AIEB

All Ireland Endorsement Body for

Community Work Education & Training

All Ireland Standards

for
Community Work

All Ireland Standards for Community Work A

Published in 2016 by Community Work Ireland on behalf of the
All Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work Education and Training (AIEB)

ISBN 978-0-9560334-5-1

©Copyright: All Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work Education and Training

Extracts from this publication may be reproduced in any form provided acknowledgement is given
to the All Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work Education and Training

AIEB
C/O Community Work Ireland
Westside Community Resource Centre
Seamus Quirke Road,
Galway, Ireland
Phone: 353 91 528325
Email: [email protected]
www.communityworkendorsement.com

This project was supported by the Pobal Community Fund

Printed by Swift Print and Design

www.swiftprintdesign.com

01 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 contents
contents
1. Introduction................................................................................................................. 2

2. Background.................................................................................................................. 4

3. Defining Community Work....................................................................................... 5

4. Purpose of the Standards......................................................................................... 7

5. The Standards.............................................................................................................. 8

6. The Standards and Community Work Educators................................................. 25

7. Conclusion.................................................................................................................... 25

Appendix 1: Current Membership of the All Ireland Endorsement

Body for Community Work Education and Training................................................... 26

Appendix 2: References and End Notes........................................................................ 27

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 1

INTRODUCTION

om mitment
al C an
dI
s ion nt
es eg
of ri
t
Pr

y
Collectivity

Community
Community Workers
Empowerment
Participation Education and Training
Providers
Organisations
Funders
Employers
Policy Makers and Programme
Implementers
Communities
Social
Human Rights, Justice and
Equality and Sustainable
Anti-discrimination Development

2 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 The All Ireland Standards for Community Work • the design of relevant elements in a variety
provide the foundation and guiding framework of community engagement, community
for community development in the Republic of
1
participation and social inclusion initiatives4;
Ireland and Northern Ireland. These Standards,
• the development of community work
developed by the All Ireland Endorsement
education and training curricula at all
Body for Community Work Education and
levels including Continuous Professional
Training2 (AIEB), articulate and re-emphasise
Development for community work
the key values and associated knowledge,
practitioners, managers of community
skills and qualities required for the practice of
workers and those using a community work
effective community development work.
approach in their work;
The aim is to provide a reference point
• the recruitment and employment of community
and guide for key stakeholders that
workers and personnel with a remit in using a
seek to support community work for the
community development approach.
promotion of social inclusion, social justice
and equality and as an intervention for The Standards aim to be useful for community

social change. These stakeholders include workers and those who use a community

communities3, community workers, programme work approach in Ireland and to act also as a

implementers, employers, policy makers, reference point for our community development

funders, organisations, groups and community colleagues at European and global levels. They

work educators. are an essential starting point for all community

work education and training.
The All Ireland Standards for Community Work
are designed to act as a guiding mechanism in: The All-Ireland Endorsement Body
acknowledges the funding and support from
• the design, development, monitoring
Pobal5 for the work on the Standards. We
and review of programmes, policies and
particularly thank Community Work Ireland6
other initiatives focussing on community
that provides the secretariat for AIEB. Finally, we
development, family support, local
thank all those who participated in consultation
development, rural development, urban
meetings, commented on drafts and supported
renewal and the eradication of poverty;
the process to make this publication possible.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 3

background
In 2010 the Towards Standards Ad Hoc Group, The production of Towards Standards, its
the precursor to AIEB, published, launched subsequent review and the publication of
and disseminated Towards Standards for these All Ireland Standards for Community
Quality Community Work: An All-Ireland Work, have taken place in the context of
Statement of Values, Principles and Work increasing professionalisation, which involves
Standards (hereafter referred to as Towards
7
the development of professional standards
Standards). Its purpose was to provide a across a range of disciplines and professions
framework for community work in the context including youth work, social work and
of economic, social and cultural developments teaching at primary, secondary and further
across the island of Ireland and to capture education levels.
the richness and multi-dimensional nature
Consultation workshops for the Standards
of community work in increasingly diverse
review process were held in Dublin, Limerick and
societies in both jurisdictions.
at a North South Community Work Educators
In 2015, the AIEB, supported by Community Forum at Maynooth University. The workshops
Work Ireland, received funding from the Pobal were a key mechanism in the development of
Community Fund to revise Towards Standards these revised Standards. They were attended by
and to publish, launch and disseminate these over 60 community development practitioners
revised All Ireland Standards for Community and educators from the Republic and Northern
Work as an updated framework to support Ireland who re-endorsed the key points in
community development. Towards Standards.

