registration and continuing no consensus within the profession professional learning highlights the • Continuing professional learning; that a system of that sort was fact that, while the Standards desirable. Continuing work has been • Challenge discrimination; and Council’s role in the latter was the required to develop a model that is least clearly-defined element in the • Maintain standards of fit for the particular purpose. remit set by government, it is central professional behavior. to the mission that the CLD

16 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Standards Council has established The Standards Council’s remit has assure the quality and relevance of for itself. The real world has been set by government, but it has their courses, with practitioners and conformed less and less to models been through the development of its employers to embed learning as an of how community workers learn to own mission—based on the integral part of practice, and with practice constructed around initial aspirations of members and the profession as a whole to become training followed by in-work anchored in recognition of the a learning community. learning; new ideas on professional importance for communities of learning and development have competent, confident CLD sought to provide the basis for more practitioners—that the strands have Further Information realistic and creative alternatives. been knitted together into a Further information on the role and activities of the CLD Standards Council, distinctive type of professional body. and on CLD in Scotland, can be found at The Standards Council has evolved a Degree programs, for example, http://cldstandardscouncil.org.uk/. model of lifelong professional continue to provide a benchmark development based on “growing the that confirms the need for highly learning culture” in CLD. This puts competent practitioners, while also the individual practitioner and their forming one part of a framework for responsibility for their own learning continuing professional learning. The at the center, seeking to empower Standards Council Standards Mark and support them through the (SCSM) extends the approval growth of a shared and collective process to employers who offer CLD commitment to the learning of the learning to staff, supporting them to profession. Two iterations of a develop their organization as a professional learning strategy for learning community. Registration CLD have promoted the concept provides both a mechanism for and provided a framework for assuring and improving standards of Colin Ross implementation, while i-develop, a practice, and a powerful expression Policy and Practice virtual learning environment, of personal commitment and Development Officer, provides a platform that supports collective identity. CLD Standards Council Scotland the translation of the concept and [email protected] the framework into practice There is still much to be done. (http://www.i-develop-cld.org.uk/). However, the CLD Standards By growing a learning culture based Council, with a steadily growing on individual and collective committed membership, and responsibility, the CLD profession growing recognition, already can shape itself as a learning demonstrates how a professional community, with the CLD Standards body with a standard-setting role Council providing an organizational can be effective. The Council can form for this. work with learning providers to

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www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 17 Work-Based Community Development Training in Scotland The Linked Work and Training Trust Model Alex Downie

Work-based learning in qualification either at a college or a access to qualifying training in community development is training center over one to three community education and intended to integrate the years—were as rare as the proverbial community development was largely college or university curriculum “snowball in the dessert”. limited to those people who had a with the workplace to create a conventional educational different learning paradigm; an Northern College Dundee took a background. The program was educational strategy that bold step in 1980 and admitted a designed to widen access to higher provides students with real-life university geography graduate, education and professional work experiences where they employed as a rural community qualifications for local people while can apply academic and development worker, to the meeting the needs of local technical skills, develop their community development unit of its communities. employability, and contribute Bachelor of Arts Community to community regeneration. It Education course. It was not until At the time, there was a growing merges theory with practice in 1992, with the establishment of the awareness of a common problem in a meaningful way. Linked Work Training Trusts, that many local communities. apprenticeships in community Organizations are unable to recruit Early Days development in Scotland became appropriately qualified and more of a reality. experienced community Prior to the early 1990’s, work-based development workers for local learning and training in community Linked Work and projects. At the same time, there development in Scotland was mainly Training Trust (LWTT) were issues for many experienced built around field work placements, activists in gaining access to the usually of 200 hours duration, The first Linked Work and Training training and education to enable undertaken as part of a full-time Trust was set up in 1992 in the then them to apply for these posts within community education program Grampian Region, based in their own communities. The LWTT provided through a Further Aberdeen. This was followed in 1995 program harnesses the commitment, Education College. Examples of by the establishment of a Trust in experience, and ability present in all apprenticeships—with a paradigm of Central Region, based initially in communities. combining work and study, with the Falkirk and, later, Grangemouth. The learner employed usually for one day initial development of these schemes a week while studying for a formal came from a growing awareness that

18 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world The LWTT Model in development, plus two approved interdependence, together with an Central Scotland placements in different settings, intimate knowledge of local normally one in the second year and development, in whatever context The program is delivered through an one in the third year. they are working. active partnership of local employers and the University of There are six study units, each The Learners Glasgow. The Trust Board is involving class time, tutorials, comprised of representatives of the private study, and the completion of Between 1998 and 2014, 51 students local Councils of Falkirk and assignments. Normally, two study graduated from the program. Over Clackmannanshire, Forth Valley units are taken in each academic the three years, they spent one day Health Board, Scottish Enterprise, year. The six courses have been per week on academic study and Central Scotland Police, the designed specifically to correspond the remainder working in local University of Glasgow, the voluntary with the six key elements of communities for their respective sector, workplace supervisors, and competence in community employers. Tracking the outputs the student group. The Trust is an development practice: and outcomes of this work was the independent, voluntary organization responsibility of the employer and with charitable status. There exists • Evaluation of Community passing on this information to LWTT a clear from Learning and Development on request didn’t seem to be a priority and was patchy, at best. all parties and each one is • Empowerment of Communities committed to ensuring that the • Development of program achieves its objectives. This Consequently, all that can be said Learning Opportunities is a key factor in its success. with any certainty about the • The Community Learning graduates, is that over 140 new LWTT is a three-year program of and Development Function community groups, projects and education and work-based learning initiatives were established and • Organizing and Management towards a first degree in community supported across the Central Belt of of Community Resources education and community Scotland. For its work, LWTT development. It provides full-time • Engagement with received a British Urban community development posts into the Community Regeneration Association Award for which local people are appointed its contribution to the development and receive an of regeneration practice aving come from a disadvantaged background appropriate salary. in the UK. The Much of the and being faced with many obstacles and awarding panel said; student’s time is barriers, I never believed I could ever achieve “The Trust doesn’t have spent on community a University degree. LWTT has given me an shiny new buildings… development work Hamazing opportunity to break down many of the instead, it has a on behalf of their specialist, focused employer. This barriers I have previously faced. I feel that LWTT has a education and training practical experience unique way of teaching and really responds to my needs program that is of doing the job and aspirations. My confidence has been boosted from connected directly to forms the basis of this course and I have learned so much already [that] I the needs of a the education and am able use in my practice. It is also extremely community. It’s actually training program. It delivering degree-level is also recognized as beneficial in terms of being a debt-free student and qualifications, giving providing work- earning a decent living/keeping head above water. communities a capacity based learning, so to develop their own students achieve a -Emma Nolan, FVIV Student program for degree within three regeneration. This shows that a years, with an equal balance The Methods small program can deliver a between work and academic study. multiplier effect.” The University’s role is to monitor The pedagogic methods employed, the quality of the provision and the and the learning approaches Nearly all the graduates had few standard achieved by students encouraged, are intended to provide formal educational qualifications, through a Board of Management each individual student with a many were unemployed or chaired by an Associate Dean; it systematic educational experience employed in part-time, unskilled also appoints external examiners focused on their needs in relation to jobs. Each intake had 10 to 12 and awards the degree. the post they hold, and to encourage critical self-assessment, students and that small number, The Program attainment, and demonstration of compared to full-time learning appropriate professional through college, reflects additional The curriculum of the degree competence and improvement of academic and pastoral support program consists of two equally- practice, as well as the underpinning provided for students. weighted and interconnected principles of community Only one graduate did not gain paid components: practice experience development. The intended overall employment in community and study units. The practice output is that students achieve, development after graduation and experience is obtained through an through self-directed learning, a only one is currently doing unpaid approved appointment to a post deep understanding of theory and voluntary work (see Table 1). Most relevant to community practice and of their

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 19 Table 1: Learners and a strong set of values and beliefs—which are sometimes lacking from those who enter the profession straight from a college route.

It cannot be argued that the apprenticeship/work experience model is cheaper than the conventional college/university approach. It is more expensive because students require more one-on-one learning opportunities and, when they come from disadvantaged communities, they may need more guidance and pastoral care. They do, however, make good workers and, for many, it is a career option which is not otherwise open.

Apprenticeships in community development like LWTT are not financially supported by Scottish Government either through the current Modern Apprenticeships Scheme, or through college/ university funding. We need both college/university and apprenticeship approaches to grow have progressed in their careers, The Future a strong and diverse workforce and, either into different work situations in the future, revisiting the or into more senior positions, with Feedback collected from both apprenticeship approach in Scotland the number of job moves being three employers and the local community and beyond, will bring positive to five for earlier cohorts and two to groups shows that activists with outcomes. three for later cohorts. Of those who appropriate training can become have made significant career very good community development progression, one is the CEO of a workers, and that trainees and national civic society organization, apprentices can have significant Alex Downie one is a community development impacts in improving the quality of [email protected] consultant, one a policy researcher, lives in those communities. All the and two are now senior politicians LWTT student’s brought qualities— within local government. enthusiasm, energy, life experience,

Table 2: Apprenticeship Approaches

20 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Young People and Community Development Education Alyssa Faulkner

My name is Alyssa Faulkner and I live, work, and study in Scotland. I am the International Association of Community Development (IACD) UN Youth Rep and I am 20 years old.

