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Effective community development should be a long-term endeavour, well-planned, inclusive and equitable,
holistic and integrated into the bigger picture, initiated and supported by community members, of benefit
to the community, grounded in experience that leads to best practices. Community development seeks to
improve the quality of life. Effective community development results in mutual benefit and shared
responsibility among community members. It recognizes the connection between social, cultural,
environmental and economic matters; the diversity of interests within a community; its relationship to
building capacity. Community development helps to build community capacity in order to address issues
and take advantage of opportunities, find common ground and balance competing interests.

3.3 Community Networks

Across Europe, community development methods include:

Bringing people together around their shared experiences and interests - such as community meetings;
advocacy; social events; festivals and street parties; arts and music activities

Identifying and exploring the factors underpinning their marginalisation or exclusion - such
as story-dialogue, theatre of the oppressed; conflict resolution, management or transformation;
facilitation; group work

Building and owning evidence and a future vision - such as community-led research including community
profiling and needs analyses; future visioning; focus groups; community meetings

Developing confidence, skills and understanding - such as community education and learning; support;
encouragement; evaluation

Mobilising and organising, networking and strengthening visibility - such as strategic planning; forming
and supporting community groups; communications; alliance building

Taking action such as campaigning; lobbying; engaging with public bodies and political processes;
self-directed projects; fundraising

The European Community Development Network (formerly Combined European Bureau for Social
Development – CEBSD) is a non-governmental European umbrella organisation which brings together
a variety of partners from a dozen countries both inside and outside of the European Union. This network
has developed the framework in community development with values, approaches and methods according
to the Eu principles which affects a wide range of policies – social inclusion, urban and rural development,
planning, the physical environment, employment, spatial segregation, sustainable development,
environmental protection and transport.