COMMUNITY

ORGANIZATION (CO)
THEORIES / CONCEPTS
Group 3
COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION

“A process of identifying problems and needs, prioritizing them,

formulating solutions in solving problems/ attaining needs and implementing
them through cooperative and collaborative efforts which results to improved
capacity in community problem-solving and community integration”.

- Murray Ross
COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION
“A process of matching needs with resources and as a conscious process of
social interaction concerned with three (3) types of objectives which are task goals,
process goals and relationship goals”.

- Arthur Dunham
COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION
 “A process of finding solutions to social problems by distribution
of resources, functions, and decision- making power”.

- Perlman and Gurin

PHILOSOPHY
• “ Acceptance of the right of the community to decide
what it wants rather than having the organizer’s views
imposed upon it, belief on the capacity of the people to
find richer and more satisfying ways of living if they are helped
to use resources within themselves and their environment
which are and could be made available to them.”.
Principles
1. People's participation - means the
sharing of duties, powers and
benefits/privileges, it is the
involvement of the poor and powerless
in their own development, especially in
all phases on
Community decision-making.
organizing recognizing and respects the
primary role of the people in the task of social
transformation. Community Organizing must therefore
be participatory and mass-based.
2. Self-determination - The need for change
must come from within, from people’s awareness
of their own problems and their will to act on
them. People are the makers of history and
have the power to shape their destiny if only
they are made aware of their options, the
consequences of each options and should be
responsible for their choice/decision.
3. This implies a respect for their ability to confront,
understand and deal with the roots of their problems, and
to build their own vision of an alternative society.
4. Experimental Learning – Community
Organizing involves learning through praxis,
i.e., the continuing refinement of theory and
understanding through practice. Action-
reflection on people’s experiences in collective
decision making and mobilizations facilities the
learning and development of knowledge,
attitudes and skills in problem-solving.
5. Self-reliance - is the process that releases the creative
energy of people through the maximum and optimum
use of local human and material/ resource/ capabilities.
6. Organizational/Tactical Principles -
unlike the basic principles outlined above,
these are more specific and serve as
guidelines for tactical operation in
organizing.
values of community
organization
1.A commitment to democratic processes and goals.
2.Right of community for self - determination.
3.Belief on the capacity of people to change.
4.Belief on the innate dignity of individuals and groups in the
community.
5.The commitment to seek social justice and equity.
Values assumption of co
Changes in which individuals, groups and communities determine their own
destiny in a democratic process have better change of enduring than changes
that are imposed.
Readiness to change is a variable which affect the potential and rate of
community change obtainable at a given time
Values assumption of co
Skills in participating in a democratic process can be taught and learned by
individuals and groups
Society can provide ways to achieve maximum compatibility of individual and
community interest. Majority’s interest and benefit should override any
individual self interest .
Planning, coordination and integration of social welfare provisions and
services should be pursued, since social ills are interrelated, and social welfare
provisions are inter-dependent.
Goals of co
CO is concerned with 3 types of goals :
a. Task Goals - refer to concrete tasks to be undertaken to meet specific needs
and people’s aspirations or to solve a particular problem.
b.Process goals – are concerned with the process of helping people in a
community or group strengthen their quality o participation , self direction,
and cooperation. It prepares them for their specific roles in community
building and development.
c.Relationship goals - are focused on changing
certain types of social relationships and decision-making
patterns in the community by diffusing power to a wider base.
Focus of co
1.Removal of blocks to growth.
2.The release of potentialities of individuals, groups and communities.
3.Development of the capacities of indigenous leaders to lead in the
dealing with their community problems.
Focus of co
4.Developing capacities of different sectors in the community to function as
an integrated whole.
5.Strengthening people’s capacity for problem-solving, decision-making and
cooperation.
6.The full use of inner/indigenous resources before tapping external
resources.
Theories of Social Change
What constitute social change?
• Advocacy for human rights
• Justice
• Equality
• Democracy
• Social movements
• Cause-oriented groups for liberation and eradication
Theories of Social Change
Social change could be:
• Slow, gradual, incremental and evolutionary; in this it might be barely
noticeable.
• Fast, radical, sudden and revolutionary; it might even take people by surprise
• Wide in scope, affecting all people in a society
• Limited in scope, affecting only a small number of people.
Theories of Planned Change
• In the human services, change occurs with many types of clients.
Planned change is more effective if brought about by well thought out and
researched process.
• The nine (9) stage process of planned change can begin at any stage. At what
stage you begin depends on the situation, the end-results desired, the funds
available, time constraints, political realities, available expertise, sanctions you
have.
No one is born fully-formed: it is through self-
experience in the world that we become what we
are.”
– Paulo Freire
allowing the community to determine its exact
goal. He would produce an enemy for them to
conflict with, but the purpose of the conflict was
ultimately left up to the community.
-Saul Alinsky
PERLMAN AND GURIN (1972) refer to this first
goal as the "community development" orientation
and contrast it with a "social action" orientation.
The latter corresponds to what is here called
advocacy.
THE COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION PROCESS
V. INITIAL PROBLEM
I. SOCIAL VIIII. CONSOLIDATION
SOLVING W/ ADHOC
PREPARATION/PRE-ENTRY AND EXPANSION
COMMITTEES

• II. ENTRY INTO THE VI. CORE GROUP

COMMUNITY X.EVALUATION
FORMATION

VII. TRAINING,
III. INTEGRATION WITH XI. TURN/OVER PHASE
GROUNDWORKING,
THE PEOPLE OUT
MOBILIZATION

IV. SOCIAL VIII. FORMALIZATION OF

INVESTIGATION/COMMUNITY THE COMMUNITY BASED
STUDY (w/ spot map) ORGANIZATION