Social work for Social Workers: ROLE OF COMMUNITY ORGANISER IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS

ROLE OF COMMUNITY ORGANISER IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS

Contents

1.0 Aims and Objectives

.1 Introduction

.2 Settings of Community Organization

.3 Steps of Community Organization

.4 Characteristics of A Community Organizer

.5 Roles of Community Organizer

.6 Let us Sum Up

.7 Key Words

.8 Model Answers

.9 Further Readings

1.0 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this lesson is to make you understand the various roles of a community organizer. This will highlight the diverse roles which could be applied in different settings.

After studying this unit you will be able to:

Describe the characteristics of a community organizer

Explain the different roles of a community organizer

Apply the different roles of a community organizer in different settings and

Describe the steps in executing the different roles of a community organizer.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Community organization can be practiced in different communities or settings. The community can be classified as rural, urban and tribal on the basis of geographical location. The other classification of the community can be based on the caste, religion, occupation etc. These communities are under different settings where community organization can be put into practice.

Community organization is applied when the community takes initiative in solving the problems and meetings the needs. In such a situation the community plays different roles in dealing with the various needs and problems. Usually within the community either the interested people or the people who are affected by an issue take up the lead in addressing the problem. In other words they form the community and undertake different roles in solving the problems and needs get fulfilled. But such a process does not take place so easily and hence someone has to take the lead.

When the initiative is not forthcoming on the part of the community an external agent or an outsider or a community organizer steps in and works with the community. The community organizer depending on the setting, situation and the problems applies appropriate roles. The roles are likely to vary according to the settings, problems and needs.

Community organization can be used by the community organizer in different areas or settings like, rural, urban, tribal, institutional, non institutional settings. What ever may be the settings depending up on the model of community organization like locality development, social planning and social action the community organizer has to apply different roles respectively. Therefore a community organizer has to be familiar with all the roles of community organization.

1.2 SETTINGS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

There are different areas where community organization has scope. The community organizer can practice community organization in such settings. The settings can be identified based on certain characteristics like location and the nature of administration.

Geographical Location Rural, Urban, Tribal

Sector Institutional, Non – institutional

Organized, un – organized

Model Locality development

Social planning

Social action

The target group with whom the community organizer is going to work with has to be identified and understood. The needs and problems of the community in different settings need not be the same and moreover the characteristics of the people in different settings are likely to vary and hence accordingly the methods and techniques of community organization and the roles of community organizer have to be used.

The organizer can use different methods to identify, assess the need, analyse and understand the situation. There are two levels of understanding the first level understanding of the community by the organizer and the second level is making the community to understand their own situation. Different methods and techniques can be used to understand and make the community to understand. Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and Appreciative Inquiry can be more useful in this regard. Since these are not the scope of this unit it is not discussed here.

What ever may be the settings there is a community or a group of people with needs and problems. In other words there is discontentment which has to be focused and chanalised in such a way that the people come together, think together, plan together, implement and evaluate their actions. In all the stages the community is fully involved and their capacity is increased in terms of access and control over resources and decision making. Therefore in community organization the community organizer has to play different roles in making the people to be on their own without any dependency syndrome.

Though the types of settings have limited classification it can be said that where ever there are people or the like minded people or the affected people come together and can form a community in acquiring their due share from the society.

In different settings depending on the needs and problems and the situation of the community the roles and strategies have to be changed. Moreover all the roles need not be applied in all the settings. In order to adopt different roles the community organizer has to be very clear about the process or the steps involved in the practice of community organization methods and skills and accordingly the roles can be selected and applied.

Rural area is differentiated with urban based on the population size, density of population and occupation of the people. In any area the population is more than 5000, the density is more than 300 per square kilometer and more than 75 per cent of the people are engaged in agricultural activities such areas are called rural area. Along with these characteristics if the geographical location in general is in the hills it is called the tribal area. In the case of urban the population is more than 5000, density is more than 300 per square kilometer and more than 75 per cent are involved in non agricultural activities.

Among the people inter personal relationship and receptiveness is high and positive in rural and tribal areas where as in urban area the primary relationship within the community is rather low. Organizing rural and tribal people is less difficult compared to urban people.

In the institutional and non institutional settings the people are organized and not organized respectively. In an institution due to the organizational structure there is possibility to bring the people together for any common purposed whereas in the case of non institutional there is not a structured pattern and hence it may be difficult to bring them together.

The three models of community organization expect different sets of roles. In locality development model the people come together to discuss and decide about the improvement of an area, or locality, emphasizing the broader participation at the local level in goal determination and action.

In the social planning model the people come together and gather pertinent facts about the problems, then decide on a rational and feasible course of action. It is a technical process of solving social problems. Arranging and delivering goods and services to people whom need them. External help is more. Interested group members participate. Broader participation is less.

Social action model brings the people to destroy the oppressors. Basic changes in major situations are brought about by organizing the segment of the population so that they make demands on the larger community for increased resources or treatment more in accordance with social justice and democracy and redistribution of power, resources and decision-making.

The community organizer has to see, observe and understand all the settings and the models before responding or making the people to respond to the situation.

1.3 STEPS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

Community organization has a series of steps. By following these steps one would be able to apply the different principles, methods and models of community organization. The steps of community organization are discussed in the following pages.

People / Community

1. Are they in a difficult situation?

Yes No get out and go to other Locality

2. Did they express it?

Yes No make the people to realize it

3. Did they analyse the problem for its magnitude, symptoms and causes?

Yes No enable them to analyse it

4. What is their level of consciousness – magic, naïve and critical?

Critical level Magic or Naïve Level increase the level of consciousness

The above first four stages or steps are the basic steps to make the community to attain the required capacity to identify, analyse and under stand the needs and problems of the community. This could be otherwise called as assessment of needs and problems of the community. Community organizer has to know about the needs and problems at the same time he has to enable the people to make an assessment of the needs and problems. In order to do this process the community has to come forward to realize and express for further action or response individually or collectively. In this process the people get empowered by way of acquiring the skills of analysis and raising the levels of consciousness.

List the problems – all the identified needs and problems of the community are listed by the community with the help of the community organizer. This is a process which makes the people to understand their own situation. Realization of the needs and problems will bring awareness about their own situation. The involvement of the community in identifying the various needs and problems will increase the participation of the people. The problems in different settings are likely to differ and hence accordingly the identified problems are listed.

