The role of community development

1 The role ofAnn McGeeneyKathy WalshFebruary 2013communitydevelopment in rural peace buildingTable of Contents1 Introduction12 What is community development ?33 Peace building in rural areas104 The role of community development in rural peace building 125 community development and rural peace building in practice 136 Conclusions and Recommendations191 The role of community development in rural peace buildingRural community Network (RCN) is theleading regional, voluntary organisationfor rural communities in Northern Ireland,established by community organisations in1991. Its vision is of vibrant, articulate,inclusive and sustainable ruralcommunities across Northern Rural Enabler Programme (REP) wasestablished in 2010 to address issues ofsectarianism, racism, social exclusion and allother forms of rural inequality throughchallenging the status-quo, assisting, supportingand creating the space for local communitiesand rural institutions to identify the fears ofreconciliation and anti-racism work.

2 It was funded through the PEACE IIIP rogramme and involved a unique cross borderpartnership between Rural community Network(as the Lead Partner), Irish Rural Link (IRL), the Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (DARD) in Northern Ireland andthe Department of Environment, Communityand Local Government (DECLG) in theRepublic of Programme was implemented by a team of Rural Enablers working in each of the sixcounties north and south of the border and oneRural Enabler working directly with thoseInstitutions which play a key role in ruralcommunities including the Orange Order, theGaelic Athletic Association (GAA), the YoungFarmers Clubs of Ulster and the variouschurches. Overall the Programme wasmanaged by a Programme Co-ordinator basednorth of the border and an Assistant ProgrammeCo-ordinator based in the southern bordercounties.

3 Each county established a Sub-regionalAdvisory Group (SAG) comprising those with astatutory remit for social inclusion and goodrelations including PEACE III and GoodRelations Officers where they existed, thePolice Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) andAn Garda S och na. The SAGs also includedkey peace builders at this local county SAG supported the work of theProgramme through the sharing of key localinformation and resources, promotingcollaborative working among all sectors and italso provided the opportunity to influence localpolicy. Members of these groups acted asinfluencers for change and sustainability withintheir own individual contexts, as well as beyondthe life of the Rural Enabler PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to document andshare the learning arising from the RuralEnabler Programme in relation to the role ofcommunity development in rural peace role of community development in rural peace buildingMethodologyThe paper was prepared based on analysis ofcommunity development policy on both sides ofthe border, coupled with a range of reportsproduced by the Rural Enabler Programmeduring the course of their experience andpractice, as well as consultations with individualRural Target AudienceThere are a number of key audiences for thispaper including.

4 Local community groups which are activelypromoting peace building in rural settings aswell as communities and groups who may bethinking of engaging in peace building andgood relations work locally National and regional organisations promotingthe adoption and implementation of peacebuilding approaches, for example, theCommunity Relations Council (CRC); community Foundation for Northern Ireland(CFNI); the Glencree Centre for Peace andReconciliation in the Republic of Ireland; andCo-operation Ireland on a cross border basis Various local and regional supportorganisations/institutions including cultural,sporting and farming bodies as well as faithbased organisations Policy makers and programme developers at local, regional and national levels includingkey local authority, government departmentand cross border body personnel3 The role of community development in rural peace buildingThe 2004 Budapest Declaration: BuildingEuropean Civil Society through CommunityDevelopment ( ) defined communitydevelopment in the following terms: as a way of strengthening civil society byprioritising the action of communities, and theirperspectives in the development of social,economic and environmental policy.

5 It seeks theempowerment of local communities, taken tomean both geographical communities andcommunities of interest or identity andcommunities organising around specific themesor policy initiatives. It strengthens the capacityof people as active citizens through theircommunity groups, organisations and networksand the capacity of institutions and agencies(public, private and non-governmental) to workin dialogue with citizens to shape and determinechange in their communities. It plays a crucialrole in supporting active democratic life bypromoting the autonomous voice of thedisadvantaged and vulnerable communities .In a Northern Ireland context, communitydevelopment1has been described as:a long-term value based process which aims toaddress imbalances in power and bring aboutchange founded on social justice, equality andinclusion.