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 21 I always tell people I “fell” into territory for me. All I knew was in our education—something that community development. I Scottish procedure and the social will affect our practice for the rest of always knew I wanted to be in a injustices that were specific to our careers—is a good idea. profession where I was working Scotland. However, in this new role, I with and helping people, but I have had the pleasure to learn more The University of Dundee also always thought that route would about community development work practices value-based learning, inevitably be healthcare and education that is happening all based on what individuals are (medicine or nursing). It wasn’t over the world. interested in. They teach the basic until I was diagnosed with Type learning and theory, and support 1 diabetes in 2014 that I I study Community Learning and everyone to apply this teaching into discovered community Development (CLD) at the University a topic they are interested in, for development. I discovered the of Dundee in Scotland; I’m in my example, or adult definition of a community third year of this four-year honors learning. This is important as it keeps wasn’t always a physical course with professional placements students motivated, engaged, and location and that a community laced throughout. Students receive gives them a higher chance for could be a group a well-rounded education on academic success (Christenson, of people with something best-practice, theory, and everything Reschly, & Wylie, 2012). in common. you would expect from a CLD course. However, I think one of the Another aspect of the CLD course at From there, I became an activist for main features of the course is to University of Dundee is the other people with Type 1 diabetes, constantly reflect and challenge professional placements that which is a sub-community, and what’s going on around us, our own students are required to undertake worked with a youth worker. It ideas, and the teaching students are in the second, third, and fourth years increased my confidence massively, given. of the course. These can be in an and I applied to university because area in which students have had of the work I did with the charity, The idea of conscientization, which previous experience, or something Diabetes Scotland (https://www. is a theory often used in practice, is new that they want to learn more diabetes.org.uk/In_Your_Area/ used to make sure individuals and about. While learning the theory Scotland/news/Diabetes-Scotland- groups have the education and and best practice is important, it is Young-Leaders-Project). knowledge to know what and why valuable to leave university having something is happening to them and put the learning into practice and In January 2018, I was appointed the to question these things (theory by have some practical experience to UN Youth Rep on the board of IACD, Paulo Freire). I think if we are using pull from when pursuing a career in which was completely unknown this theory in practice, then using it community development. It is lucky

22 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world that, in Scotland, there are many based in Northern Ireland; going to and achieve the most well-rounded community development another country is going to be education in community placements available, and schools in another learning experience for me. development, both from the Scotland are now starting to get University of Dundee in Community community workers to help with I applied and took the role of IACD Learning and Development and from informal education. UN Youth Rep because I felt that, in local community projects. the community development world, Community development education These things are positive; however, many younger professionals were doesn’t always happen in a formal there is always room to improve. The doing amazing work, but there was a education setting; it is often the CLD department at University of noticeable divide between those community projects and work that Dundee is continuously evaluating with much experience and who were others do that teach the most. the program, ensuring that it fits the new to the profession. I wanted to students and that they get as wide help bridge that divide. I also took The World Community Development an education as possible. There is the role because I felt it was an Conference is going to be held in interdisciplinary learning with both amazing opportunity to continue Dundee, Scotland in 2019, and, as Primary Education and Social Work and build on some of the activism part of my UN Youth Rep role, I have students, as it was recognized that, work I had undertaken and branch been asked to join the organizing after graduating, these are out into new areas. The UN is a very committee as the volunteer professionals that will be working good resource to have available, but coordinator. I will be recruiting with community students from the development. ommunity development education doesn’t University of Dundee to always happen in a formal education volunteer at this Community conference, and help development is so setting; it is often the community projects ensure that the volunteers wide, and everyone and work that others do that teach the most. are valued, listened to, and has their different C they all get the areas of interest, so I have tried to it is a tough resource to penetrate; opportunity to learn from people all learn as much as possible about the however, if I approach it in the right over the world. field before I decide what my way, I may get the opportunity to ultimate focus will be. I have worked make a difference. 2019 is going to be an exciting year in activism, more as a hobby, for for young people in Community Type 1 diabetes and I have been on One of the main challenges I have Development! placement at Volunteer Dundee faced in the community (http://www.volunteerdundee.org.uk/ development profession is charities news/blog/my-placement-with- and organizations recruiting young References Christenson, S., Reschly, A. and Wylie, C. volunteer-dundee-by-alyssa- people to get involved and it being (2012). Handbook of Research on faulkner/), where I learned all about an example of tokenism—taking on Student Engagement. New York: third sector organizations and how young people only to tick a box and Springer, pp.653-673. they work. I have volunteered at not valuing and considering the Young Scot on a Year of Young young person’s opinion. Often, I feel People project (https://www. I must prove I’m worth taking a risk youngscot.net/communic18-the- on and this is a very tiresome Alyssa Faulkner year-of-young-people/), where I process. Age has no correlation with IACD UN Youth Rep advocated for young people at ability, and often young people can [email protected] places like the Scottish Parliament bring a fresh perspective that and Government and learned how doesn’t contain bias from previous CLD workers work in this context to experiences. I have also had to face try and achieve national change. my own physical and mental health issues. They have been a massive I have also volunteered at a local hurdle for me to overcome, but I youth work charity called Hot have come to realize that, just Chocolate Trust (https://www. because I am struggling with hotchocolate.org.uk/), a wonderful something myself, that doesn't mean and enriching experience where I I can’t help someone alleviate their not only learned about how to do own struggle. I have also found that youth work, but gained so much the traditional academic teaching unexpected knowledge from the style does not suit me. I need the young people, and that, itself, has practical aspect of teaching to been a privilege. All my experience secure the learning, which I believe has been attempting to put theory applies to many people. into practice and learn as much as possible, but mostly to enjoy the In the future, I will continue to fight experience, as I was doing to ensure that young people are not something I genuinely enjoyed. From viewed and used in a tokenistic way, January 2019 to March 2019 I will be that they are listened to and worked on placement at Corrymeela with, especially on projects that (https://www.corrymeela.org/), affect them. I will continue to learn

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 23 Practice Exchange 2018 Sustaining Indigenous Wisdom and Cultures—Bali, Indonesia Paul Lachapelle Bali is an island and province of Indonesia located just east of the principal island of Java. Renowned for their sense of imagination and highly-developed artistic skills in sculpture, painting, dance, and music passed down through the generations, the Balinese are especially adept at symbolizing meanings of customs and institutions through arts, rituals, and ceremonies. Today, Balinese culture and society are quickly changing as a result of increased tourism and free trade with the Western world. The rapid absorption and assimilation of capitalism and modernization threaten to erode centuries-old cultural traditions, but the Balinese have managed to preserve many of their cultural beliefs and values, as can be observed through their music, dance, rituals, and religious practices, all of which are a source of attraction to many tourists from around the world. Over the course of 10 days, our group had the opportunity to venture far beyond the beaten paths of Bali, to discover local rural village life and be inspired by the beauty and creativity of Balinese culture. These adventures, which support and incentivize communities to keep and maintain their ancestral lands and sustainable way of living, included:

Penarungan Village (Day Two) started a community tourism project that enables visitors to learn about village culture and daily life while also generating economic opportunities for villagers.

In Bali, being physically challenged is a sign of bad karma. Physically challenged individuals are often seen as a reason for embarrassment and are hidden away and are discouraged from visiting temples and participating in community daily life. Bhakti Senang Hati (Day Three) was founded by a physically challenged woman, painter Ibu Putu, who wanted to create a community of disabled individuals to live together and empower one another.

The Green School (Day Four) is a unique international school built completely out of bamboo and based on eco-friendly principles. The Kul Kul Connection is a division that is intent on developing and maintaining sustainable connections with the local community.

PKP Women’s Center (Day Five) was started Ibu Sari, who lost access to her daughter as a result of a bitter divorce, with the intention of providing local women with community support and tools to be more confident and assertive, to better strategize to resolve domestic issues, and to improve the well-being of their families.

A visit to Tirta Empul Holy Spring Temple for the traditional purification ritual and a visit and tasting at a local agro-organic farm (Day Six).

Kebun Mai Agro-Tourism Project, (Day Seven) which addresses the ongoing challenges of getting local communities to embrace sustainable agriculture.

