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Sociocultural Animation and Community Development -contributions for

social work

Conference Paper · September 2018

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Sociocultural Animation and Community Development contributions for

social work
9

Abstract

Community development is a form of social intervention which relies on the participation of local actors on
delivering endogenous processes of development. As local actors we consider the people who is related to a
community and has power of agency. Sociocultural animation is a method of empowering people to participate
in the development of their own groups or communities, looking at their own needs, capabilities, knowledge and
skills to identify problems and the adequate strategies to solve them. It concerns all social, cultural and
educational dimensions as part of a development process. This paper explores the contribution of sociocultural
animation as a tool for social work aiming to community development.

Keywords: Sociocultural animation. Community development. Social work. Human development.

1. Introduction

Sociocultural animation (SCA) is a social work practice which is delivered for, with and by
people in relationship with each other, promoting a common welfare. It is believed to be the
methodology to engage people in collective processes, bringing forward their ability to be
agents of social and cultural development. Three main ideas underpin the concept of
sociocultural animation: social transformation; cultural awareness; life-long education. Social
transformation deals with collective action and social movements as a transformative impulse
in the history of societies (Gillet, 1995:66). Cultural awareness is related to an
anthropological idea of culture, which includes habits, moral, laws, beliefs. Education is
considered here as a human capacity to comm in
informal and non-formal contexts.

sociocultural animation. Participants believed in social and political participation as the basis
of collective action aiming collective welfare and social just
has been the genetic identity of SCA that distinguishes it from other forms of social practices.
As it developed, SCA became embedded in multiple public and private organizations, on
national, regional, local or even religious level. Technical and higher education courses on
SCA brought responsibilities and expectations directly related to employment on SCA. At the
n is now facing a dilemma concerning militancy and
institutionalization.
After 40 years of existence, SCA became more than a methodology. It is officially
recognized by governments and local municipalities, is a higher education degree, is
considered in social policies, and is represented by professional associations and international
networks. It is a profession worldwide as it is an action to empower communities. Glancing
over some realities, France has a whole educative and social system where SCA is fully used.
It provides jobs for animators in the Centre Quartier or at Centres de Loisir.
In Portugal and Spain, community and civic centres host a set of activities for different groups
within the community such as children, elderly or disadvantaged people and use SCA as a

9
Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra Education School (IPC-ESEC); Sociocultural animator. e-mail address:
montez@esec.pt

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methodology. It is not a perfect world; however, it is a sea of opportunities. Frequently

sociocultural animation works side by side with other social practices such as social work,
becoming its counterpart in social intervention.
This paper addresses sociocultural animation as a social methodology that can be used on
social work when promoting community empowerment and development. Therefore, we
present the origins and concept of SCA and explore its main contents, such as its dimensions,
paradigms, values, and practices. Finally, we cross SCA with social work and explain why it
is an important contribution in social contexts. We take the Portuguese reality of SCA, as
other familiar ones, to support the narrative. However, SCA is practiced in many different
countries and carries diverse and new narratives.

2. Origin and concept of SCA

2.1. Historical origin

Ezequiel Ander- -
Claude Gillet (French sociologist and animateur) point out the fact that (according to R.
Labourie, 1978), the term Animation, in the sense that it is used today in SCA, was forged in
1945 on a French legal document on Popular Education (2012:87; 1995:34). Other sources
refers to the existence of animators in UK and USA from the end
of 19th c
in France with reference to a social practice to answer to the accelerated urbanization of
western Europe (Gillet, 1995:35). It then spread to Belgium, Spain, Italy and Portugal. While
France was going through the social turmoil that led to the popular uprisings on May 1968,
claiming for social justice, equality, and a democracy, other countries like Portugal and Spain
were still under an out-dated fascist dictatorship. In the USA, new social movements (Hippy,
Punk, Women, Black Power) were flourishing and producing historicity as they coined the
last half of the 20th century and of our present era.
On the wave of post-war reconstruction, new approaches to citizenship were about to be
claimed. Population migrated to skip poverty, the colonial wars, looking for new
opportunities and freedom. In Portugal, people fled into countries as France, Germany, USA
or Canada. The ones who stayed migrated from rural poverty to urban contexts, expecting
better jobs and lifestyle. Massive migration created massive suburban areas in cities which
were not prepared to have such an amount of people. Even worst, technology revolution was
kicking-off and started to replace people s jobs. Therefore, suburban areas where
characterized for disruptive phenomena, or as Ander-
-Egg, 2012:38). But suburban zones where also
full of human potentiality for leisure, and for more democratic and participative communities.
These realities brought up the need for basic infrastructures in towns and neighbourhoods, and
to a new profession to animate the people10.
Society was changing but traditional political paradigms still limited people to
conventional top-down decisions. There was a strong need to challenge power and to
democratize society. Sociocultural animation was committed to it, as Jean-Claude Gillet
points out when referring the importance of SCA to democracy and vice-versa (1995:260). In

