Community Development

History of community development is traced

back to World War-II. For the first time, in 1944
“Mass Education” was used by a secretary of
State’s Advisory Committee in a report entitled
“Mass Education in African Society”. In 1948,
the word Community Development was properly
used by British Colonial Office-Cambridge
Conference on the development of African
Society.
 Definition
Community Development is a young subject and changes
in emphasis since its inception. Therefore, there is no a
single definition of the term. Some of the definitions are:
1. Sanders (1953) suggests that community development
is an organized effort to improve the condition of
community life.
2. Ali (1970) stated that community development is one of
the methods for involving people in the process of
socio-economic development and the improvement of
their own conditions by supplementing government
efforts in this regards.
3. Edward and Jones (1976) opines that
community development is a process in which the
people of a community attempt a collaborative
effort to promote what they consider to be the well
being of their community.
In our own words, we can define community
development as a planned cultural change where
the conditions of a community is improved
through collective efforts based on self-help,
governmental or voluntary organizations
assistance and support.
Aims and Objectives of Community Development
1. To organize the people for sustainable development
The main purpose of community development is to organize the
people. This enable the people to collectively identify, prioritize
and plan to solve their problems that ultimately leads to
sustainable development. Through successful organization the
community members overall develop their community.
2. Mass awareness
The main objective of community development is working to
make the people aware from various problems in a community.
It helps them to provide knowledge and to know about the main
causes that affects their social life. Moreover, it enables them to
implement social action projects based on self-help or with the
help of other governmental an non-governmental organizations.
3. To improve the living standards of people
Community development aims to improve the
living standards of the people. It enhances and
promotes participatory democracy, sustainable
development, rights, economic conditions, equality
and social justice in a community through
organizing and capacity building of the people.
4. To empower the people
Community development seeks to empower
individuals and groups of people with the skills they
need to effect change within their communities.
5. Capacity Building
The main purpose of the community development is to aware the
people and build their capacities for the enhancement and
improvement their communities. In capacity building, the
management and leadership skills are enhanced of the community
members. Moreover, the people are trained to manage the community
resources by keeping its proper record.
6. To develop linkages with other communities and organization
Community development through community organizations enable the
people to develop their linkages with other government and non-
governmental organizations for the development of their community.
7. To enhance the notion of community ownership
Community development aims to enhance the notion of community
ownership among the people. The active involvement of community
members in developmental activities ensure the notion of ownership
among the people that leads to sustainable development.
 Nature of Community Development
Community Development is a process of change from
the traditional way of living of rural communities to
progressive way of living as a method by which
people can be assisted to develop themselves on their
own capacity and resources, as a programme for
accomplishing certain welfare activities for rural
people and as a movement for progress with a certain
ideological content.
Approaches to Community Development
Sanders observed four major approaches for
community development
1. Community Development as a Process
Process implies transition from one phase to another. It means a process of change
from a feudal society to industrialized society. Community development as a process
moves by stages from one condition or state to the next i.e. change from a state
where few or a small elite within or without a local community make decisions for
the rest of the people, to a state where the people themselves make these decisions
about maters of common concern. Similarly, from a state where few participate where
many participate. Moreover, from a state where all resources and specialists come
from outside to few people where local people make the most use of their own
resources etc.
Community development is based on the belief in the ability of every individual and
community to grow and change for the better. They are helped to organize and work
for the attainment of better life according to their ambitions. Community
development seeks to change these conditions in the under developed countries
through the participation of the people. Community development is concerned with
the total development of man as an agent of change and growth. For community
development, participation of all the community people is an essential factor which is
not spontaneous in the initial stages except the few educated and experienced people.
The rest of the community members will need motivation, encouragement, and
enhancement of knowledge. Thus, it can be said that community development as a
process emphasizes social and psychological change of people.
2. Community Development as a Method
Method is that which emphasizes popular
participation and direct involvement of a population in
the process of development. Community development
is a way of working to achieve some goals. Therefore,
as a method the emphasis is on the ends/goals to be
achieved by means of community development. New
ways and techniques are used to deal with old
problems with the active participation of the people.
Community development calls for organized efforts at
various levels for the improvement of socio-economic
conditions of the community. Thus, community
development as a method brings people together in a
community program for their collective welfare.
3. Community Development as a Programme
Community development method is a set of various procedures
and activities. When community development activity is
formally organized with a separate administration and staff, is
known as a programme. Community development as a
programme emphasis on the activities to achieve a wide variety
of specific improvements in the community with the active
involvement and consensus of the local people. Main community
development programmes according to United Nations report
are:
1. Physical improvements such as roads, housing, irrigation,
drainage and better farming practices etc.
2. Functional activities such as the protection of health,
education and recreation.
3. Community action involving group discussion, community
analysis of local needs, the setting up of committees, the
training personnel
4. Community development as a movement
Community development as a movement stands for the
progress and welfare of the people in general of the
underprivileged and marginalized communities in particular.
Community development movement is impossible without the
help, cooperation and active participation of the masses. As a
movement, community development puts emphasis on human
participation in various projects through brining change in their
outlook and by creating dependence on self-reliance among
them. This understanding of the people about ommunity
development will ultimately result in spontaneous participation
and they will look at a programme as their own. When they
begin to identify the programme as their own, the process of
social transformation starts and more and more people
participate. In this way the process of community development
takes the shape of a movement and the whole nation feels its
impact.
 Elements of Community Development
McKnight (1995) and Ronnby (1995&96) identified the following
elements of community development:
1. Joint efforts to solve common problem democratically on a community
basis
2. Activities must be related to the basic needs of the community
3. Collective action and the establishment of multi-purpose program
4. Effective local administration and supervision
5. Identification, encouragement and training of local leadership
6. Promotes self-help and self-reliance
7. Initiatives comes from the people themselves
8. Process of encouragement to change
9. Adoption of consistent policies, specific administrative arrangement,
training of the personnel, mobilization of local and natural resources
10. Linkages development with voluntary NGOs to solve community
problems