Community Development
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.
- Edward and Jones (1976)
The importance of
Community 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. It 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.
What community development can improve?
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Organize the people for sustainable development.
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Mass Awareness
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Improve the living standards of people.
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Empower the people.
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Capacity building
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Develop linkages with other communities and organization
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Enhance the notion of community ownership
Principles that underpin
the practices of community development
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Self-determination - people and communities have the right to make their own choices and decisions.
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Empowerment - people should be able to control and use their own assets and means to influence.
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Collective action - coming together in groups or organisations strengthens peoples’ voices.
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Working and learning together - collaboration and sharing experiences is vital to good community activity.
Goals for Letters to Hope to support Community Development
The goals for Letters to Hope are to promote community health, education, and safety to improve the standard of living for residents of Fresno, California. The vision of Letters to Hope is to open a facility in Fresno, CA, to support any issues that the residents are currentlhy facing such as:
Problems in Fresno, California
1. Homelessness
2. Graffiti
3. Air Pollution
4. Jobs
What we would like to provide in our facility for Fresno residents
1. A free food program
2. A mental health treatment program
3. Builing a temporary place of shelter
4. Servicing self help groups
5. Running support and social action groups
6. Increasing people's skills
7. Resourcing the community to meet needs
8. Improving quality life
9. Working towards social justice
10. Empowering individuals and communities
11. Early Childhood development programs
12. Child day care and preschool programs
