Community Development Challenges

Community Development Challenges 1. Introduction The concept of community development, an accepted and much lauded mechanism for interventionist and participative social development grew out of the many strange ironies of empire building. The British, after infiltrating and achieving political domination over the Indian sub continent and vast tracts of Africa, and thereafter ensuring the decimation of local trade, industry, handicrafts and self government initiatives, made its officers busy with action plans and initiatives to develop and empower communities in these nations at the local level. Nobody in the British establishment presumably thought of the need to find out from the benefiting (sic) community whether they wanted either the destruction and bondage, or the succeeding efforts to help in local development and empowerment. Notwithstanding the rather questionable beginnings of the community development effort, the concept has grown over the ages to become an established method for interventionist social development where external agencies, governmental or otherwise, initiate, encourage and help local community development efforts in numerous areas, including social and economic development, fostering a capacity for local co-operation and self-help, with the use of expertise and methods drawn from outside the local community. (Midgeley, 1995) Community development initiatives, while growing and adapting to the needs of local communities in the UK and the USA, and despite being adopted by voluntary organisations like Rotary International for world wide implementation, have also seen large scale failures in meeting its objectives, especially in the African countries. These failures, especially in areas where they were needed most, led to disillusionment, and a feeling that community development practices w ere ill founded, or based upon unworkable concepts, and should possibly be replaced with other modes of development. Nevertheless, community development efforts remain globally strong and attract many young and well-intentioned people, to work towards achievement of economic and social improvement of underprivileged or deprived communities. It becomes extremely important for community development initiators, practitioners, workers and volunteers, to understand the principles and values of community development, in order to understand its potential and limitations, the many constraints and challenges that crop up in the development process, and the likely chances of the success or failure of development initiatives. 2. Commentary Community development has been defined by an official publication of the UK government as â€Å" active participation, and if possible on the initiative of the community, but if this initiative is not forthcoming spontaneously, by the use of techniques for arousing and stimulating it in order to achieve its active and enthusiastic response to the movement. (Smith, 2006) This definition entails an inherent contradiction, namely that while community development works on the principles of local participation, initiative and self-help at the community level, it also calls for sponsorship by external, mostly governmental agencies, who see it as an avenue for implementing governmental policies at the local level. Development initiatives thus also involve a significant amount of social work, and sometimes, even activism, in regions characterised by illiteracy, backwardness, poverty, deprivation, inequality and oppression. Community development initiatives are characterised by the presence of two elements, one local, meaning the existing community, and the other, external, which is represented by governmental agencies, not for profit service organisations like the Rotary, and private foundations and corporations. British American Tobacco (BAT), for instance, sponsors significant community development programmes for tobacco growing communities in Asian and African countries, while Rotary International works on village extension and community development programmes in many nations, in which it has a presence. Non-governmental organisations, however, still need to operate with the help of the local government in many areas, thus making the involvement of the state in community development a fait accompli. The functioning of external agencies in community development involves a number of phases that commences with the localising of a community and ascertainment of its various deficiencies and needs. This initial assessment is followed by the agency entering the community, obtaining familiarity with the neighbourhood, ascertaining needs, objectives and roles, establishing contact with local people, influence makers and power centres, bringing people together, obtaining agreement on specific objectives, forming and building local organisations to improve local issues like health, education, economy and self empowerment, clarifying goals and priorities, catalysing action, helping in keeping the initiatives going, monitoring progress, and taking corrective action. At all stages external agencies need to work in a catalytic fashion, encouraging, helping, and assisting community work, while refraining. from taking on a controlling role. Empowerment, and the building and enhancement of local community capacity in various areas that help in development should be the main objectives, as opposed to achieving results through direct control of the development process. (Henderson and Thomas, 2001) Community development activity can be general or specialised. Generic work takes place in a geographically demarcated area, takes up all the issues that lead to social and economic disadvantage, and works out participative programmes to alleviate or eliminate them. The context can be either urban or rural. While rural development has gained ground in recent years and is attracting more funds, community development is an equally critical requirement in the slums and underbellies of the world’s metropolises, which continue to be haunted by gang overlords, prostitution, substance abuse, and domestic violence, as well as lack of educational facilities and poor housing. Specialised community work deals with specific groups within a region, namely issues like homelessness, unemployment, child prostitution, substance abuse or ethic issues, or with identified issues like transportation, housing, public health or