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Transforming Community Practice:
[Re]Moving the
Margins
Jannit Rabinovitch
jrabinovitch@shaw.ca
Union Institute and University
copyright Jannit Rabinovitch, 2004
Contents
Dedication
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Abstract
Chapter 1 - Setting the Stage
Introduction to my Process
Social Change through Community Practice
Transformative Community Practice
[Re]Moving the Margins
Need for Change Agents
Conclusion
Chapter 2 - A Review of Literature Related to Transformative Community Practice
Focus on Practice not Research
Intersection of Community Practice and Feminism
Shifting Power by Changing Attitudes
Role of the Change Agent
Listening to the Community's Insider Knowledge
Em[power]ment
Participation/Engagement
Capacity Building
From the Academy to the Community
Conclusion
Chapter 3 - Five Community Practice Examples
Theoretical Framework
Introduction to the Projects
Victoria Street Community Association
Downtown Women's Project
Prostitutes' Empowerment, Education and Resource
Society
Out from the Shadows: International Summit of Sexually
Exploited Youth
International Centre to Combat the Exploitation of
Children
Analysis of the Projects
Conclusion
Chapter 4 - Going to Where People Are: Placing Experiential
People at the Centre
Going to the Experiential Community
Building Relationships and Establishing Trust
Listening to the Experiential Community
Insider Knowledge: From Client to Expert
Involving the Experiential Community in Decision-making
Indigenous Leadership
Building the Capacity of Experiential Community Members
Visualizing Change: Motivation and Passion
Conclusion
Chapter 5 - Bringing Others Along: Engaging Community Support
Ensuring Cultural Sensitivity
Working Together: Partnerships, Coalitions and
Collaborations
Working with Existing Institutions
Creating New Initiatives
Community-University Research Partnerships
Transforming a Community Requires Everyone
Conclusion
Chapter 6 - Taking the Time: Honouring the Process
Dedicating Enough Time
Five Internal and External Phases of Transformative
Community Practice
Phase I . a) Internal Work-Building Relationships
b) External Work-Conducting Research
Phase II. a) Internal Work-Creating the Vision
b) External Work-Building Relationships
Phase III. a) Internal Work-Strategic Planning
b) External Work-Gathering Support
Phase IV. a) Internal Work-Capacity Building
b) External Work-Documenting & Reporting
Phase V. a) Internal Work-Implementing the
Initiative
b) External Work-Ensuring Sustainability
Conclusion
Chapter 7 - Envisioning Transformation: Where To >From Here?
Spiritual Activism
Signs of the Transformation
Living in a Time of Crisis and Opportunity
Works Cited
Works Consulted
Notes
Glossary
Appendices:
A - Traditional Scholarly Disciplines that Inform
Transformative Community Practice
B - PEERS' Philosophical Stance
C - Declaration and Agenda for Action
D - Summary Analysis of Case Stories
E - Qualities of Change Agent Lens in Transformative
Community Practice
F - Community Partners in Transformative Community
Practice
I
dedicate this work to Sandy Merriman who died in 1996 during the Downtown
Women’s Project. Many of the realizations that underlie this work emerged as a
result of her death.
This dissertation was submitted in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in
Community Studies, October 2004, The Graduate College, School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, Union Institute and University, Judith Arcana, Ph.D., Faculty Advisor.
I
would like to thank some of the remarkable women I have had the privilege to
work with over the years—Ally, Barb, Cher, Cherry, Chuck, Grace, Gwen, Karen,
Lauren, Megan—and many others. I am honoured to be the “square” in the circle.
Many
people have helped me with this work. My Doctoral Committee: Judith Arcana,
Audrey Faulkner, Mark Rosenman, Jennifer Rudkin, Joanne Mulcahy, Simone Yehuda,
and Kathleen Adams have been an invaluable source of direction and
encouragement. Ellen Ilfeld has provided guidance and support, and taught me
what it means to undertake data analysis within an unconventional framework.
Most
especially, I thank my partner, Lyn Davis, who lived with me and my complaints
during the months which I constantly undertook new tasks. Without her support
and belief in me I would not have begun let alone achieved this goal.
Last,
but certainly not least, I thank the members of my chosen family: my daughter,
Hannah Rabinovitch, my son, Mischa Snopkowski, the other mothers, Patrice
Snopkowski, Nancy Issenman, Lyn Davis and Pam Hartling and Doug McGhee, whose
role as yet in our culture, has no name. I thank you for your unwavering
confidence in me, your company, and for being in my life before, throughout and
after this process.
Dr. Jannit Rabinovitch is the BC Coordinator of a national program entitled
Health, Enforcement and Education in Partnership (HEP). In BC HEP is managed by
the Centre for Addictions Research of BC located at the University of Victoria.
As well, Jannit spent almost seven years as a member of the Victoria Police
Board. She has her doctorate in Community Studies and many years experience
working with marginalised and socially excluded populations. Her current work
focuses on partnership, collaboration and the necessity of ensuring that those
most affected by an issue are meaningfully included in addressing it.
This dissertation explores transformative
community practice as an effective method of working in the community, using
five narratives incorporating twelve years of community practice work with
marginalized communities in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Work with one
community’s homeless men, street women, sex workers and sexually exploited
youth provides examples, lessons, recommendations, and insights. Transformative
community practice is built on the realization that despite their insider
knowledge the true experts, those with lived experience, are not usually
included in discussions of how to address their needs. Existing scholarly
literature on community practice demonstrates a broad consensus on the
importance of the inclusion of those most marginalized but without
comprehensive guidelines on how to engage them in substantive ways.
The central argument of this study is that to
develop effective responses to marginalization, the most oppressed must play a
central role in the development, design and delivery of programs and services
designed to address their needs. Further, that to do so requires skilled
change agents to facilitate and support the engagement of marginalized people
in identifying and addressing problems. This study describes one such
experience in effective community practice from the point of view of a change
agent working with marginalized community members.
Transformative community practice seeks to change
social policy and community practice in four key areas: the redefinition of
expertise to include the experiential community thus ensuring they play a decision-making
role in the design, development and implementation of all solutions; a new
understanding of, and support for, the role of the change agent; the engagement
of all stakeholders affected by the situation being addressed; and a commitment
that sufficient time and resources will be dedicated to the process of
community practice.
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