4 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 defining
community work
Drawing together and reflecting the core voice of disadvantaged and vulnerable
elements of shared international meanings and communities based on principles of human
practice in the Republic and Northern Ireland, rights, social inclusion, equality and respect
community work/community development is for diversity and a specific skills and
defined as, knowledge base’10.

• The International Association for

“A developmental activity comprised
Community Development (IACD)
of both a task and a process. The task
highlights the importance within community
is social change8 to achieve equality,
development processes of, ‘Harnessing the
social justice and human rights, and the
innate abilities and potential that exist in all
process is the application of principles
human communities to become active agents
of participation, empowerment
in their own development and to organise
and collective decision making in a
themselves to address key issues and concerns
structured and co-ordinated way’9.
that they share’11.
This definition echoes global understandings • The European Community Development
of community development and a community Network describes community development
work approach, for example: as being, ‘fundamentally about people
• The Budapest Declaration describes working together to change their collective
community development as, ‘a way of circumstances. It has established a clear
strengthening civil society by prioritising intention, strong value base and tested
the actions of communities, and their processes, all of which are connected
perspectives in the development of social, in seeking to contribute to change in
economic and environmental policy. It seeks the lives of communities. It is a globally
the empowerment of local communities, growing practice, dynamically reflecting
strengthens the capacity of people as active diverse communities, conditions, contexts
citizens through their organisations and and challenges. For Europe it can be a
the capacity of institutions and agencies to powerful force in challenging injustice,
work in dialogue with citizens to shape and environmental and economic crises,
determine change in their communities. protecting human rights, advancing civil
It plays a crucial role in supporting active society and encouraging democratic and
democratic life by promoting the autonomous civic participation’12.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 5

• In the UK, the Community Development and actions; take collective action using
National Occupational Standards articulate their strengths and resources; develop their
the purpose of community development as confidence, skills and knowledge; challenge
being to enable people ‘to work collectively unequal power relationships; promote social
to bring about positive social change. This justice, equality and inclusion, in order to
long term process starts from people’s own improve the quality of their own lives, the
experience and enables communities to communities in which they live and societies of
work together to; identify their own needs which they are a part’13.

6 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Purpose of
the Standards
The purpose of the Standards is to articulate • Organisations – in developing, monitoring
the values, knowledge, skills and qualities that and evaluating strategies and approaches for
underpin: the realisation of equality, social inclusion and
human rights;
• community work practice;
• Funders - as a tool for designing, monitoring
• education and training for that practice;
and evaluating programmes and assessing
• community work policy at national and applications;
local levels;
• Employers - as a support in recruitment,
• design and implementation of relevant supervision, support, monitoring,
programmes with associated funding. education and training, and Continuous
The Standards are designed to support Professional Development of community
stakeholders and practitioners in the field of workers, managers of community workers
community work: and employees using community work
approaches in their work;
•C
 ommunity Workers - to support practice
(whether undertaken on a paid or a voluntary • Policy Makers and Programme Implementers
basis), reflection on practice and Continuous – in designing and delivering relevant and
Professional Development; associated policies and programmes;

•E
 ducation and Training Providers - whether • Communities – In collaborating with and
higher or further education institutions, holding to account all of those charged with
community development organisations or responsibility to support progress towards
other training providers, as a framework the achievement of social justice, sustainable
for the design, delivery and assessment of development, human rights, equality, anti-
programmes and curricula; discrimination and meaningful participation.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 7

the Standards
Professional Core Values
commitment and The All Ireland Standards for Community

integrity Work are framed around five core community

development values:
As in all professions, maintaining high 1. Collectivity;
standards in practice requires community
2. Community Empowerment;
workers to continually focus on upholding
3. Social Justice and Sustainable Development;
professional integrity in practice. In
community work, this means acknowledging 4. Human Rights, Equality and
and balancing their accountability to Anti-discrimination;
the community, to their employers, their 5. Participation.
colleagues, their funders and the legal
As well as a clear understanding of community
system, and ensuring that their working
development, community work practice
relationships with others are not distorted
requires community development knowledge,
by their personal, religious, political, or
skills and qualities which are set out below. In
business interests. Community workers
addition, key ways for practitioners and funders,
should abide by best employment practice
employers, policy makers, and programme
including promoting proper financial
implementers to support and apply these values
accountability and good financial practice
in their own practice are set out.
in their organisation. Community workers
should be self-­aware, regularly reflect on The values are interdependent, with

practice and approach and think and work considerable cross-­over between the

strategically. They should contribute to the knowledge, skills and qualities required and

knowledge base of community development inherent in all of them. Each is important,

by recording, promoting and sharing the and needs direct consideration, and all need

reflections, analysis and lessons from their to be integrated in community development

work and strive to continually improve their undertaken by practitioners, supported by

practice through Continuous Professional other stakeholders and taught by educators. To