Give priorities – all the needs and problems cannot be considered together for further action. Therefore all the needs and problems are analysed for its severity, magnitude, symptoms and causes based on which they are ordered and priority is given to all the needs and problems. The community after having identified the needs and problems analysis them and give priority by which they have to be taken up for further actions.

Select a problem – from the priority list most urgent problem which needs to be taken up immediately is selected. All the problems cannot be approached simultaneously there fore there is need for selecting any one problem and initiate further action. Based on the order of priority the first in the list is taken up for working out solutions.

Redefine the problem – the selected problem is redefined for better understanding by the community. For better planning the problem has to be analysed and defined before taking any further step in addressing the problem. Many times one may look at a phenomenon as a problem by its appearance or at the peripheral level instead it has to be further analysed is it a real problem. Does it affect the normal functioning of the community? How many people are being affected? How are they affected? If nothing is does towards this how it will disturb the community? These are all some of the questions by which we can easily analyse and understand to redefine the problem.

Formulate achievable objective – the redefined problem is converted into achievable objectives which will be considered for further action. At times the objectives have to be split into many parts so that they could be converted in to programmes and activities towards fulfilling the needs and problem. Let us assume that illiteracy is a problem in a community. It is further analysed that majority of the people of the locality have not gone to school at their childhood days. One of the reasons for that was that there was no school in their locality. At present a school has been constructed and teachers are appointed. Now non availability of the school is not the reason for illiteracy. It is further analysed and found that the children are not sent to the school. Though there were many children at the school going age the parents do not send them to the school because the teachers are not regular on one hand and on the other when the teachers are present they do not teach the children. In this situation the general problem externally appears to be illiteracy but its root cause is the defective function of the school.

Work out the alternatives – based on the objectives the different ways and means are found out by the community through brain storming. One should not be content with a problem with one solution because it will limit the practice of community organization. In order to solve the selected problem the community has to generate maximum number of alternatives to address the problem. Let us take the problem of illiteracy as stated in the previous stage. How do we solve the problem? The problem is directly related to the defective functioning of the school. What are the different ways to solve this? The concerned teachers can be met and advised. The defective functioning can be brought to the notice of the higher authorities. The higher authorities can be met by the representatives with a written representation. Motivate more children to join the school.With draw all the children from the school. Close the school. Organize a protest march. Organize a hunger strike. There could be many such alternatives could be generated in tacking any problem.

Select an appropriate alternative – among the proposed alternatives one of the best alternatives is selected for tackling the selected problem.To solve a problem there could be many ways but there may be one best and suitable way or method by which the problem could be easily solved.Such options should be selected. While selecting an alternative one has to start with softer approach and in a sequence. If the lower level approach fails apply the next one and even that one fails then select the next one and nothing works out finally we may resort to social action methods and may be at times we may have to resort to strong measures.

Work out a plan of action – in order to materialize the selected alternative an action plan is proposed in which the responsibilities are assigned and tentative organization is structured. The time frame, resources needed and personnel involved are decided at this stage. Supposing to solve the illiteracy problem of a community it is decided to meet the authorities to present a petition. This has to be discussed at length to decide about the date, time, who, how many, where etc. At the time of meeting the authorities who is to speak? What to speak? How to speak? All these things have to be decided and role played so that it is done in a perfect manner and brings the desired results.

Mobilization of resources – to implement the plan of action the required resources is assessed, identified and mobilized. The resources may be in terms of time, money, man power and material. An estimate is made and the sources are identified for mobilizing the resources. Many times man power resources alone may help to arrive at a solution. Therefore the community has to have a thorough understanding by which people by themselves may come forward to include themselves for further action. Apart from this any other resources have to be mobilized internally and if it is not possible then we have to think about it from external sources.

Implement the plan of action – after having made a plan of action along with the resources the plan is implemented. The implementation takes care of the time and resources towards fulfilling the fixed goals. While implementing the plan of action the involvement of the people and their active participation by accepting the responsibilities has to be ensured. The people have to be prepared and guided to become a partner in the problem solving approach.

Evaluate the action – the implemented plan is evaluated to find out the success and deviancy of the action from the objectives. Any deviancy or any undesired results are identified and the reasons for the deviancy are discussed. The positive and desired results are to be appreciated. The evaluation can be made as one of the components of working with the community. It could be organized either at periodical level or at the end of the activity either within the organization by the organization personnel or by an outsider or by an expert. The task is not complete unless the evaluation is completed.

Modification – based on the evaluation the modification needed is decided and introduced. In order to bring a permanent solution to the selected problem it is being addressed with the modifications. These modifications are proposed in order to settle the problem permanently.

Continuation – the modified action plan is implemented and continued.

Select the next problem – once the selected need is fulfilled the next problem is selected from the priority list.

Check Your Progress III

1. Describe the steps involved in community organization.

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1.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER

1.4.1 Characteristics of a Good Organizer

Curiosity – the function of an organizer is to raise questions that agitate, that break through the accepted pattern. He goes forth with the questions and suspects that there are no answers but only further questions.
Irreverence – Curiosity and irreverence go together. He is challenging, insulting, agitating, discrediting. He stirs unrest. In other words creating the discontentment among the people by high lighting the situation or making the people to understand the situation.
Imagination – To the organizer, imagination is not only a mental creation but something deeper. It ignites and feeds the force that drives him to organize for change. To realistically appraise and anticipate the probable reactions of the resisting forces, he must be able to identify with them too, in his imagination and foresee their reactions to his action.
A Sense of Humour – Humour is essential to successful tactician, for the most potent weapons known to mankind are satire and ridicule. It enables him to maintain his perspective and see himself for what he really is.
An organized personality – He should be able to accept and work with irrationalities for the purpose of change. He should recognize that each person or community has a hierarchy of values. He must become sensitive to every thing that is happening around him. He is always learning and every incident teaches him something. He must also accept without fear or worry that the odds are always against him and be prepared for that.
Free and Open Mind – He must have a flexible personality, not a rigid structure that breaks down when something unexpected happens. The organizer while working with the community does not have any hidden agenda or pre conceived ideas.
Discerning and Critical Eye – the organizer should be able to look at the situation and differentiate it critically. Any situation has to be viewed through the eyes of the people carefully and find out its magnitude, symptoms and causes.
Receptive Ear – the organizer has to be a good and an attentive listener, listening to the people and to their problem. The organizer while working with the community has to be person having patient listening and does not be person commanding over the people.