Coral Restoration Project at Banyuwedang Bay (Day Nine). In the 1980’s, Balinese villagers made the decision to throw dynamite into the sea to catch fish. In the process, they destroyed the fish as well as the coral reef. Karang Lestari, a local NGO dedicated to coral protection, teamed with European scientists to bring a technology to Bali known as Bio-Rock to regrow coral using electricity.

Penarungan Village (Counter clock-wise from top left.) Paul and Jamie participate in a demonstration of rice field tilling and planting. Chia-Mei receives a blessing as the group is welcomed into the village. Lisa learns how to crush seeds using the local method. The group walks through a rice field while learning about sustainable agriculture methods. A villager demonstrates preparation of local foods. Paul participates in a traditional Balinese dance.

24 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Bhakti Senang Hati (Clock-wise from bottom left.) Paul and a resident prepare to tour the local rice fields in a modified scooter. Wira is the proud owner of a painting by one of the residents. Residents perform a choreographed dance. Jennie, Pandu, and Brent receive a blessing upon arrival. Pandu, Fiona, Paul, Brent, and Chia-Mei—seated in front of hand-made crafts—listen as residents describe life at Bhakti Senang Hati.

Green School & Kul Kul Connection (From top right.) Anthony learns the process of making the soap sold at the school. Finished and packaged soap. Students at the school work on projects.

1

PKP Women’s Center (Counter clock-wise from top left.) The director of woman’s center, Ibu Sari, talks about the center and its projects and community work. Crafts made and sold by the women. Center staff, locals, and the group pose for a group photo. Lunch prepared by the locals and served in banana leaves. Bamboo bikes made by the residents.

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 25 Agro-Organic Farm & Tirta Empul Holy Spring Temple (Clock-wise from bottom left.) Chia-Mei, Pandu and Jamie sip tea and coffee grown and processed at the farm. Chocolate made and sold at the farm. A local roasts coffee beans in the traditional manner. Locals engage in the traditional purification ritual at the Temple. A craft bazaar located outside the Temple.

Lake Beratan & Banyuwedang Bay (From top right.) Staff from local NGO Karang Lestari describing the coral restoration project. Learning more about the restoration project while leaning against one of the iron/steel structures made for coral planting. The group gets a first-hand look at the coral by scuba or snorkel. Water Temple at Lake Beraton.

Kebun Mai Agro-Tourism Project (Counter clock-wise from top left.) One of the many temples with offerings marking the corner of rice fields. A local barbecuing chicken for lunch. Lisa and Jenny pick papayas. Wira receives a blessing. Sign for farm and one of its giant sunflowers. Anthony learning how to plant crops.

26 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world The Faces of Bali

All photos © Real Indonesia, used with permission. Real Indonesia is an Australian company which partners with Five Pillar Foundation, a community development organization based in West Bali, Indonesia, to offer educational experiences. An immersive educational experience provides participants with a unique chance to enhance their learning. Experiences are designed to inspire and motivate while informing. Local cultures and traditions are presented to guests in a way that is both interactive and respectful of the local communities’ wishes. If you are interested in planning such an experience for your students, team or organization, please contact Fiona at [email protected] and visit Paul Lachapelle www.realindonesiatravel.com to learn more. Associate Professor, Montana State University, USA and IACD President [email protected]

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 27 Community Work Education and Training at Maynooth University, Ireland Oonagh McArdle The Department of Applied Social Studies (DAPPSS) at Maynooth University (MU) is the longest-established provider of professional community work education and training on the island of Ireland. Community work education began at postgraduate level in 1981, followed by the launch of an undergraduate diploma in 1985. Over time, the inclusion of a focus on youth work education and shifting academic qualification frameworks led to the development of the current range of programs, which includes a Bachelor of in Community and Youth Work (BSocSc), a Master in Social Science Community and Youth Work (MSocSc), and a Professional Doctorate of Social Science (DSocSc). As programs of professional program, throughout their necessary in work with education and training, the BSocSc careers, and in any further individuals, with groups, and and MSocSc share the following study which they may choose with communities. aims: to undertake. • To enable students to identify • To give students the necessary and develop their personal • To provide students with the understanding of qualities which can be of most education and training to enable 1) contemporary society—Irish, value to them in community and them to become (or to develop European and global—andhow it youth work. their capacity and competence has developed and how it is as) professional community and changing; 2) political, legal, and In short, the programs aim to ensure youth workers, capable of administrative systems, in that students acquire and develop working on their own initiative particular, how they affect certain knowledge (e.g. descriptive and taking responsibility for communities and young people; accounts, case studies, theories, their work. 3) the extent and causes of models of community work and • To supply the community work social inequalities and social youth work, and of the societal and youth work sectors with problems, the development and context in which they take place); skilled and knowledgeable relevance of social policies, skills (e.g. observation, fact-finding, workers from a range of and the tools for further recording, reflection, communication, backgrounds, possessing a social analysis. counseling, group work, planning variety of appropriate academic and evaluation, management, and • To encourage students to make and professional abilities, and organization); and personal qualities connections between their own the flexibility to respond to (e.g. ethical awareness and values and their work, and to changing and unpredictable commitment, political clarify and adopt a coherent social, cultural, economic, and consciousness, values and attitudes personal approach in terms of political contexts. appropriate to educational and their objectives and their developmental work with people, • To contribute to the ongoing methods of work. sensitivity, sociability, discretion, and development of the professions • To ensure that students dependability). and disciplines of community understand the basic knowledge work and youth work and and insights derived from the Specific and Unique Features enhance their capacity to social sciences, as they relate promote social justice and to community work and Community Work and Youth Work positive as youth work. The BSocSc and MSocSc are critically engaged and professional programs in both reflective practitioners. • To enable students to explore community work and youth work. the central concepts, models, Usually, in Ireland and the UK, at The objectives of the professional and theories in community work least, programs connecting programs are: and youth work and to discuss community and youth work are the basic theoretical and termed Youth and Community Work • To enable students to acquire, or practical issues that arise. or Community Youth Work, with the enhance, the core learning and primary focus youth work, with communication skills required to • To provide students with contextual attention given to the practice throughout the opportunities to acquire or perfect the essential skills communities of which young people

28 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world are part. The MU programs provide a dual qualification where students study community work theory and practice alongside, and equivalent to, youth work theory and practice. Setting the disciplines side by side recognizes that young people are members of all communities and should, therefore, have a greater say in, and influence on, their collective circumstances. This approach also recognizes the divergent but complimentary skill sets required by the two professions. The BSocSc and MSocSc are professionally endorsed by relevant endorsement bodies, both of which operate on an all-Ireland basis: AIEB (All Ireland Endorsement Body in Community Work Education and Training) and NSETS (North South Education and Training Standards).

Supervised Fieldwork Placements Fieldwork placements carry academic credits and are carried out during a 14-week, full-time block in each year of the program. Students must successfully complete at least one fieldwork placement in a community development organization. Thus, while the usual requirement for an undergraduate degree is 180 ECTS credits (60 per annum for three years), for the BSocSc, it is 225, with an additional 15 credits required in each of the three years of the full-time degree. Students gain these credits by completing three 14-week supervised fieldwork placements (with pro-rata arrangements for part-time students). Similarly, the MSocSc requires 120 credits rather than the usual 90, with 30 credits assigned to fieldwork practice. Placements are organized and allocated by a Top: BSocSc students engage in active classroom learning. Professional Placement Coordinator in Bottom: MSocSci students visit the in Geneva.

