Existing definitions of the relationship between community participation and community development are flawed because they concentrate on the failings of community development without analyzing why successful programs succeed. Community development is actually a form of community participation, and its success is determined by the role of the…

Principles for participatory community development are as follows: humility and respect; power of local knowledge; democratic practice; diverse ways of knowing; sustainability; reality before theory; uncertainty; relativity of time and efficiency; holistic approach; and decisions rooted in the community. (SK)

In contrast to the traditional model of diffusion from the top down, an information-seeking model focuses on the individual who is looking for a source to meet an information need. The change agent's role involves organizing the community and assisting in finding information sources. (SK)

British local authority and decision making procedures are described for community developers. Included are potential ways of influencing the authority system, and problems and areas of weakness that may be encountered in dealing with the system. (ABM)