What is Community Development?

The United Nations defines Community Development as “a process where community members come together to take collective action and generate solutions to common problems.“ It is a broad term given to the practices of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens and professionals to improve various aspects of communities, typically aiming to build stronger and more resilient local communities.

Community development seeks to empower individuals and groups of people with the skills they need to effect change within their communities. These skills are often created through the formation of large social groups working for a common agenda. Community developers understand both how to work with individuals and how to affect communities’ positions within the context of larger social institutions.

To the volunteers, staff, members, committees past and present and the world at large: this is why we come to work, volunteer, contribute, seek help or join up to create a place in which we want to live and belong. Thank you all for your undying energy, wisdom, courage and vision.

Thank you to our regular contributors with whom we have an operating agreement and those occasional funders who support our programs, activities and initiatives.

And thank you Emerald Community House for shinning the light so that we can always see what needs to be done.