sanitation. (Hickey and Mohan, 2004) A USDA publication states that commu nity development initiatives are best achieved through the creation of business initiatives, sustainable community development, community-based partnerships and building and initiating long-term strategic plans. (Key principles of community empowerment, 2002) This complex situation demands great understanding, perception and ability from community development workers. These committed men and women are expected to handle a myriad functions that include identifying community issues, needs and problems, developing new community based programmes and resources, and evaluating and mentoring existing programmes. They also need to be outgoing, possess excellent communication skills, and be able to empathise with members of the local community, qualities that help in obtaining cooperation and help from government bodies, community organisations, and various sponsors, as well as in raising public awareness on relevant issues. Community development practitioners are also expected to provide leadership, co-ordinate programmes, facilitate and promote community self help, encourage and increase local participation, and challenge inappropriate political and social structures. Administratively, their functions entail formulation, development and finalisa tion of strategies, recruitment, motivation and training paid and voluntary workers, networking extensively to build contacts and raise funds, liaising with interested voluntary groups to build new programmes and services, mediating and negotiating with opposing parties, planning, attending and co-ordinating meetings and events, overseeing, optimising and administering limited budgets, preparing reports, and carrying out other required administrative tasks. (Community development worker, 2007) 3. Conclusion Community development demands enormous integrity, stamina, maturity and compassion from practitioners, workers and volunteers. The inherent difficulties in working in alien locations in non-structured working environments and inherently dynamic and changing conditions pose significant challenges. In addition, the inherent contradictions of being human catalysts for social change in foreign environments, of being change agents, at once part and yet distinct from the community, instil feelings of inadequacy, and sometimes even rejection, in communities where intervention may not be welcomed by significantly substantial members of the community. Community development projects aim to unearth local problems, resource limitations, and unsatisfied needs, and work towards their objectives through local participation and empowerment. Yet community participation often fails, once the operating agency withdraws, and much of the gains of community development are lost in the following years. Most agencies working in community development, e.g. the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and Rotary International, as well as governmental and private agencies feel this to be a major problem. Situations like this, as well as apprehensions of development of such situations, result in implementing agencies having to stay on in particular communities or with specific projects, much after their need has diminished, and their services and skills required elsewhere. (Bhattacharya, 2004) This often happens because of confusion in community development objectives and the undertaking of roles, in excess of actual needs, by development agencies. This factor, when combined with the role assumed by development agencies in mobilising funds, often results in producing feelings of inadequacy and helplessness in the community. It strengthens attitudes that magnify community problems, link the success of programmes with the expertise, infrastructure, and fund mobilising ability of the agencies, and works towards disempowering the members of the community, instead of increasing their capacity to address their problems. This overstretching by development workers establishes and ingrains a sense of reliance of the community on the agency, which consequently tends to negate the essence of the development programme. Development practitioners need to understand the delicacy of their roles and the thin line that they must necessarily tread upon if the community is to become truly emp owered. A greater appreciation of the necessity for producing change agents in the local community, rather than donning the mantle themselves for perpetuity, and the need for engaging local people, so that they can help communities create a common dream of a fair and sustainable future, becomes extremely important for the long-term success of community development programmes. Community development practitioners play extremely important roles in today’s grossly inequitable society, and with their grass root developmental programmes, have been instrumental in improving lives across the globe. A better appreciation of the values and principles of community development will possibly help them in improving the results of their efforts. Bibliography Ben-Meir, J.,2006, March/April, Win the War of Ideas through Community Development. The Humanist, 66, 5+. Bhattacharyya, J., 2004, Theorizing Community Development. Journal of the Community Development Society, 34(2), 5+. Community development worker: job description and activities, 2007, Prospects.ac, Retrieved April 14 from www.prospects.ac.uk/links/CommWorker Denise, P. S. Harris, I. M. (Eds.), 1989, Experiential Education for Community Development. New York: Greenwood Press. Dube, S. C., 1958, Indias Changing Villages: Human Factors in Community Development. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Hamilton, E., 1992, Adult Education for Community Development. New York: Greenwood Press. Henderson, P. and Thomas, D. N., 2001, Skills in Neighbourhood Work 3e, London: Routledge Oliver, G., 2000, August, Gentrification Threatens Community Development Groups. Planning, 66, 29. Key principles of community empowerment, 2002, Rural empowerment programs, Retrieved April 14, 2007 from www.ezec.gov/Communit/rurempowprogguide.pdf Midgley, J., 1995, Social Development, The developmental perspective in social welfare, London: Sage. Popple, K., 1995, Analysing Community Work. Its theory and practice, Buckingham: Open University Press Smith, M, 2006, Community Development, Infed, Retrieved April 14, 2007 from www.infed.org/community/b-comdv.htm