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 29 discussion with the Year Coordinator ethnicity, culture and religion, assessment for the final year and the student. Organizations disability, sexuality, and political community work module is to a) where students are placed may opinion or identity. This teaching write a formal submission to a operate at local, regional, national, or ethos encourages, and actively Government Department making the international levels. In recent years, expects, students to integrate a case for state resourcing of students have completed structural analysis with both a community work (e.g. programs/ placements in Australia, Hong Kong, professional and a personal projects) into the future; and b) India, Liberia, and different parts of response. based on the written submission, the US, the UK, and . prepare and deliver a script for a All core departmental teaching staff short pitch aiming to influence a Student Profile and Retention have a qualification, a practice government minister at a A strong feature of MU programs, background, and current public event. particularly at the undergraduate involvement in community and level, is the participation and youth work, including at local, DAPPSS’s mission is to “promote successful qualification of students national, and international levels. This human rights, social justice and from non-traditional backgrounds. strengthens the emphasis on linking equality, nationally and This commitment to ensure that theory and practice and grounding internationally, through excellence individuals who may be the targets student’s conceptual understanding and in education, of community and youth work in empirical experience, through the research and public engagement should be involved as the agents of use of examples and case studies that contribute to the development these interventions has underpinned informed by practice experiences. of the social professions and applied the programs from the outset. social sciences”. This DAPPSS has been particularly APPSS’s mission is to “promote commitment is at the successful in supporting human rights, social justice and heart of our community students from marginalized and development programs— minority backgrounds to equality, nationally and aiming to ensure that our progress through courses, with internationally, through graduates demonstrate many of these achieving Dexcellence and innovation in education, academic excellence, excellent results and going on to research and public engagement that strong professional take up key professional contribute to the development of the social competence, and a community development roles. commitment to realizing professions and applied social sciences.” rights, recognition, and This approach acknowledges redistribution. that there is a high level of A variety of teaching, learning, and knowledge and skills required for the assessment methods are employed, We welcome conversations and complex task of community (and with the overall design of the collaborations with colleagues youth work) but recognizes that, programs structured in a manner internationally who share this with the right environment, supports, that welcomes, and facilitates, both ambition. and ethos, all students, including critical thinking and strong student particularly marginalized and engagement. Lectures are delivered disadvantaged students, can reach to a maximum of 35 students in a the standards required for u-shaped set-up. Other teaching Oonagh McArdle professional endorsement and methods include individual (BA, HDip Community Work, MA, DSocSc) academic awards. An emphasis upon reflection, paired discussions, small Lecturer, Department of putting strong support mechanisms and large group work, as well as the Applied Social Studies, in place for students and working integration of creative methods such Maynooth University, Ireland more intensively with smaller as visual art (use of photographs [email protected] student groups has been an and/or video, forum theater, important feature in successfully role-play, debates, etc.). Exposure to delivering on our student retention different perspectives is facilitated and progression mission. through planned project visits, observation exercises, and fieldwork Pedagogical Approach trips, as well as a more flexible Community and youth work are approach to allow for participation based on an acknowledgment that, in protests, conferences, while individuals and communities seminars, etc. have needs and rights, certain groups in our society have been In keeping with a commitment to oppressed, excluded, or develop a range of student disempowered in a way that has competencies, we use varied forms systematically hindered the of module assessment. While most realization of such needs and rights. assessments are based on the We strive to use teaching methods capacity to write, we also value that are both engaging and student capacity to analyze, speak, challenging to support students to and present, and implement module acknowledge and address major assessments based on individual social inequalities such as those and/or group presentations. A related to class, gender, race and current example of the two-part

30 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 31 Community Development is an enduring and long-term process by The Evolution which local communities or institutions partner with the government and/or non-government and Practice organizations to collectively participate for the enhancement of their well-being (Midgley, 2014). of Community In the context of Philippine higher educational institutions (HEI’s), community development is often Development understood as part of a university’s “extension services”. The term “extension,” in its lexical definition, implies something which is increased or added through to something else. The beginnings of extension work in the Philippines followed the track of the , Extension using the land-grant set-up. According to Tojos (2010), it was quite similar in intent to the original concept, which is to Services play a significant role in serving the rural populace, and, at the same time, it motivated some schools to operate in identified localities and others to expand in Philippine their reach. The assistance that was provided in the beginning was related to Higher Education increasing agricultural productivity. However, school administrators of both public and private HEI’s began to look at Mark Anthony D. Abenir extension in its literal sense, which meant

“extending the university”, for adding other branches or campuses or setting up new ones in the provinces. For example, in the University of the Philippines (UP), extension efforts started with the expansion of its campus to many parts of the country like UP Manila (1908), UP Los Baños (1909), UP Cebu (1918), UP Diliman (1949), UP Baguio (1961), UP Visayas (1973), and UP Mindanao (1995). Their Charters incorporated this provision especially, since this was made a requirement by education regulatory and accrediting bodies. The extension service of many of these UP schools focused on improving agricultural productivity, with the assistance of faculty and students, and actively linking with the Department of Agriculture and the local governments.

Many private universities have been founded by religious congregations or organizations. There are about 338 Catholic HEI’s in the Philippines—112 are universities and 226 are colleges. These schools are mostly established by religious congregations such as the Benedictines, Dominicans, Augustinians, Jesuits, Lasallian Brothers, and many more. Some of these Catholic HEI’s are the oldest institutions of higher learning in the Philippines, such as the University of Santo Tomas (1611), University of San Carlos (1769), Ateneo de Manila University (1859), De La Salle University (1911), Adventist University of the Philippines (1917), and University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos (1941). They have been involved in extension programs since their establishment due to their religious fervor and their Christian notion of charity for the poor. This Christian notion of charity for the poor is guided by the passage of Isaiah 61: 1-3, where it states:

[1] The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring good news to the afflicted, to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners, [2] To announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God; To comfort all who mourn; [3] to place on those who mourn in Zion a diadem instead of ashes, To give them oil of gladness instead of mourning, a glorious mantle instead of a faint spirit.

This bible quotation serves as one of the fundamental principles of extension work in Catholic HEI’s. Extension is usually translated into community outreach, , community development, or social action in Catholic universities. Common projects are characterized by the delivery of various social services; care for prisoners, the abandoned, and the orphaned; and catechism sessions.

Later, extension services for both public and private HEI’s expanded in scope and reach to include a wide range of practical development interventions for low-income communities, including medical and dental missions, free legal aid, teacher training, tutorial services, and adult through community exposure or field work classes. In 1989, the Philippine Association of Extension Program Implementers, Inc. (PAEPI) was born at the Technological University of the Philippines with 52 initial members that cut across different public and private HEI's, government, and other non-government

32 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world organizations. The PAEPI is an consciousness and community technical assistance and advisory association where members have responsibility of the students services to organizations, agencies, the opportunity to share their towards nation building (see photo associations, and other groups; 3) experiences, knowledge, and skills in below). communication/information services the conduct of extension services to particular client groups; 4) geared towards the development of Further, the Philippine Commission community outreach activities, like the country. on Higher Education (CHED), provision of social services, which through their CMO No. 8 series of are conducted in areas outside the Efforts to further institutionalize 2008, gave a definitive campus; and 5) technology transfer, extension service in Philippine- understanding of the term extension, utilization, and commercialization chartered state universities and which encompasses, for both public designed to stimulate the colleges was conducted through the and private HEIs, the act of development of entrepreneurial Higher Education Modernization Act communicating, persuading and knowledge-based—micro to small to of 1997 (RA 8292), in which helping specific sectors, target medium-sized—enterprises. extension was declared as one of the clientele, or partner communities to three-fold functions of any state enable them to effectively improve Today, “extension service,” is usually university or college. Also, the production, community and/or guised under the name “community National Service Training Program institutions, and quality of life. This and extension services,” or most (NSTP) Law in 2001, or Republic Act definition is very much aligned with recently, “community development,” No. 9163, mandated both public and Midgley's (2014) definition of which range from the partnership private HEI’s offer NSTP as a general community development, where provision of social services, that education course for two terms/ partnerships are involved in order to could either be remedial or semesters to inculcate civic collectively work towards the developmental in nature, to various consciousness and defense partner community’s well-being. capacity building and environmental preparedness among college intervention measures (see figure on students. Specifically, the Literacy The said CMO further stipulates that page 34). Training Service (LTS) and Civic an integrated extension program of Welfare Training Service (CWTS) public and private HIE’s should have Nevertheless, all are geared towards program components of NSTP the following components: 1) immersing HEI’s into the mainstream integrate classroom instruction into training programs, which are of people’s existence and the delivery of community service to non-degree and non-credit courses, contributing in national further enhance the civic offered by a college for unit; 2) development. But mostly, extension

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 33 service, except for required service international organizations, and extension in UP is expected to learning courses, is considered an communities—especially trickle in the educational system and extracurricular endeavor; hence, are marginalized and underserved the policy decision making of other not really given equal treatment in communities (in the form of public and private HEI’s in the unit loading of faculty members trainings, commissioned studies, future. For how long, it is uncertain, when compared to academic members of technical panels of but it is considered inevitable. instruction and research. There is an government agencies, technical exemption, however; recently the services); References and Further Reading Midgley, J. (2014). Social Development: University of the Philippines (UP) in • extramural programs; Theory and Practice. Los Angeles, USA: 2015 started granting its faculty SAGE Publications. members an extension load credit • service learning programs; Tojos, L. (2010). Extension programs: (ELC) for one, up to a maximum of • organizing symposiums, forums, Keeping academic institutions in touch three units, per semester for with reality. In A. Bawagan, C. Bautista, & conferences, exhibits, extension work. S. Britanico (Eds.), Proceedings of the 1st performances; Asia-Pacific Regional Conference in Community Development (pp. 303–313). The granting of ELC is based on the • advocacy and community Quezon City, Philippines: UP College of following activities, which are mobilizations; and Social Work and Community considered extension work by UP: Development. • service to the University (without administrative load • technical assistance to credit). government agencies, non- Mark Anthony D. Abenir government agencies, industry This recent development on how Simbahayan Community partners, people’s organizations, community development is Development Office, University of other educational institutions, understood within the context of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines [email protected]

34 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Community Development and Social Work Education in East Asia Kwok-kin Fung Suet-lin Hung Yi-yi Chen Chun-yat Phua Shuqiang Chen Zhenhua Jiang

This article aims at introducing community development education in the East Asian region, focusing on four localities including Hong Kong, Taiwan, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and Singapore. As community development education, including the forms, contents, and resource support, are always closely related to the unique characteristics of community development services, the services of the four localities will be introduced very briefly to set the context for understanding community development education. The discussion will focus on the characteristic features of the education in the region as a whole, and, specifically, the formal education and continuing professional development for community workers.

