Introduction

This short book is designed to introduce community organising to anyone that has never experienced it before.

On page 15 we define community organising and from page 16 to 32 we describe community organising through the Community Organising Framework developed by our network, based on ten years or more experience of practising, experimenting with and reflecting on the practice of community organising.

On page 34 we briefly describe some of the different approaches and models of community organising to be found in the UK and internationally.

On page 38 we then start to look at the many other types of methods and approaches to building community, empowering individuals and taking action for social justice which can be found in use in England today.

We briefly look at what they are and then we explain how we see them in relation to community organising – looking at what they have in common and how they differ.

Page 76 contains a summary of the main similarities and common values that we found. Page 77 summarises the distinctive or defining characteristics of community organising.

This book is not a how-to-guide or a toolkit for doing community organising. Its aim is to shed light on why we believe that community organising is special and distinct and why it matters today more than ever.

Contents

• Forewords
• Supporting statements
• Introduction
• What community organising is
• The community organising framework
• Principles of practice
• Different approaches to community organising
• How community organising relates to other forms of empowerment and social action
• Forms of Engagement
• Development and Dialogue
• Action
• Organisational Development
• Public Service Approaches
• What are the main similarities between community organising and other approaches
• How to recognise community organising
• And what it is definately not
• References
• Last words

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