Monday 29 April 2019

Main Concepts Of Collective Empowerment

By Timothy Jackson


Empowering individuals is one of the best ways to alleviate instances of poverty and aid in the overall economic well being of a society. Collective empowerment, otherwise known as community empowerment, is much like empowering individuals but at a larger scale. For those who want to have an introduction to this kind of activity, here is a brief overview with a few points to take note of.

The first impression that one would usually get when he or she hears this term would be giving aid and helping build houses, especially in impoverished districts. Yes, this is a part of community development but it is only the surface of it. The whole goal of community empowerment is to make a community be able to sustain itself through the group effort of every member.

In order for the people to contribute to the community, they must first be equipped and confident in their abilities to do so. If one is confident in his or her work abilities, he or she will put them to good use in community development. That is why local teaching programs that provide knowledge and skills to the people are very important in a sense that they empower each individual on a personal scale.

Once the individuals inside are already more confident in their ability to help the local economy, programs on inclusion or equality must be made. It is not uncommon for there to be sub groups in a big group of people based on various beliefs or ideologies. The most important thing in community development would be to make sure that these groups, although different from each other, are still united and not divided.

There would also be the dimension of cooperative programs wherein the various groups in the communities will work together for the benefit of the community in its entirety. This could be through community home building programs or open forums wherein local policies are discussed and implement. As long as it is for the benefit of the collective, it is a program that empowers.

Of course, there are some things that need to be done before one would be empowered on a personal level. The first thing that must happen is to first create an environment wherein the people have this sense of belonging. Through this environment, one will be able to feel that the community does care for him or her and he or she would want to give back.

Of course, the development of a certain culture in the community is crucial in doing so. That is also an effort that most leaders do in order to make all the individuals feel like they are a part of an entire group. From there, overall collective effort may be given to the community.

Community empowerment is a very broad activity that has so many aspects to take into consideration. However, it is a very important concept for local communities to grasp. This is especially true for leaders who are looking toward the betterment of their respective communities.




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