Societies in East Asia are not homogeneous. This paper can only serve to provide a highly brief and general description and discussion, which may not be agreed upon by readers from the localities and beyond. The authors are from the four localities and are happy to receive information and views from community work educators and practitioners to further develop our research studies on community development education in East Asia.

Community Development in the programs through the Social mainstream services, there are other Four Localities Workers Registration Board. With community development projects the return of Hong Kong to the PRC financed by various public or private Community development, or in 1997, community development funds. Despite the small size and community work, has had a very continues its colonial legacy and number of community development close historical connection with sustains its close relationship with services overall, many innovative social work, even though the two the social work profession. In practices have been developed have developed into separate addition to being included as part of through the past years which have professions, due to various social welfare, community exerted influence on the local social dynamics, in some parts of the world development has been adopted by work profession and social services. such as the UK, USA, and Australia. the Home Affair Department, which In the four localities of East Asia, is responsible for political The advent of community community development/work governance as a policy tool to development in Taiwan and the PRC remains part of social work as an facilitate the communication was relatively late compared to intervention method/strategy and between government and citizens Hong Kong. The Taiwanese there are shared goals and visions during the colonial times. This results government, before the initiation of related to community changes. in funding from the Department for democracy practices, had adopted mainstream community the ideas of community In Hong Kong, community development services, which mainly development in , development/work as social work employs social workers. The literacy education, disaster relief, and intervention can be traced back to supervision of the services has been charity. The first group of its era as a British colony. Together under the sovereign of the Social government social workers were with casework and group work, Welfare Department, which is hired to implement community community work has been identified responsible for social welfare/work development, and their training was as essential social work methods/ services. This special position of mostly introduced by international strategies. Social work has been community development services in aid organizations. Ever since, recognized as a helping profession government administration has community work has remained one by the British colonial government resulted in their restricted of the primary methods of social and it has been the same in Hong development since the 1990’s and work apart from case work and Kong, with ordinances governing the being marginalized in terms of their group work. The importance of registration of social workers and roles in both welfare and political/ community development within accreditation of social work training policy interventions. In addition to social work professionalization has

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 35 been marginalized, despite a few examinations that do not exclude and group work. Social service universities’ social work faculty non-social work graduates. offices, set up by the government, member-explored community-based Nevertheless, there has been a long also play critical roles along the curricula and searched-for models of tradition of community governance FSC’s by facilitating local planning practice through exchanges with within the PRC under the sovereignty functions to optimize resources and Hong Kong and other societies in the of the Ministry of Civil Affairs or partnerships within every Singapore early 1990’s. Recently, community Minzhengbu. Along with the town. development has become development of social work, it is legitimately recognized and is observed since the 2000’s that, in Community Development and encouraged by the government. some major cities including Social Work Education in the Community care, with an emphasis Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Four Localities on resource accessibility and a and Beijing, local offices of the volunteer workforce, has been the Ministry also directly employ or Sharing similar characteristic as an dominant practice in the social purchase the services of professional essential component of social work work-related fields. There are also social workers from non- intervention, formal community non-social welfare government governmental organizations in order development education in the four departments that have been to strengthen the quality of localities has been mainly delivered providing support to the community services and governance. by the social work departments/ development of community work in schools of universities or tertiary Taiwan. Specifically, the Cultural Community development in education institutions. Being part of Department has been funding Singapore has played a considerably professional education, community initiatives to minor part in social work practice, development/work training is cultivate and communal even though its social welfare delivered in professional social culture by space making and services have had a long history and work-qualifying and advanced participatory budgeting at the a comparable level of . While the syllabus of these neighborhood level. to that of Hong Kong, which is courses in Hong Kong and the PRC considered as well-developed. Also are regulated by respective social In the PRC, as a result of the active sharing the British heritage, work registration/licensing bodies, support of social work practitioners community development has been those in Taiwan and Singapore can and educators from Hong Kong since introduced to Singapore as part of be more varied. Nevertheless, both the 1990’s, social work follows largely social work. However, community the characteristics of community the version of Hong Kong with development has largely been development services, knowledge, community development/work being undertaken by grassroots and skills required for workers on the included as a social work organizations while social work one hand, and the perspectives/ intervention method. The increasing agencies focus predominantly on approaches and teaching methods clinical orientation of social work has casework and group work adopted by teachers on the other been observed in the past decade; interventions. Only in the last hand, are critical to the actual though many public officers/ decade, more emphasis has been delivery of community work community workers who have been paid to community development education in different localities. serving at district/grassroots levels through the family service centers have either studied formal social (FSC’s) under a Code of Social Work It is generally observed across the work programs and/or became Practice (CSWP) to reach out to a four localities that all social work licensed social workers. This is done larger base within all Singapore programs delivered by universities/ by taking the public licensure towns, and to complement casework teaching institutes have included

36 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world community development/work in development/work strategies to service centers in Singapore. Social the curriculum either in the format deliver social services. This has service organizations in Singapore of independent courses or part of resulted in increasing job are inviting Hong Kong social the courses on macro social work. opportunities for social workers to workers to share their experience in Though there are differences in the work for community development collective narrative practice and new topics covered, shared content is services. community development models. It identified, including classical western is foreseen that these exchanges will community work models such as Furthermore, in work continue to flourish in the coming those coined by Jack Rothman and strategies to facilitate mutual years due to the continual colleagues. Also included are the support among disadvantaged proliferation of community various consensus and conflicting communities to develop community development services in these four strategies and the process model for endeavors localities. collective problem solving and or to alleviate mobilization of user/resident poverty are required by funders participation in the four localities. which are either government bodies Kwok-kin Fung Nevertheless, partly due to being or private donations. Facing Associate Professor, treated as one of the three major increasing challenges in meeting Department of Social Work, Hong Kong Baptist University intervention methods and partly community needs and expectations being the dominant clinical from funders, social service Suet-lin Hung orientation within the social work organizations and associations and Associate Head & professions, the number of courses groups of social workers have Associate Professor, Department of Social Work, —both core and elective—that organized professional trainings, Hong Kong Baptist University directly focus on community particularly to study innovative development/work are limited and community work strategies i.e. Yi-yi Chen fewer when compared with those community economic initiatives, Assistant Professor, National Taiwan University that focus on clinical interventions. sustainable development, asset- Paradoxical positioning of based community development, and Chun-yat Phua community development/work as collective narrative practices from Senior Assistant Director, Planning core to social work education, yet the west that shape community and Organization Development, AMKFSC Community Services, work practices. marginal in terms of significance, has Singapore been witnessed. Another trend noticed is learning Shuqiang Chen Continual professional development from each other in the four localities. Professor/Executive Deputy Dean, School of Social Work, China Youth for social workers working in the There has been an increasing University of Political Studies, community development fields has number of exchanges among Beijing, China been evidenced amid the changing community workers from the four political and social contexts of the localities in East Asia in the past Zhenhua Jiang Lecturer, School of Social Work, four localities. Mirroring the recent decade. Social workers from the China Youth University of trend of the revival of community PRC and Hong Kong are organizing Political Studies, development practices in different study visits to community building Beijing, China parts of the world, the four localities initiatives in Taiwan, while Taiwanese share a similar trend of having social workers are visiting innovative Contact the authors at increasing resources support from community economic development [email protected] the government to use community projects in Hong Kong and family

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 37 Community Development Education in Kenya