6 From a Republic of Ireland perspective, theformer Combat Poverty Agency2also definedcommunity development as a process whereby those who are marginalised andexcluded are enabled to gain in self-confidence,to join with others and to participate in actions tochange their situation and to tackle theproblems that face their community . While the definitions of community developmentmay differ somewhat, there is generally broadagreement in relation to how it works in regardto enabling people to organise and worktogether to: Identify their own needs and aspirations Take action to exert influence on the decisionswhich affect their lives Improve the quality of their own lives, thecommunities in which they live and societies ofwhich they are a partCommunity development can be applied in bothrural and urban contexts given that it supportsthe establishment of strong communities thatcontrol and use assets to promote social justiceand help improve the quality of community also very importantly enables community andpublic agencies to work together to improve thequality of government.

7 This paper focuses on its application in ruralareas and with/by rural communities based onthe understanding that good communitydevelopment relates to action(s) that helppeople to recognise and develop their abilityand potential and organise themselves torespond to problems and needs which is community development ?21 RCN (2012); Strategic Framework for community development for Northern supported by the Building Change Trust2 Motherway, B; (2006) The Role of community development in Tackling Poverty in Ireland A Literature Review for the Combat Poverty Agency, Dublin3 Scottish community development Centre (2012); www. role of community development in rural peace buildingValues and Principles of CommunityDevelopmentAs stated earlier in this paper the Rural EnablerProgramme operated in six counties of NorthernIreland and the six counties of the border the regionality of the Programme thecommunity development process used by theRural Enablers was mindful of the separate but notentirely different definitions of communitydevelopment within each of the respective Northern Ireland the key values and principles ofcommunity development4are described as follows: Equality and anti-discrimination practicewhich acknowledges where there is inequality anddiscrimination and rejects and challenges any formof it; supports and develops anti-oppressivepolicies and practices.

8 Respects, values, supportsand promotes the value of difference and diversity;acknowledges the diverse nature of society andchallenges the exclusion of marginalisedcommunities and minorities. Social justice practice which recognises thatsocial justice incorporates environmental, political,cultural and economic justice; challengesinequalities and power differences; values diversityof experience; promotes human and civil rightsand responsibilities; challenges the underlyingcauses, and effects, of structural powerimbalances and makes the link between local,societal and global contexts all toward the longterm goal of a more equal, inclusive and non-sectarian society. Collective action practice which encouragesthe active participation of people withincommunities; supports the rights ofcommunities to organise, access support andtake action; respects the rights of others whenplanning collective action; empowerscommunities to recognise and acknowledgetheir existing skills, knowledge and expertise;uses the power of the collective voice and ofcollective action and recognises the wealth ofcreative and positive resources present withincommunities with a view to encouragingindividuals and their communities to organise,influence and take action.

9 community empowerment practice whichpromotes the rights of communities to definethemselves, their priorities and agendas foraction; encourages an understanding andcommitment to the long term nature ofcommunity development practice; promotesthe rights of communities to be consulted,involved in, and influence decision making thataffects their lives; promotes accountability andtransparency; promotes co-operation as ameans of connecting and strengtheningcommunities; uses research to supportcommunities in determining needs as a basisfor influencing all with a view to instillingconfidence amongst individuals to definethemselves, their priorities and agendas foraction. Working and learning together/participation practice which recognises,shares and values skills, knowledge andexperience: promotes empowerment throughbuilding on existing knowledge and skills;creates opportunities for collective learningthrough shared reflection on action;encourages reflection on own practice, valuesand beliefs: uses analysis and evaluation toinform future action.

10 Promotes learning fromthe experiences of communities locally,nationally and globally all with a view tocommunities and others collectively bringingabout support of these principles, the CommunityDevelopment National Occupational Standards(CDNOS)5promotes the concept of a number ofcore objectives which should underpincommunity development work includingintegrity, competence, personal awareness,empathy, dependability, sensitivity and respect,discretion, openness, flexibility, commitment tochange, equality and inclusion, politicalconsciousness and environmental These values and principles draw heavily on the community development National Occupational Standards (CSNOS) (2009) cited in A StrategicFramework for community development for Northern Ireland (2012) and the Federation for community development Learning (2009) CommunityDevelopment National Occupational Standards.