Models of Community

Organization
Practice in Action

Models of Practice
We incorporate conflict theory and its assumptions about the
oppression of certain groups in all models of community practice.
We determine the model of practice used based on:
1) Mission of the organization that employs the organizer.
2) Preferences of organization constituents or beneficiaries.
3) Constituent needs and cultural values.
4) The organizers theoretical framework.
5) The organizers personality (consensus or conflict-oriented)
6) The organizing problem or situation.
7) Ethical issues related to using particular interventions.

We use the following models in CO Practice.

Social Action
Social Planning
Community Development
Transformative
Feminist
Multicultural

Basic assumptions of Rothmans Model

Practice
Model

Change Goal

Staff Role

Constituents

Target of
Change

Change
Strategy

Community
development

Increase
community
capacity and
integration

Coordinator
Enabler
Catalyst

Citizens
Participants

Programs
or services

Develop a
consensus
among
groups

Social Action

Change
resources &
power
dynamics

Advocate
Negotiator
Activist

Victims of
oppression
Constituents
Employers

The power
structure

Mobilize
people to
take action
against
powerful

Social
Planning

Problemsolving

Expert
Data
analyst;
Problem
Solver

Consumers
of Service

Community Collect
Systems
data;
choose the
best plan

Basic Assumptions of Transformative Models

Practice Model

Change
Goal

Transformative

Staff Role

Constituents

Target of
Change

Change
Strategy

Personal Expert;
& Social Teacher;
Change Equal
partner;
Learner

Experts on
own lives;
Change
Agents;
Learners

Individuals;
Society

Teaching;
Group
Consensus;
Confront
powerful

Feminist

More
power
for
women

Equal
partner;
Facilitator;
Activist

Partners;
Change
agents;
Decisionmakers

Individuals;
Change
services to
meet
needs;
Patriarchy

Group
consensus;
Confront
power
structure

Multicultural

Social
change
Bring
cultures
together

Equal
partner
Facilitator
Learner

Learners;
Decisionmakers;
Partners

Individual &
Group
Attitudes;
Social
Change

Dialogue;
Group
consensus;
Confront
powerful

Theories, Models, & Practice Subtypes

Theory

Systems
Theory

Conflict Theory
Powerdependency
Resource
mobilization

Rational
Theory/
Problemsolving
model

Constructivist
Theory

Model

Community
Development

Social action

Social
Planning

Transformative
model

Lobbying
Mobilization
Grassroots
Political
Feminist
Transformative

Rational
Advocacy
Incremental
Transactive

Multicultural
Feminist
Organizing

Model
Economic
Subtypes Development;
Capacity
Enhancement;
Asset-based;
Feminist