This is a conceptual article arising from, and grounded in, research with a government-funded primary school serving high-poverty communities in Queensland, Australia. It is one response to the last 10 years of participatory research work led by the three authors of this article (the school principal and two academics). In this article, we write…

This paper offers a narrative case study of Mirabel, one participant in a digital storytelling workshop for women who were newcomers to Canada, whose experience compelled me to rethink conceptualizations of participation in social justice-oriented, community-based participatory media projects. Drawing on the work of Sara Ahmed, I consider how…

Working from practice experiences, Social Work educators from Aotearoa/New Zealand, Norway and Western Australia have developed a framework for child welfare work . The framework brings together the Rights of the Child, Community Development and Child Protection. This article describes the principles and theoretical underpinnings of this…

This dissertation describes the design, implementation and evaluation of a gender-inclusive information system linking rural women in Agni Hiya, Morocco and water project managers from the Association Dar Si-Hmad. This research was motivated by an interest in exploring the linkages between information and communication technologies (ICT), climate…

Since the introduction of the Child Friendly Cities Initiative in 1996, children and young people's participation in consultation has become an increasingly important element of the planning and community development strategies of many government and community organisations throughout Australia. This has been the case in the city of Wodonga,…

Children's participation is a popular rallying cry among child rights activists and community development groups, backed by the recognition of children's participatory rights in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Participation is both a guiding principle of the UNCRC and an explicit right. Article 12 establishes the…

The increased interest in community engagement within higher education provides new opportunities for examining the role of university continuing education (UCE) units in relation to their participation in community university partnerships. This article is based on findings from a qualitative study that used a social theory lens to examine the…

Participatory education conducted by a women's organization in a low-income area raised these issues: to serve marginalized persons, the organization must counteract external power relations; it should focus on empowerment for self-confidence and for self-sufficiency; and it should advocate for the needs of single mothers who constitute much of…

Two community councils in England (Middlesbrough and Islington) used very different organizational models in implementing decentralization and democratization policies. Both communities considered community development and participation central to the success of the policies. (SK)

From a study of community action in three British multiracial localities emerged several issues: (1) cooperation and competition in acquiring resources; (2) who is to represent the community; and (3) who has power to deliver or withhold support from community groups (gatekeeping). Community development practice implications include containing…

Presents a preliminary assessment of the prospects and options for developing income-generation programs in partnership with local small business associations, as suggested by the trend in Peru. (Author)

During the 80s and 90s in Mexico there was a boost in participatory strategies developed, in order to solve serious deficiencies in community development programmes and projects. The mere existence of such methodologies, "per se," does not guarantee the conscious and voluntary participation of rural inhabitants. The social energy…

Nonformal education can have a significant impact on community development only when education is introduced into the total development process. Content must answer actual needs of the community, and community members should participate in planning, organization, and implementation of education. (SK)

Twenty-three in-depth interviews with three women involved in leadership training and three "frentors" (mentor/supervisor/friend) revealed that issues of gender, ethnicity, and class affected their participation in training. The researcher faced several dilemmas: (1) having prior close connections with the interviewees; (2) disapproval…

The community practice model illustrates how goals of participation, empowerment, cooperation, and institutionalization are affected by inputs from human resources, program characteristics, finances, social costs, and policy requirements within the context of the social, economic, and political structure; population diversity; physical…