Community practice strategies have been a critical but often underused

method of practice from the inception of the profession in the settlement

house and Charity Organization Society movements. But these methods have
received too little attention in practice and in social work education during
the past two decades. Strong emphasis on interventions at grassroots and
inter-organizational levels is necessary if the profession is to remain relevant
to the needs of low-income and other vulnerable populations in the changing
political, social, and economic context. Social workers must see that state and
local decisions maximize the use of scarcer resources to meet critical needs
for vulnerable populations and communities. Community practice can be a
major means toward this goal.
Community building refers to activities, practices, and policies that support
and foster positive connections among individuals, groups, organizations,
neighborhoods, and geographic and functional communities. The Committee
for Economic Development (1995) defined community building as "an
ongoing comprehensive effort that strengthens the norms, supports, and
problem-solving resources of the community" (p. 3). Given the current level
of political divisiveness; the growing chasm between poor and lower-middle-
class people and very wealthy people; the tenacity of racism; and the
disappearance of jobs for low-skilled, low-literacy workers, there is a great
need to find ways to reconnect people and communities into a more civil and
just society.
What does Community Building mean?

Community building is a field of practices directed toward the creation or enhancement

of community among individuals within a regional area or with a common interest. It is
sometimes encompassed under the field of community development.

Community building
Community building is a field of practices directed toward the creation or enhancement of
community among individuals within a regional area or with a common interest. It is
sometimes encompassed under the field of community development. A wide variety of
practices can be utilized for community building, ranging from simple events like potlucks
and small book clubs, to larger–scale efforts such as mass festivals and building
construction projects that involve local participants rather than outside contractors. Activists
engaged in community building efforts in industrialized nations see the apparent loss of
community in these societies as a key cause of social disintegration and the emergence of
many harmful behaviors. They may see building community as a means to increase social
justice, individual well-being and reduce negative impacts of otherwise disconnected
individuals.

Why Community Building is important?

The Importance of Building a Strong Community. A community is a group of people that

share similarities through opinion, culture, or trends. Living in a community can be
very important for your well-being. ... Therefore, getting along with those you are surrounded
by can be helpful for everyone within the community.

What does community practice mean?

Communities of Practice can be defined, in part, as a process of social learning

that occurs when people who have a common interest in a subject or area
collaborate over an extended period of time, sharing ideas and strategies,
determine solutions, and build innovations. Wenger gives a simple definition:
“Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion
for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.”
Note that this allows for, but does not require intentionality. Learning can be,
and often is, an incidental outcome that accompanies these social processes.

WHY COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE ARE

IMPORTANT
According to Wenger (1998), communities of practice provide five critical functions.
They:
1. Educate by collecting and sharing information related to questions and issues of
practice
2. Support by organizing interactions and collaboration among members
3. Cultivate by assisting groups to start and sustain their learning
4. Encourage by promoting the work of members through discussion and sharing
5. Integrate by encouraging members to use their new knowledge for real change in
their own work.