Development. avoid repetition here, not all of these elements

are repeated for each value.

8 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Community Work Value 1:
Collectivity
A collective approach requires practitioners
to focus on the potential benefits for
communities rather than focusing only on
benefits to individuals.

Collectivity, includes collective analysis, interests; using the power of the collective
collective action and collective outcomes in voice to plan and take collective action while
pursuit of a just and equal society. It involves respecting the rights of others14.
working in collective ways and establishing
A collective approach therefore, involves
groups, networks and organisations that
supporting the rights of communities to;
enable communities to come together to
identify common goals and to work together • Analyse their situations and articulate a vision

to achieve them. A collective approach and strategy for change;

requires practitioners to focus on the • Build solidarity, organise and take action for
potential benefits for communities rather change;
than focusing only on benefits to individuals.
• Identify and seek to remove barriers to
The UK Community Development National
participation;
Occupational Standards describes collective
action as promoting the active participation of • Act together to address inequality and injustice;
people within communities, using the power •B
 e supported and resourced in their collective
of a collective voice and goal, recognising the work for equality and rights.
wealth of creative and positive resources within
The following sets out the knowledge, skills
individuals and communities; promoting and
and qualities required by community work
supporting diverse communities to agree and
practitioners in promoting collective work for
take action on their common concerns and
change:

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 9

Community Work Value 1: Collectivity

Knowledge
• Community work theory, principles and processes;

• Power, power relations and their impact on communities;

• Poverty, inequality, discrimination and social exclusion and its impact on women, men, children
and young people, families and communities;

• Social policy, social theory, community studies and the theories and processes of change;

• Public administration including local and national legislation, policy and decision making structures;

• Practice theory including engaging, planning and strategy implementation;

• Group work theory, principles and processes;

• Social movements and their contribution to bringing about change;

• Management and Governance theory and practice.

Skills
• Engaging with people and groups for empowerment and collective action based on a clear
understanding of the context, conditions, lived experiences, dynamics and diversity of those
involved;

• Identifying and addressing barriers to participation;

• Conflict management and resolution;

• Practice skills including programme planning, monitoring, reflection and evaluation;

• Governance, organisational management and project management skills;

• Social research;

• Leadership;

• Group work, facilitation and supporting collective decision-making;

• Use of creative and innovative methodologies.

Qualities
• Solidarity and empathy, recognising the diversity that exists within society and communities;

• Commitment to working collectively for social change and social justice;

• Commitment to equality, inclusion and rights;

• Leadership.

10 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Community Work Value 1: Collectivity
Application in Practice
Based on the value of collectivity, and building on the knowledge, skills and qualities outlined
above, the following are essential dimensions of practice for community workers in supporting
collective ways of working for change. In doing so community workers need to:

• Inform themselves about the realities experienced by the communities/groups with which they
work and build relationships framed by these realities;

• Inform their work by research and analysis of core issues and engage with policy makers at all
levels, the media and other stakeholders in seeking change;

• Work inclusively, respecting diversity, addressing divisions and power differentials, bringing
people together to build collective consciousness of the issues which affect them, developing,
implementing and evaluating collective actions for change;

• Develop strategies to resolve, manage and learn from conflict;

• Challenge practice which undermines rights and work inclusively with women and men in ways
that promote equality and address discrimination;

• Contribute to good governance and management policies, procedures and practices within their
organisations;

• Develop and engage in networks and strategic alliances;

• Seek engagement and meaningful dialogue with key stakeholders and decision makers towards the
design and delivery of effective responses to poverty, inequality, discrimination and social exclusion.

