21185 Social Change and Community Practice

Subject level: Undergraduate

Handbook description

This subject critically appraises the contributions that community organisations and their programs and activities make to personal and societal transformation in the current social, political, and economic context. The connection of principles drawn from social and political theory to the practice of community organisations is discussed. Students explore these links, and develop specific skills in the organisational practice of strategic planning and program development as they undertake individual and group projects.

Subject objectives/outcomes

On successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. explore competing theories of community practice
2. reflect upon and develop their own community practice, especially a community development approach
3. develop analytical and practical skills in integrating community development principles into the process of community practice
4. develop skills in a 'letter to the editor'
5. examine the influence of organisation environments, organisation and agency on community practice.

Contribution to graduate profile

This subject critically appraises the contributions which community organisations, their programs and activities make to personal and societal transformation in the current social, political and economic context. The connection of principles drawn from social and political theory to the practice of community organisations will be discussed. Students will explore these links and develop specific skills in the organisational practice of strategic planning and program development as they undertake individual and group projects.

In this subject students build on their conceptual understanding from earlier study. Students make connections to show how an organisation's specific programs and practice contribute to addressing the causal relationships and manifestation of social inequalities. A focus on the process of program development and advocacy with specific 'communities' is presented.

Teaching and learning strategies

Students will learn through a combination of set readings, lectures, workshop exercises, case studies and written assignments requiring them to apply concepts to their own work environment. Where appropriate, students will also be expected to conduct their own research in order to complete set assessment tasks.

Students will be encouraged to be active rather than passive learners. Each subject will feature three block sessions through the semester, which may include a selection of the following teaching and learning strategies:

• full lectures or mini lectures (possibly including guest speakers)
• large group discussion
• practical group exercises
• small group discussion
• student presentations (individual or group projects)
• workshops on specific practical skills
• role play

Students are also required to maintain a regular reading schedule which may include a textbook, a prescribed set of readings and/or some selected key references. In some subjects there will also be an expectation that students will pursue their own research in areas relevant to their assessment tasks.

Central to the teaching and learning philosophy of this subject, is the integration of work based learning through assessment tasks that require students to apply theory to practice and reflect on this process in the context of their own communities and community organisations.

Specific details of teaching and learning strategies to be used in this subject will be provided during the relevant block sessions.

Content

The following is an outline of topics covered in this subject:

• the contemporary economic and political context of change—globalisation and its social impact on 'communities'
• introduction to social and political theories of change—situating diverse community organisations in the personal and societal transformation processes
• connecting values / principles, i.e. citizenship, human rights, empowerment, participatory democracy and collective action to processes of community organisations: relief services, self help, advocacy, etc.
• organisational planning—defining the problem, identifying goals and objectives and implementation of an organisation's multi-tiered action plan
• developing specific programs / projects within the organisation
• evaluating programs, with specific reference to participatory action research
• community-based services compared to community development
• diverse community work roles—facilitating, educating, representing
• community practice skills—communicating, groups and meetings, writing, community education, representing, media, research, etc
• specific practice issues—ethics, values, the 'professional' and dealing with conflict
• an international perspective of community and non-government organisations—with special reference to Australia, Asia and the Pacific.

Assessment

Assessment item 1: Letter to the Editor

Assessment item 2: Reading Review 500 words

Assessment item 3: A report

Required text(s)

Ife, J, 2002, Community Development: Community Based Alternatives in an Age of Globalisation, Melbourne, Longman.

In addition to the textbook, a reader will be provided to students. Articles in the reader cover the main topics of the subject and will be referred to during the residential. It is important to read these articles, as they are essential source of learning, which complement the work in block sessions.

Indicative references

Altman, John and Gray, Matthew, The CDEP scheme: A flexible and Innovative employment and community development program for Indigenous Australians. Referred paper to the Transition and Risk: New Directions in Social Policy, Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne, 25–27, February, 2005.

Bringing them home education module track the history. The history of separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and their families. Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission 2003 (www.hreoc.com.au).

Charles Booth (1840-1916) — a biography

Fine, A. (2006) Momentum: Igniting Social Change in the Connected Age: Jossey-Bass. Issues and challenges facing Indigenous communities. Annotated Bibliography complied October 2004.

Martin, D, Rethinking the design of indigenous organisations. Discussion Paper No. 248, Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy and Research, Australian National University (www.anu.edu.au)

McCausland, Ruth Negotiating Shared Responsibility Agreement: A Toolkit. December 2005. Ngiya Institute for Indigenous Law, Policy and Practice, UTS.

Skelcher, C, Mathur, N & Smith, M, Partnership Discourse and Democratic Governance of Local Communities: A Preliminary Empirical Assessment, Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham. Paper presented to Conference on Democratic Network Governance, 22-23 May 2003, Centre of Democratic Governance, Denmark.

In addition to the material included in the reader for this subject, the following references are provided as a starting point for your research.

Baldry, E. and Vinson, T. (eds.) (1991) Action Speaks: Strategies and Lessons from Australian Social and Community Action, Melbourne, Longman Cheshire

Burgmann, V. (1993) Power and Protest: Movements for Change in Australian Society, Nth Sydney, Allen and Unwin

Clark, J. (1991) Democratising Development: the Role of Voluntary Organisations, London, Earthscan

Croft, S. and Beresford, P. (1992) 'The Politics of Participation' in Critical Social Policy, Issue 35, Autumn, pp 20–44

Elkins, P. (1992) A New World Order—Grassroots Movements for Global Change, London, Routledge

Graycar, A. (1989) 'Economic Policy Context for Community Services in the 1990s', a paper presented at the LCSA Conference, Sydney, April

Kenny, S. (1994) Developing Communities for the Future: Community Development in Australia, South Melbourne, Thomas Nelson

Lane, M. (1990) 'Community Work, Social Change and Women' in Petruchenia, J. and Thorpe, R. (eds.) Social Change and Welfare Practice, Sydney, Hale and Iremonger

Meekosha, H. and Mowbray, M. (1990) 'Reconstruction to deconstruction: the transformation of community work' in Australian Community Development Journal, Vol 25, No 4, pp 337–344

Owen, J. (1993) Program Evaluation: Forms and Approaches, Nth Sydney, Allen and Unwin

Pusey, M. (1991) Economic Rationalism in Canberra, New York, Cambridge Uni Press

Rees, S. (1991) Achieving Power: Practice and policy in social welfare, Nth Sydney, Allen and Unwin

SACOSS (1989) Planning Handbook, Adelaide, SACOSS

Thorpe, R. (1992) 'Community Work and ideology: an Australian Perspective' in Thorpe, R. and Petruchenia, J. (eds.) Community Work or Social Change? An Australian Perspective, Sydney, Hale and Ironmonger, pp 20–36