UNIT 1 COMMUNITY ORGANISATION:

CONCEPT AND PRINCIPLES

Contents
1.0 Objectives
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Meaning and Definition of Community Organisation
1.3 Community Work and Community Organisation in Social Work
1.4 Value Orientation of Community Organisation
1.5 Principles of Community Organisation
1.6 Let Us Sum Up
1.7 Key Words
1.8 Suggested Readings
1.9 Answers t3 Check Your Progress

1.0 OBJECTIVES
The aim of this unit is to provide you guidelines to understand the Community
Organisation as a method of social work practice. In this unit you will learn
about the meaning, definition, values and principles of community organisation.
Through this unit you will be also aware of the concepts of community work
and community organisation in social work.

After reading this unit you will be able to:

define community organisation;
examine community work and community organisation in the context of
social work; and
explain the values and principles of community organisation.

1.1 INTRODUCTION
In social work profession there are three basic methods of working with
people (individuals, groups and communities). We have already studied the
two methods namely, social casework and social group work. The third basic
method is community organisation. As we are aware, social casework is
aimed at helping individuals on one-to-one basis and social group work seeks
to facilitate the development of individuals through group activities. The aim
of community organisation is 'developing capacity' in the community 'by making
it more organised' to handle its own needs or problems. Community organisation
is a well-established method in social work. It has value orientation and the
practice is guided by a set of general principles.

1.2 MEANING AND DEFINITION 0%

CONIMUNITY ORGANISATION
Meaning
Before we get to know more about community organisation as a method of
social work, let us first understand the meaning of the term we use. The term
Community Organisation community organisation has several meanings. It is being often used synonymous
to community work, community development and community mobilization. In
general, community organisation means helping the community to solve its
problems. In the context of social work profession in India, the term is used
to denote a method of social work to intervene in the life of a community.

In sociology we learn that society and social institutions are more than just
a collection of individuals. It includes how those individuals are linked to each
other. These are sets of systems such as economy, political organisation,
value, ideas, belief systems, technology, and patterns of expected behaviours
(social interaction). It means that just a collection of individuals living at a
common place are not necessarily organised. To call them organised they
need to have a set of common ideas and expectations. This gives them a
social structure and some social processes that make the organisation something
(social). It goes beyond the individuals that compose the community.

Further it is important to note that just forming various groups in community

having some structure or form (e.g. having a president, treasurer, secretary,
etc.) does not make the community organised. It is not the multiplicity of
institutions, interest groups or set of activities, which make an organised
community. Actually it may create more conflicts and disrupt normal life. Thus
the important determining factors of community organisation are interaction,
integration and co-ordination of the existing institutions, interest groups and
activities, and evolving new groups and institutions if necessary, to meet the
changing conditions and needs of the community.
Definition
To study and to be able to engage in community organisation practice it is
necessary to have a clear definition. There are several definitions available
in literature, which have been put forth at different times and in differing '

context. The common element in most of them is matching resources to

needs. We will discuss here two most widely accepted definitions of community
organisation.

Murray G. Ross (1967) defines community organisation as a "process by

which a community identifies its needs or objectives, gives priority to them,
develops confidence and will to work at them, finds resources (internal and
external) to deal with them, and in doing so, extends and develops cooperative
and collaborative attitudes and practices in the community".

In this definition by "process" he meant a movement from identification of

a problem or objective to solution of the problem or attainment of the objective
in the community. There are other processes for dealing with community
problems, but here he called the community organisation process as one by
which the capacity of the community to function as an integrated unit grows
as it deals with one or more community problems. The task of the professional
worker in community organisation is to help, initiate, nourish, and develop
this process. His task is also to make this process conscious, deliberative,
and understood.

"Community," in the sense in which it is used here, refers to two major

groupings of people. Firstly it may be all the people in a specific geographic
area, i.e., a village, a town, a city, a neighbourhood, or a district in a city.
In the same manner it could refer also to all the people in a province or Community Organisation:
Concept and Principles
a state, a nation, or in the world. Secondly, it is used to include groups of
people who share some common interest or functiob, such as welfare, agriculture,
education, or religion. In this context community organisation may be involved
in bringing these persons together to develop some awareness of, and feeling
for their "community" and to work at common problems arising out of the
interest or function they have in common.