Application by employers, funders, policy makers

and programme implementers
In supporting the essential value of collectivity in community development, employers, funders,
policy makers and programme implementers need to:

• Recognise the rights of communities and groups, including funded organisations, to work
autonomously and maintain a critical voice;

• Acknowledge the responsibility of community workers to facilitate and support action for change
by communities and groups;

• Engage in meaningful dialogue with community groups on the issues that concern them to
inform the design and delivery of effective responses to poverty, inequality, discrimination
and social exclusion;

• Support and resource collective initiatives at local, regional and national levels for the achievement
of a more equal, just and inclusive society;

• Employ qualified community workers with the values, knowledge, skills, and qualities required to
practice community work.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 11

Community Work Value 2:
Community Empowerment
Community empowerment involves
an approach which leads people
and communities to be resilient,
organised, included and influential.

Community work is about the empowerment • Define themselves, their priorities and agendas
of communities by increasing their for action;
knowledge, skills, consciousness and
• Be consulted, involved and participate in
confidence to become critical, creative
decision-making processes that affect their lives;
and active participants. It aims to address
inequalities of power and provide genuine • Develop increased confidence and capacity

participation and involvement. Community to engage in dialogue, debate discussion and

empowerment involves an approach collective action for change.

which leads people and communities to be The following sets out the knowledge, skills
resilient, organised, included and influential. and qualities required by community work
An empowering approach supports practitioners in supporting community
communities to: empowerment:

12 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Community Work Value 2: community empowerment
Knowledge
• Analysis of power and disempowerment and its causes and consequences for individuals and
groups in society;

• Social analysis;

• Social issues, including poverty, inequality, discrimination and social exclusion, and their
implications for community disempowerment;

• Empowering methodologies, approaches and practices for working with communities and groups.

Skills
• The design and delivery of programmes and initiatives that build confidence and raise
consciousness;

• Social analysis and capacity to link analysis with practice;

• Recognising and addressing differentials in power between women and men, and minorities and
majorities, as reflected externally and internally in groups and communities;

• Constructively managing views that are contradictory to the values of community work;

• People skills, including the capacity to give constructive feedback, providing support and
supervision to staff, community leaders, volunteers and representatives.

Qualities
• Personal awareness and awareness of their own personal power, limitations, roles and
responsibilities;

• Empathy with communities and groups and individuals who are a part of them;

• Respect for diversity and sensitivity to diverse opinions;

• Discretion - showing good judgement, tact and diplomacy;

• Solution focussed;

• Openness to change, challenge and questioning, and flexibility to change plans while maintaining
overall direction and principles.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 13

Community Work Value 2: community empowerment

Application in Practice
Based on the value of community empowerment in community development, and building on
the knowledge, skills and qualities outlined above, the following are essential dimensions of
practice for community workers in supporting community empowerment to work for change.
In doing so community workers need to:

• Establish, develop and support community groups and organisations to adopt empowering
approaches and co-operative ways of working;

• Build the confidence, consciousness and capacity of the people and communities with whom they
work;

• Build the capacity of communities to contribute to policy and programme development and to
critique where appropriate;

• Promote the equitable distribution of power and resources at all levels;

• Work in solidarity with and across marginalised communities to address root causes of poverty,
inequality, discrimination and social exclusion towards gaining concrete improvements in their
quality of life and the progressive realisation of human rights.

Application by employers, funders, policy makers and

programme implementers
In supporting the essential value of community empowerment in community development,
employers, funders, policy makers and programme implementers need to:

• Be aware of and facilitate the time and effort required by community workers and community
organisations seeking to work in empowering ways to address embedded discrimination and
disempowerment;

• Enable community work organisations to have flexibility at local, group and organisational levels
to address local needs, as well as to meet national programme priorities;

• Recognise the value of qualitative results and outcomes and resource qualitative research as a
core element of funding.

14 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Community Work Value 3:
Social Justice and
Sustainable Development
Promoting a just society involves promoting
policies and practices that challenge
injustice, poverty, inequality, discrimination
and social exclusion, and valuing diversity
of identities and approaches. Promoting
a sustainable society involves promoting
environmentally, economically and socially
sustainable policies and practices