(Lopes, 2006: 135-311).

10

Zeca Afonso. In ar a ma ecame

a motto on the post-revolutionary period of democratization and community building.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L29-aZXqZyk

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(CCC) of the Council of Europe

produced several studies and reports on SCA and introduced it to a wider political arena in
Europe. At this stage, SCA was considered a useful tool on the development of the most
disadvantaged communities of western Europe. It was commonly used as a life-long learning
practice (Lopes, 2006:395-412) as well as a method to promote local cultures and to ensure
the access of vulnerable groups to conventional culture.

2.2. Concept, definitions and dimensions

Originally named Animation Socioculturelle, it is considered a polysemic definition (Gillet,

1995; Ander-Egg, 2012; Trilla, 2004), for it includes more than one main idea: Animation +
Social + Cultural. The term was coined after the idea of giving life to sociocultural contexts,
using the Latin-derived word Anima which means Soul and, in extension, defines what is
alive. Animus, a declination, referred to the idea of life with movement or dynamic and brings
out a double etymological origin of SCA (Ventosa, 2002:19-26). Animated cartoons as
Japanese Anime, or the word Animal, to address to live and moving beings, are easy
illustrations of these meaning. Anima
Animation and gives us a clear idea of the action to bring, give or boost life into something. In
this case, it brings up the idea of giving life to social groups, to dynamize their cultures, based
on human relationships and capacities.
A concept should not be supported only on the etymology. SCA is a broad scope of social
practices, and definitions of its concept stem from multiple experiences and visions.

-35). For Ander- -known author of SCA in

Spanish language), sociocultural animation is a social technology (Ander-Egg, 2012:91-97;
Trilla, 2004:57), while for Gillet and other French animators/theorists it is a political social
action. On one side SCA aims to work with people as a technical tool. On the other side, it
was reinforced by Saul Alinsky s influence on community organization. Alinsky was an
American well-
he animated communities to cope with oppression and disadvantage in creative and radical
f int
11
. Nevertheless, SCA observes cultural needs, personal and social
development. That is why sociocultural animation programmes can either be delivered on a
militant, independent, endogenous approach or included in institutional strategies to work
with people, from a top-down intervention plan.
The definition of SCA was used to categorize a whole group of practices and activities
delivered by people to and with other people. The variety of activities and practices is so
wide, and regards so distinct contexts, that one and only definition would not be possible or
Glossary of Useful Terms of
Sociocultural Community Development, produced by the Council of Europe, explains
Animation as a methodology used to provoke changes on the behaviours of people and their
collectives, which can be used under a diverse range of goals (Glossaire, 1976). Several
authors try to explain SCA departing from their own ideologies. Ander-Egg presents an
organized set of definitions according to the ones that look on the emergency of SCA, the
ones who focus on animation and participation, those who consider the socio-political impacts
of SCA, those who refer to methodological aspects, or that look at communication and
dynamization. (Ander-Egg; 2012: 99-105). Other systematizations include perspectives that