Daniel Muia Anne Kamau

Community Development effective community development scheme of programs undertaken as remains an important area of could result in concertized community development. Over time, study in development discourse, communities that understand how community development education and in countries like Kenya power works—and how they can has become part of vocational where large portions of the harness that power to transform training in Kenya and is a part of communities are under-served their communities. Thus, just as academic and research pursuits at by governmental and civil processes of change could be fueled university level. society agencies. Community from within the community, change development, being a practice- also needs to come from beyond the Variants of Community based profession and an community—from engagement with Development Education academic discipline that seeks duty bearers, who in the Kenyan in Kenya to empower people within their context are the holders of power—at communities, ought to be county (local) and central In Kenya, community development inevitably anchored on a sound government levels. education is offered both as an community development academic program and as civic education content and process. Evolution of Community education programs. First, as an Development Education academic discipline, there are many The nexus between community in Kenya community development academic education and community programs offered at various levels, development cannot be argued, The evolution of community starting from certificate and diploma especially in developing countries development education in Kenya is to graduate level (including where day-to-day needs are many closely tied to that of the evolution postgraduate degrees). The and competing. Just as financial of the community development certificate training is a one-year tokens may be given to communities movement in the country. During the course and the diploma level training as safety nets and social protection last days of colonial rule, community is a two-year program. There is a and basic services and facilities mobilization was undertaken to curriculum developed by the provided for them, there is an engage communities in self-help national curriculum development emerging realization that what development activities as a way of institute, the Kenya Institute of communities need most is the expert appeasing the disaffected Curriculum Development (KICD), support of community development communities agitating for fair and the examining body is the practitioners. These are experts development and political national examinations body, the equipped with community independence. In the process, Kenya National Examinations development education that act as community improvement support Council. As per the Technical, enablers for communities to engage programs were spear-headed by the Vocational Education and Training amongst themselves to realize their then Department of Social Welfare (TVET) Act 2013, all training at potential and internal opportunities Organization under the Ministry of diploma level (including Diploma in they can tap to transform their Community Development to ensure Community Development) is subject circumstances. Communities also that communities had skills for to regulation by the TVET Authority. need education to understand the self-improvement, and self-reliance. Graduates at this level serve as state need, and to build skills for engaging Social Welfare Workers (SWWs), and non-state actors in supporting with duty bearers (state and later known as Community community development work. non-state actors) to ensure a just Development Assistants (CDAs) These programs also serve as and inclusive development process. were, at the time, trained at Jeanes entry-level qualification into School, Kabete, and were deployed community development training at The result of this process is at grassroots levels to coordinate degree level in the universities. community development and community betterment work, which empowered communities. An is presently a part of the broad

38 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world In 2018, Kenya had a total of 64 Most community education development education programs. universities (31 public and 33 programs mobilize communities A look at the various curricula of private). A total of 17 universities around key areas of livelihoods different universities indicate have had their degree programs in development and diversification, variations in what is covered as Community Development community self-organization and community development. Lastly, accredited by Kenya’s Commission empowerment, and community there is no mechanism of for University Education. The as part of professional accreditation of nomenclature may vary from economic empowerment of community development education university to university. While most communities. An emerging programs and practitioners. This universities label their programs as dimension of community creates a gap in understanding what Community Development, some development education is that of constitutes adequate community have labeled theirs as Community capacity building of communities to development training and who Studies and Extension, and one as hold government authorities to qualifies to be named a professional Environmental Community account through lobbying and social community development Development. The key focus of audits. This education leads practitioner. The newly formed these programs include Association of Community imparting knowledge Development Practitioners– and skills in theory of Course Content for a Typical Introduction to Kenya (ACDP-K), which is community development Community Development Unit (3 Credit Hours) the Kenyan network of and application for Community Development addressing community Introduction to Community Development Professionals, is exploring concerns. Principles and Practice of Community Development ways of professionalizing the practice by seeking The anchor courses (right) Models of Community Development ways of standardizing include principles and Change Agents and Community Development Workers community development methods of community education and training. Community Empowerment development, community Likewise, the newly organization, social Partnerships and Networks launched International problems, community Sustainability of Community Development Association of Community research skills, project Community Leadership and Governance in Kenya Development Standards of development and Emerging Trends in Community Development Community Development community leadership, and Ethics in Community Development Practice is an important ethics in community inspiration and starting development. The courses point for benchmarking have a practicum component which communities to understand how Kenya’s community development gives students hands-on experience power works and how they can practice. in working with communities. A leverage their political voice to gain supervised project report is resources and results that transform Community development education submitted at the end of the their livelihoods and situations. This remains a central tool for practicum that offers students an approach is born from the community conscientization and opportunity to hone their research realization that communities need mobilization for community skills. It is, however, important to skills for enhancing their civic empowerment and transformation. point out that, in most universities, engagement with duty bearers, the As Kenya moves forward with the community development courses holders of power. Community vision to become a modern are also taught as part of the development education, at any level, economy, and within the context of general Bachelor Degree in needs to have community sustainable development goals, the program. The graduates empowerment as the ultimate goal. place of community development of community development practice in cementing development education serve in government as Opportunities and Challenges gains at the community level cannot well as in civil society agencies as Facing Community be argued. Hence, a process of program/project officers and are Development Education professionalizing community drivers of community action in Kenya development should be embarked and change. upon to secure the discipline and Acknowledging that Community the Community Development The second type of community Development is a discipline that practice in Kenya. development education is offered at imparts skills to help transform the community level by government communities, it needs to be treated agencies and civil society actors. as a professional discipline. The The focus is programming and challenge of community Daniel Muia aimed at mobilizing communities in development education in Kenya is Department of Sociology, Kenyatta University, Kenya; the agencies’ areas of interest. one of treating it as an academic Chairman, Association of Nevertheless, basic community discipline. The second challenge is Community Development development principles and standardization of the curriculum. Practitioners-Kenya methodologies are applied. In these Community development as a [email protected] contexts, college and university discipline and practice has critical [email protected] graduates of community principles and values that underpin Anne Kamau development put into practice their it. These can be assured if there is a Institute for Development Studies, knowledge and skills. process of standardizing community University of Nairobi, Kenya

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 39 Designing With: An Engaged Studio Approach to Applied Community Development Scholarship Ken Tamminga

When members of the volunteer Beltzhoover Neighborhood Council approached us in 2008, they represented one of several dozen low-income Pittsburgh communities struggling with five decades of industrial and population decline and persistent inequality. The Council wasn’t looking to dwell on its troubles. Instead, members were intent on leveraging the community’s substantial reserves of talent and passion. Their focus was across an array of physical and environmental challenges, from neglected public infrastructure and ecosystems to the recently closed elementary school. The citizens of Beltzhoover (population 1,900) wanted pleasant, tree-lined streets with functional sidewalks and access to transit, the same as the city’s more affluent communities. They wanted to revive the green grocer–bakery, community center, and playground. And they saw the neighborhood’s +30% residential lot vacancy—the upshot of cycles of economic decline, disinvestment, and landlord indifference—more as resource than blight.

Beyond Service-Learning local official with an offer of community participants working technical services provided by a collaboratively. Importantly, we were At the same time, I was about to class of 30-40 students. After a invited, and the Penn State Center reprise the advanced Pittsburgh- formal memorandum of was the match-maker. Formalities based studio that I had led in the understanding was signed and a were limited to a handshake. Since 1990's. Influenced by my research in budget set, the design process that first Beltzhoover experience, the Sub-Sahara Africa on anticipatory would take place entirely within the course has become a Fall semester community learning and adaptation confines of campus. Creative fixture. Fifteen weeks in length, it in the face of climate change, I interactions with stakeholders were directly partners 12–14 upper-year resolved that the 2008 studio would rare. Service-learning’s main students with local citizen groups in engage collaboratively with at-risk, purpose, then, was to expose one or two Pittsburgh under-served communities. As it students to the client-consultant neighborhoods. To date, we have happened, the Beltzhoover studio model of acquiring technical partnered with 22 communities, would be facilitated through the new experience as efficiently as possible. most of them low-income and Penn State Center (Pittsburgh’s Inherently a clean and one-way economically distressed. “community connector”) as its first proposition, possibilities for pilot project. And it would push well mutually-beneficial discovery and The Pittsburgh studio now plays out beyond the usual service-learning growth were never likely. “…community design as primarily model. vested in the community. Solutions Studio Overview emerge from the local, rather than As with many public land-grant being miraculously delivered as gifts institutions in the U.S., service- In contrast, the goal for the 2008 or commodities from elsewhere” learning at Penn State had long been Pittsburgh Studio was a mutually (Tamminga and DeCiantis, 2012). Our standard fare. Typically, planning and beneficial process of engaged focus on neighborhood-scale assets design faculty would approach a design-in-place—students and have included detailed concepts for

