Abstract
The community organization method is applied when the society takes the initiative to solve its problems and wants to meet its needs. In this case, society plays different roles in addressing its various needs and problems. People dealing with the problem in the community or people directly affected by the problem take the lead in solving problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a worldwide social and economic crisis. This has made deep-rooted inequalities worse and visible in the communities most marginalized by the crisis. In this context, community organizers can respond to inequalities that become visible by fulfilling their various roles with the method of community organization, which is one of the components of the social work mission and aims to ensure social justice and equality.
TopCommunity practice is part of the social work mission and expresses that the profession is committed to the values of a fair and equitable community. There is a need for social workers trained in macro intervention methods to encourage and help implement systematic change on behalf of vulnerable communities weakened by the market economy (Starr et al., 1999, p. 24).
Community organization aims to promote economic and social justice, human rights and equality. Organizing begins with the belief that change is possible, necessary, and can occur as a result of collective effort. Community organizers help to create the feeling that change is possible and to show the way the world should be (Rubin & Rubin, 2008, p. 17). Community organization is a planned process in mobilizing the society to achieve the goals of society by using the society's own social structures and existing resources (Bracht, 1999, p. 86; Bezboruah, 2013, p. 10).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Community Organizer: Work with and develop new local leaders, facilitating coalitions and assisting in the development of campaigns. A central goal of organizing is the development of a robust, organized, local democracy bringing community members together across differences to fight together for the interests of the community (Alinsky, 1989).
Community Organizing: Collective action by community members drawing on the strength of numbers, participatory processes, and indigenous leadership to decrease power disparities and achieve shared goals for social change (Staples, 2009, p.271).
Grassroot Organizations: Grassroots organizations are primarily made up of civilians advocating a cause to spur change at local, national, or international levels. Bottom-up approaches allow for the citizens– sometimes through grassroots organizations– to define their own goals and how to achieve them. The opposite approach is called top-down, normally employed by IOs, governments, or corporations, that institute policies and regulations that affect the populations they serve. And while these are two distinctive management styles (UNHCR, n.d.).
Community Organization: One of the primary methods of social work. It deals with intervention in the communities to solve the community problems (Bosco, 2010, p.40).
Rothman Model: Rothman (1995) identifies three models of community organization and macro practice. Originally developed in 1970, Rothman's three models of community practice is one of the most influential conceptualizations of macro social work practice. Although the models are presented as distinct approaches to macro practice, in reality they are generally “mixed and phased” in order to develop a comprehensive plan of action or organizing paradigm for macro practice: (1) Locality Development (Bottom-up), (2) Social Planning (Top-down), (3) Social Action (Inside-out).
Jeffries Model: Reworking Rothman, Jeffries proposes a four- square model of community practice. To over- simplify, Jeffries’ approach renames Rothman’s first two modes and divides social action into nonviolent direct action and coalition building and campaigns. Jeffries (1996) renames locality development “capacity and awareness promotion” because she believes “the ability is there, it just needs to be given a chance to blossom” (p. 115).
Macro Practice: A social work practice designed to improve or modify some aspect of society (Kirst-Ashman & Hull, 2017, p. 140).