The difference between a leader and an organizer is – the leader goes on to build power to fulfill his desires to hold and wield the power for purposes both social and personal. He wants power to himself. The organizer finds his goal in creation of power for others to use.

1.4.2 Skills of an Effective Community Organizer

Problem Analysis – One of the major tasks of the community organizer is to assist the people in arriving at a solution to the problem. The organizer is capable of identifying the problem and making the people to identify, analyse, give priorities, select an appropriate priority, mobilize resources, make a plan of action, implement, monitor, evaluate, modify and continue.

Resource Mobilization – Any problem of the community while working out the solution requires resources. The resources may be in terms man power, money material and time. On one hand the organizer is aware of the availability of the resources within the community or outside the community and on the other makes the people to identify the sources of resources and the way to tap such resources.

Conflict Resolution – Problems of the community involves the affected people by the problem and the others who are the causes for the problem. Therefore there could be a conflict between these two groups or between the people and the system. The organizer is equipped with the skill of identifying the conflicting situation and making the people to understand the conflict the work out the ways and means to find solutions to the conflict.

Organizing Meeting – Communication within the community and between the community and the organizer is inevitable. There needs to be transparency in the dealings for which formal and informal meetings have to be organized and information have to be shared. The sharing of information enables sharing of responsibility and decision making.

Writing Reports – documentation of the events for future reference and follow up is absolutely essential. Any communication or any written representation and the report of the dealings have to be recorded. This task is either done by the community organizer or delegate the task to some one else for this purpose.

Networking – in a community while working with the people the participation of the people strengthens or increases the power of the people. At times support from like minded people or organization has to elicit so that a pressure is built against the oppressive force and to create pressure and increase the bargaining power for which networking with other people and organization is done by the community organizer.

Training – capacity building of the people and the personnel of an organization is important while working with the community. In the process of capacity building the community organizer has to be a good trainer. The community organizer has to use his training ability and skills in this regard.

Check Your Progress II

1. Describe skills of a Community Organizer

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1.5 ROLES COMMUNIYT ORGANIZER

Community organizer having the required characteristics and skills and the knowledge about the process and steps of community organization will be able to apply the same in different settings by appropriate roles. The different roles of a community organizer are discussed here. These roles are neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive.

1. Communicator – the community organizer transfers or transmits information, thought, knowledge etc. to the members of the community.Sharing of information enables the community to be better prepared and empowered with information. The communication between the organizer and the community and within the community is essential. The people have to be prepared and known about the various effects of consequences of the community organization process. The communication takes place by individual contact, group meetings, group discussions, public meetings etc.

At times the community organizer takes an upper hand and considers that the people are illiterate and ignorant and hence the dealings with the people become a master slave relationship. In order to avoid any such undesired relationship the community organizer has transparency and communicates with the people. The communication enables better interaction which leads to a healthy relationship and cooperation for further action and response.

The community organizer in order to disseminate the information to the people can use different techniques like skit, role plays, street plays and audio and vides shows. The organizer can train the people in all these communicative techniques. This will be more effective if he is able to organize the small children and train them in this regard. The children are an effective communicative channel and a fast reaching channel.

The local groups like women’s group, youth groups are other channels for communication. By giving the responsibility to such groups to communicate to all other members in the community will also be helpful in reaching out the whole community. There should not be any secrecy or suppression of information which would only create undesired results.

2. Enabler – the community organizer facilitates the process in the community for a change. He does not carry out any work by himself but he enables the community to do the work. The organizer gives importance to the process than the product. Therefore the people learn the process rather than worried about the results and consequences of the process. By the role of enabler the organizer would create independency among the people by which avoid the dependency syndrome.

The community organizer is present with the people and encourages and gives different directions so that the people are able to decide what they would like to do and how they would like to do. The community organizer only initiates the process and people have to follow and at the time of difficulties they refer back to the community organizer. There fore the role of the community organizer is to make the people to understand the process and to stand on their own.

3. Animator – in any process of community organization the organizer encourages, provides direction and guide lines to proceed in carrying out the different activities. The people because of their culture always depend on others and do not want to decide anything on their own. In such situation the organizer as an animator makes the people to come forward and take active participation. Any further corrections or modifications in the works of the community are being done by the animator. The animator plays a vital role in eliciting the active participation of the people from planning till evaluation especially ensuring life in all the dealings of the issues and problems.

The people in general do not want to take any risk and at tines they do not even want to do anything for common good. One of the reasons could be that the people have the attitude of culture of poverty or culture of silence. This could be changed by the community organizer by pricking or tickling the conscience of the people through raising questions. This would further enable them increase their level of consciousness.

4. Guide – the community organizer instead of doing anything on his own guides the members of the community in the process of community organization. The community organizer is not a person to shoulder the responsibility or solving problems of the people. Instead he has to make the people to respond for which the organizer provides the various avenues and shows different roots while dealing with the community problems. As a guide the organizer provides the needed information. He has to be a person with lots of information and ideas. For example in a community there are many educated unemployed youth and their presence in the community is considered to be more of nuisance than as a human resource. In such a situation the community organizer should be able to provide information about the various employment opportunities, and different ways to become self employed, the terms and conditions for availing credit from the credit institutions etc. have to be told to the youth. Once the community organizer is able to provide information which is useful to the people the youth from the neighbouring youth may also approach in getting some guidance from the community organizer. This would surely fetch credit to the community organizer as well as gains the good will of the people.

5. Counselor – the community organizer understands the community and enables the community to understand itself. At the time of difficulty the individuals or the groups are given the required counseling to proceed in the correct direction. One of the very basic dimensions of counseling is to be a patient listener. Usually every one likes others to listen to them and hesitate to listen to others. Moreover as a counselor he has to step into the shoes of others, understand and respond. People when they are in need there should be some one to listen to them. When people approach there should be some one to attend to. In all such situations the community organizer can easily step in as a counselor in helping the people.

6. Collaborator – the community organizer joins hands in performing his task with his colleagues with other like minded people and organizations.The organizer has to have interpersonal relationship and public relation skills. Nowadays organizations approach a problem not with their personal capacity they also depend on the neighbouring organization. Similarly other organizations may also look for the cooperation and collaboration of different organization. There are also organization working towards a similar problem where in a collaborative effort will strengthen both the organization. Therefore the role of collaborator is very much needed for net working of similar and like minded organizations and efforts for a common cause.

