Everyday Community Practice

This book provides a practical but sophisticated exploration of community development practice and is an accessible, relevant and contextualised guide for those studying social work and human services in Australia.

This fully revised and expanded second edition (including new insights from communities preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters) draws on the experiences of not only the authors but many current practitioners from diverse backgrounds working alongside communities to support socially just change. The perspectives of these practitioners are drawn on throughout the book as well as in the exemplary projects case studies at the end of the book. Blending practical skills and ideas with a solid theoretical foundation, each chapter includes reflective questions and examples which can be used both in the classroom and in the field.

Enabling students to feel better supported in challenging dominant individualised practice frameworks, it argues strongly that only collective action (supported by community development practice) can address significant social challenges such as those created by climate change, poverty and social exclusion.

Amanda Howard works as a Professor of Social Work in the Social Work and Policy Studies team at the University of Sydney. Areas of research include community development, disasters and climate change, inclusion and participatory action research.

Margot Rawsthorne works as an Associate Professor at the University of Sydney in the Social Work and Policy Studies team. Areas of research interest include inequality, the social impact of disasters and social change through community development.