What is Community Development?

Reasons for Community Development

Community Development is needed for reasons such as:

• Lack of job opportunities in an area
• "Brain Drain": When educated people leave an area in search of work elsewhere. This has happened to rural Ireland
• Anti social behaviour. This is common in deprived urban areas.
• Poor and run down infrastructure

Benefits of Community Development

Economic Benefits:

• Creates direct employment, increasing local spending.
• Generates additional business for local suppliers and services.
• Fosters an enterprise culture, encouraging new ideas and businesses.

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Social Benefits:

• Empowers the community, instilling a sense of pride.
• Boosts community spirit and confidence.
• Reduces rural depopulation, retaining skilled workers and maintaining local businesses and services.

How to develop Local Communities

• Initiative: People in the area must take the initiative.
• Community Attitudes: Individuals may find it difficult to change community attitudes, but a local group has a better chance of success.
• Organization: Forming an organization increases the chances of being heard.
• Development Plan: Prepare a development plan outlining who is involved and what they wish to do.
• Funding: Raise finance to carry out the plan.