The pursuit of social justice and sustainable and ensure equal access to a good quality
development are core elements of community environment for all. These rights are all inter-
development and require an analysis of the related, interdependent and intersectional.
changes needed in policies and laws in order to
15
A social justice and sustainable development
ensure that all people can benefit equally from
approach involves promoting the rights of
an equitable distribution of wealth, opportunities
communities to:
and privileges in society. Promoting a just
society involves promoting policies and practices • Advocate collectively for their rights using all

that challenge injustice, poverty, inequality, legal and policy mechanisms available to them;

discrimination and social exclusion, and valuing • Challenge and address the unequal
diversity of identities and approaches. Promoting distribution of wealth, power and resources in
a sustainable society involves promoting society including between women and men;
environmentally, economically and socially
• Have a voice in sustainable development policy
sustainable policies and practices. It requires the
and planning.
practice of thinking globally and acting locally
for the present and the future. In pursuing social The following sets out the knowledge,
justice and sustainable development, community skills and qualities required by community
work is concerned with the redistribution of work practitioners to integrate essential
wealth, power and resources in society. It seeks social justice and sustainable development
to mitigate against the effects of climate change dimensions in their work:

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 15

Community Work Value 3: social justice and sustainable development

Knowledge
• The laws, policies and practice of government, organisations and society as they affect social
justice and sustainable development;

• Local, national and international social justice, environmental justice and sustainable development
issues, concerns and priorities and the ways they are interconnected;

• Sustainable development initiatives and frameworks;

• Development theory and processes;

• Understanding of the inter-related ways in which social and environmental injustice impact on
communities and groups.

Skills
• Critical social analysis and policy analysis;

• Research and policy development;

• Ability to make national and international climate change and sustainable development
frameworks relevant and understandable;

• Capacity to link global climate change and sustainable development issues with local concerns
and work towards solidarity in addressing them;

• Ability to mobilise communities to recognise common issues and concerns and to work in
solidarity with one another.

Qualities
• Political consciousness;

• Solidarity, commitment to building co-operation, equality, mutual support and respect for
diversity;

• Commitment to social justice including global justice;

• Commitment to sustainable development and environmental justice.

16 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Community Work Value 3: social justice and sustainable development
Application in Practice
Based on the values of social justice and sustainable development, and building on the knowledge,
skills and qualities outlined above, the following are essential dimensions of practice for community
workers in advancing social justice and sustainable development. In doing so community workers
need to:

• Build understanding and awareness within communities and groups of social justice and
sustainable development concerns and the links between them locally, nationally and globally;

• Build understanding within communities and groups of the ways in which the policies and
activities of government, and national and international organisations and society either
create solidarity, inclusion, equality and sustainability or contribute to disadvantage and
unsustainability, and use this analysis to inform and support the attainment of social and
environmental justice;

• Support communities to contribute to policy development at local, national and international

levels from a social justice and sustainable development perspective;

• Build strategic relationships and alliances with sustainable development and global development
groups and organisations.

Application by employers, funders,

policy makers and programme implementers
In supporting the essential values of social justice and sustainable development in community
development, employers, funders, policy makers and programme implementers need to:

• Support and resource communities in their work to achieve social justice and sustainability;

• Recognise and support the role and responsibilities of community workers in working with
communities to achieve social justice and sustainability;

• Promote social justice and sustainability within programmes, policies and funding frameworks.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 17

Community Work Value 4:
Human Rights, Equality and
Anti-­discrimination
In seeking a society where human rights
and equality are realised and discrimination
is addressed, community development is
reinforced by human rights mechanisms
and frameworks, processes and standards for the
protection and promotion of human rights for all.

Community work is concerned with the promotion their human rights and to be protected from
of human rights and equality in society and with human rights abuse16.
addressing the multiple forms of discrimination
A human rights, equality and anti-discrimination
experienced by many groups including Travellers,
approach involves supporting communities to:
Roma and other minority ethnic groups, people
with a disability, young people, older people, •C
 hallenge oppression, stereotyping and

and LGBTI people. Promoting equality requires prejudice in all its forms;

community workers to develop an analysis of the • Have a voice in the development of human rights
particular experiences of women and the impact frameworks and infrastructure in their country;
of gender inequality on women (including women
•B
 e resourced and supported to advocate for
from marginalised communities and minority
their human rights;
groups) and on society as a whole.
•P
 romote the rights of women in all their
Human rights are inherent to all human beings
diversity, and advance women’s rights as a
irrespective of nationality, place of residence, sex,
core priority, including addressing violence
national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language or
against women and the under-representation
any other status. In seeking a society where human
of women in decision making;
rights and equality are realised and discrimination is
addressed, community development is reinforced •P
 romote the rights of marginalised groups
by human rights mechanisms and frameworks, including Travellers, Roma, minority ethnic
processes and standards for the protection and groups, migrants, LGBTI people, older people
promotion of human rights for all. Community and people with disability;
development should seek to affirm human rights, •U
 se all legal routes to promote equality and
and should enable people to realise and exercise address discrimination.

