Managing Community Practice: Principles, Policies and Programmes

Description

Community involvement is now at the centre of the UK government's social inclusion, neighbourhood renewal and health development programmes, resulting in many challenges for managers involved in such work. The bestselling first edition of this book discussed the meaning, principles and application of managing community practice, focusing on the role and skills needed by managers. This will be required if ambitious regeneration and social inclusion programmes are to work in partnership with the active involvement of communities and exploring a wide range of examples from practice. Since the first edition, there has been a perceptible increase in the structured involvement of communities in developing, delivering and evaluating public policies and projects. In this new edition all chapters have been fully updated in the light of recent developments and new case examples have been included to illustrate such changes. A new chapter on The Managers Role in Community Research has been added and a new concluding chapter explores key challenges which need to be addressed. This book is an essential resource for operational and strategic managers in local government, housing, health and other service delivery agencies, social inclusion and community regeneration projects. It will be essential reading for tutors and students on a wide range of undergraduate and Masters courses.

Sarah Banks is Professor in the School of Applied Social Sciences and Co-director of the Centre for Social Justice and Community Action at Durham University, UK. Hugh Butcher, formerly Head of Department of Community Studies at Bradford College UK, combines his research interests in community practice with the promotion of patient and public involvement in cancer health services. Andrew Orton is Lecturer in Community and Youth Work, Durham University, UK. He has a particular research interest in faith-based community work. Jim Robertson was Senior Lecturer in Community Work Studies at Northumbria University, UK, and is currently Project Consultant with Churches Regional Commission in North East England.

"This fine volume is further confirmation of the growing importance of 'neighbourhood' in delivering public services. The book is for managers and practitioners and helps understand 'going local' and how it will help reshape organisations as they redirect their energies toward providing neighbourhood-based services." Community Care, about the first edition "This well-written, highly recommendable text provides readers with much that will be valuable in the challenge of managing of community practice in order to benefit local people." Keith Popple, London South Bank University