community development

1. DIFFERENCE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES
THEN AND NOW
Then (1940’s to mid 1980’s)
A. The Community Development Program
1. needs of the community in a holistic manner
2. understanding of the cultural patterns of the community
3. response to felt needs of the people
4. based on sound foundation of facts – broad objectives, organization, careful and
realistic planning and flexible in operation
B. The Spirit of the Community Development
1. stimulation, development and cultivation of self-help
2. voluntary cooperation
3. attitude of self-confidence, initiative, cooperation and resourcefulness
4. educational process
C. Democracy and Community Development
1. maximum freedom and self-determination
2. participation of all groups in the community
3. democratic in spirit, organization and operation
4. creative, imaginative, dynamic leadership and participation on all levels
D. Relationship of Community Development
1. integral part of the social and economic development
2. maintain active participation of the people – revitalization
3. voluntary work for non-government and government organizations
E. Personnel of Community Development
1. trained personnel
2. development an d training of local leadership
3. provide professional administrative or technical skill, guidance and assistance
Now (Ford, 1987)
1. Activities undertaken must correspond to the basic needs of the community, the first
projects should be initiated in response to the expressed needs of the people
2. Local improvements may be achieved through unrelated efforts in each substantive field,
however, full and balanced community development requires concerted action and the
establishment of multipurpose programs
3. Change attitudes in people are as important as the material achievements of community
projects during the initial stage of development

2. 4. Community development aims at increased and better participation of the people in
community affairs, revitalization of existing forms of local government and transition
towards effective local administration where it is not yet functioning
5. The identification, encouragement and training of local leadership should be a basic
objective in any program
6. Greater reliance on the participation of women and youth in community development
projects invigorates development programs, establishes them on a wide basis and secures
long range expansion
7. To be fully effective, communities self-help projects require both intensive and extensive
assistance from the government
8. Implementation of a community development program on a national scale requires
adoption of consistent policies, specific administrative arrangements, recruitment and
training of personnel, mobilization of local and national resources and organization of
research, experimentation and evaluation
9. The resources of voluntary non-government organization should be fully utilized in
community development program at the local, national and international levels
10. Economic and social progress at the local level necessitates parallel development on a
wide national scale
Now (Campfens, 1997)
1. Cooperative, responsible and active communities of involved men and women should be
nurtured and mobilized for the purpose of mutual aid, self-help, problem solving, social
integration, and or social action.
2. At all levels of society, down to the very lowest, participation must be enhanced, and the
ideal of participatory democracy must be fostered, in order to counter the apathy,
frustration, and resentment that often arise from feelings of powerlessness and oppression
in the face of unresponsive power structures.
3. As much as possible and feasible, CD should rely on the capacity and initiatives of
relevant groups and local communities to identify needs, define problems and plan, and
execute appropriate courses of action; in this, the goals are to foster confidence in
community leadership, to increase competency, and to reduce dependence on state,
institutional and professional intervention.
4. Community resources (human, technical and financial) and, where necessary, resources
from outside the community (in the form of partnerships with governments, institutions
and professional groups) should be mobilized and deployed in an appropriate manner in
order to ensure balanced, sustainable forms of development.

3. 5. Community integration should be promoted in terms of two sets of relations: social
relations and structural relations. Social relations – among diverse groups distinguished
by social class or significant differences in economic status, ethnicity, culture, racial
identity, religion, gender, age, length of residence, or other such characteristics that may
cause tensions or lead to open conflict. Structural relations – among those institutions
such as public sector agencies, private sector organizations, not-for-profit or charitable
organizations, and community organizations and associations that take of social
challenges at the community level. Regarding the latter, the aim is to avoid unnecessary
competition, lack of co-ordination, and duplication of services.
6. Activities, such as circles of solidarity, should be organized that empower marginal or
excluded population groups by linking them with the progressive forces in different
social sectors and classes in the search for economic, social and political alternatives.
7. Those who are marginalized, excluded, or oppressed should be given the essential tools
that will enable them to critically analyze and become conscious of their situation in
structural terms, so that they can envisage possibilities for change.
In particular situation, the emphasis accorded to any of these social values and principles
of CD depends greatly on whether the practice involves a social movement, a process of
change, or a concrete program. Also, the sponsorship may emanate from an organized
citizens’ group, a particular profession, and NGO, an institution, or a state agency, or any
combination of these; each of these has its own particular and sometimes contradictory
interests and priorities. These differences in sponsorship and emphasis make it
particularly difficult to offer a general definition of CD that includes all possible practical
situations.

