SWB333 Participatory Community Development

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

Participatory community development is a key methodology and approach to working in human services and social work, particularly when working with vulnerable and often marginalised groups across diverse settings. This unit provides a platform for developing and integrating knowledge and skills necessary for effective dialogue, group work and supporting people's organisations. The unit also provides you with an opportunity to gain an understanding of the dynamics of dialogue, groups and organisations and to acquire skills for effective engagement and intervention. Because of its importance in preparing you for professional practice with communities, this unit is strategically located in the third year.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Articulate personal and professional understandings of participatory community development
2. Critically analyse, reflect on, and collaboratively communicate an example of one tradition of participatory community development
3. Apply and practice micro-, mezzo-, macro- and meta- method and teamwork skills for participatory community development
4. Describe and analyse the application of community development in a specific community or to an issue of interest.

Content

Learning Approaches

The unit is offered in an interactive weekly workshops. The workshops will involve a face to face on campus with an online (Zoom) option. Your learning is supported through an experiential learning method which requires you to engage in facilitated learning activities and work collaboratively with peers.

You will engage in online learning activities between sessions (online Canvas platform). Learning and teaching will incorporate an overview of relevant theory and practice, a discussion of the material relevant to specific participatory community development practice topics, multimedia (power point, video, podcast and online material).  

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

The first piece of assessment has a formative and summative component whereby formative feedback is provided through workshop sessions, group discussions, engagement with campus based and online learning activities and individual consultation. The final assessment is summative and has a formative component whereby feedback on key learnings for professional practice will be offered in workshop sessions, on-campus and virtual learning activities and student consultation. Peer feedback is provided via the second assessment piece.

Assessment

Overview

There are two pieces of assessment for this unit. Both involve developing participatory community development knowledge and skills for professional practice and socially just change. Lecture and tutorial workshop activities will assist with planning for assessment tasks. You will work collaboratively in the second assessment as a group and individually. Each assessment item is designed to measure your ability to apply the knowledge and skills stated in the unit learning outcomes. There is an expectation that student work is of a high standard and commensurate with third year professional practice knowledge and skills development and integration.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Case Study

You will draw on the framework of the course and the textbook (Participatory Development Practice) to design a proposed community development intervention around either a place- based issue, or identity/interest-oriented group (and their issue) or select a case study scenario from one provided. This case study will tell the story of how the method framework will be used to move a supposed individual and private concern into a collective and public process of social change. A rationale for the participatory approach will need to be provided, along with simulated transcripts of the micro and mezzo dialogues required for the movement from private/individual to public/collective. Risks associated with moving to macro-people's organisation and meta level work will also be articulated. 

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Assessment: Author/ Activist Presentation and Reflection

Author-activist presentation, and individual piece (a list of possible author- activists will be provided).

You will select an author-activist  and undertake research to support a 5 minute pod cast recording or zoom recording of the the activist's philosophical orientation, their methodological framework for participatory social action and key insights drawn from their approach to share with the broader community. This presentation is to be pre-recorded and submitted on the Canvas site for marking.

You will then provide an individual 1000-word reflection that outlines how your research of the author/activist has influenced your emerging practice framework.  The reflection should make an explicit connection to your own Implicate method. The written reflection is due one week after the submission of the recording. 

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.

Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

Resource Materials

Prescribed text(s)

Kelly, A. & Westoby, P. (2018). Participatory Development Practice: Using traditional and contemporary frameworks. Practical Action Press, UK.

List of author-activists to choose from for 2nd assessment will be available via the unit Canvas site.

Recommended text(s)

Westoby, P. & Dowling, G. (2013). Theory and Practice of Dialogical Community Development - International Perspectives. Routledge, London/New York.

Taylor, J., Wilkinson, D., & Cheers, B. (2008). Working with Communities in Health and Human Services.
Oxford University Press, South Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no particular risks associated with this unit. Students are expected to display integrity in participation in planned experiential activities.

Course Learning Outcomes

SW04 Bachelor of Social Work

1. Access, evaluate, and utilise relevant social work information that informs and assists in intra- and inter-professional communication in a range of contexts, through effective oral, written and digital interactions. [Practice, Knowledge]
   Relates to: Author/ Activist Presentation and Reflection
2. Design a plan of action for working within socially progressive, anti-oppressive, culturally safe and ethical practice, that embody an autonomous and collaborative evidence-based orientation to social work, integral to the standards of professional social work practice. [Values and Disposition, Practice]
   Relates to: Case Study, Author/ Activist Presentation and Reflection
3. Critically examine tenets of diversity and diverse perspectives in social work, and advocate for a socially just society and the promotion of human dignity that reflect different social, political, cultural and historical circumstances, on the beliefs, values and aspirations of various groups, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations. [Values and Disposition, Knowledge, Practice]
   Relates to: Case Study

SW05 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

1. Critically evaluate theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values and, as a change facilitator, meet diverse client and community needs that promote social justice
   Relates to: Case Study, Author/ Activist Presentation and Reflection
2. Formulate and implement strategies using advanced knowledge and research skills to analyse, consolidate and synthesise social and practice evidence to generate solutions and to inform professional practice and decision-making
   Relates to: Case Study, Author/ Activist Presentation and Reflection
3. Develop advanced knowledge, skills and values, to inform culturally safe communication and effective intra- and inter-professional collaboration and with a wide range of audiences and contexts, including accessing, evaluating and utlising digital health information.
   Relates to: Author/ Activist Presentation and Reflection
4. Construct and implement strategies for practising collaboratively and independently, focused on socially progressive, anti-oppressive, culturally safe and ethical practice, integral to the standards of professional social work practice
   Relates to: Case Study