7. Consultant – the community organizer enjoys the confidence of the people and advises them in matters of vital interest. The community organizer becomes a person with lots of knowledge and information which is being shared with the people. As a consultant the community organizer makes himself available to the people who are in need because the community organizer has lots of information and expertise which could be availed by those who are in need of it. The community organizer instead of working in the filed in one area will be able to contribute his expertise with many individuals and groups by performing the role of a consultant.

8. Innovator – the community organizer innovates, performs, and improves the techniques, content in the process of community organization.This gives a lead to the people of the community and enables them to try out new ways and means to find solutions to the needs and problems. The community organization should not be merely for solving problem alone. On the other hand it has to be in the areas of capacity building of the individuals and community where the organizer can be an innovator by introducing new things to improve the capacity of the people. Community organizer is not a person to maintain the system that exists but he should be a person to introduced new ways and means to climb up the development ladder.

9. Model – the community organizer commands perfection as a community organizer and serves as a source of inspiration. The role of the organizer is to become an example while working with the people. This should further become as a model which could be applied in other areas with similar problems. By proper planning in approaching a problem and execution of the plan and documenting the whole process will be of greater help to others. The problem solving process becomes a model to others.

10. Motivator – the community organizer stimulates and sustains active interest among the people for reaching a solution to the needs and problems. The community organizer encourages the community to take up a minor task and complete it successfully which would enable the people to take up difficult task. In such a process the people at times may not take up any initiative or content to live with the existing situation. Therefore the organizer motivates the people by making them to observe, analyse, understand and respond to the situation. When people are discouraged because they were not able to achieve what they wanted or there is resistance and opposition in such situations the organizer plays the role of a motivator.

11. Catalyst – in the process of community organization the community organizer retains his identity at the same time enables the people to be empowered. The people gain accessibility and control over resources and acquire skills in decision making. The community organizer accelerates the actions and reactions so that people are able to achieve the desired results. As a catalyst the organizer is able to increase the response level of the people. The catalyst role further enables the people to become independent and become expert in responding to their own needs.

12. Advocate – the role of the advocate is to be a representative or persuade the members of the community and prepare them to be a representative as well as represent the issues to the concerned body to bring a solution to the unmet needs. The advocacy role is an important role to the present context. The needs and problems of the people have to be represented and the required support and networking is essential to increase the pressure on the oppressive forces. In the role of advocate the community organizer champions the rights of others. The community organizer speaks on behalf of the community when community is unable to do so, or when community speaks and no one listens. The advocate represents the interests of the community to gain access or services or improve the quality of services which may be hampered by other forces. An advocate argues, debates, bargains, negotiates, and confronts the environment on behalf of the community.

13. Facilitator – the community organizer helps the community to articulate their needs, clarify and identify their problems, explore resolution strategies, select and apply intervention strategies, and develop their capacities to deal with their own problems more effectively. A facilitator provides support, encouragement, and suggestions to the community so that they may proceed more easily and successfully in completing tasks or problem solving. A facilitator assists the community to find coping strategies, strengths and resources to produce changes necessary for accomplishing goals and objectives. A facilitator helps client systems alter their environment.

14. Mediator – the community organizer intervenes in disputes between parties to help them find compromises, reconcile differences, or reach mutually satisfying agreements. The mediator takes a neutral stance between the involved parties. A mediator is involved in resolving disputes between members of the between the community and other persons or the broader environment.

15. Educator – the community organizer as educator conveys information to the community and the broader environment. Organizer provides information necessary for coping with problem situations, assists the community in practicing new behaviors or skills, and teaches through modeling. The community organizer provides information necessary for decision making.

Community organization is a macro method in social work. The community organizer with the required qualities and skills will be able to work with the people. While working with the people of different background or from different geographical set up the different roles can be applied. All the roles need not be or cannot be applied in all the settings to all the problems. Moreover there is no one role which is superior or inferior and while dealing with any problem the organizer has to use more than one role. Therefore depending upon the situation and the needs and problems of the community appropriate role has to be applied.

Check Your Progress IV

Describe the different roles of a Community Organizer

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1.6 LET US SUM UP

This unit has described the settings in which community organization can be applied, skills and characteristics of a community organizer. The community organization process involves the role of the community where the community takes the initiative in identifying, analyzing, selecting the different needs and problems of the community. The community also identifies the needed resources and works out the plan of action, implements, evaluates and continues with the next priority of needs. In the process of community organization the organizer plays different roles like communicator, counseller, consultant, motivator, innovator, guide, advocate etc. in different settings depending on the situation and needs and problems.

1.7 KEY WORDS

Levels of Consciousness – it is the understanding of the people about the socio economic status of the people. There are three levels of consciousness namely magic, naïve and critical level.

Magic level of Consciousness – it is the basic belief in fatalism and justify the status of the person as due to the fate or God’s creation.

Naïve level of Consciousness – people believe that it is due to lack of facilities because of which they are being exploited.

Critical level of Consciousness – the people understand that due to dependency, inequality and exploitation their status remain as poor.

Empowerment – it is the access and control over self, ideology, resources and decision making.

1.8 MODEL ANSWERS

Check Your Progress I

Describe skills of a Community Organizer

To work with the community the organizer has to be equipped with lots of skills to deal with the problem on one hand to work with the members of the community. The skill revolves around bridging the gap between the needs and resources. There fore the community organizer has to equip with the skills of problem solving, resource mobilizing, planning and implementation and evaluation. At the each level the orgazniser has to elicit the participation and cooperation of the people.

Check Your Progress II

1. Describe the steps involved in community organization.

Community organization basically involves in preparing the people to identify their own problem, analyse the problem for its magnitude, symptoms and causes. From the problems identified one of the problems is selected based on its severity and urgency. The different ways and means are generated and most appropriate alternative is selected. The needed resources are identified and mobilized. An action is planned to achieve the objectives. This plan is implemented, monitored and evaluated. Based on the evaluation modifications are made if necessary for further action and continued. If the desired plan has been completed the next problem from the priority list is selected for action.

Check Your Progress III

1. Describe the different roles of a Community Organizer

The community organizer has many roles and functions depending upon situation, community and the needs and problems. The roles are as communicator conveys the information, as an enabler, motivator increases the capacity of the community to work towards achieving the goals. The community organizer also acts as a catalyst, consultant and counselor where in he is a source of information and encourages the people to respond to the situation. The community organizer as an innovator suggests new ways and different ways towards the well being of the community. Advocacy is another role where either the organizer represents the community or encourages the community to represent the community whenever needed. The organizer acts neither as a guide nor as a person to dictate or command or demand the members of the community. The organizer has to be a friend, philosopher and guide so that the community is guided and provided with the needed information and enables them to unite their strength and understand their own problem and work out the alternatives in finding solution to the needs and problems.