The second definition we will discuss here is by Kramer and Specht (1975),
which is in more technical terms. They defined that "Community organisation
refers to various methods of intervention whereby a professional change agent
helps a community action system composed of individuals, groups or organisations
to engage in planned collective action in order to deal with special problems
within the democratic system of values."

According to their explanations, it involves two major interrelated concerns:

(a) the interaction process of working with an action system which includes
idenming, recruiting and working with the members and developing organisational
and interpersonal relationships among them which facilitates their efforts; and
(b) the technical tasks involved in identifying problem areas, analyzing causes,
formulating plans, developing strategies and mobilizing the resources necessary
to have effective action.

The analysis of both these definitions reveals that they cover the "Need-
Resources Adjustment" approach, "the Social Relationships" approach and
a combination of the two ideas of meeting needs and development of co-
operative attitudes.

The distinguishing features of community organisation practice are derived

largely from the three dimensions. (1) The nature of its setting and focus-
the community and its problems, 2) from the nature of its goals - enhanced
functional capacity of the community and its ability to influence the social
welfare policy, and 3) from the techniques it employs towards effecting the
inter-personal and inter-group relationships of the members of the community.
The statements defining community organisation method, stress individually or
in combination the above three factors and also refer to clientele and the total
process and the way in which the method is applied.

Check Your Progress I

Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer.
b) Check your answer with those provided at the end of this unit.
1) Define community organisation.
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7
Community Organisation
1.3 COMMUNITY WORK AND COMMUNITY
ORGANISATION IN SOCIAL WORK
Having discussed the meaning and definition of Community organisation let
us now try to compare it in the context of community work and social work
profession. In social work the term "community work" is often used with
different meanings. In social work literature we find that the term "community
work", "community development", "community organisation" and "community
empowennent" are at times interchangeably used for the work with communities.
Some authors have used these terms for the same types of work whereas
others use them to refer to different types of work with communities.

Community work has a long history as an aspect of social work. It has

passed through various phases. All over the world it has been recognized
as an integral part of social work practice. History shows that community
work even preceded social work education. In UK and USA community
work in social work began in the 1800 with the charity organisation movement
and the settlement house movement. During the initial phase in UK, community
work was primarily seen as a method of social work, trying to help individuals
to enhance their social adjustment. The main thrust 'was to act as a means
to coordinate the work of voluntary agencies.

In India the experience of working with slum community in the city of Murnbai
lead to the establishment of the first institution of social work education in
1936. Community work ah a method of social work in India is largely seen
as a process of developing lccal initiatives, particularly in the areas of education,
health and agricultura' 4: lelopment. The focus of the work is, to encourage
people to express their needs, and enable them to avail the existing resources,
in order to meet these needs.

There are several ways in which social work practitioners and others work
in the community. In social work we find three main approaches namely,
Community Development, Community Organisation and Community Relations1
Services. While these approaches represent different situations or areas of
community work, there are fundamental sirnilai-ities in what is being attempted.
Their components are often interlinked and at times overlapping.

What is important for us here is to understand that the community work is

one of the basic social work processes. It is being used to attain the same
basic objectives, as casework and groupwork. As you may be aware all the
social work methods are concerned with removal of the blocks to growth
of individual, group, or community, release of their potentials, full use of
internal resources, development of capacity to manage one's own affairs and
their ability to function as an integrated unit. In community organisation, social
work is concerned with the initiation of that process which enables a community
to overcome those blocks (apathy, vested interests, discrimination) which
prevent the community from working together; and facilitate release of
potentials, use of indigenous resources and growth of cooperative attitude
and skills which make possible achievement of even increasingly difficult
objectives.