4. PHILOSOPHY IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
What is Philosophy?
It is the knowledge of ultimate causes of things.
Causes are of four kinds:
1. Efficient – factors producing the things
2. Finality – aims of the things
3. Material – elements of the thing in common with other things
4. Formal – elements of the things distinguishing it from other things
What is the Philosophy of Community Development?
“Philosophy of Community Development is the statement of the basic ideas that express
the ultimate causes of community development. It is the enunciation of the nature, origin, aims
and the distinctive principles and methods of community development.”
The Need for Stating CD Philosophy
1. It makes for efficiency in CD through clear statement of aims
2. It guides us in the use of proper methods in CD work
3. It becomes easier to link the CD Philosophy with our personal outlook in life
Qualities of Good CD Philosophy
In general, a good philosophy of CD ought:
1. To stress the basic fact that CD is aimed at the well-being of the people
2. To be capable of inspiring the people and the CD worker with the will to better living
through their own initiative and effort
3. To be linked with the ideals of liberty, justice, peace, brotherhood and the dignity of
the individual, all of which are the ideals of all men and peoples
Postulates/Assumptions of CD
1. Communities of people can develop to deal with their own problems
2. People want change and can change
3. People should participate in making, adjusting, or controlling major changes taking
place in their communities
4. Changes in community living that are self-imposed or self-developed have a meaning
and a permanence that imposed changes do not have
5. “Holistic approach” can deal successfully with problems with which a “fragmented
approach” cannot cope
6. Democracy requires cooperative participation and action in the affairs of the
community, and the people must learn the skills which make this possible
7. Communities of people frequently need help in organizing to deal with their needs,
just as many individuals require help in coping with their individual problems
8. Guided social change can be effected through innovations in the use of available
potential human and material resources

5. PERSPECTIVES IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community Development Defined
• The process through which the human being is assisted in his growth and development
within the scope of his potential. It consist mainly of procuring, organizing and utilizing
local resources such as materials, energy, people and information for the betterment of
the community.
• The process by which the efforts of the people themselves are united with those of
governmental authorities to improve the economic, and social and cultural conditions of
these communities into the life of a nation and to enable them to contribute fully to
national progress (UN, 1955)
• The process in which the people of the community organize themselves for planning and
action, define their common and individual plans to meet their needs and solve their
problems; execute these plans with maximum of reliance on community resources; and
supplement these resources when necessary with services and materials from the NGOs
and GOs outside of the community (US-ICA, 1956)
• Planned and organized effort to assist individuals to acquire the attitudes, skills and
concepts required for their democratic participation in the effective solution of as wide
range of community improvement problems as possible in an order of priority determined
by their increasing level of competences (Gales, 1961)
• An evolutionary process, whereby a group of people, with common needs and
aspirations, improve their social, economic and political environment by working
together (Beran, 1968)
Objectives Of Community Development
For the individual and the community to become eventually better off materially and
spiritually. Specifically, community development through programs, processes and movements:
1. to raise the economic standard and social level of the people (Beran, 1968)
2. to promote, sustain, support and maintain community action (Griffin, 1974)
3. to develop a stable, effective, democratic nation
4. to develop the intellectual and emotional readiness for economic development
5. to encourage self-help to raise the standard of living and to create stable and self-reliant
communities
6. to broaden the political base of leadership at the local level
7. to develop an enlightened group free from ignorance

6. PERSPECTIVES IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Community Development Defined
• The process through which the human being is assisted in his growth and development
within the scope of his potential. It consist mainly of procuring, organizing and utilizing
local resources such as materials, energy, people and information for the betterment of
the community.
• The process by which the efforts of the people themselves are united with those of
governmental authorities to improve the economic, and social and cultural conditions of
these communities into the life of a nation and to enable them to contribute fully to
national progress (UN, 1955)
• The process in which the people of the community organize themselves for planning and
action, define their common and individual plans to meet their needs and solve their
problems; execute these plans with maximum of reliance on community resources; and
supplement these resources when necessary with services and materials from the NGOs
and GOs outside of the community (US-ICA, 1956)
• Planned and organized effort to assist individuals to acquire the attitudes, skills and
concepts required for their democratic participation in the effective solution of as wide
range of community improvement problems as possible in an order of priority determined
by their increasing level of competences (Gales, 1961)
• An evolutionary process, whereby a group of people, with common needs and
aspirations, improve their social, economic and political environment by working
together (Beran, 1968)
Objectives Of Community Development
For the individual and the community to become eventually better off materially and
spiritually. Specifically, community development through programs, processes and movements:
1. to raise the economic standard and social level of the people (Beran, 1968)
2. to promote, sustain, support and maintain community action (Griffin, 1974)
3. to develop a stable, effective, democratic nation
4. to develop the intellectual and emotional readiness for economic development
5. to encourage self-help to raise the standard of living and to create stable and self-reliant
communities
6. to broaden the political base of leadership at the local level
7. to develop an enlightened group free from ignorance