1.9 FURTHER READINGS

Cox, F.M., et.al. 1987 (Fourth Editions)

Strategies of Community Organization.

Illinois : Peacock Publishers.

Gangrade, K.D. 1971.

Community Organization in India.

Bombay : Prakashan.

Kramer, Ralph M & Harry Specht. 1975.

Readings in Community Organization Practice.

New Jersey : Printice Hall Inc.

Ross, M.G. 1955.

Community Organization.

New York : Harper and Row Publishers.

BSWE - 03

BLOCK 1 : COMMUNITY ORGANISATION

UNIT - 1

COMMUNITY ORGANISATION

CONCEPT AND PRINCIPLES

Contents

1.0 Objective

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Definition of community organisation

1.3 Principles of community organisation

1.4 Values and ethics of community organisation practice

1.5 Location of community work within social work

1.6 Concept of community analysis structure and function.

1.7 Let us sum up

1.8 Key words

1.9 Model Answers

1.10 Further Readings

1.0 OBJECTIVE

This unit will present to you a general introduction about Community organisation. After completing this unit, you will be able to understand-

(i) The nature of community organisation,

(ii) Definition of community organisation,

(iii) Principles of community organisation,

(iv) Values and ethics of community practice,

(v) Location of community work within social work,

(vi) Concept of community analysis structure and function.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Social work profession has three main methods i.e. (i) Cash work, (ii) Group work and (iii) Community organisation to achieve its goal. Community organisation covers largest mumber of clients at a time to solve their socio economic or Psychosomatic problems. Social work methods are well adopted in practice in America and England and in some other developed countries but comparatinely they are still in their infancy in developing and underdeveloped countries. Efforts have been made to provide services through launching various community awareness and development programs in these countries but still much needs to be done. In this unit we shall make effort to define community organisation and decribe in brief other introductory characteristics of components of community organisation enabling you to understand the fundamental aspects and contents related with this method of social work. We will include in this unit, apart from various definitions of community organisation, principles of community organisation, values and ethics of community organisation practice, location of community work within social work and concept of community analysis : structure and function.

1.2 DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY ORGANISATION

There are various definitions of community organisation given by different distinguished authors, practitioners and organisations. All definitions core contents are more or less similar except slight difference emphasis on one or other content. Here we will go through some of t he popular and well accepted definitions of community organisation.

EDUARD C. LINDEMAN in 19211 defined community organisation as “Community organisation is that phase of social organisation which constitutes a conscious effort on the part of a community to control its affairs democratically and to secure the highest services from its specialists, organisations, agencies and institutions by means of recognised inter relations.”

WALTER W. PETTIT in 19252 defined it as “Community organisatin is perhaps best defined as assisting a group of people to recognise their common needs and helping them to meet these needs.”

RUSSELL H. KURTZ in 1940 defined it as “Community organisation is a process dealing primarily with program relationships and thus to be distinguished in its social work setting from those other basic processes, casework and groupwork, which deal with people. Those relationships of agency to agency, of agency to community and of community to agency reach in all directions from any focal point in the social work picture. Community organisation may be thought of as the process by which these relationships are initiated, altered or terminated to meet changing conditions, and it is thus basic to all social work...”.

WAYNE MCMILLEN in 19473 defined it as “Community organisation in its generic sense in deliberately directed effort to assist groups in attaining unity of purpose and action. It is practiced, though often without recognition of its character, wherever the objective is to achieve or maintain a pooling of the talents and resources of two or more groups in behalf of either general or specific objectives.”

C.F. MCNEIL in 19544 defined it as “Community organisation for social welfare is the process by which the people of community, as individual citizens or as representatives of groups, join together to determine social welfare needs, paln ways

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1. The community, New York, Association Press 1921, pp. 139, 173.

2. “Some prognostications in the field of Community work”. Proceedings, National conference of social work, Denver, 1925, Chicago : University of Chicago Press 1925, p. 682.

3. “Community organisation in Social work, S.W.Y.B. 1947, N.Y.R.S. Foundation, 1947, p. 110.

4. Community organisation for social welfare, S.W.Y.B. 1954, Y.N. A.A.S.W. 1954, p. 21.

of meeting then and mobilise the necessary resource. The focus of effort may be a functional field of social welfare, for example leisure time and recreation, or geographical area such as a neighbourhood, city or county.”

MURRAY G. ROSS in 19551 defined community organisation as “A process by which community identifies its needs or objectives, orders (or ranks) these needs or objectives, develops the confidence and will to work at these needs or objectives, finds the resources (internal and/or external) to deal with these needs or objectives takes action in respect to them and in so doing extends and develops co-operative and collabarative attitudes and practices in the community.”

UNITED NATIONS in 19552 considered community organisation as complementary to community development. United Nations assumed that community development is operataive in underdeveloped communities and community organisation is operative in areas in where levels of living are relatively high and social services relatively well developed, but in where a greater degree of integration and community initiative is recognised as desirable.”

Exploiting core contents of above giving popular definitions we may define community organisation as “A method of social work which helps the community to understand its needs and objectives, develop willingness and confidence to achieve them, exploring and utilising available and probable internal and external resources in organised and cooperative manner though valuntary or public agency.”

Above definitions reveal salient features and nature of community organisation. Summerising them we may say that Community organisation helps people collectively living either in a particular geographical area or common in characteristics based on eithers pyschosomatic (i.e. age, sex or ability level etc.) or socio economic (i.e. racial differences, income, profession etc.) grounds beyond any geographical limit to solve their problems related with food, health, shelter, education, economy or development, communication, social security and legislation etc.

Community organisation is a problem solving and developmental process of social work and it is significantly more economic in terms of time and money than anyother process of social work i.e. case work or group work.

Community organisation method involves various different professionals for a common cause.

Planning, peoples’ participation, mass awareness, education, wilingness, democracy and regular monitoring and evaluation are essential components of community organisation method.

Check your progress I

(i) Give two definition of community organisation.

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1. Community organisation : Theory and principles, N.Y. : Harper & Brothers 1955. p. 39.

2. Principals of community development, social progress through community development 1955, N.Y. Harper E.B. and Dunham, p. 525.

(ii) What are the essential components of community organisation ?

