ServicesareBadfor People

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You're eithera citizenor a client
John McKnight

Hur'.n s<'v,cesn€edcl,rnts. Th.y nccdcli- nizltion c3nslve mey of theproblcmsrhdthuir r

.trs to sunive tEc,ruscwithonl €licnt5thc United s.nice syst€mscontrol, thcn therc will b€ a con
Wrt ur rh. pov.mment *rll no long.r tund lhcm. flicr. TTh! v€slcd intaes$ of rhc soqal scnicc
Tl'.'.foc. prol.s3rcn!lru(ul !diepmv'd.tu hsvc syst.m *ill rd.mpl ro th*.n thc €ffo s oa rh.
. vesredinr.rest i. peoplc n..ding Ihcm. Il lh.y comfiunily or8a0izarionto controlwharhuppcnsrn
can r chim filt thcrc arc many Pcopleo{t in lh. its ncighborhood.
neighborloodswho nc.d their s.rvic€s,ftcn rhctr Th€ prcf.!siond/cli€nt.nodclis r supcrio.!cr
fundrnSdriei up md I\c mrddl. d uppcrmtddlc sus infcnot, or dominanl vcrsu! submis$iv. r€l!-
c l J s ss c d r c <p r o ' , d < r s l o s '.n c n j o b s .T h o s co f u s t i o n s h i pW . hilcwcll-runs..vic6hav€lhcirpl!ce.
who nrt. spenta Lons,dcnbl. ltmc ia low incom( lhcy tu.nc!er goingtocmpow.r ncighborh@ds.1..
ncighborhoodsknov rhlt icNic. Provid.s udi L c r . w h . n d d y z i n S ( o m m u n i r i c (y.o u l l l i n d t h ! .
rroull) mr.ipolrtc lhctr dlta to mak. rr l@k lik thcmorcserviccslhcr€.re in rharncighborhood.lhc
rheyrn providn8 an invrlusblc scrvicato a com lcs! po*cr thrt commuDityhaslo Lontrolrtsfururc
mun,rywhcre.rhc) c hirn. lbcrc!t! cvcrmorcpcoplc S€Nrcc ryilcm3 rcr on tlE prcmrs( (hrl ltrL
protcssioml ha.' crpcdisc and thc client hdr thc
ComnLnrucs.,inhkchumansclvic.s.needc'li probl.m. Thc problcmsolvi 8 powcrofrh. pcoplc
zcns. Crtircn is th€ nam. lbr lhc pcopte rf, " In lh! ncighborhoodsts unimpo rnt. Ihar prole.-
u c , r o rr J r t r ' u L i c r ls h o h ! v . ! n . q u r l r h . r c o i t h c r i o n . l i d . a i s e x . c r l ' l h e o p p o i r c" l w h r c o h ' n L
rorll n,'ucr ot rhc socrcty. How.v.r, . cn'zer has n i t y o r g c n i z i n g r t l c m pt$o d o . T h c o r S 0 n r z c r t e l l s
much no'! powe! than I votc. Voling i3 a vcry th€ p.oplc lhar lhcy havcploblcmsolvrng rbiliricr
, r r v r d u r r r r r h r t c n t { i l s B . v ' n gp o v c r r r . y t o
tonreonc'vho will hopcfully rprq.nr you. Th.
'l.rin'rron of a po*criul crtizen crn r .nd th.r.
becruscrcrlly po*erful cililent mak. p..rwd b) Whenanalyzing(ommunii.s, )ou ll Jind hat ,lrc
colningrogerhcrandutc powcr by lcling rogeft.r.
more senices rhereat e in thdt netllhboi hoo.l,lhe l(:is
ttl Dt,t, \ ta.r in a n",i.d Alcr isD. Tocquvill.
powerthatcommunity hasto (ontrt,lt!t Iutute
sn,drld ours wus thc sfongcsl dcmocracyon thc
t,l )el. rot bcc.uscof our frEc votirS slncm, but
bccr r r. ol rhcprcpondc.mccof !ctivc c it izco!rso-
eiluons drrt wo{cd on solvinS prcbl.rN coll.c-
and Ihcy can ch.rngcftcir{ommuniry.
Scrv,cesy\{cmsrcquir. clicnlsnndcoft|nunrt} Lcr nrcuscthc cnmpl€ or nry cltcilicd brAto.
o'lunizrrons requi'. cnrz.Ds. Thrr ie why s.r!ic. I ' m c c n r h l y h r p p yt h l r t h e c e p ( n t \ s i o n r t \ o u r
'y\rcnrs rrc uftdr lntirh.ticsl to powcrfulcommu t h . r c* h o l n o w w h a rr or l ol o r r e r lt h r {p n r h t c r n , . I r u
Ius.un.ofdlcm. Bur my pcrsonrlpowcr 's ,rircl )
Sysrcms drc hrcnrch,rl |lnd mr de.nocratic. Eht.d to my ur. ot Foacrr'onrls. I u) ro dcFn!
Tley hJrnesspcopL.s powerro cxccotcth€plan of u p o nl h c mr i l i u l € a s p o s s r b l cB . ecr!\c rl Iny ,,ti
rs hcavily involvcd wuh rhe socrrl worter, rhe
C,n,r rnrry orennizationsnrcth. vchiclcslhlt d o (' u r . l h ep \ y c h r a t n f lr.* o r h r . g sb c n x r h r l t t r
hirn.\s rh. porcnrll powcrofth. crtrz..s to crc.t. ' o m . , O n . n r h u tl . . r c r ' . r o J s o r l u u t d r N l -
thcir0wnplan,CLlrzcns
lrde\caule po*cr
nrnka d c n c t . T } c o t h c rl ! t h { l n y r l n , n ( yr \ i n ! r r , r \ . I i r i
h ! . o , r I i . r r o c c i l r c Jr r ) dt r k c p o * e r b y r c l r n g t o ' c o n \ u m c db ' l h c ! €p c o p l cd. n r r n r s h ' Dt!r r ) . r h l r ' .
l v h r t e f i n r n c ' r lc h o r e c r .l t I b . c o r ) r \cu r r o L , r \ . ( ( ,
wlled Jrzc!\ 8cr logcthercnduy Ourorgs- bv x ihre,r of $rv'.c\. rhcn l \. ro\r nrhrh 4t drt