Thus, community organisation started more as a product of the maturation

process than as the beginnings of a profession. The increasingly complex and
 I

interdependent nature of modem society makes community organisation almost Community Organisation:
Concept and Principles
a pre-requisite for smooth functioning of any society.
I
1
Check Your Progress I1
Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer.
b) Check your answer with those provided at the end of this unit.
1) What is the position of community work in social work?
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1.4 VALUE ORIENTATION OF COMMUNITY

ORGANISATION
From the discussion above we understand that community organisation is an
integral part of social work practice. In the practice of community organisation
some questions do arise as to, how it should be done? Are there value
orientations and general principles that may guide us in deciding as to what
is sound or socially desirable in community organisation process? How to
improve the chances of success in achieving the objectives of community
organisation? We will deal with such questions in this section.

Community organisation derives from a unique frame of reference, the nature

of which is based on a particular value orientation. In social work, the focus
of community organisation practice is influenced by a system of personal and
professional values. These values affect worker's style of intervention and
the skills they use in working with community members. Values are beliefs
that delineate preferences about how one ought or ought not to behave. Such
formulations of values obviously have some subjective element. Values differ
between groups and between individuals within the same group. Moreover,
there has been no explicit, comprehensive, or generally accepted formulation
of basic ethical and social values by any representative group of community
organisation practitioners.

The value orientation of community organisation as of all social work methods,

derives from acceptance of certain basic concepts and principles as a foundation
for work with people. Among these are the essential dignity and worth of
the individual, the possession by each individual of potentials and resources
for managing ones own life. The importance of freedom to express one's
individuality, the capacity for growth within all social beings, the right of the
individual to these basic physical necessities (food, shelter and clothing) without
which fulfillment of life is often blocked, the need for the individual to struggle
and strive to improve own life and environment, the right of the individual
for help in time of need and crisis, the importance of a social organisation
for which the individual feels responsible are very basic. The need for social
Community Organisation climate which encourages individual growth and development, the right and
responsibility of the individual to participate in the affairs of own community,
the practicability of discussion, conference, and consultation as methods for
the solution of individual and social problems, and "self help" as the essential
base for community organisation are some of the value orientations which
constitute the basis of community organisation process.

Check Your Progress I11

Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer.
b) Check your answer with those provided at the end of this unit.
1) Discuss in brief the value orientation of community organisation practice.
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1.5 PRINCIPLES OF CONLMUNITY ORGANISATION

Principles of community organisation, in the sense in which the term is used
here, are generalized guiding rules for sound practice. Principles are expressions
of value judgments. The principles of community organisation, which are being
discussed here, are within the frame of reference, and in harmony with the
spirit and purpose of social work in a democratic society. We are concerned
with the dignity and worth, the freedom, the security, the participation, and
the wholesome and abundant life of every individual. This implies practice
of following principles of democracy, such as betterment of the marginalized,
transparency, honesty, sustainability, self-reliance, partnerships, cooperation,
etc.

In the literature of community organisation we find various sets of principles.

Dunham (1958) has presented a statement of 28 suggested principles of
community organisation. He grouped them under seven headings.
i) Democracy and social welfare,
ii) Community roots for community programmes,
iii) Citizen understanding, support, and participation and professional service,
iv) Cooperation,
v) Social Welfare Programmes,
.vi) Adequacy, distribution, and organisation of social welfare services, and
vii) Prevention.

Ross (1967) outlined specific principles - the elementary or fundamental

ideas regarding initiation and continuation of commhnity organisation processes.
These principles have been discussed in terms of the nature of the organisation
or association and the role of the professional worker. The twelve principles
identified by Ross are:
 Discontent with existing conditions in the community must initiate andl Community Organisation:
Concept and Principles
or nourish development of the association.
Discontent must be focussed and channeled into organisation, planning,
and action in respect to specific problems.
Discontent which initiates or sustains community organisation must be
widely shared in the community.
The association must involve leaders (both formal and informal) identified
with, and accepted by, major sub-groups in the community.
The association must have goals and methods and procedures of high
acceptability.
The programmes of the association should include some activities with
an emotional content.
The association should seek to utilize the manifest and latent goodwill
which exists in the community.
The association must develop active and effective lines of communication
both within the association and between the association and the community.
9) The association should seek to support and strengthen groups which it
brings together in cooperative work.
10) The association should develop a pace of work in line with existing
conditions in the community.
11) The association should seek to develop effective leaders.
12) The association must develop strength, stability and prestige in the community.