11
Handbook for Social Animators

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look at other elements such as Categories and Goals12 (Gallardo&Morata, cit. Trilla, 2004:24-
30). Thus, it includes the ideas of SCA as: an action, a social practice, method, technique,
tool, process, programme, social function and factor. The element Goals includes a universe
of desirable achievements, organized in groups according to its emphasis. Therefore, we have
a group of achievements related to cultural dimension, social dimension, participation,
personal development and educational. Varied goals can be found, from general ones like
social transformation to more objective ones as the suggestion of a certain activity. Due to
lack of space, we choose to share Ander-
complete:
o promote
voluntary practices and activities that, with the active participation of the people, are delivered
to a determined group or community and are manifested in the different fields of the socio-
cultural activities that promote development and quality of li 13 (Ander-Egg, 2012:96)
For a wider view on the diversity of defining SCA, we also share Catalan author Jaume

in a community, and in a
specific territory with the aim of promoting, among its members, an attitude of active

hat underpin the action of sociocultural

animation: Social; Cultural; Educational. The social dimension addresses human
relationships, social needs, community, empowerment or capacity building, social
transformation, human rights, social work, social facilities and the idea of equality. The
cultural dimension approaches the anthropological concept of culture which includes habits,
knowledge, laws, moral, arts, etc., as well as the concepts of cultural democracy and
democratization of culture. The first deals with access of all people to conventional culture
while the second handles the validation of sub-cultures in the dominant society (Trilla, 2004:
20-24). It looks at cultural facilities, creativity and leisure time as an imperative factor of
development. The educational dimension is the mean through which people and communities
gain conscience of the problems that affect them and the ways to solve them. This dimension
includes the idea of education as a Life-long learning process, and still concerns critical
thought, pedagogy, non-formal education, autonomy, values and educative facilities.

3. Values and supporting knowledge

3.1. Values

There is an easy consensus on the basic values that underpin SCA as a social practice.
These are: participation, social action, culture, education, democracy, culture, empathy. SCA
seeks to involve people democratically in the process of development and social
transformation. Thus, it mobilizes resources, promotes conviviality, builds capacities and
equal opportunities, embraces Human Rights, promotes creativity under a positive approach
and expects commitment from its several actors and partners. Education, in its broader
comprehension, addresses here the ideas of conscientization, group and community work,
empowering diversity as personal enrichment. Values related to culture include the respect for

12
The original idea, in Spanish, would be: Categorizaciones y finalidades.
13
Translated from Spanish by Google and me. Original versi
icas y actividades voluntarias que,
com la an en el senso de un grupo o comunidad determinadada y se
dad
-Egg, 2012:96)

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ea
communication and to build up networks. This axiological framework guides the praxeology
of SCA and turns out to be the key aspect to validate SCA as a methodology which can be
used in social work practices.

3.2. Supporting theories and knowledge

The praxis of SCA is supported by scientific contributions from diverse sciences and
knowledges, mainly from social sciences (e.g. sociology, anthropology, philosophy,
geography, pedagogy). Nowadays, psychology, education sciences, development studies,
economy and natural sciences have given new contributions to SCA practices and theory.
Besides the theoretical support, SCA is made of diversified knowledge and cooperation with
other professions. Trilla presents it in typologies that go from a further level of theoretical
debate to a closer level of experience reflection, passing through a sociological, a
technological, a psychological and an ideological level (Trilla, 2004: 39). Examples of
knowledge would be: leisure activities, pedagogy, project management, action-research, arts
and art crafts, culture, natural scisences, gerontology, communication, information
technologies, documental organization, creativity, history, law and politics, physic education
and sports, safety and first aids. On the field, SCA crosses with many other professions, such
as social work/ services, social education, social pedagogy, teaching, gerontology, arts,
physical education and sports, management, informatics/ technology, communication and
marketing. This rich frame of contributions creates an equally rich array of practices and
opportunities for SCA intervention that requires a complete, diversify and in-depth training of
professional animators.

4. Practice

4.1. Practice and methodology

The range of SCA practices is wide and dynamic, and a matter of debate among us. If SCA
n the 21st century it
concerns with professional jobs in institutionalized contexts. Thus, it can be the right time to
think of SCA as a methodology to be used by other social professionals such as social and
community workers. The panorama of SCA practices includes a diversity of practices that can
be delivered with diversified participants of all ages and types, in public institutions, projects
and programmes, private non-profit and profit organizations, summer camps, neighbourhood
facilities, cultural and sports centres and associations (Gillet; Trilla; Ander-Egg; Ventosa;
Lopes), and even in the cybernetic space (e.g. Ciber-
SCA practices are delivered in processes that are not solid things but are structured actions.
Thus, when asked about the way we do things, animators might ans , we read

where action is a mean to achieve other goals. It can be a processual or a project orientated
action. Both promote the SCA values, produce knowledge from its experiences and will be

after a long mission of working with groups to empower them to action. Paradoxically, we
believe this is the most valuable recognition of a good SCA work.

