Participatory Community Work

Community work has been an integral frontline method of professional social work. It has been primarily concerned with enabling people to develop collective responses to shared needs. During the last few years, however, human rights approaches have gained more attention in the development discourse. The various human rights instruments, covenants and declarations have shaped the framework around which substantial development activity takes place and subsequently has implications for social work practice too. The Declaration on the Right to Development entails that all people be entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy civil, economic, social and political development. People’s involvement or participation is important as it is consistent with the aims of social work, which is empowerment of the people, so that they are able to challenge oppression and discrimination and take greater charge of their lives. Participatory techniques and the rights based approach seek to develop people’s capacities and skills to negotiate and to seek the resources and changes which they require in order to improve their lives. This book re-examines the concept of community work in the Indian context and attempts to integrate participatory and rights-based concerns with social work practice and community work. It argues for social workers to listen to and become the voice of the poor and thus to hold the state accountable to ensure that it lives up to its responsibilities towards all. It emphasises on the need to fight for the participation and against the exclusion of the poor from the process of development.