Unit rationale, description and aim
Youth workers and community development workers contribute to the development of communities through social change processes that solve problems through the collective action of the communities themselves. The work may occur within and across social, environment, economic, arts and culture, and recreation sectors. Within these settings, whether they be local or international, Youth and community development workers are required to develop and implement a range of programs that are underpinned by practices that use community development approaches. In this unit, students develop knowledge and understanding of the nature of community development as a way to engage and re-engage young people in their communities. There is a focus on facilitating change with young people and the communities in which they live, utilising decolonized community development practice. The subject aims to enable youth workers and other community development workers to develop practical skills that contribute to building the capacity of and strength of local communities and the young people who live within them.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
Identify the links between community development a...
Learning Outcome 01
Develop community engagement strategies to enhance...
Learning Outcome 02
Apply the roles and skills necessary to undertake ...
Learning Outcome 03
Explain the importance of engaging with diverse cu...
Learning Outcome 04
Content
Topics will include:
- The role of community development within youth work.
- How community development can address culture, ethnicity, class, gender, age, sexual orientation and other forms of marginalisation
- Community development work as anti-oppressive and decolonized practice.
- Developing and providing community programs
- Implementing community development strategies
Assessment strategy and rationale
In order to pass this unit, students are required to achieve all learning outcomes and obtain a final grade of 50% or better as an aggregate of all points from assessment tasks completed in this unit.
A variety of assessment tasks have been designed to meet the learning outcomes of this unit and to ensure the development of graduate attributes. To assist this, the following assessments tasks have been devised:
The Case Study requires students to explore community development theory and practice through a local or international case study and undertake a critical analysis. This requires students to understand how the method of community development was employed in that case study and how it sought to work towards addressing those issues of structural inequality.
The ‘Pitch’ task requires students to draw on community development theory and practice including mechanisms for consultation, building partnerships, enabling participation and evaluation in designing and pitching a community development project. This task requires students to demonstrate purposeful steps that structure community development processes. Bachelor of Youth Work students will be required to focus on a local project for youth, whereas Bachelor of International Development Studies students may focus on an international community development project that include youth.
The test will assess students on knowledge obtained throughout the semester in readings, unit materials, lectures and/or discussions. This assessment requires students to apply knowledge, theories, skills and attitudes appropriate to working with young people.
Overview of assessments
Assessment Task 1: Written Piece – Case Study&nbs...
Assessment Task 1: Written Piece – Case Study
Students will explore community development theory and practice through a local or international case study and undertake a critical analysis. Students will investigate how the method of community development was employed in that case study and how it sought to work towards addressing those issues of structural inequality.
30%
Assessment Task 2: Group Project – The Pitch ...
Assessment Task 2: Group Project – The Pitch
Students are to design and ‘pitch’ a community-based project.
40%
Assessment Task 3: Test Students will be te...
Assessment Task 3: Test
Students will be tested on readings and lecture content.
30%
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This 10-credit point face-to-face unit provides hands-on learning, including collaborative learning. It takes the form of a face-to-face class incorporating activities through which students will gain a deep understanding of skills and theories of community development. Key learning activities in tutorials will include reading, writing, group discussion and group activities, finding scholarly sources, and problem-solving. The lectures provide students with content and analytical frameworks necessary for understanding and analysing community development and assist students to synthesise a broad range of material.