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1.3 PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY ORGANISATION

Before using any method to solve people’s problem we must know the basic principles of that method in order to make the best use of it. Let us come across principles of community organisation.

Principles of Community organisation may be listed as-

(i) Community organisation is the means not the aim,

(ii) Communities differ like individuals and groups,

(iii) Communities have the right of self determination like individuals and groups,

(iv) Community need is the basis of organisation and community is the primary client in community organisation.

(v) Community welfare is more important than agency’s own interest in programme formulation,

(vi) Community organisation or agency’s structure should be simple as for as possible and services should be a equally distributed among different sub groups of the community,

(vii) There should be larger representation of community in inter-agency network.

(viii) There should be balance between centralisation and decentralisation of right and duties of participants and functionaries and communication gaps should be avoided.

(ix) Community welfare programme should be need based and as far as possible all groups to have impact of programmes should participate in the formulation, implementation and direction of programmes.

(x) Valuntary cooperation is the key of effective community organisation. Agency must ensure representation, cooperation and coordination with neighbour agencies.

(xi) Agency should appoint properly qualified and trained professional personnel to run activities and implement programmes effectively.

(xii) Each agency should develop fundamental policies according to their own nature and should develop criterion for selection and regular monitoring and evaluation of programmes and activities.

(xiii) Responsibility to carry on monitoring and evaluation should also be given to other agencies ready to take up and involve in such task.

(xiv) Community organisation process accepts continuous changes in needs of individuals or groups and their dynamics.

(xv) Aims and objectives of welfare for restructuring in accordance with required adjustment with the changing needs.

(xvi) Formal and informal leaders accepted by and adjusted in subgroups of the community should be properly well accomodated in the organisation. Aims and functioning manner of the agency should be well accepted to the community and

(xvii) Actions of emotional references should be given due importance and place in the programme of the organisation and latent and manifested healthy feelings of the community should be well utilised.

(xviii) Positive and effective communication should be developed within the organisation and between community and agency should assist and strenthen groups cooperating with them.

(xix) Organisational functionality should always be flexible in decision making and should enhance from time to time it’s velocity of functioning in accordance with circumstances of the community.

(xx) Agency should make effort to develop effective leadership, and develop strength, stability harmony and honour within the community.

Check your progress II

(i) List any three principles focusing community role.

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(ii) List any three principles of community organisation focusing agency role.

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1.4 VALUES AND ETHICS OF COMMUNITY

ORGANISATION PRACTICE

Now we would try to understand values and ethics of community organisation practice. Here we have to keep two things in mind. The first one is that the values and ethics of social work profession in general, and values and ethics of community organisation practice are, more or less, the same community organisation method is operative only within the broader frame work of social. The other thing is that the principles and values are very often so much interningled that it becomes very difficultl to seperate them values provide base for developing principles. Values direct our thinking and action towards socially accepted patterns.

Different social work thinkers and practioners have described social work values with different names and have put them under different categories. In this regard quite often Kohs, Herbet Bisno, Konopka, Friedlander, Goldsmith, Hoselitz, Hock, Frank, Green, Hobbes, Inkeles, Royce and Deutsch are being quoted. Here we will take up few significant values commonly applicable to community organisation practice

(i) First of all we may take up the worth, dignity, integrily, selfrespect, qual opportunity and potentiality of members of the community. In community work these should be given due place and honour.

(ii) Next to this we may take up liberty and tolerance. Community should be given full liberty in decision making and in that process coming differences should be tolerated.

(iii) Constructive cooperation and coordination are essential for community work and these should be observed not only among individuals of the community but between all members, all agencies and other influencing bodies and persons related with the community.

(iv) Due place should be given to human stresses, motivations and learning in community work.

(v) Approach to community work should be democratic, welfare oriented and need based,

(vi) Community organisation believes in individuals and social change and evolution alongwith their rigidity towards cultural demands,

(vii) Each person, group or community is some what dependant on other and interdependence is essential for life and progress.

(viii) Individual is an indireate component of the society and it’s needs are specific and common both. Individual and society both have certain responsibility for each other. A community workers has to keep in mind these facts and provide adedquate oppotunities for their progress and development.

(ix) Community organisation practice believes in confidetiality, social justice and modernisation.

After becoming familiar with values of community organisation practice we should also be aware of ethicss of community organisation.

(i) The community organiser should maintain high standards of persosnal conduct as a community worker. The community organiser should not participate in or be associated with dishonesty, fraud or misrepresentation. He should clearly distinguish between statements and actions made as a private individual and as a representative of community work profession.

(ii) The community worker should make effort to become and remain competant in professional practice and performance. He should accept responsibilities on the ground of existing proficiency and intention to acquire required competence. He should not misrepresent professional qualifications education and experience.

(iii) Community worker should regard the service obligation of the profession. He should retain responsibility for the quality of the service that one assumes, assigns or performs. He should act to prevent inhumane and dishonest practices against any individual, group or community.

(iv) The community worker should act in accordance with the high level of professional impartiality and integrity. He should be alert and resist the pressures and influences that interfere with professional decision and judgement. He should not exploit professional relationships for personal gain.

(v) The community worker engaged in study and research should follow the updated methodss of inquiry. He should carefully consider its consequences for the community and its members and as certain that the research evaluation or inquiry is valuntary and priorly known to them. It should also be kept in mind that information should be confidential and dignified. There should not be any harassment in case of refusal to participation. Community work researcher should also protect participants from physical or mental discomforts, stresses, harm, danger or deprivation. During evaluation work, he should discuss issues only for professional purposes and with persons directly and professionaly related with them. Community work researcher should take credit only for his actual research work and new findings.

(vi) The community worker’s primary responsibility is community well being. He should serve his clientle with devotion, layality, determination and maximum feasible application of professional skill and competance. He should not exploit relationship for personal gain or use agency for private practice. Community worker’s practice should be indiscriminatory in respect of race, colour, sex, age, religion, nationality, marital, status, political belief, physical, mental capability or any other characteristic, status or condition. He should avoid relationships or committments that contrary to the interest of the community. He should not involve himself in any sexual affair with the client. He should make accurate and complete information available to the community and should apprise community of its rights, risks, opportunities and obligations associated with the services for them. In the interest of the community he should seek advice and consultation with colleagues and supervisors in the interest of the community. The community worker should terminate his services when they are no more required and it should be notified to the community in time and further action in relation to the community needs should be pointed out.

