UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

SUMMER SEMESTER, 2001

PURPOSE

The purpose of this course is to understand and demonstrate community group assessment, community group formation and development, and community group facilitation practices. The dynamics of organizing groups and facilitating group leadership lie at the core of the purpose. Community groups are, of course, results oriented. The features of group formation and action arise when social justice and social change are anticipated. The focus on communities is a focus on organized identity and residence. Hence, the politics of place and diversity composition are essential components of the practices of organizing groups in communities.

 

OBJECTIVES  To demonstrate knowledge of community group assessment practices, in the context of changes in the world order, identifying the social problems and the strengths and potential contributions of individuals, associations, and institutions.

1. To understand the variety of community organizing goals and objectives as well as group work practice methods and strategies in the context of social work values.

2. To understand the policies of local, state, and federal governments which have an impact on community development and community action strategies.

3. To demonstrate an understanding of the process and goals of community group formation, leadership, and development.

4. To review and understand various models of community groups: conscientization (political education) groups; collaborative networks; conflict bridging groups; activity/socialization groups; community development groups; spirituality based action/caring groups; social movement groups; self help/empowerment groups.

5. To review fund raising strategies as they apply to community goals and objectives.

6. To review research strategies as they apply to the assessment and evaluation of neighborhood development and organizing practices.

TEXTS:

• Kahn, S. (1991) Organizing: A Guide for Grassroots Leaders NASW Press
• Moore, A. and Feldt, J. (1993) Facilitating Community and Decision Making Groups Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing Co.

Resource texts:

• Rubin, J. and Rubin, I. (2001) Community Organizing and Development Boston: Allyn and Bacon
• Bobo, K., Kendall, J. , and Max, S. (2001) Organizing for Social Change
• Fisher, R. and Kling, J. (1993) Mobilizing the Community: Local Politics in the Era of the Global City Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications

TOPICS:

1. The experience of living in communities: the varieties of types of community
2. Goals for community organizing: social justice, social development, quality of life, futuristic environmental justice and lifespace holism
3. Assessment of community groups in place: identity, problems, needs, strengths, capacities for problem solving, resilience, leverage, probable responses
4. Community group dynamics: activation, mutual discovery, formation, action system development, leadership, adaptation, goal attainment; stages of group development
5. Community group format models: conscientization (political education) groups; collaborative networks; conflict bridging groups; activity/socialization groups; community development groups; spirituality based action/caring groups; social movement groups; self help/empowerment groups
6. Illustrative goals in community group organizing:

Overcoming abuse Mutual family support Employment networking Health promotion and care Prevention activities Youth development Social planning Housing and economic development Oppositional policy action for social justice
Identity action responding to oppression: conformity, confrontation, separation, communal self help, multicultural formations (strengthening the identity of oppression) Comprehensive or holistic development: putting it all together

7. Media
8. Fundraising
9. Research
10. Coalition politics

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Comparative analysis of readings. Six pairs of readings in which the two readings are compared to each other. With some exception, each comparison includes one text chapter. The analysis includes: a. what you have found most challenging and helpful, b. what you have found least helpful or contrary, and c. an application of the guidance of your reading through experience in an integrative analysis. "Experience" refers to yours or others. The first comparative analysis is due June 13, then one each week (skipping July 4) until August 1. Evaluation grading will be: A for "insightful, vivid, and integrative," B for "insightful," and C for "light touch." Each appraisal is worth 10 points. Total = 60.
   
2. A listing of the readings you have completed outside of your comparative analysis pairs. List = 10 points, one point for each reading.
   
3. Learning-Service Project. A supportive role in a community group organizing assessment and service project is enacted and reported, based on fifteen hours of field work each, in negotiation with student colleagues, a community group organizer, and the instructor. The report is both oral and written, including: a. an assessment of the community as context, b. assessment of group development in context (focusing on strengthening the action system), c. probable goals and objectives and their feasibility, d. projection of likely future results. Each report = 15 points.
   
4. A journal of your individual experience in community service, assessment and organizing, reporting on group process and activity in the neighborhood. Evaluation of your contribution to the group's project. Journal = 10 points.
   
5. Classroom participation. Class begins on time. Attendance is mandatory. Punctuality and quality participation = 5 points.

Grading:

The final course evaluation is calculated by adding up the points indicated above. In the case of a borderline score, the subjective evaluation of the instructor is allowed, but not otherwise.

