- Introduction
- Development Perspectives
- Community Development
- Social Capital: a definition
- Blocks to Rural Development
- Overcoming Blocks
Building Capacity in Local Organisations
Margie Scotts, Senior Community Development Analyst,Wellington, and Teeny Lowe, Community Adviser, Palmerston North, Department of Internal Affairs
Introduction
Internal Affairs is committed to helping communities plan, organise and carry out social development initiatives that reflect their unique needs and aspirations. The Department has advisors available through 17 regional centres and provides 20%-30% of its funds for rural people, including youth projects. The advisors use the method of community development as the best way to increase participation, self reliance, organisational capacity and the transfer of skills between people.
The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) funds a wide range of groups but works especially with groups and communities which suffer the most disadvantage. Community Advisers can provide funds, assist with community meetings, run clinics and workshops, help establish newsletters and networking skills, and other activities which help strengthen local communities and community groups to become more effective.
Development Perspectives
There are different models of development and social transformation operating alongside one another in rural communities. Although positive growth and change is the common vision, at times the "how to" of these models can be in conflict as they are based on different values and belief systems. Iwi development is one important approach used by DIA. The concepts included in this kind of development are based on the fundamentals of what it is to be Maori. It is development which stems from the bonds and links of the extended family, having the guidance of the person (people) within the family network who act as mentors, it takes account of the social, economic and physical environment in which Maori live — but is more than this — it recognises the importance of the relationship of the individual/family with their own place where they belong. It includes the concept of looking after people’s well-being, and most of all the control and management by Maori of their land and treasures.
Irrespective of the kind of approach taken, successful social development occurs at a local level. An enabling social policy will assist communities to be self reliant, but Government cannot, of itself create strong communities or social cohesion.
Community Development
DIA also chooses to use community development methodologies because these increase opportunities for participation, build organisational capacity and networks of community groups. The approach is more likely to ensure local ownership of projects and decisions, enable transfer of skills between people, develop self reliance, and in the end effectively increase the amount of social capital available in a community.
DIA believes that the greatest possible change can be gained from expenditure of scarce resources by focusing on those communities and groups within communities which experience the most disadvantage and discrimination. The community development approach can be, and is, used in many kinds of communities with similar benefits accruing and so provides a transferable model regardless of the socio-economic situation of a community or organisation.
The key values and principles of community development used by DIA community advisers are:
- all people have the right to experience social justice,
- the social and economic benefits of society should be equitably distributed.
Community development methods of working are based on:
- collective action,
- processes which result in people and groups becoming self-determining,
- broad, representative participation.
Community development tools include:
- input to policy development,
- funding to community organisations,
- training for community groups e.g. financial management, strategic planning,
- support, information and advice,
- strategic networking and relationship building,
- community planning tools,
- research and evaluation.
"The collective resources built up when we interact with other people outside our families. It includes trust, co-operative behaviour, helpful networks, and willingness to give and take and to participate in issues of common concern. It is generated by voluntary association and cannot be bought or sold, only shared." Pat Hanley, President, New Zealand Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations
Blocks to Rural Development
In efforts to build social capacity in rural communities, local organisations may struggle to work past blocks and obstacles that inhibit development. These can be considered under four headings:
| Time: | Rural communities operate on a seasonal timeframe. | ||
| Isolation and distance can limit the amount of participation people contribute. | |||
| Sustainable development requires time, long term investment, and is relatively expensive. | |||
| Tradition: | Economic development traditions and definitions prevail. | ||
| Traditional thinking can be slow and drawn out and communities can react to change in the same way their parents did (or didn’t). | |||
| The traditional role of local government is often still seen as rates, roads and rubbish. Ideas of pastoral communities may continue to dominate to the exclusion of other rural participants. | |||
| Trust: | Government restructuring and withdrawal of services to rural communities has created a sense of distrust and cynicism of all political processes. | ||
| Turf: | "Patch" mentality and parochialism can inhibit participation and communication. | ||
Overcoming Blocks
Begin at the first level of social change and rather than seeing them as "blocks", change personal paradigms and see them as opportunities.
In working with a variety of models use "facilitation".
Facilitation is creating a space where full cooperation between all people is both possible and desirable.
Facilitation is a process of working through and integrating opposing models of development, policy frameworks and local services.
Facilitation includes these important features:
Purposefulness — ensuring that all contributions have defined, articulated and agreed purposes prior to project implementation.
Intentionality — respecting different values from the outset and not allowing insignificant issues to cloud the vision.
Emotional competence (required by the facilitator as well as the local group) — not allowing past baggage to trip up, as well as having a willingness to work through issues when they arise.
Mental stamina — Nothing comes easy, the ability to set goals and having a commitment to see things through requires stamina.
Fearlessness — asking the hard questions, (often ones that have not been asked before) being prepared to be challenged.
Contact for Enquiries
Rural Affairs Coordinator
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0675
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0745
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