(vii) The community worker should make or efforts to maximise self determination. The community worker should safegaurd the interest and rights of the community members and he should not be engaged in any action violating or diminishing civil or legal rights of the persons related with his activities and programmes.

(viii) The community worker should take due care regarding maintenence and protection of confidentiality pertaining to the obtained informations, their recording, taping and permitting for other’s observation.

(ix) In case of setting fees for any service to the community. Community worker should ensure that they are reasonable, considerate and fair and in accordance with the ability to pay. He should not accept any thing for referral service.

(x) A community worker should treat colleagues with respect courtesy, faireness and good faith. He should cooperate with colleagues and seek arbitration when conflicts with colleagues require resolution.

(xi) The community worker has the responisbility to relate with others with ful professional consideration. The worker to seves the client of colleagues during their temporary should objence on emergency serve those client with the same consideration as that afforded to any client.

(xii) The community worker should be responsible and abide himself to the committments made to the employing organisation. He should work to improve policies procedures, efficiency and effectiveness of the services of employing agency. He should act to prevent and eliminate discrimination in the employing organisaitons work and in its employment policies and practices.

(xiii) Community worker should maintain integrity of the profession and should uphold and enhance the values, ethics, knowledge and mission of the profession. He should take action to proper channell against unethical conduct by any other member of the profession. He should also act to prevent the unauthorised and unqualified practice of community work.

(xiv) The community worker should assist the profession in making social services available to the mass in general. He should spare time and professional expertise to activities that promote respect for the utility, the integrity and the competence of profession. He should support the formulation, development, anactment an implementation of social policies related to the profession.

(xv) The community worker should take responsibility for identifying, developing and utilizing knowledge for professional practice of community work. He should critically examine the emerging knowlege relevant to community work and contribute to the knowledge base and share knowledge and practice with coworkdrs.

(xvi) The community worker should promote the general welfare of the community as well as the society. He should act to prevent and eliminate descrimination against any person or group on the basis of race or sex, religion or nationality age or marital status, political belief or personal characteristics or condition or status. He should be aware and ensure that all community members have adequate resources, services and opportunities they require. He should also act to expand opportunity for disadvanated or oppressed groups and persons.

Check your progress III

(i) Describe in brief there values of community organisation

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(ii) Describe any three ethics of community organisaitons

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1.5 LOCATION OF COMMUNITY WORK

WITHIN SOCIAL WORK

We know that social work profession has three main methods case work, group work and community work/organisation are the three main methods and social action, social research are the three ancillary methods. As we know social work profession came in practice round about world war and gradually developed to its present form. Community work/organisation term was first used in America befor the first world war and was included in social workcurriculam there as a subject in 1940. Community work begun in England with organisation charity to assist needy poor through settlement houses. It came in practice in third world contries for developmental programmes in the middle of 20th century and now being used as a well established professional method of helping people. It has achieved a fully recognised and well accepted status of a method of social work in social work curriculam as well as social work practice in developed nation and under developed wherever social work is taught and practiced.

The exact location of community work within social work is neither possible nor necessary to have a consensus as it depends on the need, demand, requirement, resource, facility, willingness, feasibility, circumstances and nature of the clientele to be served helped that which medhod of social work practice will suit most in that situation to solve the referred or diagnosed problem. History of evolution of methods of social work locate community work at third place. First of all, case work came in practice and later to that community work came in practice but the energence of these three methods happended with slight timing differences and thus that may be treated as insignificant and may be ignored. In developed countries case work and after that group work methods are more popular and in wide practice but in developing and under developed countries of third world, community work is more prominent. An overall picture of social work profession and practice locates community, work organisation approximately in its middle position. It does not mean that in anyway it has less significance or importance to anyother method of social work, rather soldier and incorporate in addition, responsibility and task of other main methods of social work in manyways.

Check your progresss III

(i) Describe in few lines basis of location of community organisation in social work.

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1.6 CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY ANALYSIS :

STRUCTURE AND FUNCATION

It is a prerequisite to any profession to know the nature it’s client. In medical profession before prescribing medicine to the patient doctor has to know about the nature of the patient, his dieting preferences and willingness of intake of medicine etc. Before constructing a bridge on the river, the nature of it’s flow of water and highest level during flood should be priorly known to the engineer for preventive measures. To know the nature of the clientale we analyse that in it’s various components having different traists. Becoming aware of different traits it becomes easy to formulate remedies for the clientate. The basis of the concept of community analysis is the same. To be successful in community organisation/work it is essential to analyse the community being adopted for help.

Community organisation thinkers and practitioners have divided componentsof community in two categories i.e. (i) Horizontal and (ii) Vertical.

Horizontal components are structural and functional relationships between various social institution, systems and forces within the communities are structural and functional relationships with out side the community. Analysing various horizontal components of the community worker should to be into consideration (i) Background and Setting, (ii) History, Geography and (iii) Demography (iv) Transportation communication (v) Economic life (vi) Government, politics, Law enforcement (vii) Housing (viii) Education (ix) Recreation, (x) Religion, (xi) Health and Sanitation, (xii) Associations, Agencies and unions, (xiii) Ecology and environment and (xiv) Social institution like, caste, religion, family etc. The community should be aware the totall areas of the community, its origin evolution and development, location and cultural foundation, roads, lanes, traditional and modern means of transportation like bullock carts, tractors, various cycles, rickshaw, geeps etc. Population structure including total population and its age, sex, caste, race, ethnicity based distributions, facilities of telephone, television, postal services, cinema, theatre, cellular phones, newspapers etc, occupations like agriculture, horticulture, fishery, dairy, animal husbandry, cottage industry and per capita income etc., facilities of development block, police substation, political parties, leaders and institutions like village panchayat, nyaya panchayat, develoopment area committee, mandi samiti, school and tutorial coaching centres, vocational training centres, residential facilities, accomodations, night shelters, play grounds, clubs, playing materials, temples, worshipping places, hospitals, health centres, doctors, nurses, sanitation, drinking water, maximum, minimum and normal tempereture, rivers, wells, ponds, plantation, rainfalls, mountains, plateau, soil etc; labour unions, welfare and other agencies, living pattern and facilities social economic and political institutions, etc. Apart from these the worker should take into consideration the pattern and quality positive attitude, value and ethics related with assimilation, cooperation, initiation, leadership, interaction, response, willingness, acceptance, harmony, participation etc. and negative attitudes like communal, racial or caste feeling destruction, apathy, political rewaley, class feeling and their interrelationship etc.; individuals groups, organisations and agencies within or outside the community having influence on the community to be helped through community work.

