Basic Introduction to Community Work - Central

Purpose
The key purpose of community work is to work with communities
experiencing disadvantage, enabling them collectively to identify
needs and rights, clarify objectives, and take action to meet them
within a democratic framework which respects the needs and rights of
others.
Community work is seen as a process that is both an individual and
collective experience. It is based on a commitment to equal
partnership between all those involved to enable a sharing of skills,
awareness, knowledge, and experience in order to bring about
positive change.
Community work takes place in geographical communities (where
you live) and communities of interest (youth, housing, drugs, etc),
basically, whenever people come together to identify what is relevant
to them, and act on issues of common concern.
Who does community work?
There are no rules that say community work can only be carried out
by a paid/qualified worker. Any one who is active within their own
community could claim to be a community worker; they could be
members of a committee for a church hall, housing association,
community council, tenants association, a community activist, etc.
However, community work is seen as an occupation with its own
guidelines and standards, which were highlighted previously in this
section of the course. The paid community worker is seen as
someone who enables or facilitates individuals, groups, and activities
within a geographical community or a community of interest, such as
lone parents, young people, and black and minority ethnic groups.
What we do look for from specialist, generic, and lay community
workers is that they follow the values and principles of community
work, and that the National Occupational Standards in Community
Development Work are used whenever, community development
work is practiced and organised and by people engaged in other
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