Keeping in mind the actual practice situations in India Siddiqui (1997) has
worked out a set of 8 principles.
1) The Principle of Specific'Objectives
2) . The Principle of Planning
3) The Principle of People's Participation
4) The Principle of Inter-group Approach
5 ) The Principle of Democratic Functioning
6) The Principle of Flexible Organisation
7) The Principle of Optimum Utilisation of Indigenous Resources
8) The Principle of Cultural orientation

We are trying to interpret some of the principles from the available sets of
principles for guiding our practice community organisation in Indian context.
1) Community Organisation is means and not an end: As discussed
earlier the community organisation is a process by which the capacity
of the community to function as an integrated unit is being enhanced. In
this sense it is a method or a means to enable people to live a happy
and fully developed life. It refers to a method of intervention whereby
a community consisting of individuals, groups,or organisations are helped
to engage in planned collective action in order to deal with their needs
and problems.
2) Community Organisation is to promote community solidarity and
the practice of democracy: It should seek to overcome disruptive influences,
which threaten the well being of the community and the vitality of democratic
Community Organisation institutions. In community organisation discrimination and segregation or
exclusion should be avoided and integration and mutual acceptance should
be promoted. I

The clear identification of the Community: Since the community is 1

the client of the community organisation worker;it must be clearly identified.
It is likely that there are several communities with which helshe deals
at the same time. Further it is important that once the community is
identified the entire community must be the concern of the practitioner.
No programme can be isolated from the social welfare needs and resources
of the community as a whole. The welfare of the whole community is
always more important than the interest or the well being of any one
agencylgroup in the community.
4) Fact-finding and needs assessment: Community organisation programmes
should have its roots in the community. Proper fact-finding and assessment
of the community needs is the pre-requisite for starting any programme
in the community. It is generally desirable for local community services
to be indigenous, grass-roots developments rather than imported from
outside. Whenever possible, then, community organisation should have
its origin in a need felt by the community or by substantial number of
persons in the community. There should be vital community participation,
and essential community control, of its development.
While facilitating the process of community organisation, the programmes
should be inifiated, developed, modified, and terminated on the basis of
the needs of the community and on the basis of the availability of other
comparable services. When the particular need for a service is met, the
programme should be modified or terminated.
5) Identification, mobilization and utilization of the available resources:
The fullest possible use should be made of existing social welfare resources,
before creating new resources or services. In the absence of resources1
services the worker has to mobilize the resources from various sources
such as community, government, non-government agencies, etc. While
utilizing the indigenous resources it must be recognised that these resources
may sometimes need extensive overhauling before they will meet certain
needs. Apart from mobilizing physical resources, indigenous human resources
should be put to optimum use.
6) Participatory planning: The community organisation worker must accept
the need for participatory planning throughout the process of community
organisation. It is important that the practitioner prepares a blue print
in the beginning of what helshe intends to do with the community. This
is done with the community taking into consideration the needs of the
community, available resources, agency objectives, etc. Planning in community
organisation is a continuous process as it follows the cycle of implementation
and evaluation. The planning should be on the basis of ascertained facts,
rather than an expression pf guesswork, "hunches," or mere trial and
error methods.
In order to foster greater participation it is necessary to analyse the
impeding factors and take timely steps to remove them. Instead of forcing
people to participate in all the issues, they should be encouraged to
participate at a level, and about issues, in accordance with their capacities.
It must be noted that the people will participate if they are convinced
of the benefits of the programme.
 Community Organisation:
7) Active and vital participation: The concept of self-help is the core Concept and Principles
of community organisation. The community members' participation throughout
