communitymatters.govt.nz

Helping New Zealand build strong communities

Community Development Scheme Te Tahua Whakapakari Hapori

Glossary

Community 

A community is a network of people and organisations bound together by factors such as:

  • shared identity, culture and/or whakapapa, e.g. hapū / iwi or ethnic group
  • common location, e.g. a neighbourhood, village, suburb
  • administrative or political locality, e.g. local government territory
  • similar interest or kaupapa, e.g. voluntary organisation or Māori community group.

Community capacity building 

Community capacity building is defined as: activities, resources and support that strengthen the skills and abilities of people and community groups to take effective action and leading roles in the development of their communities.

It is helpful to see community capacity building as three main types of activity:

  • developing skills – learning and training opportunities for individuals and groups, and sharing through networks and mutual support, to develop skills, knowledge and confidence
  • developing structures – developing the organisational structures and strengths of community groups, communities of interest and networks
  • developing support – developing the availability of practical support to enable the development of skills and structures.

Community development 

Community development is concerned with change and growth within communities, with giving people more power over the changes that are taking place around them, the policies that affect them and the services that they use.

Community development provides communities with ways to increase opportunities for participation, to enable the transfer of skills between people, to develop self-reliance, to build organisational capacity and networks of community groups, to ensure local ownership of projects and decisions, and to utilise local resources to solve local problems.

The communities and groups within communities, most in need of this capacity building are those that suffer the most disadvantage and discrimination.

Community development practice 

There are several key elements to community development in the current literature:

  • people define their own problems and issues
  • people work together as a group rather than as individuals
  • actions increase the self-reliance of the community and its individuals rather than increase dependency on others
  • the role of community development workers is to facilitate this process, rather than organise it on behalf of others
  • community development involves engagement in political processes and often negotiation between groups with conflicting interests. It also involves elements of social change whereby disadvantaged or minority groups provide challenges to the attitudes or power relations in society.

Social connectedness 

Social connectedness is a way of describing social exchanges through the relationships people have with others, and the benefits those relationships bring to the individual, as well as to society. People who feel socially connected contribute towards building communities and society. Well-developed communities that offer citizens access to opportunities, resources and networks are an essential part of a progressive economy.

Strong communities 

Strong communities:

  • seek appropriate solutions together
  • provide people with a sense of belonging and purpose
  • share a vision and common values
  • have capable and enterprising leadership
  • have proactive, inclusive organisations
  • are resilient and resourceful
  • manage their own self-determined, sustainable development.