 

A = 92+ B = 84 to 91 C = 76 to 83 D = Below 76

 

JUNE 13

SESSION 1: INTRODUCTION

Course plan; assignments

Review group and organizational analysis

Analysis of postmodern communities and identities

Experience in organized groups

Talents one brings to the field of organizing groups

Proposed learning service projects

Action system theory: group development (instructor's experience)

Reading assignments

JUNE 20

READINGS:

Kahn text, chapters 1-3

Moore and Feldt text, Introduction

One of the following:

• Rubin and Rubin Community Organizing and Development Chapter 1, Organizing for Collective Empowerment
• Medoff and Sklar, Streets of Hope, Chapter 2 Creating the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative
• Bobo Organizing for Social Change: Midwest Academy Manual for Activists Chapter 11, Developing Leadership
• Delgado, Community Asset Assessment by Latino Youths, chapter 18, in Ewalt, et al, Community Building
• Robin, Saving the Neighborhood, chapter 5, The Organizational Who
• Zander, Effective Social Action by Community Groups, chapters 1-3
• Bakalinsky, The Small Group in Community Organization Practice, Ch. 6, in Rothman, et al, Strategies of Community Intervention

Assessment of organized community groups (instructor's framework)

Selection of learning service projects

JUNE 27

READINGS:

Kahn, chapters 4-6

Moore and Feldt, Chapters 1 and 2

One of the following:

• Rubin and Rubin, Chapters 5,6, and 7
• Medoff and Sklar, Streets of Hope, chapter 3, Don't Dump on Us: Organizing the Neighborhood
• Bobo Chapter 10, Recruiting
• Morrison, et al, Strengthening Neighborhoods by Developing Community Networks, chapter 10 in Ewalt, Community Building
• Billingsley, Climbing Jacob's Ladder, chapters 17, The Black Church: Spiritual Values and Community Reform, and 18, Climbing Jacob's Ladder: Self Help Redefined
• Zander, Effective Social Action by Community Groups, chapter 4, Properties and Styles of Community Groups
• Illenberger and Wallach (1998) Popular Education for Movement Building: A Resource Guide Atlanta: Project South, Introduction and Part 4, The Small Working Groups
• Levay and Nonas, City of Friends: A Portrait of the Gay and Lesbian Community in America (to be copied on request; it is lengthy)

JULY 11

READINGS:

Kahn, chapters 7, 8, and 10

Moore and Feldt, Chapters 3 to 9

One of the following:

• Hanna (1995) Strategies for Community Empowerment, chapters 2 and 6
• Robin, Saving the Neighborhood, chapter 2, Telling the People Who Need to Know; chapter 7, What You're Working For (calculating what's attainable, etc.)
• Rubin and Rubin Chapter 10, Developing Capacity through Participatory Meetings
• Bobo, Chapters 8 and 12 (accountability sessions; facilitating meetings)
• Tropman, J. and Morningstar, G. The Effective Meeting: How to Achieve High Quality Decisions, pp. 183-200 in Tropman, et al, Tactics and Techniques of Community Intervention

JULY 18

READINGS:

Kahn chapters 11-13

One of the following:

• Bobo, Chapter 15, Designing and Leading a Workshop
• Robin, Saving the Neighborhood, chapter 6, How to Get Organized
• Brawley (1995) Human Services and the Media: Developing Partnerships for Change Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications, Chapters I and V
• Rubin and Rubin Chapter 14, Extending Power through... Publicity...

JULY 25

READINGS:

Kahn, chapter 14

One of the following:

• Rubin, Chapter 7, The Art of Leveraging
• Rubin and Rubin Chapter 15, The Social Production Model

AUGUST 1

READINGS:

Kahn, Chapter 9, Research

One of the following:

• Rubin and Rubin Chapter 8, Gaining Power Through Community Research
• Fischer, F. Community Inquiry and Local Knowledge: The Political and Methodological Foundations of Participatory Research, Chapter 9 in Fischer, Citizens, Experts, and the Environment
• Chapter 8, Evaluating Outcomes: Victory and Defeat
• Schulz, et al, Development amd Implementation of Principles of Community-Based Research in Public Health, in MacNair (Ed) (1999) Research Strategies for Community Practice New York: Haworth Publishers

READINGS:

Kahn, chapters, 15 to 17 (politics, unions, coalitions)

One of the following:

• Rubin and Rubin Chapter 14, Extending Power Through Coalitions ...and Skillful Negotiations
• Medoff and Sklar, Streets of Hope, chapter 4: Planning an Urban Village and chapter 9, Pathfinders
• Fisher, Let the People Decide, chapter 7, Conclusion: The Nature, Potential, and Prospects of Neighborhood Organizing
• Rubin, Chapter 9, Creating a Common Culture within the Community Development Movement; and Chapter 10, Traditional and Coalition Advocacy
• Bobo Chapter 9 Building and Joining Coalitions

