Community Learning Development Resource 301 – 07
FINDING OUT ABOUT A COMMUNITY
SUMMARY
Activities that can be used with a group of new community development workers – based on practical workshop sessions.
1. Small group activity – exploring ideas about the nature of the culture and life in a community:
- Finding out what is going on in the community?
- Finding out about the existing community spirit and energy?
- What is already organised and who’s who – what community groups already exist?
- Local politics – who’s who?
- What’s the local history?
- What existing bridges are there – into the community?
- Who is already working on the patch and what are they doing – existing workers?
- Mapping & profiling – finding out through talking with locals
- What facilities and services are there?
- What is nature of the population?
- Who are the useful contacts in the community?
- What data can be obtained about the community?
2. If these are our starting points, how should we go about finding out?
- Participants contribute ideas to a collection of ways of finding out.
3. Input
Henderson’s six aspects of community to explore, could provide a framework auditing and profiling (Table).
4. Group activity – what do we want to find out about each and are there other aspects that we need to add into the framework?
Henderson’s points |
How does this aspect interest us – what do we want to find out about each? |
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Environment
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Demography
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Power
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Communication
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History
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Resources
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Other?
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5. Group activity – reviewing our ideas on finding out about a community – what are our significant areas of enquiry and findings?
6. What do we hope to develop on the back of our exploration of the community? (Inputs from participants)
- To create an environment for learning
- Multi agency working to develop tailored learning opportunities for a diverse community using a flexible, appropriate approach
- To work with the community
- To explore and develop inclusive learning opportunities which are relevant, realistic and sustainable and therefore valued both by individuals and organisations
- To enable and encourage new adult learners to take up learning opportunities
7. SUMMARY QUESTION
Will our ideas for finding out help us develop our practice in relation to the purpose, targets and priorities?