40 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world civic spaces, green infrastructure, The Practice-Theory Dialogue Since most of our students come public art networks, urban farms, from suburban or small-town places vacant lot recycling, convivial main While the pedagogy of the studio in the mid-Atlantic, there’s an streets, and adaptive reuse of civic evolved mostly experientially, it has essential acclimation period during buildings. Throughout, we are been influenced by several scholarly which they reconcile issues of reminded by our local partners that strands. Its learning-by-doing “otherness”, make friends, and dive projects should seek to catalyze sensibility is in the constructivist into the productive rhythm of and tradition of David Lebow (1993, p.6) working relationships. During employment from within. who called for practical community- in-class reflections, students often based scholarship “…firmly share feelings of humility at knowing Students and partners interact embedded in the social and less about the place they’re studying primarily through on-site meetings emotional contexts in which learning than their local partners, while, at to conduct analysis, relate back- takes place.” The studio’s activist the same time, reveling in their stories, and pin down place-based leaning was spurred by designers’ role as form-givers. issues and opportunities. Back on conversations with Penn State campus, I introduce students to colleagues, Associate Dean of The more tangible outcomes of the participatory techniques, focusing Outreach, Craig Weidemann, and Pittsburgh Studio are many and on ways that students can promote geographer, Lakshman Yapa, both at varied. The 22 partner communities both analytical and imaginal literacy the forefront of the public usually continue their relationship in their neighborhood partners. scholarship movement. Additionally, with Penn State Center post-studio. learning theorist Étienne Wenger’s Typically, actionable projects tend A mid-semester design workshop writings on communities of practice toward follow-up planning grants marks the transition from research deepened our awareness of the and improvements to civic spaces and analysis to site programming, importance of direct working and community landscapes. At the conceptualization, and form-giving. relationships between community other end of the spectrum, our 2009 With workshop ideas as grist, an partners and students. The Larimer village center and green extended period of iterative design Pittsburgh Studio built on these infrastructure proposals were at the exploration, testing, and, notions, scaffolding up from core of a successful $30 million visualization follows. This phase conventional knowledge-building to grant application for Choice demands that students exert their transformative levels of empathy, Neighborhood program funding full design skills, while regularly vision, and creativity. from the U.S. Department of calling on community partners (now Housing and Urban Development. fast friends) to review their work or Intangible and supply further insights. Finally, a Tangible Outcomes On the academic side, the studio public presentation and open house was the subject of a documentary is hosted in the neighborhood. The Each Fall semester, community short film produced by WPSU Public projects are finalized, compiled as a partners remark that the most Broadcasting Service and shown portfolio, and made publicly important consequence of their widely on campus. The film, along available online. Community partners Pittsburgh Studio involvement is with several presentations I made to continue meeting with Penn State coming to know the power of the Council of Engaged Scholarship, Center staff to explore design. They see how the half-dozen were influential in Penn State’s implementation strategies. or so project proposals can recent creation of the Office of collectively result in a shared vision Student Engagement Network. for regenerative priorities in their neighborhood.

Studio Framework

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 41 In 2011, the studio was awarded the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Engagement Award–Northeast Region from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and was national Finalist for the Peter C. Magrath University/ Award. Finally, ours was one of 74 Exemplars of Engaged Scholarship recognized by Campus Compact, a national coalition of 1,000+ colleges and universities committed to building democracy through civic education and community development.

Community-engaged studios are messy, sometimes fraught, and always exhilarating. They provide an inclusive, creative space for community partners and students alike to experience the power of democratic design. My hope is that this kind of public scholarship continues emerging as a meaningful contributor to community development practice. To help, here are guidelines for practitioners and academics considering a similar approach:

• Establish working relationships early. Pre- planning is vital in reconciling community needs with pedagogical goals. • Recognize place-based design as a valid component of community development practice. Assert that design is an essential human endeavor in which all should participate. • Discuss realities of power, privilege and exclusion. Nurture (pre)professional humility and pluralistic understanding in students. • Think small. A compact student team of about 10-15 is best. Then ensure six or seven dedicated key community partner-mentors to achieve a 2:1 student/partner ratio. • Affirm the public scholarship principles of reciprocal learning and co-generated solutions. • Avoid the parochial discipline trap. Privilege direct student interactions with local residents/ content experts over bureaucrats and professionals. • Pass the baton. Relational continuity between Summary of Select Pittsburgh Studio Metrics to Date community and institution is vital in moving ideas Top: into action. Community connectors like the Penn Bottom: Working Relationships State Center are essential in facilitating pre- and post-studios activities, while affording faculty space to teach. References Kramer, M. (2017) Will McKinley Park upgrades improve the • Be patient. During a 2017 public meeting on struggling Beltzhoover community or leave its longtime residents community improvements, Beltzhoover residents behind? August 31, 2017 article, www.publicsource.org. voiced concern over a lack of anticipated spin-off Lebow, D. (1993) Constructivist values for instructional systems jobs, while citing our studio’s 2008 work as the design. Educational Technology Research and Development, vol. 41, impetus to designing with local residents (Kramer, no. 3, pp. 4–16. 2017). Remember, tangible results can take time to ferment. Tamminga, K. and DeCiantis, D. (2012) Resilience, conviviality, and the engaged studio. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and • Reflect. Discuss ways the studio is personally Engagement, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 115-151. relevant to students, and how it might influence future career choices and modes of practice. Close the feed-back loop by conducting post-studio evaluation with key partners and community Ken Tamminga Distinguished Professor, connector. Landscape Architecture, Penn State University. He holds professional degrees in urban planning and landscape architecture [email protected]

42 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Online Community Development Education Huston Gibson

Great Plains IDEA their home institution and will vary Community Planning, in the College slightly in name. of Architecture, Planning & Design. The Great Plains Interactive Distance The Kansas State University Global Education Alliance (Great Plains Great Plains IDEA founders first Campus as been a partner in IDEA) is a consortium of reputable convened in 1994 and the marketing, administering, and universities who offer online, flexible, consortium become a reality in advancing the program. More about and affordable programs for a virtual 2002. The Community Development the CD program via KSU and Global community of individuals from program consortium has been in Campus may be accessed here at diverse backgrounds. Great Plains operation since 2005, when its first https://global.k-state.edu/ IDEA offers students access to five students enrolled. Since 2005, architecture/community- multiple degrees and certificates the program has evolved in many development/. from several universities who ways, and has helped several collaborate to create opportunities students earn degrees, and now Program Students and Alumni beyond what one university can certificates in Community provide. It is composed of the Development (CD). Our program focuses on serving Human Sciences and Agriculture community leaders, practitioners, units at member institutions. A list of Kansas State University and those committed to people and member institutions can be found at places in fields such as: www.gpidea.org. Kansas State University (KSU) has • Community and regional been part of the CD program planning Through Great Plains IDEA, Kansas consortium since the beginning, State University, partnering with offering its first class in 2006, and • Economic development and Iowa State University, University of seeing its first MSCD graduates in entrepreneurship Nebraska, North Dakota State 2010. In 2017, KSU added a Graduate • Community health and wellness University, and South Dakota State Certificate in Community University, offers a Master of Science Development option and saw its first • Anti-poverty programs in Community Development (MSCD) student completion in 2018. • Extension and a Graduate Certificate in Community Development. Students At Kansas State University, the CD • Housing and infrastructure program is housed in the may enroll in the program through • Non-profit organizations any one of the five partner Department of Landscape institutions; their degree will be from Architecture and Regional & • Parks and recreation

Image courtesy of K-State Global Campus

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 43 • Natural resource management found at http://www.iacdglobal.org/. CD electives. We purposely do not We aim to educate those committed have designated tracks, we instead • Public administration to people and place, to empower aim to offer a wide assortment of • Applied sociology and equip change makers in possible CD electives, or topics communities or organizations, and courses, so students may carve out • Tribal, immigrant, refugee and emphasize the Community their niche in the field based on their youth programs Development Society’s (CDS) interest and needs. Furthermore, we Being an online program, our Principles of Good Practice (https:// offer multiple capstone options, from students enroll from all over the www.comm-dev.org/latest/item/86- a thesis, to a project-based report, to country, and the world—well beyond principles-of-good-practice). a coursework-only examination; the Great Plains. One student’s allowing even more flexibility for success story, Nathan Bramsen, class One skill set focus in our coursework students to customize the program of 2015, may be found here at is the asset leveraging approach of to best work for them. https://global.k-state.edu/ the Flora’s (2016) Community architecture/community- Capitals Framework (CCF). An Individual courses are taught by development/masters/success- example of how a community’s faculty and experts in the field, stories/. While a native of Greenville, assets are explained online using the across and affiliated with all five CD South Carolina in the United States, CCF may be found at https://www. consortium institutions. While each Nathan’s community development gpidea.org/video-series-community- instructor designs their own course, work took him to the Middle East capitals-framework. These videos are with guidance from other consortium and Africa, were he was living as he samples of program-developed class faculty and/or their supervisor, completed his MSCD degree. It is teaching materials. courses are delivered online stories like Nathan’s, and so many asynchronously to accommodate a others, that motivates our While revolving around core CD variety of student lifestyles. Some of consortium faculty and staff to definitions, principles, and theories, our students work full-time and offer an online Community one defining character of our prefer to work on weekends, some Development program. curriculum delivery is flexibility. have obligations on weekends and Other than a Foundations course, prefer to complete coursework Curriculum and Delivery which we recommend students take during the week. Some work best at at the beginning of their coursework, night; others in the morning. Our Our program embraces and has courses may be taken in any order, students come from various places in officially adopted the definition of without prerequisite. In addition, the life, from those just starting their Community Development as written required core courses have been career path, to those who are on by the International Association of kept to a necessary minimum their second or third career. Some Community Development (IACD), (approximately half of the are new to community development, coursework), to increase flexibility of others have years of experience.