18 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Community Work Value 4: human rights, equality and anti-discrimination
The following sets out the knowledge, skills and qualities required by community work practitioners
to integrate essential human rights, equality and anti-discrimination dimensions in their work:

Knowledge
• Analysis and understanding of key current equality and human rights issues and concerns,
including those for women, and of how other policies e.g. economic, social welfare or health
policies impact on them;

• Analysis and understanding of the discrimination faced by marginalised and minority groups;

• National and international human rights mechanisms and frameworks, and their application for
the protection and promotion of human rights;

• Policies, legislation and commitments for the promotion of equality, for example relating to
Travellers, Roma, women, LGBTI people, older people, migrants, people with disability and all
groups covered by equality measures in both jurisdictions, as well as by relevant and applicable
EU Directives;

•K
 nowledge of current civil society and state responses to human rights and equality and of
organisations representing groups experiencing inequality and discrimination.

Skills
• Capacity to make national and international human rights and equality frameworks relevant,
developing consciousness, understanding and associated actions;

• Ability to network and build connections with organisations representing diverse communities;

• Capacity to probe and question attitudes and assumptions regarding equality concerns,
and highlighting and responding to stereotyping and discrimination;

• Ability to develop, implement, manage and evaluate policies and codes of practice to promote
human rights and equality and address discrimination.

Qualities
• Commitment to practice which promotes human rights and equality, and rejects and challenges
anti-oppressive practice;

• Commitment to rejecting and challenging oppression, discrimination and prejudice in all its forms;

• Valuing, having respect for and supporting diversity.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 19

Community Work Value 4: human rights, equality and anti-discrimination

Application in Practice
Based on the value of human rights, equality and anti-discrimination, and building on the
knowledge, skills and qualities outlined above, the following are essential dimensions of practice
for community workers in promoting human rights and equality and addressing discrimination.
In doing so community workers need to:

• Recognise, celebrate and promote diversity and opportunities for people from different groups
to engage with each other;

• Develop anti-oppressive and equality policies and procedures at organisational level;

• Develop critical awareness amongst themselves, the people they work with and policy makers, of
human rights and of the causes and impacts of inequality and discrimination;

• Integrate human rights, equality and discrimination concerns into all dimensions of their practice;

• Hold stakeholders accountable for their responsibilities regarding rights realisation and promote
human rights within the context of national and international human rights frameworks;

• Contribute to policy development at local, national and international levels from a human rights
and equality perspective;

• Frame issues as part of a bigger picture in society building solidarity and mobilising communities
to take action for equality;

• Focus on equality of outcome, as well as equality of opportunity, through monitoring and

analysing the impact of policies, programmes and laws on communities;

• Promote women’s participation and voice at all levels;

• Highlight and address all forms of stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination in an empowering
way that is strategic and outcomes focussed;

• Target absent groups through outreach, inclusion and policy.

20 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Community Work Value 4: human rights, equality and anti-discrimination
Application by employers, funders,
policy makers and programme implementers
In supporting the essential value of human rights, equality and anti-discrimination in community
development, employers, funders, policy makers and programme implementers need to:

• Recognise and support the rights of communities to frame their concerns within an equality
and human rights context and the role and responsibilities of community workers in advancing
human rights, equality and anti-discrimination;

• Support and resource communities in their work to promote equality and human rights, and
challenge discrimination and oppression;

• Improve their own understanding of rights and obligations as duty bearers;

• Recognise the particular experiences of women, including poverty, violence, and under
representation, and seek ways to promote the advancement of women;

• Prioritise, develop, and support policies and programmes that serve to promote human rights
and equality for all;

• Ensure that all relevant decision making structures include appropriate representation from
communities affected by poverty, inequality, discrimination and social exclusion.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 21

Community Work Value 5:
participation
Participation is rooted in the self
identification of needs and interests,
the formulation of responses by the
community or group concerned and
is central to their ability to continue to
influence outcomes

