Details
Creating Connecting Spaces - EQF Level 4
Introduction

Introduction

Group of people enjoying music in an open concert
Group of people enjoying music in an open concert
Pexels, Leah Kelley

Each community is characterised by ethos and values that are directly related to the history, population, and culture of the people who make up the community. These elements are part of the everyday life and experience of the people in a community and are built up over time. However, rapid social and developmental changes, depoliticization, and the modern pace of life in a city can create alienation and distance between citizens, isolate individuals from the community, and create barriers between citizens of different ages, gender, cultural background, income, different levels of community participation, or sexual orientation. Often these phenomena lead to difficulties in embedding community ethos and values in the activities and public spaces of a community.

Successful communities create community spaces or use existing spaces and develop actions to strengthen the ethos and values of a community by focusing on social contact and cooperation between citizens, experts, and local authorities.

Task

Task

Business Meeting
Business Meeting
Pexels, Tima Miroshnichenko

Community ethos and values are important elements for community building and the social cohesion of a community. 

Your task as a front-line community worker is to createwith your fellow community workers a plan for an activityor event that promotes sharing experiences, life stories, and bringing together older people and young people in your area. The activity or event you plan must be inclusive and promote community ethos and values in the community as well as their cooperation. The end result will be a short action plan for an activity or event that will include:

  • Title of the Event/Activity
  • Background/ purpose
  • Type of event/actionand applied method(s) (e.g., dialogue, fishbowl conversation, group activities, etc.)
  • Duration and program
  • Potential learning outcomesfor the participants
  • Potential participants (target group)and estimated no of participants
  • Potential stakeholders and volunteers involved (e.g., elderly care centers, youth centers, schools, local authorities, etc.)
  • Possible Date(s)
  • Potential Location(s)
  • Items, technology and services needed 
  • Possible risks and solutions

Process

Process

In the resources section under documents there are detailed instructions on how to create a short plan for the activity/event. You can also find valuable tips and approaches in the two provided website links on the planning of a cultural event/activity. In addition, you will find a template to fill in for your activity/event proposal. Form a group of three, follow step by step the instructions and tips and create a short plan for your activity/event using the given template, in order to present it to your local community council.

Remember as someone who works in the frontline as a community worker, you will need to use your team work skills to cooperate in a planning team for the activity/event. You will need to use your creativity and planning skills to create a solid short plan for an activity/event covering all the relevant subjects needed, and you will use your flexibility and open mindedness to create an inclusive and tailored made activity addressing the challenges and needs in your community while promoting community ethos and values.

 
Conclusion

Conclusion

Once you have completed this module you will realise the importance of community ethos and values in addressing challenges in the relationships of people in the community, and the role of planning activities and events for the promotion of community ethos and values. You will realise that activities’ planning can be used for planning different ranges of events and activities (dialogues, group games, gardening, etc) in order to address different needs, challenges for different and diverse groups of people.

Evaluation

Evaluation

Learning Objectives

  • Users will learn about community ethos and values and their importance for social cohesion, community building and development, as well as for addressing challenges concerning citizens and their relationships with each other and with groups of different a

Knowledge

  • Users will learn more about community ethos and values.
  • Users will understand the importance of addressing challenges in the community with activities/events that promote community ethos and values.
  • Users will understand the different steps of creating a plan for an activity/event.

Skills

  • Users will learn how to embed community values and ethos in the planning of community activities/events.
  • Users will learn to recognize the challenges that face the relationships of members in the community as well as different groups in the community.
  • Users will learn how to plan an activity/ event that promote community ethos and values.

Attitude

  • Users will learn to appreciate community ethos and values and their importance for cohesion and community building.
  • Users will change their attitude towards integrating community ethos and values into activities and events to address challenges in their community.

Resources

Click each section below to see all resources available.