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Paqe49
 oower to m*€ d.cisioos- t u t c f o . E l l p r o b l c ms o | l , n * i n P o o rn e i g h b o r
It's th. samc with a community. If it is sur- hoods.H€ finrshadhh prcs.nliilionallhc debateby
roundcd by a for€s{ of scrvicca, lhcn ir losca the t.Urn8 Shlver, Yo!r Sodd:.rn.d Programi\ Po'
poeer ro d€cidc as I conmunity ll should 8o litical pomotraphyl"
wrthout sayinS,thrl corntuuDrlyorgr zcrs should Ahnsly rllhzed lhrr 3ll thc Inonc! lhar *<nt
nor rcl !s attorists, tcachinS pcoPlc how to golv 0 rn(o lhr social s.wic. \yrrchs ,n a cod,mun,ty
forc. t oa scd i..s {ound tbem. Thtt is rbc appro..h codFr.d d iEcdy wirh rhco.s!trizins prcccs5.Thc
of rhe mrsintormed comnunny ort$izcr' Tlus morc scrv'c.s .nd money for scrvic.s 'n lhe .om_
munity, th. hldcr rt r3 to or8an'zeand cmPo*er

Today,on thc frontlines in lhc communLty,h€

ag.nn ot thc i.Nr(. \ysr.m rl( nrdinly r)on proi,,
Alinsktrcalizealthotoll themonel th^l wentinto the
agcncre\andIndrvidr.tlpro|c5sionrl prov idcrs Thc
to( tal scrvi(csJtlemsinacommunitj competeddireciy
€ o v . m m e nut * d r o p ' o v ' d c\ e n i c e sd r c c r l r . b n L
'.-.
ith th? !rgdniziall ptoccss. now rt rr m. nrajor rund.. oi se'\rc.s and not lh.
providersof scrvrc.s. Hoecver. lh. govem'ncnr^
f,or€ntiEly our ot lh€ !.rvicc busi,l.ss.
l a l . p u b t i ch o u s i n ef o r c t . n r p l . P u b l i c h o u s
orguiz.t nistakcnly ri.s lo m'l' morc clrcnls , n E t c n a n t sl r c c l i c n ' t . t h c t c c c i \ c r so f . c t v ' c .
rrlhc.lhln cxp.ndirg thc Powc.of(hc citiz€n Ttrc p r o v r d . db y t h . h o u s r n .t ,: u r n o n l r c rN' o o r r c w o u l d
po*crtuIconrmuri(votg.rniarioncoov'Gcly 3cctl sly rhorlhc$\ tcrln rs ,rr. cmpos crcd I h. (otul
poliricol and cconomr. cootrolov.r ihc scfticcs in tion5 of public houx,ot dcvelopmcnl\ \how rh.
r l 5c o m n u n i t Y . c l r c c t so t t h r r d o m i n a n v s u b m ' s \ r 'veer v ( c ' c l .
A good t6t of lhc cornmunity'scoorrcl ovcr noothrp. I od8'. howeve.,tltcrchasbctn J Pu\hb'
'erric.t.!n b. a.conPlshed by $king fourqu.._ asidcnrr to b.comc mmaS.relnd prov,dcrt n the
tions.Th. liEt is, sho tctually con(mlsthc s.rvicc? projc.ts. Rcsidcnt groupsc.mss thc countrv rr.
Doesrhecommunityhrvc ftc fintlsly in thcd.ci- rryinSro ovcflhrow rh. tcrvicc idcolos' cr.ar.d in
sronmlkin8 proc.ssoris it iusi m ouposl of n big puDlichousingafld tcpl!!c rr wlth rlr( pnnerpr<]of
ry(cm wh.r. leal opinronh.s no vnltr.? communiryor8rni2atron.
Saond, who do€s rbc scrvicc systcm hir.? T h e p r t f l c r p l eosl c o m t n u n , lo! , t J n r l J r i ^ nr t r
Docs it hirc prfcssionlls who ittc moncy or hu s i m p l ca n d s r f u s h t f o ' w l r d O n e . ! r ' y ' . r e , . ,
Nlu rcsouLcctout fmm r community,ordoca il put citi&n fiFt. a clicnrconrudcr sccond Two, ro
mon.y ardjobs inlo lhc communit_l' r t t r r np o l v c rp . r F l c h l l c r ? r c t . o l l c c t i v c l ) . T t c r
Thnd, who docsihc s.wicc provid.l putc[asc muslcomctot.rhcr and say. 'wc rc dtc prinopal
ir i rcsourccsfrom? fu. thcy buy in8 locally or is lhc problemsoltcrs in this communrty.
mon.y in rhc.onlmrni.y b.ingcnctrlat.d outof it3 A Emd .rnmd. oi rhn id.r ir r.rx,. ,( rhc
dom.tin? presentschool rclbnn nlrlsurcs in Chicago For
And founh. a|]d leait important,althoughthis )crrs cducator(protccrcdccnrrr[cd tro$cr In ,he
qucstionrlcciv€s tha rnostttlcnlion, who is bcing c r t y s e c h o o sl y s t c m . C o , n n u n , r r cs\ < ' c c \ \ c r
s..ved? Answ.nnS fi€s. lou. qucst'ons wtllgive. I r l l y i n . p r c l i s s ' o n r l / . l kn rr l J r o n \ h ' p * r h . d L
commoniiyo.8eiarion ! prcny 8oodid.n ehclh.r cr,tors,und baclmc po*crlcss to chrnSe thc txro!
rhcy h:rvecontml ov.t lhc sl icc provtdcrs. condilionsof th€ schools. lnitially. rclbmr cltorts
S{rl Alntty. in man} *ayi rh. lbundcr of w e r . f M u < d o n r h cr o p , h J { r 8 c m . not t r h c\ y { c m
modcm commonityoBsniaing, hatcdinything ru- So Ch'crgo proceqted'o ro rhrcusl' 5 .up(':nter.
" r h e5 . r t ? n C: l i r h i s h r c . i ' r d r ( u t i f r r r l
s.nb ting socill workc.s l r!mcmbcr when Sar3.nl d e r l s .O n l y
Shnv.r lvls hc.adingup thc ftd.6l govcmmtnfs prcrcssronnliecrc soujhr lbr rhc to\rrran our
rnri'pov€dy progrom. Wc p.cmdcd S.ol rocom. $lud.nrl.st scor.s tcpt S.)inEriowi icBrrillcs\ ol'
to r confcrenccand dcbirtcShrivcrabo!t&c mcri6 ',vh(chprof!ssionalconrroiledthc \yncm.
of rhc worr ofrhc ffri-povcny proFarn. Sa'rlwas C o n n r u n i t i e sl i M l l y r c ! l i z c dr h c , . o u l d n o
trblturcly conrcmFuousof rhc social scrvic€ fo- l o n p cirl r o r d r o b c c h c n l i( ) lr h cs ' \ r c r n 'c o r u u l l e d
. u y . d r n r , p v c r r y p m s m m .i s e i l i o B i i , s n s u b s r i - by pror'.s\ionxl .duoroN Thev\nw thJ| .tun!,iE

