IACD HOLDS GLOBAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT RESEARCHERS' FORUM MEETING.
Report by Emmanuel Adu GYAMFI
The International Association for Community Development (IACD), a global multi - disciplinary network for professional community development practitioners, held a global community development researchers' forum meeting on community development for change.
It was held on the theme, "bringing together diverse stakeholders in community development research for change" and brought together professionals including Agency Managers, Funders, Fieldwork practitioners, academic students and community voluntary activists.
Participants were taken through topics namely contextualising stakeholder management in community development research, challenges of effective stakeholder management in community development research and the way forward.
Mr Emmanuel Nii Odartey Obetsebi - Lamptey, a member of IACD, in a presentation said modern researchers needed to apply critical social science methods concern with social issues affecting marginalised sectors and communities.
He noted that transformative, reflective and action - oriented research aims to re - examine social realities as basis for transforming lives and social structures, and to reflect on people's experience, and narratives as basis for community action.
The IACD Member indicated that stakeholder management encompasses with engagement with communities, building and maintaining relationships with individuals and groups, and participation through understanding, developing and supporting collaborative working and community participation.
Mr Obetsebi - Lamptey stated that effective research requires indigenization of concepts, collaboration to enhance participation of community stakeholders and highlight their active ownership of the project rather than being passive beneficiaries.
"capacity building for people especially among marginalized groups and anchored on community development practice, knowledge and skills leading to improved development policies, programs and community practice is expedient" he emphasised.
The IACD Member was optimistic that empowerment, development and community change oriented research to contribute to the community development body of knowledge would go a long way to impact community development positively.
Mr Obetsebi - Lamptey stressed that themes common across community development practice around the world included putting values into practice, engaging with communities, ensuring participating planning and building leadership.
"Others were organising and learning for change, promoting diversity and inclusion, building leadership and infrastructure, developing and improving policy and practice" he added.
The IACD Member enumerated the challenges of effective stakeholder management in community development research including political interferance, superiority and inferiority complex such as westernized concepts.
Mr Obetsebi - Lamptey said others were cultural and religious factors where the elderly is always right, the poor legal and governance environment which affects critical awareness and understanding of the importance of participation in community - based development programs.
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