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Social Work vocabulary · Community Work

Community development

Meaning in social work, with examples

nounCore term

In social work, community development means: Work with local people to identify shared problems and strengths and to take collective action that improves life in their community.

In Turkish: toplum kalkınması, toplumsal kalkınma, toplum geliştirme

How it is used

Part of community work, one of the classic methods of social work alongside casework and group work. Community development workers bring people together, support local groups and help them reach funding and decision-makers.

Example sentences

  1. The community development team helped residents set up a food bank.

  2. Community development takes time, because trust has to be built first.

Common collocations

  • community development worker
  • community development project
  • asset-based community development
  • community development approach
  • community engagementInvolving local people and groups in identifying needs, planning services and making the decisions that affect them.
  • capacity buildingStrengthening the skills, knowledge, resources and organisation of people, groups or institutions so that they can act more effectively on their own.
  • outreachTaking services out to people where they are, such as on the street or in the neighbourhood, instead of waiting for them to come to an office.
  • empowermentThe process of helping people gain more control over their own lives, decisions and resources, and the confidence to act for themselves.

More terms: Community Work

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