The process of participation is fundamental and promotes the active engagement of

to community development. It is rooted in the communities with state agencies and others in
self-identification of needs and interests, the decision making structures and processes.
formulation of responses by the community or
A participative approach involves promoting the
group concerned and is central to their ability to
rights of communities to:
continue to influence outcomes17. Community
development recognises that policies and •B
 e supported to establish and develop

programmes targeted at communities and autonomous, participative groups and

groups experiencing poverty, inequality, networks to promote and advance their rights;

discrimination and social exclusion will not and •B

 e consulted, involved and participate
cannot be effective without the meaningful meaningfully in decision-making processes
participation of those communities and groups that affect their lives;
in their design, implementation and monitoring.
•B
 e supported to gain the confidence and skills
Community development seeks to remove
to articulate and represent their needs in an
barriers preventing community participation
effective and inclusive manner.
in mainstream social, economic, cultural and
political development. Community work The following sets out the knowledge, skills
supports the ideals of participative democracy and qualities required by community work
i.e. the development of integrated and practitioners to integrate essential participation
participatory forms of planning and organising, dimensions in their work:

22 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Community Work Value 5: participation
Knowledge
• Theory of participation and participatory democracy including barriers to these;

• Participative methodologies for engaging communities;

• Local, national and international mechanisms and forums for community participation;

• Community work theory.

Skills
• The capacity to conduct needs analysis and community profiling;

• The ability to support community representatives and to represent communities and

organisations;

• Interpersonal and communication skills and ability to develop mutual, reciprocal relationships;

• The capacity to use participative methods, strategies and approaches.

Qualities
• Commitment to meaningful participation, inclusive of the voices of women, marginalised,
excluded and minority communities and groups;

• Transparency, openness, honesty and accountability;

• Flexibility;

• Resilience – in moving processes forward even through difficult circumstances;

• Commitment to building constructively critical participation.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 23

Community Work Value 5: participation

Application in Practice
Based on the value of participation, and building on the knowledge, skills and qualities outlined
above, the following are essential dimensions of practice for community workers in building and
supporting meaningful participation. In doing so community workers need to:

• Develop the participation of communities experiencing poverty, inequality, discrimination and

social exclusion on relevant decision making structures and provide supports for meaningful
participation;

• Support community representatives and participants to engage in decision-making structures

based on community needs, concerns and interests;

• Support and promote the development of decision-making structures that are open, accessible
and inclusive of groups that experience social exclusion, discrimination and other inequalities, and
ensure that work to build effective participation is at the core of community work practice;

• Ensure the existence and maintenance of structures and processes for consultation with, support
for, accountability and feedback to communities and community representatives;

• Seek to ensure that strategies for participation are inclusive of women, diverse groups and
minorities;

• Recognise, address and support communities to recognise and address power imbalances;

• Ensure that community engagement goes further than consultation and moves to meaningful
participation;

• Work with communities to review and evaluate participative processes and structures against
community goals.

Application by employers, funders,

policy makers and programme implementers
In supporting the essential value of participation in community development, employers, funders,
policy makers and programme implementers need to:

• Recognise and respect the rights of communities and groups to represent their concerns in
relevant decision making fora and other spaces;

• Recognise and support the role and responsibilities of community workers in building and
supporting meaningful participation;

• Create and maintain fora which go beyond consultation to participation and power sharing with
communities and groups;

• Recognise the right of communities to critique policies and decisions which affect them without
fear of negative consequences.

24 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 The Standards and
Community Work Educators
The Standards provide an essential have a background in community work and
underpinning for community work and community development, an overall personal
community development education and commitment to the values outlined and to the
training at all levels. This means that curricula, understanding of community work associated
teaching methodologies, professional with them. The Standards form the basis
development processes and assessment for the assessment criteria by the AIEB for
need to be underpinned by them. As in other the endorsement of education and training
disciplines, it also requires that educators programmes18.

conclusion
All stakeholders have a collective responsibility to create
the circumstances where the Standards are discussed,
evaluated and upheld, and to determine how they are
maintained into the future

The Standards point to community The question of how the Standards are applied
development as a unique activity which and ensured is challenging for communities,
articulates a vision for human rights and practitioners, employers, funders, policy makers,
social justice and sets out the realisation programme implementers and community work
of that vision through practice. They set educators. All stakeholders have a collective
out core values and associated knowledge, responsibility to create the circumstances
skills and qualities required for community where the Standards are discussed, evaluated
development work. They are a foundation and upheld, and to determine how they are
and guiding framework to inform practice maintained into the future.
for those supporting, funding, managing or
Towards Standards contained a commitment to five
developing relevant policies and programmes
yearly reviews in order to evaluate and contribute
in the Republic and Northern Ireland. Having
to the ongoing development of community work
been produced in collaboration with people
standards in the Republic and Northern Ireland.
involved in, or associated with, community
The publication of these All Ireland Standards for
development work, they are grounded in the
Community Work represents the first such revision.
realities and challenges of day to day practice
The Standards will be subject to ongoing review in
and policy.
line with best international practice.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 25