rggr
42 spnwc,su^r',ren

Paqe 50
rhepnif.\si.nal\ !r thetop.bu! lEavingihcsynem vic€s,not srraightincomc.In Chic.80, for insrancc,
oi prollssion.rlcontrolin plnccwas not goingto 25,000publicdollars.omcs into th€ city forevery
: n l . i . : i 1 l r l g . W i : ! * 3 s ' . a l l v n e . d . r lw a r s c n u - Iow incofte f.mily of four p.oplc. Bqr rh,sfinily
jnc 1(lornr Th.r nrclnt .hlngint Pow.r rclanon- recciv.sonly9,OOOdollc incash. Th. rcsrol (hc
shipsby redeiinir)gwho was 'n cotrtrol. ThcEfor€. moncy is consumcdby hcalthand humanscmcc
Chr, ri'u I r' ghbomuodoBanr.dtionsworl€d sircnu- profcrsionllsprovidcdfor lowrncomc.omnrunr
ousl) Io gel lcSrslalioop8ss.d thal would ctum Lic.. Thu5. thc low-incooc lamily i! serv,c. nch
coNrol oi rheschoolsto rhe local conmuniiics and nloncypoor. This is. in effecl legrshtcdpov-
As r .csuh. thc statc legislalutc passcda law cny bccauscad.qlrre public incomc is .pprcpa
di!rdio_{rh€ schoolsysr€minto 468 schoolboards ar.d but is notavlrl{blc for choice.Ir rstvail3bl! (or
. , c c r c db ) l o c J ( r t r z . n ' \ o w . f t . l G a l l y . l ( c l c d
boJd h.! rhc power to hire nnd tirc lhc priDcipal, Pcoplc will arguc how€verthrl poor pcople
. e v . l o p c u r ' c u l u n ra n db u d g €lrh cs c h o o lt m o n . ' . crn'tberrustcdwirhft sh-Thcr will ruyth. so!cm-
The inrenr of fte neiShborhoods to rcSain control mcnlknowsbasrhowrospcldpoorp€oplisDotr y.
ov.r th. prokssioDll s.rvice syst€m succc.dcd. Thn notion is whlt buill $c socid sr.vac€cmprrc
\ci!lburnood powll hasr(pltced thc ptolcrsionil on lhc blcks of Amcric! s poor. As pcoplc h3vc
d o , n , n r o ( co f t h ec r r ' t r r l i z e dm a n i g c r n c nst ) s l c m . nor€ poecr th€y b€com.morc rcsponsible, nol the
lr,, Ll.ir ronr tr"s.rJ,nplc rhtr the commoniry orhci vnt !rcund. Raponsibiliry grows with !u
.,Srn,zfl,ois lho{id n€v.r let rhe f'rof€isionals rhority. Communiry organizinglcrds neighbor-
hoodr.sdcnts ro becomcrcaponsiblc p.oblcmrolv-
t l t ( ( r v c o , g J o ' z , n g! r ) o m o b i l i z ? sF o p l . i o e$ in thc n.ighborhood. Wh.n rc5rdcntsreJliz.
hclp enchorhcr Humln icrviccs arc a sccondrrt. lhct hav! th. powcr toch.nA. thin8s,rheysr!r( lo
{l\,iru. r o , t h c c o m m u n i r yb u i l d i n 8 p r o c c s s . scc how lhc co munity givesrway its oqn po*€r
sc'vr.cr cJrlor ter pconlc loScthcr(o form 0 dr) in.xchlrgc for rcrviccs.
cJrc coop(rrt,rc or d ncrShborhood *atcn. TIis 's
