Community development

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Community development is a process where people come together to take action on what's important to them.

At its heart, community development is rooted in the belief that all people should have access to health, wellbeing, wealth, justice and opportunity. It recognises that some people, some groups and some communities are excluded and oppressed by the way society and structures are organised. Community development seeks to challenge this and ensure fairness for everyone.

A community can be people who live in the same neighbourhood or area, and it can also be people who share the same identity or interest.

In practice, community development:

  • supports people in communities to use their own assets to improve the quality of community life.

  • helps communities and public agencies to work together to improve services and the way in which decisions are made.

Most community groups and community activities are related to community developent, and the entire Communities Channel Scotland website is dedicated to community development. However, you can find more specific information, resources and support for community development below.

Featured
Community development
Community development, Community capacity building, Community-led health
Community development
Community development, Community capacity building, Community-led health

Community development is a process where people come together to take action on what's important to them. We’ve provided a list of specific community development resources and support.

Community development, Community capacity building, Community-led health
Activate
Community development, Skills and confidence, Community capacity building
Activate
Community development, Skills and confidence, Community capacity building

Activate is a course which offers a community-based introduction to community development provided by the University of Glasgow in partnership with local agencies/organisations.

Community development, Skills and confidence, Community capacity building
Scottish Community Development Network (SCDN)
Community development, Networking
Scottish Community Development Network (SCDN)
Community development, Networking

The Scottish Community Development Network (SCDN) is a member-led organisation, for community workers and community development workers, paid or unpaid, full or part time, from the community, voluntary or public sectors, who support the principles and practice of community development. SCDN is open to anyone with an interest in community development in Scotland.

Community development, Networking
Building Stronger Community Organisations
Getting started, Community capacity building, Running your organisation, Funding
Building Stronger Community Organisations
Getting started, Community capacity building, Running your organisation, Funding

This online learning resource, divided over 10 modules, is designed to build the skills, confidence and knowledge of refugee-led organisations and refugee supporting organisations, although most of the materials will be useful to any community group.

Getting started, Community capacity building, Running your organisation, Funding
Community Health Exchange (CHEX)
Community-led health, prevention, Community capacity building, Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities
Community Health Exchange (CHEX)
Community-led health, prevention, Community capacity building, Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities

CHEX promotes and supports community-led health, a way for people in a community to take joint action to improve things for their community, leading to improved health and wellbeing and helping to address health inequalities. Most community-led activity fits this description, and CHEX welcomes any interested community groups to join its network and take advantage of resources, support and other opportunities on offer. CHEX also provides a searchable database of community-led health organisations.

Community-led health, prevention, Community capacity building, Health and wellbeing, Health inequalities
Where the action is: Community-led health and climate justice
Community-led health, Health inequalities, COP26, Climate change, Climate action, Inequality
Where the action is: Community-led health and climate justice
Community-led health, Health inequalities, COP26, Climate change, Climate action, Inequality

In this briefing, CHEX makes the links between community-led health and climate action, arguing that the effects of climate change – as with health and wellbeing – are distributed unfairly, and we cannot address health inequality and wider inequality without also addressing climate justice.

Community-led health, Health inequalities, COP26, Climate change, Climate action, Inequality
International Association for Community Development
Community development, International, Networking, Global
International Association for Community Development
Community development, International, Networking, Global

IACD is the international network for community development. It promotes participative democracy, sustainable development, rights, economic opportunity, equaltiy and social justice through the organisation, education, and empowerment of people within their communities.

Community development, International, Networking, Global
Health Issues in the Community (HIIC)
Community development, Community capacity building, Health inequalities, Inequality
Health Issues in the Community (HIIC)
Community development, Community capacity building, Health inequalities, Inequality

Health Issues in the Community (HIIC) is a course that helps people understand what affects their health and the health of their communities.

Community development, Community capacity building, Health inequalities, Inequality
Community Development Alliance Scotland (CDAS)
Policy, Community development, Networking
Community Development Alliance Scotland (CDAS)
Policy, Community development, Networking

Community Development Alliance Scotland is a member organisation that brings together networks and organisations in Scotland and beyond to promote policy and practice that supports community development.

Policy, Community development, Networking
What is community capacity building
Community capacity building, video, Inequality
What is community capacity building
Community capacity building, video, Inequality

Community capacity building means supporting communities to achieve the changes they want to see. This animated video from Scottish Community Development Centre explains how this is done and why it is needed.

Community capacity building, video, Inequality
Scottish Community Development Centre
Training and support, Community development, Community-led action research, Community empowerment, Community capacity building, Community engagement, Community Empowerment Act, Inequality
Scottish Community Development Centre
Training and support, Community development, Community-led action research, Community empowerment, Community capacity building, Community engagement, Community Empowerment Act, Inequality

Scottish Community Development Centre offers resources, guides, networks and a range of training and development support to community organisations and people working with communities across Scotland.

Training and support, Community development, Community-led action research, Community empowerment, Community capacity building, Community engagement, Community Empowerment Act, Inequality
Supporting Communities
Community capacity building, Partnership, Skills and confidence, Support
Supporting Communities
Community capacity building, Partnership, Skills and confidence, Support

Supporting Communities is a programme of support for community organisations and their local partners. The programme is intended to enable community organisations (at all levels and stages) to improve their effectiveness and influence over the community needs and priorities that they are involved in tackling.

Community capacity building, Partnership, Skills and confidence, Support
Community Toolbox
Community capacity building
Community Toolbox
Community capacity building

An online resource from the United States containing freely available tools on a variety of tools offering step-by-step guidance in, amongst other things, community-building skills.

Community capacity building
BSC cover.jpg
Community capacity building, Capacity
Building Stronger Communities
Community capacity building, Capacity

Community capacity building is about supporting people to develop their skills, abilities and confidence to take effective action together in and for their community. Building Stronger Communities helps organisations and community groups to work together to build community capacity.

Community capacity building, Capacity
Community learning and development plans
CLD, Community capacity building, CLD plans, CLD regulations, Inequality
Community learning and development plans
CLD, Community capacity building, CLD plans, CLD regulations, Inequality

The Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations require local authorities and their partners to develop three year CLD Plans for their area. They should identify learning and support priorities within the community and how these will be achieved. Local plans must be based on consultation with communities and community organisations.

CLD, Community capacity building, CLD plans, CLD regulations, Inequality