Brian Wilson :: Biographies Music Papers

Brian Wilson I can remember when I was a little girl, my father and I would listen to Beach Boys’ albums together in our living room. My favorite song was Kokomo and I would sing it all the time. I loved the cheerful sounds of the music and the fun loving attitude that The Beach Boys portrayed. As I grew older, I still loved The Beach Boys, and I continued to listen to their music frequently. The more I learned about music the more amazing their music seemed. The tight harmonies and unique instruments made each song unique and made me more and more interested in finding out how they were created. Brian Wilson is the creative genius that wrote and produced much of The Beach Boys’ music. Despite being near deaf in one ear, Wilson managed to not only provide the Beach Boys with countless hit records, but also made a major impact on popular music as a whole. His music influenced most major pop musicians today and his harmonies are used in songs sung by such pop acts as N’Sync and The Backstreet Boys. Even the Beatles admit that they felt threatened by the Beach Boys and without the creative challenge that Brian Wilson posed, both Revolver and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band would have never come into being. Born in Inglewood, California, June 10, 1942, Brian was the first child of Murry, who was an aspiring songwriter, and Audree Wilson, a talented pianist. Brian’s life was always full of music. Brian Wilson said in his biography Wouldn’t It Be Nice, â€Å"As far as I can remember, I have always heard music, faint strains of melody floating in my head...I was able to tune into a mysterious, god-given music. It was my gift.† However, Brian did not have a happy childhood. His father both physically and emotionally abused Brian, Brian’s mother, and later, Brian’s two younger brothers, Dennis and Carl. His mother turned to alcoholism to escape from the abuse. Also, because she was afraid of Murry, Audree rarely showed her boys physical affection.

Bentton Group

From the book: Managerial Accounting for Managers by Noreen, Brewer, and Garrison Research and Application 5-34 The questions in this exercise are based on the Benetton Group, a company headquartered in Italy and known in the United States primarily for one of its brands of fashion apparel-United Colors of Benetton. To answer the questions, you will need to download the Benetton Group’s 2004 Annual Report at www. benetton. com/investors . You do not need to print this document to answer the questions. Required: 1. How do the formats of the income statements shown on pages 33 and 50 of Benetton’s annual report differ from one another (disregard everything beneath the line titled â€Å"income from operations†)? Which expenses shown on page 50 appear to have been reclassified as variable selling costs on page 33? 2. Why do you thing cost of sales is included in the computation of contribution margin on page 33? 3. Perform two separate computations of Benetton’s break-even point in euros. For the first computation, use data from 2003. For the second computation, use data from 2004. Why do the numbers that you computed differ from one another? 4. What sales volume would have been necessary in 2004 for Benetton to attain a target income from operations of â‚ ¬300 million? 5. Compute Benetton’s margin of safety using data from 2003 and 2004. Why do your answers for the two years differ from one another? 6. What is Benetton’s degree of operating leverage in 2004? If Benetton’s sales in 2004 had been 6% higher than what is shown in the annual report, what income from operations would the company have earned? What percentage increase in income from operations does this represent? 7. What income from operations would Benetton have earned in 2004 if it had invested an additional â‚ ¬10 million in advertising and promotions and realized a 3% increase in sales? As an alternative, what income from operations would Benetton have earned if it not only invested an additional â‚ ¬10 million in advertising and promotions but also raised its sales commission rate to 6% of sales, thereby generating a 5% increase in sales? Which of these two scenarios would have been preferable for Benetton? . Assume that total sales in 2004 remained unchanged at â‚ ¬1,686 million (as shown on pages 33 and 50); however, the Casual sector sales were â‚ ¬1,554 million, the Sportswear and Equipment sector sales were â‚ ¬45million, and the Manufacturing and Other sector sales were â‚ ¬87 million. What income from operations would Benetton have earned with this sales mix? (Hint: look at pages 36 and 37 of the annual report. ) Why is the income from operations under this scenario different from what is shown in the annual report?