Appendix 1: Current Membership of
the All Ireland Endorsement Body for
Community Work Education and Training

The All Ireland Endorsement Body, which • Isobel Hawthorne-Steele, University of Ulster
oversaw the development of the Standards
•L
 iam Mc Glynn, Institute of Technology
seeks to build an inclusive framework for
Blanchardstown
endorsement of community work education
•M
 aria Farry, Pobal
and training at all levels19.
• Maria Joyce, National Traveller Women’s Forum
Current members of the All Ireland
Endorsement Body for Community Work •M
 ichelle Kearns, South Dublin County
Education and Training are; Partnership

• Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson AIEB •O

 onagh Mc Ardle, Maynooth University

• Aiden Lloyd, Economic, Social and Cultural •P

 aul Burgess, University College Cork
Rights Initiative
• Sally Flynn, Student representative
• Áine Deely, Loughrea Family Resource Centre

• Ann Pendleton, Belfast Metropolitan College

• Helen Lowry, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland

Rachel Doyle, AIEB Secretariat
• Iryna Pokhilo, Cáirde
Ann Irwin, Community Work Ireland

26 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

 Appendix 2: References and End Notes

1
It should be noted here that as in Towards 10
Budapest Declaration (2004) -­Building European
Standards, the terms community development civil society through community development -­A
and community work are used interchangeably Common statement created by delegates at the
throughout this document reflecting their March 2004 Budapest conference, jointly organised
interchangeable use in practice. by International Association for Community
2
AIEB comprises community development educators, Development, the Combined European Bureau for
practitioners and employers from the Republic and Social Development and the Hungarian Association
Northern Ireland. for Community Development
3
Community is taken to mean people who share a
11
IACD Annual review (2014-­2015)
common neighbourhood as well as those with a 12
Community Development in Europe – Towards a
common identity or interest. Common Framework and Understanding -­European
4
In particular, those focusing on health including Community Development Network (2014)
mental health, drugs, environmental concerns, www.eucdn.net
women, children and young people, older people, 13
Community Development National Occupational
marginalised men, people with disabilities and Standards (2015) P. 5 www.fcdl.org.uk/learning-­
the integration and inclusion of; Travellers, Roma, qualifications/community-­development-­national-­
migrants, refugees and asylum seekers. occupational-­standards/
5
Pobal acts as an intermediary for programmes 14
Community Development National Occupational
funded by the Irish Government and the EU. They Standards (2015) P. 7 www.fcdl.org.uk/learning-­
do this by supporting groups and communities qualifications/community-­development-­national-­
across the country that are applying for, or receiving, occupational-­standards/
funding for specific programmes www.pobal.ie 15
Including economic, social, political, environmental,
6
Community Work Ireland was formerly the development and legal policies and laws,
Community Workers Co-operative CWI continues programmes and priorities at local, national and
to work collectively to support and promote international levels.
community work as a means of addressing poverty, 16
Ife, Jim (2002) Community development: community
inequality, discrimination and social exclusion and based alternatives in an age of globalisation
advancing human rights Longman Australia
7
www.communityworkendorsement.com/wp-­ 17
Partnership, Participation and Power – Community
content/uploads/2011/01/Towards-Standards-­for-­ Workers’ Co-­operative (2000)
Quality-­Community-­Work-­PDF.pdf 18
Information and guidance in relation to
8
In the context of community work, social change endorsement for community work/development
refers to the changes in policy and law, structures education and training programmes (honours
and institutions, individual attitudes and behaviour degree postgraduate qualification levels 8-10)
and societal ideologies that are required for a just can be found here;
and equal society to prevail. Community work is www.communityworkendorsement.com/application/
a developmental process, involving incremental
change and social change itself is often incremental.
9
Adapted from Pobal (1999) – Community
Development Strategies and Actions within the
Integrated Local Development Programme, Insights
No. 11. Pobal, Dublin.

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 27

notes

28 All Ireland Standards for Community Work

All Ireland Standards for Community Work 29