I.

Community Organization

Part of a process that brings people together to collectively address problems, concerns or issues with
the goal of enhancing self-determination, achieving greater equality and affecting a shift in power
relationships to benefit member of oppressed communities.

According to Murray G. Ross, Community organization is a process by which a community identifies

needs and takes action, and in doing so extends and develops cooperative attitudes and practices.

Eduard C. Lindeman in 19211 defined community organisation as “Community organisation is that phase
of social organisation which constitutes a conscious effort on the part of a community to control its
affairs democratically and to secure the highest services from its specialists, organisations, agencies and
institutions by means of recognised inter relations.”

Walter W. Pettit in 19252 defined it as “Community organisation is perhaps best defined as assisting a
group of people to recognise their common needs and helping them to meet these needs.”

Community organization is a technique for obtaining a consensus concerning both the values that are
most important for the common welfare and the best means of obtaining them – Sanderson and Polson
(1939).

• Community organization is achieved whenever a group of citizens recognizing a need, band together
to see that the need is met – Kurtz

• Community organization means enabling people to find satisfying and fruitful social relationships and
not for specific and preconceived forms of relationship. • Community organization is concerned with
efforts to direct social resources effectively towards the specific or total welfare needs of any
geographical area.

II. Philosophical Foundation of Community Organization

The broad philosophical concept of community organization as furnishing a working relationship

between the democratic process and specialism.

III. Values assumptions and Principles of Community Organization

Values Assumption:

The value orientation of community organisation as ofall social work methods derives from acceptance
ofcertain basic concepts and principles as a foundationfor work with people. These core values which
are nowincreasingly being reflected in the professional code ofethics in many countries are also
reaffirmed in theinternational definition of social work, given by theInternational Federation of Social
Workers (IFSW) inthe year 2000.

“The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships, and the
empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well being. Utilizing theories of human behaviour
and social systems, social work intervenes at the points where people interact with their environments.
Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work” (IFSW 2003). The core
value reflected in the aforementioned definition of social work as also those which find a place in the
code of ethics adopted by professional associations of social workers include: dignity and worth of the
person, importance of human relationships, social justice, human rights and human dignity, integrity and
competence, and professional conduct. Ross has provided certain articles of faith which represent the
value orientation to community organization (and, indeed all of social work). Among these are:

1. the essential dignity and ethical worth of theindividual;

2. the possession of potentialities and resources in each person for managing his own life;

3. importance of freedom of expression of one’sindividuality;

4. the great capacity for growth withinall social beings

5. the right of the individual to basic physical necessities

6. the need for the individual tostruggle and strive to improve his own life andenvironment;

7. the right of the individual to help intime of need and crisis;

8. the need of a social climate which encourages individual growth and development;

9. the right and the responsibility of the individual toparticipate in the affairs of the community;

10. thepracticability and importance of discussion, conference,and consultation as methods for the
solution ofindividual and social problems;

11. the importance of asocial organization for which the individual feelsresponsible and which is
responsive to individual feeling;

Principles of community Organization

Principles of Community Organization by Ray Johns and David F Demarche

1 community organization is a means and not an end. Organization, personnel, program, knowledge,
skills are only means to an end the welfare and growth of people is the end.

2.Communities like individuals and groups are different. Each has its own problems and needs.

3. Communities have a right to self determination like individuals.

4. Social need is the basis for organization. The determining factors in initiating, continuing, modifying
or terminating an organization is social need. It should meet a felt need and should be continued when it
adjusts with changing needs.
5. community welfare rather than agency self interest should be first consideration in determining
program.

6. co ordination is a process of growth. It should be the result of intelligent recognition of common

interests and objectives.

7. community organization structure should be kept as simple as possible.

8. services should be distributed equitably. It should be available equally and without discrimination to
all who need them.

9. diversity in program approach should be respected. Community needs should be the determining
factor.

10. there should be broad representation in interagency bodies.

11.there must be balance between centralization and decentralization.

12. barriers to communication must be broken down.

13. communities need professional help

IV. Focus, Goals, Porpuses and Objectives of Community Organization

Focus:

Community organization is "a planned process to activate a community to use its own social structures
and any available resources to accomplish community goals decided primarily by community
representatives and generally consistent with local attitudes and values.

Goals:

A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the
community, allowing it to influence key decision- makers on a range of issues over time. In the ideal, for
example, this can get community organizing groups a place at the table before important decisions are
made.

Porpuses:

Community organizing is both a tactic to address specific problems and issues and a longer-term
engagement and empowerment strategy. Longer-term objectives of community organizing are to
develop the internal capabilities and to increase the decision-making power and influence of
underrepresented groups.

Objectives:
The primary aim of community organizations is to bring about and maintain a progressively more
affective adjustment between scarce resources and multiple needs of the community. This implies that
community organization is concerned with a] the discovery and definition of needs b] planning for
meeting those needs c] the articulation or pulling the resources d] channelizing these resources to solve
the problems.

Secondary objectives are,

1. to secure and maintain an adequate factual basis for sound planning and action;

2. to initiate, develop and modify welfare programs and services in the interest of attaining a better
adjustments between resources and needs.

3. to improve standard of social work and to increase the effectiveness of individual agencies

4. To improve and facilitate the interrelationships and to promote co ordination among organizations,
groups and individuals concerned with social welfare program and services;

5. To develop a better public understanding of welfare related problems and needs and social work
objectives, programs and methods.

6. To develop public support of and public participation in social welfare activities.

Social Change
Social change can be defined as the way in which human interactions, relationships, behavior patterns,
and cultural norms change over time. These changes ultimately transform cultural and social
institutions, concepts, and rules, which will inevitably impact society for the long-haul. These changes
and transformations are not necessarily good or bad, but they are profound. On the surface, we may not
notice social change; it can take years — even centuries — of action to cause one change.

