COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SOLIDARITY,

AND CITIZENSHIP
• RESEARCHERS FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY, DEFINE THE BASIC IDEA OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENTS AS THE PROCESS OF WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH AND THROUGH GROUPS OF
PEOPLE AFFILIATED BY THEIR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OR A SPECIAL INTEREST TO ADDRESS ISSUES THAT
AFFECT THE WELL-BEING OF THOSE PEOPLE.
• EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MEANS THE COMMUNITY IS CAPACITATED AND EMPOWERED.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, SOLIDARITY,
AND CITIZENSHIP

• BENEDICT ANDERSON (POLITICAL SCIENTIST AND HISTORIAN)- IDENTIFIED THE NATION AS AN

“IMAGINED COMMUNITY”, OR A SHARED COMPLEX IDEA WHO IDENTIFY WITH IT.
4 CRUCIAL CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT (BENEDICT ANDERSON)
• INCLUSION – PRESENTS THE IDEA THAT THE NEEDS OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY ARE
RECOGNIZED AND MET.
• DIVERSITY – IDENTIFIES HOW COMMUNITIES ARE RARELY A HOMOGENOUS GROUP WITH IDENTICAL
MEMBER.
• CITIZENSHIP – PROVIDE A SENSE OF MEMBERSHIP AND BELONGING IN A COMMUNITY.
• SOLIDARITY – TRANSLATE TO HAVING A COHESIVE AND MEANINGFUL MEMBERSHIP WITHIN A
COMMUNITY.
PURPOSE OF COMMUNITY ACTION

• ACCORDING TO STEPHEN FAWCETT, COMMUNITIES ARE FORM OF LIVING DEMOCRACY.

BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY ACTION
LITERATURE SUGGEST VARIOUS BENEFITS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO CHOOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY
ACTION INCLUDING:
• PEOPLE WHO INTERACT SOCIALLY WITH NEIGHBORS ARE LIKELY TO KNOW ABOUT AND JOIN VOLUNTARY
ORGANIZATION.
• A SENSE OF COMMUNITY MAY INCREASE AN INDIVIDUAL’S FEELING OF CONTROL OVER THE ENVIRONMENT
AND INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTARY ORGANIZATION.
• PERCEPTION OF PROBLEMS IN THE ENVIRONMENT CAN MOTIVATE INDIVIDUALS ( AND ORGANIZATIONS)
TO ACT TO IMPROVE THE COMMUNITY.
COLLABORATIVE COMMUNITY ACTION HELPS
ACHIEVE A NUMBER OF AIMS, INCLUDING:

• BUILDING AND STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL CAPACITY

• COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
• ACCESS
• MAINTENANCE AND CREATION OF WEALTH