the process of community organisation should be encouraged from the
standpoint both of democratic principle and of feasibility- that is, the
direct involvement in the programme of those who have the primary stake
in it's results. "Self-help" by citizen or clientele groups should be encouraged
and fostered.
8) Community right of self determination should be respected: The
Role of the community organisation worker is to provide professional
skill, assistance, and creative leadership in enabling people's groups and
organisations to achieve social welfare objectives. The community members
should make basic decisions regarding programme and policy. While the
community organisation worker plays a variety of roles in different situations,
he is basically concerned with enabling people's expression and leadership
to achieve community organisation goals, and not try.to have control,
domination, or manipulation.
9) Voluntary cooperation: Community organisation must be based upon
mutual understanding, voluntary acceptance, and mutual agreement.
Community organisation, if it is to be in harmony with democratic principles,
cannot be through regimentation. It should not be imposed from above
or outside, but must be derived from the inner freedom and will to unite
all those who practice it.
10) The spirit of cooperation rather than competition, and the practice
of coordination of effort: Community organisation practice should be
based on the spirit of cooperation rather than competition. The community
organisation practice has proved that the most effective advances are
made through cooperative effort. It is by the coordinated and sustained
programmes attacking major problems rather than through sporadic efforts
by different groups.
The emphasis on collaborative and cooperative attitudes and practices
does not imply elimination of differences, of tension, or of conflict. In
fact we have to recognize that these latter forces give life and vitality
to a movement. It must be understood that such conflict can be disruptive
and destructive, or it can be positive and creative. What is important
for the community organisation worker is that helshe identifies such forces
and appropriately modifies them to what is beneficial to community as
a whole.
11) Recognition and involvement of indigenous leadership: Community
organisation as it has been described requires the participation of the
people belonging to the community. However everyone in the community
t cannot be involved in face-to-face contact with all others in the community;
therefore it is important to identify and recognize the leaders (both formal
and informal) accepted by various groups and subgroups in the community.
Inclusion of the respected and accepted leaders with whom the major
subgroups identify provides a major step in integrating the community. This
further makes possible initiation of a process of communication which, if it
becomes effective, will nourish and sustain the process of community organisation.
12) Limited use of authority or compulsion: Invoking the application of
authority or compulsion may sometimes be necessary in community
organisation. But it should be used as little as possible, for as short a
time as possible, and only as a last resort. When compulsion must be
Community Organisation applied, it should be followed as soon as possible, by resumption of the
cooperative process.
13) The dynamic and flexible nature of programmes and services: This
principle is basic to sound community organisation. Social welfare agencies
and programmes must be responsive to the changing conditions, problems,
and needs of community life. Community is a dynamic phenomenon,
which constantly changes and thus the needs and problems also keep
changing. Therefore it is necessary that the programmes and services are
flexible enough.
14) Continuing participatory evaluation: As programmes are developed
to meet community needs, some time must be set aside for evaluation
of the process. Regular feedback from the community is important. Criteria
must be set up for evaluation of the programmes, to see how effective
the action has been and what has been accomplished.

1.6 LET US SUM UP

The aim of this unit was to provide you guidelines to understand the basic
concept of community organisation as a method of social work practice. We
have discussed in detail the meaning of community organisation and also
provided the definitions with explanations. Now you will be able to explain
the meaning and definition of community organisation. Being aware that community
work and community organisation are integral part of social work, you will
be able to situate them in the context of social work. We have discussed
the value orientation and some of the important principles guiding the community
organisation practice. You are now in a position to recognize the importance
of the values and principles and will be able to follow them while practicing
community organisation in the field.

