This page will help you in your understanding of community development, show you resources if you are trying to set up or develop a community group and has resources to improve your personal skills in community development
This page will be updated as new resources for community development come to light. Please use the 'post a comment' facility on this page to give feedback.
What is Community Development
Community Development work involves working with communities to:
* Identify their strengths, needs, rights and responsibilities
* Plan, organize and take action
* Assess the effect of any actions taken
It also involves working with agencies to increase their capacity to understand and work with communities.
Click on these links for further definitions on community development
Community Development Xchange
Community Development Foundation
Click here to download the CEHI Factsheet on Community Development
Examples of working in the community
These examples illustrate the differences and similarities between community consultation, engagement, involvement or participation, capacity building and community development.
Community Consultation
* Fit Families Evaluation Download file
* Door knocking exercise Download file
* Needs assessment of Black, Minority and Ethnic Groups Download file
* Vision 2030 Consultation Download file
* Operation Goldfinch Download file
Community Participation and Engagement
Community Capacity Building
* Health Trainers Download file
* Breast Feeding Friendly Download file
* Gateshead Visually Impaired Forum Download file
Community Development
* Supported lunch club Download file
* Birtley Villas lunch club Download file
* Gateshead Deaf Forum Download file
* Swalwell’s Little Angels Download file
* Gateshead Visually Impaired Forum Download file
Resources to help set up or develop community groups
Support for community groups and voluntary organisations : www.gvoc.org.uk
Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council (GVOC) provides advice, information and training to voluntary and community groups in Gateshead on a range of issues including funding, constitutions, finances and legal charitable structures. It also promotes volunteering and community involvement in local strategic planning.
Click here for where to go for help at GVOC
Support for Social Enterprises : http://www.gateshead.gov.uk/
Gateshead Economic Development Service (Gateshead Council) can help you with all aspects of setting-up a social enterprise from initial friendly advice on choosing the right idea, to expert guidance on legal matters, training, funding and marketing.
Resources to develop personal skills in community development
The core competencies for community development are outlined in the National Occupational Standards. Matching your strengths and weaknesses to the standards would be a useful start to identifying what your learning and training needs are. Click here for the National Occupational Standards for Community Development.
Local resources
Gateshead Community Network can assist with community consultation and offers access to a wide variety of community and voluntary sector groups via its membership. Click here for more information
National Resources
SKiLD
Federation for Community Development Learning
Community Development Foundation
Work books
Developing Healthier Communities A course book which can be used for self study