FINAL EXAM PERIOD: COMMUNITY LEARNING-SERVICE REPORTS

Billingsley, A. (1992) Climbing Jacob's Ladder: The Enduring Legacy of African American Families New York, NY: Touchstone

Bobo, K., Kendall, J. , and Max, S. (2001) Organizing for Social Change Santa Ana, CA: Seven Locks Press

Campfens, H. (Ed) (1999) Community Development around the World: Practice, Theory, Research, Training Buffalo, NY: University of Toronto Press

Delgado, G. (1994) Beyond the Politics of Place Oakland, CA: Applied Research Center

Erlich, J. (1995) Community Organizing in a Diverse Society Boston, MA: Alllyn and Bacon

Ewalt, P., Freeman, E., and Poole, D. (Eds.) (1998) Community Building: Renewal, Well-Being, and Shared Responsibility Washington, D.C.: NASW Press

Faulkner, A., Roberts-DeGennaro, M., and Weil, M. (1994) Diversity and Development in Community Practice Binghampton, NY: Haworth Press

Fellin, P. (1995) The Community and the Social Worker Itasca, IL: Peacock Publishers

Fischer, F. (2000) Citizens, Experts, and the Environment: The Politics of Local Knowledge Durham, NC: Duke University Press

Fisher, R. (1994) Let the People Decide: Neighborhood Organizing in America New York: Praeger Publishers

Fisher, R. and Kling, J. (1993) Mobilizing the Community: Local Politics in the Era of the Global City Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications

Hanna, M. (1994) Strategies for Community Empowerment: Direct Action or Transformative Approaches to Social Change Practice Lewiston, NY: Mellen

Henderson, P. (1987) Skills in Neighborhood Work London: Allen and Unwin

Jones, S., and Zlotnik, L. (1998) Preparing Helping Professionals to Meet Community Needs Alexandria, VA: Council on Social Work Education

Kahn, S. (1991) Organizing: A Guide for Grassroots Leaders NASW Press

Kretzman, J. and McKnight, J. (1993) Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community's Assets Evanston, IL: Center for Urban Affairs

Levay, S. and Nonas, E. (1995) City of Friends: A Portrait of the Gay and Lesbian Community in America Cambridge, MA: MIT Press

Maguire, L. (1983) Understanding Social Networks Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications

Medoff, P. and Sklar, H. (1994) Streets of Hope: The Fall and Rise of an Urban Neighborhood Boston, MA: South End Press

Moore, A.B. and Feldt, J. (1993) Facilitating Community and Decision-Making Groups Malabar, FL: Krieger Publishing

Morris, D. and Hess, K. (1975) Neighborhood Power: Returning Political and Economic Power to Community Life: The New Localism Boston: Beacon Press

Napier, R. (1993) Groups, Theory, and Experience Boston: Houghton,m Mifflin, and Co.

Prigoff, A. (2000) Economics for Social Workers: Social Outcomes of Economic Globalization with Strategies for Community Action Belmont, CA: Wadsworth (Brooks Cole)

Robin, P. (1990) Saving the Neighborhood: You Can Fight Developers and Win Rockville, MD: Adler and Robin Books, Inc.

Rothman, J., Erlich, J., and Tropman, J. (2001) Strategies of Community Intervention (sixth edition) Itasca, IL: Peacock Publishers

Rubin, H. (2000) Renewing Hope; Within Neighborhoods of Despair Albany, NY: SUNY Albany Press

Rubin, J. and Rubin, I. (2001) Community Organizing and Development Boston: Allyn and Bacon

Scheier, I (1984) Meanwhile--Back at the Neighborhood Boulder, CO: Yellowfire

Shragge, E. (1997) Community Economic Development: In Search of Empowerment Buffalo, NY: Black Rose Books

Tropman, J. (1997) Successful Community Leadership: A Skills Guide for Volunteers and Professionals Silver Spring, MD: NASW Press

Tropman, J., Erlich, J., and Rothman, J. (2001) Tactics and Techniques of Community Intervention Itasca, IL: Peacock Publishers

White, S. (1999) The Art of Facilitating Participation: Releasing the Power of Grassroots Communication Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications

Zander, A. (1990) Effective Action by Community Groups San Francisco: Jossey-Bass