COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Community education and training

A process whereaby learning is used for both individual and community betterment.

It is characterized by:

• Involvement of people of all ages.

• The use of community learning, resources and research to bring about community change.

• The many members that people can learn through, with & for each other to create a better world.

KEY FEATURES OF CET

• It is learner centered

• It is for everyone

• It covers a wide variety of learning

• It responds to the community

COMMUNITY EDUCATION IN THE CONTEXT OF SOCIAL WORK

The process of educating community members about social issues, resources, and system available to them.

It aims to empower individuals and groups within a community by providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to address their own needs and challenges.

Awareness Raising

Informing community members about social issues such as poverty, mental health, substance abuse, and domestic violence.

Skills Development

Offering workshops and training sessions to help individuals develop skills in areas like conflict resolution, advocacy, and resource management.

Resource Navigation

Helping community memebers understand how to access social services, healthcare, education, and other critical resources.

Participation and Advocacy

Encouraging community involvement in decision-making processes and advocacy efforts to influence policies that affect their lives.

Collaboration

Working with local organizations, schools, and governments to create a supportive network that enhances community well-being.

Paricipation

This concept refers to sharing and working together (in terms of community education), which gives all people in the community an equal opportunity to have a part in the process of making decisions that affect community life.

Empowemenr

This does not literally mean that power is handed down or given to people.

To empower means to enable people and to elicit and increase their power by various means. It is an act of skill and confidence building and should be developed through cooperation, sharing and mutual learning.

Strengths

Assumes that individuals in communities have strengths, assets, and expertise gained by experiences.

Assets