Starting to get our teeth into this community development stuff.....

Two weeks, many  debates, much  networking and sharing and  no small amount of tea and coffee

What  counts as CD Activities? 

(ooh and lovely  lemon puffs) sees us well and truely  into the course. Progress has seen us establish a working definition of   community 'a group who form relationships over time by  interacting regularly around shared experiences which are of interest to all of them for varying individual reasons' and explore what  kind of activities counts as community development work (pictured right).   This led us to consider the definition of community  development work and we considered the definition provided by  Community  Development National Occupational Standards and found it to be helpful.

The definition of community  development work includes the important phrase 'value based' so we started in the last  session looking at  the values of community  development work.   We listed them as 'Inclusive, Participatory, Bottom Up, Collective Action, Capacity Building and Equality and Justice'.   An interesting debate followed as we interrogated the literature of the organisations in the community who promote themselves as developing communities for evidence of these values.   The discussion got pretty  radical and challenging  and I proposed that  we harness this energy  into a small piece of class research;

• Your task as students is to collect the views of three people in your community about the question 'What  do you  think about MMU's development in Birley Fields?'

Our session on Friday will consider the feedback and consider social research as a tool for community  development, how does it fit with the values of CD?

Finally I'm really  keen that people use the twitter  hash tag #mscdcwea to post  photos of things in their community  which we have been discussing.   I'll spend a little time on Friday  looking at  Twitter with the group. 

Please comment  below -  lets continue the debate on line between sessions.

Phill

Taster Session

Thanks to all who showed up  for the taster  session of this course.   10  people and 2 apologies indicates a good demand, indeed in the week since the taster  session I have had 5 further enquiries.

In the taster session, as well as getting to know one another we took part  in a range of exercises exploring the notion of what  community  is and whether  it does in fact  actually  exist.     The debate was fascinating and involved, consensus was easier to find on some matters than on others.      A  significant degree of criticism was present of how the term has been coined by  differing sectors.   Is there really  such a thing as a business community?   A community  in Hulme or Moss Side?   Were peoples experiences of community  different in previous eras and before social changes in their community?    Can it be that  our environments are being designed to discourage the development of community  with the designing out of places to congregate?

We were joined during the session by Adam from Sostenga who told us about the possibilities of progression from the course, by  Nick from the city  council who reported on their involvement in the project  to train volunteers (and was drilled for information by  some students!)  and by  Carol from MMU who invited all the students to spend the second week of the course (2nd May) using the facilities at the university and registering with MMU to gain access to the library  and a range of student card older benefits.   So on 2nd May  we will spend our morning at  MMU.

I have had a few calls since the course and am posting the queries in this blog for all to see

• How much  does the course cost for those not on means tested benefits?   At  present we are still trying to  find ways of funding for those people who are not on means tested benefits.   If we are unsuccessful then the cost  will be £71.30 for the full course (23 hours)
• Is there a creche? There isn't a creche provided no.   However students aged 20  or over are able to apply  to our discretionary learner support  fund for funding to cover the cost  of ofsted registered childcare.
• Can I register  on this course please?   If you are a volunteer  involved in community  development work  then I would be delighted for you to book a place.  Please contact  MWicked@wea.org.uk with your name, phone number, e mail address and post  code.

Introduction

This blog is set  up to support a course I'm teaching for the WEA in Moss Side in Manchester 'An Introduction to Community Development Work' #cdcmside.    The aim of the course  is to give people  already  volunteering in community development work  the opportunity  to stop, think and reflect about their role.   The course will involve lots of discussion and debate,  students will be asked to bring their experiences into the class room and take their learning out side in between sessions.   Students will be undertaking small and brief pieces of research and consultation between the sessions.

 

The course is a result of the work of partners in the Manchester Community Development Learning Hub.     Students will have  the opportunity to meet organisations who may be able to accredit and support the work they are doing.  Organisations such as Manchester Metropolitan University and Sostenga will attend some of the sessions to tell you how they can help and support you during and after the end of the course.

This blog is intended primarily for the use of students in the interest  of keeping up  dialogue between sessions and as a place for logging helpful ideas and resources.    All users need to be aware that we do not have the ability  to prevent others from viewing.
 

 Phill O’Brien, @obrienphill, pobrien@wea.org.co.uk