rh. un,qu. power oi cnrzcn Associltios, t.cklihg
cornnruorry-wrdc probl.ms lik. c.im.,nd dtugs.or
s t , r l ' n g r o l c r p . l d c r l y r c ( r d c n l si n r h . n c i g h b o r
Education,welfare,so(idl sctviccs.ull thir motley
needsto be redeJiiedand connolled br lar.tl lrokps
c'omrnun,tyorg6i2at ro!t th!t h.!. rcal powcr
hlve un.conomic fo.us mthcr ihan a s.rvic. focus.
In our serery, poq€r .quals orglnizcd p.opL ot
orE!nizcdmoney Erflcrivc cootrr!dity org.nir:-
trons,tbr rh. n6rt pfft, osc p.oplc poscr lo affoct Unfortun!t.ly, someof tlle b'ggesrcommunrr)
"Ho$
Inoncy puuer Thc organiring q'r.stion is. brsrcN vnhu th. ncrghborhoo(.havc becnsornr
catrwc hlvc a localccooomytharoffcrs rarlchoics o l t h c c h u E h c s .I n r h . s cc h u r c h . \r h t r . , s r h e a , )
rnd th. pot.nbll lo. a tood livingl" .mphftis or che.iry. lt i! anif.st.d in ch!rch
Becrosepowcrcomcsfromchoicc.comlnunity m c m b c r vl h o h c a ri c a l l l u _ s . r v c o r h c r r .W h r l (
o.! niz nons should rcllizc thar if moncy in $c rhis is a nrlural part of rhc church expcriencc,il
.ommua,ry Bo.\ ro rhe U rcd w.y *rvic. syr- dcge...rrcs .6ily intu rhc doori{aoF{,bois$v.
r.mr, rnd nor tb.community arnpowc.tn.ntoreG clrtionship so common in profcssionalscrviccs
ronrc dcvelopmcnt,rhcn thc.ommuoity n€€dsto Tt€s€chrirch$ 3!y lhcy rrc involvedinor sponsot
s u . t h r r r l I o r e s a . nc o n r r o lo r € r t h c m o n . y t h c orsariEalionsihat b.nctlr the commuriry. Br rhe
, ( ^ . c c , ) \ r c m . r p l u h o f f . E d u c a t , o n*. c l f u r , ( h u r c h! c h r n t ym o l i v . * . u l . n ( t h . . u f J h r l ( ) o l
\oc,irr\.^ rccs.3llthrsmoncync.ds Lob€ rcdcfin.d bo'ld'ng .npowcrcd community n5t{ur,onsdcdi
. ' r ( lc o n r o l L e db y l o c a lg r o u p s . cJlcdto sarllchan8c. In rhcscchurchcsrhc rcsul'
A hx rndrcrtoro f an.m Powercdconrmunrryis ot lhe congr.g on s concemis ro cr. e, Lorddl
, l . r ' n N r . f ( ' @ d sr r J I n { o ' n .b c ' n Be . n c n l . d b t b.comc plln of.r profcssionl rcr!ice nerwo*. ftr
r ( . r . . r r c n t \ l , o o s c r l c \ ' c o m m u 'ftl ' . s . g o o d sl J l d Itcse ch$rchcrrhe pr\tor .espond\ ro rho5cwirh
. v c m m fn r p r o S 1 1 n ' t .
r n \ r e . , l tl o probl€msby scndinSrhcmto:cr!ice ug.tr!r.!. iry-
' h r U , r . r ( Jw . y r n d p n v l t c f o l n d J I r o n so r ' f c rs c i n t i n e i f e c rr.h ep o v c ri s r o r i n r h i : c h u r c hr on t v c

