A Twenty-First Century Approach to Community Change

Urban renewal has been the dominant approach to revitalizing industrialized communities that fall into decline. A national, community-based organization, the Skillman Foundation sought to engage in a joint effort with the University of Michigan's School of Social Work to bring six neighborhoods in one such declining urban center, Detroit, back to positions of strength and national leadership. A Twenty-First Century Approach to Community Change introduces readers to the basis for the Foundation's solicitation of social work expertise and the social context within which the work of technical assistance began. Building on research, the authors introduce the theory and practice knowledge of earlier scholars, including the conduct of needs assessments at multiple levels, engagement of community members in identifying problem-solving strategies, assistance in developing community goals, and implementation of social work field instruction opportunities. Lessons learned and challenges are described as they played out in the process of creating partnerships for the Foundation with community leaders, engaging and maintaining youth involvement, managing roles and relationships with multiple partners recruited by the Foundation for their specialized expertise, and ultimately conducting the work of technical assistance within a context of increasing influence of the city's surrounding systems (political, economic, educational, and social). Readers will especially note the role of technical assistance in an evolving theory of change.

ForewordCarol GossAcknowledgementsContributor ListChapter 1: Introduction to Good NeighborhoodsPaula Allen-MearesChapter 2: Detroit: The Emergence, Decline and Possible Revitalization of a Great CityReynolds FarleyChapter 3: Community Development and Place-Based Neighborhood ChangeLarry M. GantChapter 4: Introducing the Six Good Neighborhoods CommunitiesTrina R. ShanksChapter 5: Theories of Change: Creating and Going ForwardLeslie Hollingsworth, Larry M. GantChapter 6: Community Change Process: The Planning PhaseLeslie Hollingsworth, Larry M. Gant, Patricia MillerChapter 7: Building and Maintaining Community Capacity: How the TAC Supported Neighborhood OrganizationsTrina R. Shanks, Leslie Hollingsworth, Patricia MillerChapter 8: Building and Maintaining Community Capacity: How the TAC Supported Neighborhood ResidentsTrina R. Shanks, Patricia MillerChapter 9: Helping Communities Design Governance Structures: The Technical Assistance Center ApproachLarry M. GantChapter 10: Innovative Approaches in Field Instruction and Educational Practice Innovations for Training Social Work Student InternsLarry M. GantChapter 11: Measurable Results of Good Neighborhoods: What Was Accomplished?Trina R. Shanks, Sonia Harb, Sue Ann SavasChapter 12: Lessons Learned: Stream of ThoughtPaula Allen-Meares, Leslie Hollingsworth, Patricia MilleruEpilogueTonya AllenAppendix AAppendix BAppendix CAppendix DAppendix EAppendix FAppendix GAppendix HAppendix IIndex