Community-Based Assessment and Design: Creating Well-being in Local Communities

The residents of urban at-risk communities often have ministry done to them by well-meaning people. Organizations (non-profits, churches, government, etc.) swoop in with money, people and resources and tell the community what they need.  Playgrounds are erected overnight, projects initiated, murals painted over, or urban gardens appear without anyone asking the people who live there what they want.  The message that no one listens is reinforced in their minds. God’s concept of “shalom” is not one of doing to people but one of inviting people to directly own and participate in the development and well-being of their own neighbourhoods and communities. Participants in this course will develop the skills necessary to engage, learn from and accompany a local community in its path towards greater well being. This approach is guided through the development tools of community assessment (listening to the community) and project design, monitoring and evaluation (responding with the community to its understanding and hopes for well-being ). At the end of this course participants will have the skills necessary to involve the community in in its own restoration.