Community Development Professionals 

TAFE NSW – South Western Sydney Institute,

Granville

Guest Lecture

Patrick Baffoun

20 August 2012

INTRODUCTION

Aims of the Guest Lecture

To explore current perspectives and approaches in the community sector in Western Sydney

2

To identify and discuss about existing values and driving principles underpinning Community Development work

To examine proven models and strategies with particular reference to Community Development work with people from refugee backgrounds

To consider lessons learnt from experience and ways to work effectively in the area of Community Development 

INTRODUCTION

Outline of the Presentation

1. Community Development Perspectives and Approaches – Mapping of Refugee Services

3

2. Recovery Framework of Trauma Survivors – STARTTS case study

3. Asset and Strength Based Community Development Models – Practical Applications

Building social connections and assisting people to better manage and access resources

Promoting and preserving our culture and language of origin

Bringing people together

Maintaining links with the

community

Getting people

engaged

Focusing on education as a pathway to social

integration and productive participation

Building our capacity to better serve our

people

Facilitating economic independence to get out of poverty and of long-term reliance on government

subsidies

Providing opportunities for community participation, socialisation, sharing and

learning

Valuing diversity and people’s cultural heritage

Shifting from service

delivery to people’s

empowerment

SESSION 1

Aspirations and Vision towards Community Development across refugee services

Service Providers Refugee Organisations

Build trust and social connections

Encourage advocacy for self and for own community

4

Engaging with hard to reach families who do not access services

Raising awareness and advocating for people

back home

Helping people to better understand trauma

Encouraging young people to volunteer

Service Providers

Refugee Organisations

Sour

ce: T

NA

2011

Connections

Diversity

Trust

InclusionAdvocacy

Engagement

Equal Access

Independence

Empo

wer

men

t EducationCapacity Building

Social Capital

Empowerment

Capacity Development

Resourcing Advocating

Current approaches towards Community Development across refugee services

collective action focus and community

development approach

welfare focus and product orientation

self-help focus and service orientation

case management focus and client centred approach

Supportingself-sufficiency

Encouraging Participation

FacilitatingIntegration

Advocating for self and others

Enabling people to achieve their own

aspirations

Ensuring equal access and opportunities

Providing support for improved livelihood

and a better life

Assisting people to gain economic independence

through employment and entrepreneurship

Facilitating Linkages and Referrals

Filling gaps in service provision

Coaching andMentoring life skills

Preserving language and culture of origin

Bringing people together and promoting

harmony and cohesion

Seeking partnerships

and cooperation Raising awareness

about Australian norms

Facilitating social inclusion

Sample Frameworks

PS: font size congruent with most frequently mentioned responses

Social Capital

Empowerment

Capacity Development

Resourcing Advocating

Developing and supporting Community Groups

Source: TNA 2011

Facilitating community education and consciousness

5

DevelopingLeadership

collective action focus and community

development approach

welfare focus and product orientation

self-help focus and service orientation

case management focus and client centred approach

Sample Frameworks

PS: font size congruent with most frequently mentioned responses

Social Capital

Empowerment

Capacity Development

Resourcing Advocating

Enabling people to achieve their own

aspirations

Facilitating Linkages and Referrals

Seeking partnerships

and cooperation

Promoting social inclusion

DevelopingLeadership

SESSION 1

SESSION 1

Community Development Principles

So, it’s all about building and maintaining relationships ! But, can

relationships be taught ?

No. But it can be learned. How?

By watching others, by listening to

stories, by feeling others’ response to what you say and

do...

And if I make a mistake?

Then you will learn more

quickly?

Strength Based

Community

determined/driven

and owned

Bottom-Up/Organic

Long-term

Process Oriented

Flexible/Responsive

6

Culturally-Sensitive

Value Based

People cannot be developed. They

can only develop themselves

by participating in activities which

affect their well being

(Julius Nyerere, 1968)

SUMMING UP SESSION 1

Perspectives and Approaches of Community Development

Go to the people, learn from them,

start with what they know,

build on what they have… then when

the work is done and the tasks

accomplished, the people will say we

have done this ourselves

(Lao Tsu, 500 BCE)

7

INDIVIDUALFAMILY

REFUGEE COMMUNITY

MAINSTREAM SOCIETY AND INSTITUTIONS

SOCIAL/SUPPORT NETWORK

AWARENESS RAISING, TRAINING, EVENTS/FORUMS, NETWORKING, ADVOCACY, PUBLICATIONS,...To develop understanding and awareness, and as a result improve service effectiveness