As students and members of a rapidly changing society, it’s important to look back on social changes of
the past and how they’ve influenced us now. For instance, at one point, women were not able to study
at university. Today, both men and women, of all races, religions, nationalities, and creeds, can study —
even online and tuition-free, like at University of the People. This is why social change is important.
Without social change, we cannot progress as a society.

Planned Change
It involves the development and implementation of a strategy for improving or altering some specified
condition, patterns of behavior or set of circumstances in an effort to improve a client’s social
functioning or well- being (Sheafor & Horesji, 2009). It also termed an intervention when related to
social work practice is a deliberate action intended to alter situation or interfere with an expected or
usual course of events (Pincus & Minahan, 1973)

PLANNED CHANGE MODEL

The planned change process was introduced to the social work profession in 1957 by Helen Harris
Perlman. The Planned Change Model is the development and implementation of a plan or strategy to
improve or alter a pattern of behaviors, a condition, or circumstance to improve a client’s well-being or
situation (Kirst-Ashman, 2012).

The Planned Change Model consists of a seven-step process which includes:

•Engagement

•Assessment

•Planning

•Implementation

•Evaluation

•Termination

•Follow-up

The Engagement phase is the first interaction between the social worker and their client. The
engagement stage does not have a predetermined time frame; it can last for a couple of minutes to a
few hours depending on the client and the circumstances. It is very important during the engagement
phase that the social worker displays active listening skills, eye contact, empathy and empathetic
responses, can reflect to the client what has been said, and uses questioning skills (motivational
interviewing). It is appropriate to take notes during the engagement phase for assessment purposes or
for reflection. Remember, during the engagement phase, the social worker is building a level of rapport
and trust with the client.

The Assessment phase is the process occurring between social worker and client in which information is
gathered, analyzed and synthesized to provide a concise picture of the client and their needs and
strengths. The assessment phase is very important as it is the foundation of the planning and action
phases that follow.

During the assessment stages, there are five key points:

•identifying the need problem (concern)

•identify the nature of the problem

•identify strengths and resources

•collect information

•analyze the collected information

(Johnson & Yanca, 2010)

The Planning phase is when the client and social worker develop a plan with goals and objectives as to
what needs to be done to address the problem. A plan is developed to help the client meet their need or
address the problem (Johnson, & Yanca, 2010). The planning phase is a joint process where the worker
and the client identify the strengths and resources gathered from the assessment phase. Once the
strengths and resources are identified, the social worker and the client come up with a plan by outlining
goals, objectives, and tasks to help meets the clients goal to address the need or problem. During the
planning phase, keep in mind that the goals should be what the client is comfortable with and finds
feasible to obtain. The social worker’s most important job during this phase is to help the client identify
strengths and resources, not to come up with the client’s goals for them.

The Implementation/Action phase is when the client and social worker execute a plan to address the
areas of concern by completing the objectives to meet the client’s goals. The action phase is also
considered a joint phase as the social worker and the client act! The worker and the client begin to work
on the task that were identified in the planning phase (Johnson & Yanca, 2010). The worker and the
client are responsible for taking on different parts of the identified task; for example, the social worker
may find a local food pantry or help with food assistance program if the client needs food. The client
may work on making a grocery list of foods that will make bigger portions for leftovers to make food last
longer for the family. However, the worker and the client are jointly working together to obtain the goal
of providing food for the client and their family.

The Evaluation Phase/Termination phase is a constant. The worker should always evaluate how the
client is doing throughout the process of the working relationship (Johnson & Yanca, 2010). When the
plan has been completed or the goals have been met, the client and social worker review the goals and
objective and evaluate the change and/or the success. If change or progress has not been made the
client and social worker will review the goals and objectives and make changes or modifications to meet
the goal. Once the goals have been met, termination of services follows if there are no further need for
services or other concerns to address. Sometimes termination happens before goal completion, due to
hospitalizations, relocation, losing contact with a client, financial hardships , or the inability to engage
the client.

The Follow Up phase is when the social worker reaches out to the client to make sure they are still
following their goals, using their skills, and making sure the client is doing well. The follow up may not
always be possible due to different situations such as death, relocation, and change in contact
information, to name a few.

Paulo Freire
Paulo Freire was a Brazilian educationalist and philosopher whose radical ideas about pedagogy,
learning and knowledge led to the establishment of the critical pedagogy movement. Freire held
extremely negative views of mainstream approaches to education, using the metaphor of the “banking”
system to describe them. Freire argued that mainstream education, as it is predominantly practiced,
revolves around teachers’ attempts to deposit knowledge ‘into’ students, who are understood to be
passive, empty “accounts”.

As an alternative educational approach, Freire proposed that oppressed peoples need to become
critically conscious, which is, in his view, the first step towards liberation and social change. According to
Freire, becoming aware of the conditions of one’s oppression conscientises oppressed peoples and, in
turn, catalyses transformative actions. This may lead to people altering oppressive structural conditions.
Critical pedagogy is not a method, rather it opens a space for students to act and assert themselves as
agents, question their assumptions, develop an appreciation for history and critically interrogate the
idea that education is a value-neutral enterprise.

Theory of Society: What is society? What institutions are involved in the educational process?

Freire challenges the conventional assumption that there is equal opportunity in a democratic society.
He asserts, often, that education is a political process. Schools become tools that are used by parents,
business and the community to impose their values and beliefs. While no intentional harm is intended,
this process often results in the oppression of less privileged persons.

Perlman and Gurin