Developing and Implementing a Community-Based Plan Gene L. Theodori, Ph.D. Program in Rural Sociology & Community Studies Department of Recreation, Park

Developing and Implementing a Developing and Implementing a Community-Based PlanCommunity-Based Plan

Gene L. Theodori, Ph.D.Gene L. Theodori, Ph.D.Program in Rural Sociology & Community Program in Rural Sociology & Community StudiesStudiesDepartment of Recreation, Park & Tourism Department of Recreation, Park & Tourism SciencesSciencesTexas A&M UniversityTexas A&M University

Cute Ugly

Smart

Dumb

1 2

34

IndividualsIndividuals

Active Not Active

Conscious

Not Conscious

CommunitiesCommunities

1 2

34

CommunityCommunity: a place-oriented : a place-oriented process of interrelated process of interrelated actions through which local actions through which local residents express a shared residents express a shared sense of identity while sense of identity while engaging in the common engaging in the common concerns of life.concerns of life.

Working Definition of Working Definition of CommunityCommunity

Elements of Elements of a Local Societya Local Society

A geographic dimensionA geographic dimensionphysical spacephysical space

Human life dimensionHuman life dimensionpeople living therepeople living there

Relatively complete organizationRelatively complete organizationinstitutions and patterns of institutions and patterns of behaviors that cover the broad behaviors that cover the broad range of human interestsrange of human interests

Stanton Local Society

Sanderson Local Society

FieldsFields

EmergentEmergent

DynamicDynamic

BoundlessBoundless

WholesWholes

Social FieldsSocial Fields

Process of social interactionProcess of social interaction

ActionsActions

AssociationsAssociations

ActorsActors

EducationEducation

GovernmentGovernment

Environmental protectionEnvironmental protection

Economic developmentEconomic development

Faith-basedFaith-based

RecreationRecreation

EducationEducation

Faith-basedFaith-basedEconomic developmentEconomic development

RecreationRecreationEnvironmental protectionEnvironmental protection

GovernmentGovernment

Faith-basedFaith-based

EducationEducation

RecreationRecreationEnvironmental protectionEnvironmental protection

Economic developmentEconomic development

Action

Generalizatio

nGovernmentGovernment

Community is not a Community is not a given.given.

Community is a Community is a variable.variable.

Community Community DevelopmentDevelopment

Community developmentCommunity development: a : a processprocess of building and of building and strengthening the social and strengthening the social and economic viability of the economic viability of the community.community.


PurposivePurposive

PositivePositive

Structure orientedStructure oriented

Exists in efforts of peopleExists in efforts of people

Community development is Community development is purposivepurposive. It is the intentional . It is the intentional consequence of actors engaging consequence of actors engaging in associational actions to in associational actions to initiate and maintain community.initiate and maintain community.


Community development is Community development is positivepositive. The purposive . The purposive intentions of the actors revolve intentions of the actors revolve around a shared commitment to around a shared commitment to improving their community.improving their community.


Community development is Community development is structure orientedstructure oriented. The . The purposive and positive actions purposive and positive actions of actors are direct attempts to of actors are direct attempts to establish and/or strengthen the establish and/or strengthen the community as an interlinking community as an interlinking and coordinating structure of and coordinating structure of human relationships.human relationships.


Community development exists Community development exists in the in the effortsefforts of people and not of people and not necessarily in goal necessarily in goal achievementachievement. .

Simply stated, community Simply stated, community development is purposive development is purposive action undertaken with action undertaken with positive intentions at positive intentions at improving community improving community structure.structure.


Community DevelopmentCommunity Development

Development Development inin community community

Development Development ofof community community

- Task accomplishment- Task accomplishment

- Structure building- Structure building

Principles ofPrinciples ofCommunity DevelopmentCommunity Development

The long-term theme of The long-term theme of community development should community development should be to develop the community as a be to develop the community as a human relationship structure, human relationship structure, rather than to develop things in rather than to develop things in or through the community.or through the community.

Community development must Community development must reflect and express the values reflect and express the values and wishes of the local and wishes of the local population.population.


Community development requires Community development requires a commitment on the part of a commitment on the part of special interest groups to align special interest groups to align their efforts with those of other their efforts with those of other groups.groups.


Community development Community development requires that attention be given requires that attention be given continuously to problems and continuously to problems and needs in all areas of local life.needs in all areas of local life.


Sustained community Sustained community development requires an development requires an organizational structure.organizational structure.


Community development requires Community development requires communication.communication.


Community development Community development requires a commitment beyond requires a commitment beyond selfish gain, at least by a small selfish gain, at least by a small number of people in any number of people in any community who can really make community who can really make it work.it work.


Kenneth P. Wilkinson. 1968. “The Kenneth P. Wilkinson. 1968. “The Community: Its Structure and Community: Its Structure and Process.” Pp. 86–90 in Eileen Zuber, Process.” Pp. 86–90 in Eileen Zuber, Steve Nelson, and A.E. Luloff, 1998, Steve Nelson, and A.E. Luloff, 1998, Community: A Biography in Honor of Community: A Biography in Honor of the Life and Work of Ken Wilkinsonthe Life and Work of Ken Wilkinson. . University Park, PA: The Northeast University Park, PA: The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Regional Center for Rural Development.Development.

Credit for “Principles ofCredit for “Principles ofCommunity Development”Community Development”

Stages of Community-Based Stages of Community-Based PlanningPlanning

InitiationInitiation

Organization of Organization of sponsorshipsponsorship

Identification and analysis of Identification and analysis of critical community-level issuescritical community-level issues

Stages of Community-Based Stages of Community-Based PlanningPlanning

Visioning, goal setting, and Visioning, goal setting, and strategy formationstrategy formation

RecruitmentRecruitment

ImplementationImplementation

EvaluationEvaluation

Documents

Developing and Implementing a Community-Based Plan Gene L. Theodori, Ph.D. Program in Rural Sociology & Community Studies Department of Recreation, Park