’ve made friends and hopefully future colleagues Ithrough this program. It’s been great to network and meet new people from around the country working within the Community Development framework. -Chris Lempa, MSCD ’18

44 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world don’t know if I’d have been able to pursue this Idegree without the flexibility the online program provided. -Kolia Souza, MSCD ’17

Some are seeking a job, others are engaging and working with References more interested in creating change communities? Yes, absolutely! Online Flora, C. Butler, Jan L. Flora, & Gasteyer, Stephen P. (2016). Rural Communities: in their own community through classes are merely an interface Legacy and Change, 5th ed. Boulder, CO: volunteerism, and some are simply where ideas may be exchanged; Westview Press. ISBN 978-0-8133-4505-5 curious lifelong learners. One thing is throughout our program’s online for certain, there is no “typical” coursework, assignments require student in our online community students to leave their computers, development program, everyone has put down their devices, and go out Huston Gibson, Ph.D. their own goals and their own into their communities, to engage, Associate Professor and Director, passions. We embrace this diversity, apply, and learn. Online Graduate Community Development Program; Faculty and advocate that, just like having Coordinator, Great Plains IDEA faculty and expert instructors from Nathan perhaps said it best: Community Development Program, multiple institutions makes our “The degree in Community Department of Landscape curriculum stronger, having students Development has given me a Architecture and Regional & from a variety of backgrounds broad perspective of what it looks Community Planning, makes our classes stronger. like to bring a community from College of Architecture, Planning & Design, reality to the potential of what Kansas State University, USA Community Engagement could be. I was able to integrate [email protected] the concepts and theories into Last, but certainly not least, everyday life in practical ways that community engagement shall be impacted my community.” addressed. Often, I am asked, and I -Nathan Bramsen '15 once wondered myself, how can students learn about community development online, on a computer; don’t we need to learn about community development by

Find us on Facebook We want to provide you with contemporary news and information about what is happening in the world of community development on a more regular basis. Since April 2016 we have been utilising our main Facebook Page much more, to post daily updates on events, resources and news. We have been covering news from Alaska to Mongolia, to Brazil, from the United Nations to the smallest grassroots community development agency. If you have not yet looked at the IACD Facebook Page, please do. facebook.com/IACDglobal/

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 45 The Global Community Development Exchange (GCDEX) John M. Stansfield

The Global Community Development Exchange (GCDEX) is an initiative of IACD and is currently administered by the Aotearoa Community Development Association (ACDA). There is a mouthful of new acronyms for you! So, what is all the fuss about?

GCDEX, like all good community development initiatives, came from the community it is designed to serve. The initiative came from a workshop attended by community development practitioners and educators from across the globe which was held in 2015 in Lexington, Kentucky as part of the American Community Development Society annual conference. At this meeting, educators and practitioners discussed in-depth the obstacles to global collaboration in community development and what might be done to overcome them. What participants loved about the conference was the chance to learn from each other, share, and exchange ideas and experiences. This was particularly true for educators, many who are quite isolated professionally. Responding to this, the education and training committee of IACD worked with the executive of ACDA to develop a draft version of the GCDEX, which was launched at the 2016 American CDS conference in Minneapolis-St Paul, Minnesota.

The aim of the GCDEX is to create a virtual place where community development teachers, practitioners, and learners from across the globe can share teaching and learning approaches, tools, and resources. The GCDEX repository, known as the Vault, has three volumes: Resources (the main volume), Courses, and Opportunities. Materials are logged into a volume under one or several of the 80 categories and then tagged for ease of grouping into the referencing. New categories or chapters are added as areas of special interest develop. In 2017, it was decided to recognize the extraordinary contribution Scotland’s community development teachers, practitioners, and agencies have made to the field with a new chapter called Scotland the Brave. This chapter has been under development for several months and material is now being loaded. An additional new chapter on indigenous approaches to community development is also under construction.

The best way to get to know GCDEX is to jump on and have a look around. Entering the site could not be easier. There is a navigation tab on the home page of the IACD website, http://www.iacdglobal.org/ on the mid-left of the upper banner or you can go direct from your browser by entering https://globalcommunitydevelopmentexchange.org/.

This will take you to the home page of the Exchange and a photo of an enthusiastic group of community development students hiking to the ferry after a day at Waiheke Islands sustainability center. (See screenshot, left.)

On the right-hand side of the screen are our navigation tools. Suppose you wanted some resources for a class on peace and conflict. You might start by entering “peace” into the search box. One of the first resources you will come to is Peacebuilding in Pakistan. (https://drive.google.com/ file/d/1ii12bwRXEybjmUpid2tCb1LPBEmZyq7l/view).

This takes you to the brilliant work of the IRAJ foundation and its enchanting director, Irshad Ahmed Mughal, a fearless community development leader who uses the gentlest of touch to tackle intractable problems. Alternately you might enter “conflict” and visit with an indigenous Australian Aboriginal initiative using ancient spirituality and rituals to heal trauma in refugees from South Sudan, Myanmar and Iran. (https://globalcommunitydevelopmentexchange.org/2018/05/09/refugees-who-fled-conflict-find-solace-in-victorian- indigenous-cultural-ceremony/).

Scrolling down you can discuss the links between food security and conflict. (https://globalcommunitydevelopmentexchange.org/2018/02/08/lessons-learned-from-the-peace-centers-for-climate- and-social-resilience-an-assessment-in-borana-zone-oromia-national-regional-state-ethiopia/).

46 Practice Insights | Issue 12 Read IACD’s Daily News on community development from around the world Also, on the right-hand side of the For the next assessment, the group great language skills, apart from home page is the categories box will look for resources outside the English and Maori, among its which offers the opportunity to GCDEX and assemble a list of volunteers. select from a pre-prepared menu. resources which they will then From the drop-down menu you can evaluate and post to the GCDEX. To GCDEX has been developed by scroll down to the areas which are of do this, students enroll to be ACDA, which has born the full costs greatest current interest to you. The members of the exchange as an of its development. It has received a tabs key is another search tool which author and, once approved, they are small grant from the Scottish can cut across categories. free to post. Government via IACD, used to maintain some of the systems and GCDEX in CD Teaching The GCDEX has very simple develop the chapter, Scotland the processes for setting up an account Brave. Most development has been For my 2019 CD classes, I am and for posting resources. These are by ACDA executive and volunteers. planning on using the GCDEX, both contained in a guide to the Vault’s for learning and assessment. filing system, which is situated in the In early 2019, we will put out a call Students work in groups and will center of the black banner near the to members globally, who can help choose a theme for the group and top of each page. Frequently Asked by translating the instructions for begin by exploring the theme inside Questions (FAQ) and Help sections the GCDEX and by searching for the GCDEX. In the first assessment, are on the right-hand side of the and posting items from their own students will choose a resource to same black banner. language group. I was really inspired examine in-depth. They will report by the Georgian group, who set and discuss their findings in the Now we have a group of students, about translating the practice group and make a comment on the not just using the exchange for their Standards right after the Maynooth resource and how it might be used assignments, but building the conference and were subsequently in the comments section. For GCDEX for others. This is the future followed by other language groups. instance, consider the group is of the GCDEX for both students and looking at poverty through a teachers. For example, next The exchange would benefit from an community development lens, and semester I plan on using a popular overhaul of its architecture to align Aroha, a bright and engaged open-access simulation game to with the practice Standards and our community development student, explore the migrant experience. good friend, Ron Hofstedde, has might choose the resource from When we have finished the game, prepared a grant application which, Ireland’s Combat Poverty Agency, we will post it on GCDEX with if successful, will see us partnering which produced an excellent teacher’s notes and the student’s with a postgraduate library studies literature review, not only about experiences, so that other teachers program to improve the search how CD might tackle poverty, but can decide if they may also like to functions of the site and its how we might measure and use this. architecture. It also desperately evaluate success. needs contributors from across the Challenges globe—students, teachers, Immediately below the title and to At the 2018 World Community practitioners, and researchers to use, the right is a “leave a comment” box. Development Conference in comment, and post their best By clicking on this, Aroha is able to Maynooth, Ireland, participants resources. We look forward to your enter her comments, perhaps a challenged me on how a global assistance and participation in this review, perhaps a critique, or maybe exchange could appear only in global digital resource for good. some links to other works that English. Quite right, but also quite a inform the topic. Her link to this challenge for a project with a comment will form the first part of minimal budget and without any assessment. John M Stansfield Managing Editor, GCDEX [email protected]

www.facebook.com/IACDglobal/ Issue 12 | Practice Insights 47 IACD’s Practice Insights magazine, sharing practice and research about community development from around the world.

Publication produced with the kind support of:

IACD, Scottish Community Development Centre, Suite 305, Baltic Chambers, WellingtonStreet, Glasgow, G2 6HJ, Scotland, UK Tel: 0131 618 8394 Email: [email protected]