Provisionally
approved 6/6/02
EXPLORING
COMMUNITY
Level
III
RATIONALE:
This competency explores different concepts of community and how these
relate to the planning, organization and delivery of public and community
service. Public and community service is often directed at communities that
are defined both in terms of geography, of specific social characteristics
or of interests. Neighborhood services are almost by definition oriented
to communities that occupy a particular “physical space” (neighborhood), but
these spaces may vary in size, in type (for example, urban/suburban/rural)
and even in how their boundaries are defined by both residents and outsiders.
Communities defined by common characteristics and interests may or may not
share a physical space and are most commonly demarcated by racial / ethnic
characteristics, (black, white or Asian), by class, by ethnicity or nationality
(Puerto Ricans, Italian-American, Japanese-American, or others), gender (male
or female), sexual orientation (heterosexual, lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered),
occupation (professional, worker, or entrepreneur), or religion (Jewish, Catholic,
Muslim, or Protestant).
Understanding
the ways in which we can identify the presence and characteristics of both
geographic and social communities, the ways these communities define themselves
and are defined by outsiders, and the ways in which community characteristics
and established services systems interact may be instrumental in improving
access and quality of services.
COMPETENCY:
Can identify different types of communities and use this understanding
to explore the implications for public and community service.
CRITERIA:
1.
Identify and contrast different definitions of community from the scholarly
literature
2.
Identify and define a community.
3.
Using several sources of information, describe characteristics and elements
shared by members of the community, explaining how these have shaped its development.
4.
Using several sources of information, describe elements outside the community
that may have contributed to its development. These may include:
a.
policies and practices that may have affected the community
b.
media portrayals of the community
c.
relations of the U.S. with the
country of origin, if an immigrant community
5.
Based on your analysis of the community’s characteristics and your knowledge
of the practice of public and community service, analyze how the characteristics
of the community may affect the level of access and the quality of public
and community services available to it.
PORTFOLIO
LINKS: You are expected to use the Writing Portfolio criteria
and standards as guidelines for the written products required by this competency.
Papers written for this competency may be considered for submission to the
Writing Portfolio.
STANDARDS:
1.
For criterion 1, students must identify and contrast at least 2 definitions
of community found in the sociological, anthropological, planning, or architectural
literature. Students must present a minimum of 6 academic sources; these
must be cited using a List of Works Cited (MLA format ) or References (APA
format), in correct bibliographic form.
2.
In Criterion 2, define the community by the factors that establish its membership,
that is, geography, language, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, occupation,
religion, or other.
3.
In Criterion 3, the characteristics and elements used should include, at
least 3 of the following:
a.
its physical boundaries, both official and as defined by residents (required
in the case of a spatial community)
b.
their history and background
c.
specific social characteristics such as language, social and cultural practices,
racial/ethnic identity, economic status, religious practice, gender differences,
ideological manifestations, sexual orientation or other elements that charaterize
the group (required in the case of a social community).
d.
characteristics of its organizational environment
e.
any other spatial dimensions of the community, such as a business sector,
or specific gathering places
4.
In addressing Criteria 3 and 4, you must use at least two different sources
of information, one of which should be in-depth interviews with members of
the community. The other source can be selected from the following:
a.
academic sources (for example to describe the history of the group, its
key characteristics and the characteristics of policies that may affect
the group.) A minimum of 5 sources must be used; these must be cited using
a List of Works Cited (MLA format ) or References (APA format), in correct
bibliographic form.
b.
census data, reports, newspaper accounts and other existing information
(for example, to describe the background and main characteristics of the
group, or to analyze how the media had portrayed the group). A minimum
of 5 sources must be used; these must be cited using a List of Works Cited
(MLA format ) or References (APA format), in correct bibliographic form.
c.
observation (used for example, to identify “markers” of the presence of
the group such as organizations or to identify “spatial dimensions” such
as businesses, and areas where community members may gather).
d.
review of organizational documents (to learn about the history of community
organizations or to determine community perspectives on specific issues).
Documents must be cited using a List of Works Cited (MLA format ) or References
(APA format), in correct bibliographic form.
e.
life histories (to learn about the background and history of the community).
5.
For criterion five students should consider effects that depend both on geography
and social factors. These may include (but are not restricted to): physical
location; availability of transportation; language and cultural barriers;
perceptions of safety; social distance, discrimination and stigma; and other
factors.
EXAMPLES
OF DEMONSTRATION:
1.
Prior Learning: A student that took a course on Muslims in America
provides evidence of the work in the course, conducts interviews with Muslims
and non-Muslims about the definition of the community and makes a presentation
about these findings together with some reflection about the type of community
they exemplify and the implications to service delivery of what he/she knows
about the characteristics of the community.
2.
Independent Learning.
A student notices that there has been an increment in the number of Mexicans
that are requesting services in his agency. The student begins by interviewing
5 clients about their community, how they see it, who composes, how long they
have been in the areas, etc, as well as about markers and spatial elements
of the community. Following this, the student searches for information about
the Mexican community in Boston in the census and in organizations such as
the Hispanic Office of Planning and Evaluation and the Gaston Institute at
UMass Boston. He / she conducts an observation of the sites identified through
interviews. The student then reads scholarly work that provides some perspective
on different types of communities and identifies the type of community that
Mexicans represent. The student then presents a paper or a video, about the
characteristics of this community following the criteria and standards of
this competency. If the student chooses to write a paper, This essay may
be submitted as one of the essays required in Criterion I b of the
Writing portion of the Level II Communications Portfolio competency.
3.
Course: Complete a CPCS course addressing the competency or an appropriate
transfer.
4.
Field Project. A group of students and a faculty member work with
a community agency on project that focuses on Cape Verdean youth. Using reports
academic sources and reports from research conducted about this community,
students identify the type of community that Cape verdeans represent, the
history and background of this group as well as its main characteristics.
These findings are compared to findings of review of the minutes of planning
meetings for youth programs run by the Cape Verdean Community Task Force and
inteviews with Cape Verdean youth in the area. Students also interview non-Cape
Verdean providers about the makeup of the community and its main characteristics.
Students collaborate on a written report and a presentation to the community
on their findings, stressing the barriers to service that Cape Verdean youth
face in Boston.