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 yourproblcm,rhcpowcrlicscl5cwhcr.rtrprole!_ Ar cilcctivc communily is one whete people
sionrls-Thcscarl thccommunrtybuslifi8churchcs, arc comnrtted ro each orher cnd rolve lroblem'
rhorcwhoassumc thet.skolcllalingmor!scwic€s togdhcr. An.r-fe.rive community,s movrngawirv
reth..thanb!ildingp.obleInsolving.cligiouscon- f r o r ub . ' n g f r l l . d e i r h c l i < n r s A
. p o s e ! r u !l o m m L
grcgaooo9, nity is lhc hom. ofthr ciLizcn.lnd can harn€rsrhr
Efl6rtvc paslols conn..t p.oplc to hclp clch powcrof ciuzcnsthrouth thc vch,clcof cum1lunn,
orh.!. Tlry wdk ro b.ing lhc tnowl.dge .nd
capacitics of thc conSrcSationlogclhcr. How?ver,
many mainlinc ch!rchcs {f! powcrlc$ todly bc-
(aus€ thcy rclNcly Ervc away thc pov.r of thc
corgEgrtion to h.lp c8ch othcror ils @molutrily.
Tl'.fl tasror *rllEIer a probl.m kid" to a prctes. John McKnigbr i! Dnccror or
sional youtl couNlor and wrll lcad t dnv. to gcl C@dlrity Studi.i.t ihc
morc youth couns.llinEscFicct roto lh. commu_ C.nt rlor Uftd Afr.i6 ind
niry. This &t'on obt hi! ch!rch ..ld hidcodmunnt !bli.r Rcs.dh J( Noahwes'.m

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