Margot Rawsthorne

This book provides a practical but sophisticated exploration of community development practice and is an accessible, relevant, and contextualised guide for those studying social work and human services in Australia. This fully revised and expanded second edition (including new insights from communities preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters) draws on the experiences of not only the authors but many current practitioners from diverse backgrounds working alongside communities to support socially just change. The perspectives of these practitioners are drawn on throughout the book as well as in the exemplary projects case studies at the end of the book. Blending practical skills and ideas with a solid theoretical foundation, each chapter includes reflective questions and examples which can be used both on the classroom and in the field. Enabling students to feel better supported in challenging dominant individualised practice frameworks, it argues strongly that only collective action (supported by community development practice) can address significant social challenges such as those created by climate change, poverty, and social exclusion.

This book provides a practical but sophisticated exploration of community development practice and is an accessible, relevant, and contextualised guide for those studying social work and human services in Australia. This fully revised and expanded second edition (including new insights from communities preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters) draws on the experiences of not only the authors but many current practitioners from diverse backgrounds working alongside communities to support socially just change. The perspectives of these practitioners are drawn on throughout the book as well as in the exemplary projects case studies at the end of the book. Blending practical skills and ideas with a solid theoretical foundation, each chapter includes reflective questions and examples which can be used both on the classroom and in the field. Enabling students to feel better supported in challenging dominant individualised practice frameworks, it argues strongly that only collective action (supported by community development practice) can address significant social challenges such as those created by climate change, poverty, and social exclusion.

This book will inspire the next generation of social work and human service practitioners to integrate research into their everyday social justice practice. Through highlighting the centrality of values to the task of research and the possibilities for enacting social justice through our research practice, it argues for respectful, meaningful, and just relationships with the people with whom we do research and build knowledge; acknowledges the ongoing impact of colonialism; respects diversity; and commits to working towards social change. With First Nations Worldviews – ways of knowing, ways of being, ways of doing – weaved throughout the text, this book seeks to both reclaim ancient knowledges and disrupt Western research traditions. Divided into three sections, this book providesa strong rationale for the importance of research skills to social work and human service practice;a step-by-step guide on doing social research aimed at novice researchers; a series of examples of applied social justice projectsBringing the authors’ passion for finding new ways of ‘doing’ research and contesting traditional research paradigms of objectivity and the scientific, it advocates for knowledge building that is participatory, emancipatory, and empowered. It will be required reading for all social work and human service students at both the undergraduate and master's level as well as professionals looking to put research into practice.

This book will inspire the next generation of social work and human service practitioners to integrate research into their everyday social justice practice. Through highlighting the centrality of values to the task of research and the possibilities for enacting social justice through our research practice, it argues for respectful, meaningful, and just relationships with the people with whom we do research and build knowledge; acknowledges the ongoing impact of colonialism; respects diversity; and commits to working towards social change. With First Nations Worldviews – ways of knowing, ways of being, ways of doing – weaved throughout the text, this book seeks to both reclaim ancient knowledges and disrupt Western research traditions. Divided into three sections, this book providesa strong rationale for the importance of research skills to social work and human service practice;a step-by-step guide on doing social research aimed at novice researchers; a series of examples of applied social justice projectsBringing the authors’ passion for finding new ways of ‘doing’ research and contesting traditional research paradigms of objectivity and the scientific, it advocates for knowledge building that is participatory, emancipatory, and empowered. It will be required reading for all social work and human service students at both the undergraduate and master's level as well as professionals looking to put research into practice.

This book provides an accessible, research-informed text for students, social workers and other social service workers and community development workers focused on practically linking climate change to social justice. The book is designed for: Those who want to embed an understanding of climate change and its social justice impacts in their everyday practiceThose keen to explore the explicit but also often invisible ways we see injustice playing out and exacerbated by climate changeThose interested in embarking on research and action which addresses climate change in an inclusive, creative and fair wayUtilising existing and current research with organisations, government and communities, it examines key themes and contexts where work has been done and where more work is needed to design and implement inclusive and just action on climate change. With a core position revolving around the idea and practice of justice – for earth and everything that lives here, it draws on First Nations worldviews, critical analysis, community-led approaches and complexity theory, to outline some practical ways to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change as well as a strategy to reshape our life and work for the longer term. It will be required reading for all scholars, students and professionals of social work, social welfare, community development, international development, community health and environmental and community education.

This book provides an accessible, research-informed text for students, social workers and other social service workers and community development workers focused on practically linking climate change to social justice. The book is designed for: Those who want to embed an understanding of climate change and its social justice impacts in their everyday practiceThose keen to explore the explicit but also often invisible ways we see injustice playing out and exacerbated by climate changeThose interested in embarking on research and action which addresses climate change in an inclusive, creative and fair wayUtilising existing and current research with organisations, government and communities, it examines key themes and contexts where work has been done and where more work is needed to design and implement inclusive and just action on climate change. With a core position revolving around the idea and practice of justice – for earth and everything that lives here, it draws on First Nations worldviews, critical analysis, community-led approaches and complexity theory, to outline some practical ways to adapt to and mitigate the impacts of climate change as well as a strategy to reshape our life and work for the longer term. It will be required reading for all scholars, students and professionals of social work, social welfare, community development, international development, community health and environmental and community education.

Increasingly students and practitioners in human services are asked or seek to include community engagement, participation and capacity building in their work with groups. In this book expert authors Amanda Howard and Margot Rawsthorne provide guidance on the theory and practice of working with communities, from preliminary planning and scoping before direct work with the community begins, through to evaluation. They explore key issues including developing an understanding of community life, facilitating and supporting community action, understanding and acting on structural inequity, managing negotiation and conflict, and building productive networks. They draw extensively on their own work with communities and research to create a dialogue with the reader on the interaction of task and process in everyday community practice. Written in a friendly and accessible style and featuring the voices of community workers throughout, this is a vital guide for anyone seeking to encourage positive change in an important field of practice.'This is a splendid addition to the community work literature, offering wise and judicious guidance for those engaged knee-deep in community practice … it acknowledges that the increasing emphasis on individualised service options has too often led to the neglect of understanding the benefits of collective action within diverse and dynamic communities.' - Dr Winsome Roberts, Honorary Senior Fellow, Department of Social Work, University of Melbourne

Increasingly students and practitioners in human services are asked or seek to include community engagement, participation and capacity building in their work with groups. In this book expert authors Amanda Howard and Margot Rawsthorne provide guidance on the theory and practice of working with communities, from preliminary planning and scoping before direct work with the community begins, through to evaluation. They explore key issues including developing an understanding of community life, facilitating and supporting community action, understanding and acting on structural inequity, managing negotiation and conflict, and building productive networks. They draw extensively on their own work with communities and research to create a dialogue with the reader on the interaction of task and process in everyday community practice. Written in a friendly and accessible style and featuring the voices of community workers throughout, this is a vital guide for anyone seeking to encourage positive change in an important field of practice.'This is a splendid addition to the community work literature, offering wise and judicious guidance for those engaged knee-deep in community practice aEURO| it acknowledges that the increasing emphasis on individualised service options has too often led to the neglect of understanding the benefits of collective action within diverse and dynamic communities.' - Dr Winsome Roberts, Honorary Senior Fellow, Department of Social Work, University of Melbourne