Community: Importance,

Elements and Approaches

 Community
 It is traditionally perceived as homogeneous and monolithic.
 It is linked with geographical location – a restricted territory
where people perform their activities.
 It is connected with work – the cultivation, contribution,
allocation and utilization of good and services
 It is considered as social system where the components and
the environment are interrelated
 The traditional view of community appears restricted
 Community Action
 It is a manifestation of a people’s collective grasp and ownership of
a situation – a situation that generally has an effect on them.
 The common context is an important ingredient of community
actions as it is the base in building a common lens
 A common understanding of a community issues elevates the
community relationship from a feeling level to a thinking level.
 Acceptable standards are an important ingredient of community
action
 Common analysis as an ingredient of community action may
strengthen or break relationship among community members.
 Importance of Understanding a
Community and Its Gains
 Provides benchmarking  Illustrate the preliminary
data picture or image of the
community; Initials
community situation or
briefer
 Secure community
 Provides preliminary information and make
project planning feedback needed in
information conceptualization,
Understanding community
dynamics to develop
development plan
 Importance of Understanding a
Community and Its Gains
 Provides an idea of the  In-depth understanding of
community’s strengths and the community’s strengths
challenges and challenges, Design is
more feasible and realistic,
Project Development team
involves the key
stakeholders in the
community.
 Importance of Understanding a
Community and Its Gains
 Provides an opportunity to  Provides an occasion to
understand the gauge the attitude and
community’s dominant behaviour of the
rules and norms community
 Gets projects  Provides a way for a more
implementation less directed and well informed
complicated dialogue with the
community
 Makes networking and
partnership building more
favourable
 Immersion
 A process of living with the people in order to feel, smell,
and think like them.
 “Go to the people. Live with them, learn from them, love
them. Start with what they know, build with what they have”
– Lao Tzu