Engaging Communities module (CO21007)

Community educators need to be able to engage with communities and individuals. This allows you to understand their needs, aspirations, and strengths.

Communities also need to have the capability to engage with and influence local decision-makers. You will explore how you can aid this in this module.

You will explore the interaction between people, policy, and power. You will explore:

• the principles and practice of community engagement
• inclusion and participation
• how to support communities to work collaboratively and in partnership with other communities and local decision-makers

What you will learn

In this module, you will address key competencies from the Competent CLD Practitioner framework:

• know and understand the community in which we work
• build and maintain relationships with individuals and groups
• provide learning and development opportunities in a range of contexts
• ease and promote community empowerment
• organise and manage resources
• develop and support collaborative working
• assess and inform practice

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• describe the key features underpinning the values and theories of Community Education
• apply the principles of partnership working. You will be able to draw on the key ingredients for collaboration and partnership
• show and explain the range of community facilitation methods and techniques. You will be able to encourage participation and community involvement
• analyse the significance of a community-based inquiry. You will be able to do this around its relevance to social inclusion and community capacity building

Assignments / assessment

• 2,000-word evaluative report (100%)
  • set in Week 1
  • due in Week 15

Teaching methods / timetable

A blended learning approach is applied to learning and teaching in this module. Your learning will be supported by on-line learning activities, and personal and module tutor support.  

You are expected to complete 20 hours per week of self-directed study, devoting a total of around 200 hours to study on this module.

This module is designed around 3 different units:

1. People, Power, and Policy
2. Community Engagement, Inclusion, and Participation
3. Collaborative and Partnership Working

Tutorials will be spread across the duration of the module. You will engage with your adviser of studies throughout.