To analyse vertical components of the community, a community organisor/worker should be aware of all those resources which influence the community and its functioning from outside the community. These resources may be either federal or state government and their agencies, laws officials etc. or International quasi governmental or voluntary agencies or organisations, their personnel, officers, laws, schemes, programmes etc. These resources may have influence or involvement in activities in a community considering that as their primary unit of operation.

Whether the component is horizontal or vertical the community organiser/worker should know it’s collective structure and function both. They should be aware of setting of each component in it’s particular special pattern with specific relation to each other. They should also be familiar with functions of each and every component whether that is assisting, cooperating, assimilating, or disturbing, disintegrating or opposing to the community work. Keeping into consideration the above analytical elements in the beginning and planning for the community work, the worker may proceed smoothly and get adequate fruitful results. Community analysis helps mobilizing resources within and outside the community, utilising them in the best suitable way and strenghering harmonious relationship between individuals, groups, sub systems, agencies, personnel and officials etc.

Check your progress V

(i) Describe in brief horizontal components of community

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(ii) Describe in brief vertical components of community

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1.7 LET US SUM UP

There are various definitions of community organisation given by different authors, exploring core contents of popular definitions, we may define community organisation as a method of social work which helps the community to understand its needs and objectives, develop willingness and confidence to achieve them, exploring and utilising available and probable internal and external resources in organised and cooperative manner through voluntary and public agency.

Some of the principles of community organisation are as listed below :

(i) Community organisation is the means not the aim,

(ii) Communities have the right of self determination,

(iii) Community organisation or agencies structure should be simple,

(iv) Community welfare programs should be need based,

(v) Valuntary cooperation is the key of effective community organisation.

(vi) Community organisation process accepts continuous changes in needs of individual or group.

(vii) Objectives of the agency should be wide and flexible.

(viii) Positive and effective communication should be developed within the organisation and between community and agency.

(ix) Agency should develop strength harmony and honour.

The main values of community organisation are dignity, self respect, equal opportunity, liberty, tolerence, democracy, constructive cooperation.

The ethics of community organisation are maintanance of high standard of personal conduct, competence in professinal practice, regard for profession, adoption of undated methods of enquiry and research, service with devotion and loyalty, maintenance and protection of confidentiality, colleagues respect, action for prevention and elimination of discrimination.

Exact location of community work within social work is neither possible nor necessary. History of evolution of methods of social work locate community work at third place. An overall picture of social work profession locates community work in its middle position. Authors have divided the nature of community in two categories i.e. (i) Horizontal and (ii) Vertical for community analysis. The horizontal nature includes structural and functional relationships of various social components and systems in the community. The vertical nature includes structured and functional relationships of its components of sources outside the community.

1.8 KEY WORDS

Community : A social group of any size whose members either resides in a specific locality, share government and have a historical and cultural heritage, or a big group of members with common needs, profession or psychosomatic make or socioeconomic structure.

Clientele : Recipient of support and help i.e. community people.

Agency : An organisation for the welfare and development of community people.

1.9 MODEL ANSWERS

Check your progress I

1. Give two definitions of community organisation.

(i) “Community organisation is a process by which community identifies its needs or objectives, orders (or ranks) these needs or objectives, develops the confidence and will to work at these needs or objectives, finds the resources (internal and/or external) to deal with these needs or objectives, takes action in respect to them and in so doing extends and develops cooperative and collaborative attitudes and practices in the community.”

(ii) “Community organisation for social welfare is the process by which the people of community, as individual citizens or as representatives of groups,join together to determine social welfare needs, plan ways of meeting them and mobilise the necessary resources. The focus of effort may be a functional feld of social welfare, for example leisure time and recreation, or a geopraphical area such as a neighbourhood, city or county.”

2. What are the essential components of community organisation ?

(i) Planning, peoples participation, mass awareness, education, democracy, regular monitoring and evaluation and willingness are essential components of community organisation.

Check your progress II

1. List any three principles of community organisation focusing community role.

(i) Communities have the right of self determination.

(ii) Voluntary cooperation is the key to effective community organisation.

(iii) There should be larger representation of community in inter-agency network.

2. List any three principles of community organisation focusing agency role.

(i) Each agency should develop fundamental policies and criterion for selection and regular monitoring and evaluation of programs and activities.

(ii) Agency should make effort to develop leadership and strength, stability, harmony and honour within the community.

(iii) Aims and objectives of agency should be wide enough and program should be flexible for restructuring in accordance with required adjustment with the changing needs.

Check your progress III

1. Describe in brief three values of community organisation.

(i) In community work worth, dignity, integrity, self respect, equal opportunity and potentiality of members should be given due place and honour.

(ii) Community should be given full liberty in decision making and in that process coming up differences should be tolerated.

2. Describe any three ethics of community organisation.

(i) The community organisation should maintain high standards of personal conduct as a community worker. He should not participate in or be associated with dishonesty, fraud or misrepresentation. He should clearly distinguish between statements a nd actions made as a private individual and as a representative of community work profession.

(ii) Community worker should regard the service obligation of the profession. He should retain responsibility for the quality of the service that one assumes, assign or performs. He should act to prevent inhumane and discriminatory practices against any individual, group or community.

(iii) He should serve his clilemtele with devotion, loyalty, determination and maximum feasible application of professional skill and competence. He should not exploit relationship for personal gain or use agency for private practice.

Check your progress IV

Describe in few lines basis of location of community organisation in social work.

History of evolution of methods of social work locate community work at third place as first of all case work came in practice and then after that group work came in practice and later to that community work came in practice. In developed countries case work and then after that group work methods are more popular and in wide practice but in developing and underdeveloped countries of third world community work is more prominent.

Check your progress V

1. Describe in brief horizontal components of community.

Horizontal components are structural and functional relationships between various social institutions, systems and forces within the community. These are related with background and setting, history, geography and demography, transportation and communication, economic life, government politics, law enforcement, housing, education, recreation, health and sanition, associations, agencies and unions, ecology and environment, social institutions like family, caste, race, religion etc.

2. Describe in brief vertical components of community.

The vertical components or resources of community are federal or state governments and their agencies, laws, officals etc.; quasi governmental or voluntary International agencies or organisations, their personnel, officers, laws, schemes and programms etc.

Social work for Social Workers

Friday, 18 May 2012

ROLE OF COMMUNITY ORGANISER IN DIFFERENT SETTINGS

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