Community Development Course – Social Planning in Action

Do you work in community development and social planning and are you looking to make a real impact in communities?

Effective community development requires not only an understanding of who makes up a community, but also what factors and forces can help drive positive and sustainable change. This requires a shift in thinking from “development for” to “development with”.

In this two-day, interactive community development course you will gain increased knowledge, skills and capacities to lead or contribute to quality planning and development processes based on contemporary theory and good practice. 

During the course you will learn about how core social justice principles (equity, access, participation and rights) relate to local development and also consider how to apply Quadruple Bottom Line approaches to integrate and improve social, environmental, economic and civic leadership outcomes at a community level. 

Course information

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Course content

This community development course offers a practitioners’ guide to driving and supporting community development, founded in principles and approaches to effective engagement and social planning. It comprises four, half-day modules: 

• Foundations of Community Development: Principles, Challenges and Success Factors 
  An introduction to community development including how success can be measured, what are some common challenges and barriers, plus ways to mitigate these.
• Approaches to Community Development: Theories, Models and Engagement Methods 
  Common theories, approaches and practices covering needs-based vs. asset-based community development (ABCD), social impact assessments, plus public participation models and engagement methods.
• Community Development Planning: Research, Tools and Implementation Strategies 
  Fundamentals in planning and execution including where to start, common research and engagement tools, how to design and implement a community development plan, plus key ethical and professional practice considerations.
• Measuring and Sustaining Community Development Impact
  Measuring success and sustainability including ways to manage expectations and establish meaningful measures for the community and decision makers/ funders. This module will also discuss how to communicate with impact and negotiate common ground.

Learning outcomes

After completing this community development course, you will have:

• increased knowledge and understanding of community development theory and practice and how these intersect with evidence-based decision making
• practical skills in mapping and engaging with community stakeholders, with consideration of their differences in access, influence and impact
• staged and structured approach to undertaking community development 
• capacity to think strategically and practically about place and communities, using social, cultural, economic, environmental and leadership drivers of change
• deeper understanding of current challenges to successful and sustainable community development, plus options to plan for and mitigate these
• options to best manage and communicate with key decision makers and funders.

Delivery style

The course will be delivered as an interactive workshop with a combination of instructor-led lecture content, group discussions, plus individual and paired exercises and activities. This mixed training approach allows participants to work through concepts introduced by the expert trainer, in an application-focused teaching environment. 

Participants will be provided with opportunities to discuss and challenge their understanding of the concepts and practices, as well as consider their application to their workplaces and community scenarios.

Participants will also be provided with a class workbook containing key concept slides, with a full slide deck available after the session.

Intended audience

This community development training course is designed for professionals involved in social planning, community engagement and development within state or local government who want to apply evidence-based practices to support communities, strengthen participation and manage change at the local level. It is equally valuable for staff working in not-for-profit organisations, NGOs or private sector organisations who have direct responsibilities for community programs or stakeholder engagement. The course is delivered at an intermediate level, making it ideal for practitioners seeking to deepen their skills as well as those new to the field of community development who want a solid foundation in best practice.

About the presenter

Edwina Deakin is currently an Associate Director, Research and Advisory at the UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance and Centre for Local Government. 

Edwina has been involved in commissioning, designing and delivering community engagement activities for over 25 years -as a NSW government policy director, social policy consultant and community engagement trainer. 

Edwina has worked with a wide range of organisations – designing and undertaking over 30 major consultation projects: including various state-wide and local government area engagement activities. Edwina holds BA Honours degree, a Masters in Social Science (Communications major), Graduate Diploma in Education, and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.