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XV i

4.2. Pardigms of SCA

Practices builds theory while theory support practices. In this frame of though Caride
-63) explores the importance of paradigms in SCA. These paradigms
respond to three main models that guide the production of theory. One pretends to preserve
reality as it is. Another looks at social transformation based on human relationships. The third
challenges power and its socio-economic structures by working on awareness and
responsibility.
The first paradigm is the technological paradigm, also named rational. It considers SCA as
an intervention or a technological approach. Here SCA brings along academic knowledge
which is of instrumental and rational use in a social intervention. Participants receive or
consume social, cultural and educative services.
The second paradigm is defined as interpretative, phenomenological or hermeneutic. It is
based on the idea of SCA as a mediation method with theory as the basis for reflection on the
experie knowledge to understand the context in which is acting. Participants
consume social, cultural and educative services but participate as stakeholders or partners in
the process.
The dialectic paradigm, also named critical or constructivist paradigm, takes SCA as a
political process to empower people with the goal of democratization. It looks at knowledge
as a dialectical process, built upon a historical and political relationship. Participants are
animated to build new practices and social transformation.
From where we stand there seems to be a clear parallelism between these paradigms and
the reality of social work.

5. SCA contributions to social work

5.1. Social work and Human Development

We bel ms e able to do and

be), as it is considered in Human Development and Capability Approach theory, are the
outcome of a joint process (Alkire&Deneulin, 2009:34). Groups make choices to achieve
capabilities that will turn them agents of their own development, which means to pursue goals
that people value or have reason to value. (pp.26-33). Social work should take individual
wellbeing as a departing point to build collective wellbeing, based on the
ellbeing. This brings out the importance of community-based
development and sociocultural animation as a method to engage people in a wider process
were conviviality, awareness and conflict walk together. As a matter of fact, SCA and social
work are delivered under conflictual relationships of interests and expectations (Gillet,
2014:175-187). Both have political, social and space dimensions in its professional landscape
and conflicts that arouse from them (Richelle, 2014:209-224).

5.2. A case study

Following this ideas, Miguel Marrengula, Mozambican researcher, studied the role of SCA
in social work, based on the work with street children in the city of Maputo, Mozambique14
(Marrengula, 2010). The study aimed to explain the extent to which SCA praxelology can be

14
ddressing Socio-Cultural Animation as Community Based Social Work With Street Children in
Maput
Kurki.

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used as community social work practice. Conclusions withdrawn from this study points out
the fact that SCA praxeology is a community-based social work practice that can be addressed
in other contexts, although deeper research is needed (2010: 231). The study showed that
street children phenomena are complex and multidimentional, as well as culturally embedded.
Sociocultural animation is presented here as an imperative methodological contribution for
social work. Researched SCA practices shown concern on communication and to understand
local contexts, as well as to empower people in communities to cope with the problem
(together with local organizations) which is not only a local issue but has to be approached
from the context where it is located (Marrengula, 2010:233).
this study I addressed the issue of child protection and community work as the main
topic of the study, where I look at communities as active actors of social change, taking SCA
praxeology as the mediator in processes involving the transformation of reality which is
sustained by the need of awakening people (street children) to exercise their active

6. Final note

Development is the result of a set of options, and long invisible process. SCA presents
itself as an action, a tool, a vitamin that boosts the process of development. It is an action, a
complex methodology, a set of practices or a social technology. Animation as an action
cannot be seen, as well. It is the outcome of an intentional planned process, due in a certain
time and space with adequate resources and objective activities, and it contributes for a wider,
deep but also political and morally defined process. The visible outcomes will be told by
History.
The geographical extension of SCA brings out different approaches, understandings, and
practices, according to each context and its socio-political needs. Expecting a universal
understanding and application of a social practice would not be fair to those social groups
who need it and have different sociocultural configurations. Contemporary western crises and
the rise of strong segregating, xenophobic and wild neo-liberal policies, brings the need of
resistance, humanism, solidarity and conscientization. After all, it brings the need for
awareness, action and participation that rises the voices and dreams of the most vulnerable
and oppressed ones, whoever they are; either general population or social workers.

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