Tools For Building Empowered Communities.
COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
Bartle, P., PhD (2007). Community empowerment mobilizer’s training modules.
http://www.scn.org/cmp/
This comprehensive Community Empowerment website is an international “cafeteria-style” collection of training materials for low-income communities with the goal to overcome poverty. Translations are available in 9 languages. Although it is not age-specific, these principles and methods could help develop age-friendly communities. It is geared for the community field worker and it is also low tech. Short documents can be printed out. (Although the author holds a copyright, the material is free as long as it is not plagiarized). Over four hundred training documents, on a wide range of topics, can be easily accessed and understood by grass-roots workers. It also serves as a great reference for experienced field workers. The article gives advice in how to organize community, community groups and organizations, along with management training methods to strengthen them. Examples of modules are: Introduction to the Site/How to Use It, What Is Community?, A Sociological Perspective, Community Empowerment: Making Neighborhoods Stronger, A Mobilization Cycle Outline that can be modified for varying situations which includes dealing with local leaders and Government officials, and public meetings of target communities (which is also available on Power Point), Useful and Interesting Links – an aid workers network where one can post questions and share with the community. Guidelines for grant applications are given, but no project funds are provided.