COUNSELLING, PHYSIOTHERAPY, REFERRALS, PSYCHIATRIC ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT, ...To restore safety, control and trust, and as a result contribute to overcoming fear and anxiety

FAMILY THERAPY/SUPPORT, WORKSHOPS FOR PARENTS, ...To restore attachment and connections, and as a result contribute to overcoming loss and depression

YOUTH PROGRAM, SPORT & RECREATION CAMPS, STRUCTURE ESTABLISHMENT, CONSULTATION,...To restore sense of self, values and dignity, and as a result contribute to overcoming humiliation, guilt and shame

PEER AND SUPPORT GROUPS (e.g. FICT), CULTURAL ART, COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND PROJECTS,...To restore meaning and purpose and as a result contribute to overcoming shattered assumptions and hopelessness

Deprivation...

Humiliation...

Separation...

Disengagement...

Violence...

STARTTS Systematic Approach towards the Recovery of Trauma Survivors

8 SESSION 2

SESSION 2

Key Concepts for Engaging Effectively with Refugee Communities

9

‘Recovery from trauma is based upon the empowerment of the survivor and the creation of new connections’ (Judith Herman, 1992).

‘Recovery can only take place within the context of relationships; it cannot occur in isolation’ (ibid).

‘Resilience is generally described as a person’s capacity to prevent, minimize or overcome the damaging effects of adversity’ (Grotberg, 1996).

‘It is influenced by protective factors such as a strong sense of self, family connections, social networks and access to existing resources' (ibid).

‘Empowerment is recognised as the process that fosters people’s capacity to take control and implement change in their lives by taking action through their own efforts on issues that affect them’ (Morden and Delamere, 2005).

‘It requires community involvement and skills in decision-making and problem solving’ (ibid).

SESSION 2

Key Concepts for Engaging Effectively with Refugee Communities (cont’)

10

‘Social relations have a huge impact on people's wellbeing’ (Professor Berkman, 2003).

‘People’s inclusion and participation in social groups or community organisations and networks contributes to better individual health and the common good’ (ibid).

SESSION 3

Community Development Models

Social Capital

Empowerment

Capacity

Development

11

SESSION 3

Needs Assessment Versus Asset Based Community Development

12

Needs Assessment

often results with

a map of:

unemployment

crime

deficient infrastructures

Lack of Public Space

under-employment

domestic violence

illiteracy in own

language

school drop outs

limited access to IT

racism

welfare dependency

inadequate housing

disengagement

other problems

But, there is

also a map

of the

community’s:

media

Lib

r

arie

s handhelpin

g

Community Programs

goodwill,

commi

tment

Volunteering

Vacant Land and Buildings Entrepreneurship

talent

know how

Creativity Energy

investment

opportunitiescooperative

other

capabilities and possibilities

of which one’s

can build upon

and encourage

effective community

development alternatives.

Scho

ols

experience skills

Instead of asking

“What’s wrong and

how do we fix it”, ask

“What have we got,

what has worked,

and how do we

get more of it?”

If we focus on

what is wrong or

what is missing,

we tend to see

everything through

that lens (Smeaton, 2009).

SESSION 3

Asset Based Community Development - Sample Mapping

13

Volunteer

Organis

ations Vacant

Land

and

Buil

dings

Librari

es Local Media

Home Based Enterprises

Gifts of

Labelled

People

Community Programs,

Events

Cooper

atives

Individual

CapacityIn

vest

ment

Schools

Personal Savings

Local Businesses and Shops

Worship Places and Religious Organisations

NGOsInfor

mal

Groups

Social Services

Parks

Social Network

s

Sporting

Facilities

Cultural and art venues

Energy and WasteResources Government

AgenciesLocal

Council

Higher Education Institutions

Community Health Centres and Hospitals

Police and

Emergency

Services

Grants C

ap

ital

Imp

rove

men

t

Loa

ns

Welfare

Scholarship, Traineeship

Public

Information

Building Blocks

PrimaryIndividual and Organisational Assets

SecondaryNGOs, Institutionsand Physical Resources

PotentialResources originating outside the community and controlled by outsiders

AA: Community Leader

B

B: TAFEC1C1: Local Council

C2

C2: Library

D

D: Funding Body

E

E: Project PartnerF

F: Target Group

G

G: Alternative Venue

Legend

YOU

Collective Narrative Practices14SESSION 3

Collective Narrative Practices (cont’)15SESSION 3

Community Development Modelsand Strength Based Approaches

16CONCLUSION

Chiku Malunga and Rick James, 2004 Using African Proverbs in Organisational Capacity Building

‘A changed place cannot

transform an individual

but a transformed individual

can change a place?’