Texas AM Galveston Admissions Information

Texas AM Galveston Admissions Information Texas AM University at Galveston is a branch campus of Texas AM University focused on marine and maritime studies. It is a selective school, admitting 55 percent of applicants. The 135-acre suburban campuss main location is on Pelican Island, along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. The university is nearby several of Galveston’s popular beaches and is 50 miles northeast of Houston. It is also home to the Texas Maritime Academy, one of six American maritime academies that prepare future officers of the American Merchant Marines, Academically, Texas AM Galveston has a 15 to 1 student faculty ratio and offers ten undergraduate and three graduate degree programs within the field of marine and maritime studies. Marine biology and marine transportation are two of the most popular areas of study. Students are actively involved on campus, with 27 clubs and organizations and 13 professional organizations for students. The university has several men’s and women’s intramural sports teams and competes in varsity sailing and crew. Admissions Data (2015) Texas AM Galveston Acceptance Rate: 55 percentTest Scores: 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 500 / 590SAT Math: 520 / 610What these SAT numbers meanACT Composite: 22 / 26ACT English: 21 / 25ACT Math: 22 / 27What these ACT numbers mean Enrollment (2016) Total Enrollment: 1,942 undergraduatesGender Breakdown: 61 percent male / 39 percent female92 percent full-time Costs (2016-17) Tuition and Fees: $10,868 (in-state); $25,618 (out-of-state)Books: $1,054 (why so much?)Room and Board: $13,168Other Expenses: $2,596Total Cost (includes travel expenses): $30,696 (in-state); $46,336 (out-of-state) Texas AM University at Galveston Financial Aid More current data not available, but these figures are from 2011-12. Percentage of New Students Receiving Aid: 61 percentPercentage of New Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 39 percentLoans: 42 percentAverage Amount of AidGrants: $6,096Loans: $6,434 Transfer, Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 45 percentTransfer Out Rate: 57 percent4-Year Graduation Rate: 19 percent6-Year Graduation Rate: 30 percent Texas AM University at Galveston Mission Statement: mission statement from tamug.edu/about/ Texas AM University at Galveston is a special-purpose institution of higher education for undergraduate and graduate instruction in marine and maritime studies in science, engineering and business and for research and public service related to the general field of marine resources. The institution is under the management and control of the Board of Regents of The Texas AM University System, with degrees offered under the name and authority of Texas AM University at College Station. Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics

Catholic Art verse Protestant Art essays

Catholic Art verse Protestant Art essays In this essay I am going to show the differences and similarities between Catholic and Protestant art works. I am first going to give a brief background into the history of the time. I am going to explain how the Protestant movement started and how it effected the art works of the relevant countries. I am going to show that the conflict between the two religions created war and social unrest between countries. I am then going to show the differences and similarities between the two. I will then use examples of art works from Vermeer, Rembrandt, Caravaggio and Rubens to show the differences and similarities. At the beginning of the 16th Century, there was a group of people who broke away from the Catholic Church. They were led by Martin Luther, and the group which broke away was called the Protestants. The Protestant group challenged the workings of the Catholic Church - they believed that if a person wanted to speak to God, they did not have to go and speak to a priest, to have what they wanted said to God. The Protestants believed that the Catholic Church had been taking an unfair advantage of the people. The Catholic Church at this point in time was losing members to the Protestant movement. They were not pleased with this. They tried in all their power to get people back to the church. One of the main ways that they tried to get people back was through the art. They had work that was bold and striking, it caught the imagination of the viewer. It awed them, tried to get them to belong to the Catholic Church. During this time in history, the Kings and Queens of countries where very religious. They were either Catholic or Protestant in faith. In these specific countries the art work of the chosen faith was supported and even promoted. Hence, the Catholic faith was based around the countries of Spain and Italy. The Protestant faith was based around the Netherlands and Germany. Due to...

Emotional Intelligence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Emotional Intelligence - Term Paper Example d how a nurse leader or manager could apply both emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry strategies to address this issue and facilitate positive results that lead to improved quality. Appreciative inquiry is defined by Nel and Pretorius (2012) as "The study of what gives life to human systems when they function at their best" (p. 41). Nel and Pretorius (2012) further asserts that appreciative inquiry functions under the postulation that human beings posses exceptional and distinctive talents, abilities, and involvements. Therefore, there exist intact and unexploited strengths that have to be connected or intertwined in order to achieve change. In other words, appreciative inquiry involve investigations to identify the strengths of an entity by means of well calculated queries with an intention of achieving change. Emotional intelligence, as explicated by Sadri (2012), involves "perceiving emotions, to access and generate emotions so as to assist thought" (p. 536). It also involves controlling or managing feelings in order to support and encourage poignant and logical development (Sadri, 2012). Conflicts are inevitable in health care organizations. Health care organizations comprise of individuals from diverse backgrounds with divergent opinions regarding specific issues. Therefore, diversity contributes to these conflicts. Emotional intelligence and appreciative inquiry can be used to prevent conflicts in health care organizations. During conflicts, nurses and other medical practitioners are likely to demonstrate emotions or sentiments. In other words, their responses in times of conflicts are based on their emotions. By using emotional intelligence, i can be able to comprehend nurses emotions and thus use the understanding to make decisions relating to conflict resolution. This is in view to the fact that people have divergent viewpoints and hence their emotions ought to be considered in conflict resolutions. This will result to a healthy dialogue that

Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 11

Business - Essay Example As the Sjostrand and Tyrstrup (2001) reaffirm ‘leadership is all about managing creativity’. Thus, any new business needs to be conceptualized in terms of the changing paradigms of business environment. It is also important to identify factors and issues that would help meet the challenges with efficiency and unmatched proficiency. Hence, vision and mission of the business become intrinsic part of conceptualization of a business. Friendly Coffee Bar (FCB) would enter into this field with the express vision of being a one point service provider for quality coffee, prepared to satisfy the tastes of their customers ensuring adequate consideration to the environmental imperatives and social responsibilities. The mission statements of the Friendly Coffee Bar are designed to meet the needs and requirements of the customers through well planned strategy which would help fulfil the long term vision of the organization. Become the best service provider in the field of fresh coffee and deliver services in the hi-tech ambience providing relaxing environment with background music, television with headset, books and journal so that people can de-stress in comfort in short time. FCB would be a trendy, state of the art coffee shop that would provide quality and fresh coffee to its target customers. The outlet would also educate people about the qualities of the coffee from different laces and fine techniques of roasting coffee beans to generate the distinct aroma, thus establishing personal relationship with the customers. Special consideration would be paid to the needs and requirements of the customers. The formation of the shop would be a proprietorship enterprise under the service industry, specializing in soft drinks and beverages. Compliance under the state laws and local development agency would be followed, ensuring quality service at competitive prices. The fast changing socio economic