1.7 KEY WORDS

Capacity The ability, power or strength of an individual,
community or an organisation.
Community Integration A process in which the exercise of
cooperative and collaborative attitude and
practices lead to greater identification with
community, interest and participation in the
affairs of the community and sharing of
common values and means for expressing
these values.
Community Participation Community participation means to ensure
that decisions affecting the community are
taken by all (not only a few) community
members (not by an outside agency).
Co-operation To help one another in allied tasks or to
work together towards a common end,
purpose or effect cooperation is most essential.
Formulating Plans Planning the various steps and methods are
necessary to achieve the goal.
Need-Resources Matching the resources with the identified
Adjustment needs in the community is very important.
 Resource : A "resource" is anything of value (Physical Community Organisation:
Concept and Principles
material, money, people, etc.) that can be
used as an "input" for a project.
Social Institution : Association, custom, or relationship
consciously approved by a society, and
organised and maintained through prescribed
rules and agencies. It means a recognised
pattern of social interaction. An institution
comes with a set of attitudes, behaviour
patterns, expectations and meanings.
Social Interaction : Social interaction is the behaviow and beliefs
between people that is dependent upon the
behaviour and beliefs of each other and of
other people.

1.8 SUGGESTED READINGS

Gangrade, K.D. (1971) "Community Organisation in India, Popular Prakashan,
Bombay.
Harper E.B. and Dunharn Arthur (1959), "Community Organisation in Action"
Association Press, New York.
Ross, M.G. (1967), "Community Organisation", Harper and Row, New
York.
Siddiqui H.Y. (1997), "Working with Communities", Hira Publications, New
Delhi.
Journal of Community Practice: Organising, Planning, Development and Change,
The Haworth Social Work Practice Press.

1.9 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS .

Check Your Progress I

1) There are-several definitions available in literature, which are put forth

at different times and contexts. The common element in most of them
is matching resources to needs. We will discuss here two most widely
accepted definitions of community organisation.
Murray G. Ross defines community organisation as a "process by which
p a community identifies its needs or objectives, gives priority to them,
develops confidence and will to work together, finds resources (internal
and external) to deal with them, and in doing so, extends and develops
co-operative and collaborative attitudes and practices in the community".
Another definition that we discuss here is by Kramer and Specht (1975),
which is in more technical terms. They defined that "Community organisation
refers to various methods of intervention whereby a professional change
agent helps a community action system composed of individuals, groups
or organisations to engage in planned collective action in order to deal
with special problems within the democratic system of values."
Community Organisation Check Your Progress I1

1) In social work the term "community w o r k is often used with different

meanings. In social work literature we find that the term "community
work", "community development", "community organisation" and "community
empowerment" are at times used interchangeably for the work with
communities. Some authors have used these terms f a - the same types
of work whereas others use them to refer to different type of work with
communities.
Community work has a long history as part of social work. It has passed
through various phases. All over the world it has been recognized as an
integral part of social work practice. During the initial phase in UK,
community work was primarily seen as a method of social work, trying
to help individuals to enhance their social adjustment.
Community work as a method of social work in India is largely seen
as a process of developing local initiatives, particularly in the areas of
education, health and agricultural development. The focus of the work
is, to encourage people to express their needs, and enable them to avail
the existing resources.
Check Your Progress I11

1) In social work, the focus of community organisation practice is influenced

by a system of personal and professional values. These values affect,
workers' style of intervention and the skills they use in working with
community members.
The value orientation of community organisation as of all social work
derives from acceptance of certain concepts and facts as a foundation
for work with people. Among these are the essential dignity and ethical
worth of the individual, the possession by each individual of potentials
and resources for managing one's own life, the importance of freedom
to express one's individuality, the great capacity or growth within all
socid beings, the right of the individual to those basic physical necessities
(food, shelter and clothing) without which fulfillment of life is often blocked,
the need for the individual to struggle and strive to improve his own life
and environment, are basic. The right of the individual for help in time
of need and crisis, the importance of a social organisation for which the
individual feels responsible, and which is responsive to individual feeling,
the need for a social climate which encourages individual growth and
development, the right and responsibility of the individual to participate
in the affairs of his community are equally important along with these,
practicability of discussion, conference, and consultation as methods for
the solution of individual and social problems, and "self help" as the
essential base of any programme of aid, are some of the value orientations
which constitute the basis of community organisation.