How can you incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development?

Community development is a process of collective action and empowerment that aims to improve the social, economic, and environmental conditions of marginalized groups and communities. However, it can also reproduce or reinforce existing power structures and inequalities if it does not address the root causes of oppression and discrimination. Anti-oppressive practices are strategies and principles that challenge and transform oppressive systems and relations in society, such as racism, sexism, classism, ableism, heterosexism, and colonialism. How can you incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development? Here are some suggestions to help you create more inclusive, equitable, and transformative community development initiatives.

1 Acknowledge and confront oppression

The first step to incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development is to acknowledge and confront the various forms and levels of oppression that affect your community and yourself. Oppression can operate at the personal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels, and it can be overt or covert, intentional or unintentional, conscious or unconscious. You need to be aware of how oppression shapes your own identity, positionality, privileges, and biases, as well as how it impacts the community members you work with. You also need to be willing to challenge and resist oppression when you encounter it, and to support and ally with those who experience it.

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Giovana M.

🌍 International Development Leader | Monitoring & Evaluation | Transforming Data into Impact | Fundraising Strategist | Driving Equity, Inclusion & Impact Globally
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Incorporating anti-oppressive practices into community development begins by acknowledging and confronting various forms of oppression at personal, interpersonal, institutional, and structural levels. Recognize how oppression shapes identities, privileges, and biases. Challenge and resist oppression actively, supporting and allying with those affected. This commitment fosters inclusivity, equity, and empowerment, promoting resilience and prosperity within the community.

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Shannon Duncan

Disaster Recovery Volunteer
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I believe acknowledging that oppression exists in some form in every community is the most important thing. It is no easy task. Government officials will not be happy to have oppression pointed out. It takes a strong, determined and well finessed community developer to manage this task.

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Dr. Joey (The Traveling Social Workers)™ Pagano, DSW, LSW, CRS, FPS, Life Coach

🥇 2024 Mental Health America, Pittsburgh Recovery Walk Advocate, NASW Emerging Leader, & PA Peer Support Coalition Award Winner🥇 | 2 X #1 Best-Seller & Pulitzer Contender 🛠️ | Pioneer in SUD Education 🌱
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🌍🤝 In community development, embracing anti-oppressive practices is vital. As a social worker, I've learned that true progress starts with listening to diverse voices. Recently, I facilitated a project where we actively involved marginalized community members in decision-making. This approach not only empowered them but also enriched our project with diverse perspectives. Have you integrated anti-oppressive strategies in your community work? How did it reshape the outcomes? #CommunityEmpowerment #AntiOppressivePractice #SocialWorkInsights 💡✊

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2 Engage in critical reflection and dialogue

The second step to incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development is to engage in critical reflection and dialogue with yourself, your colleagues, and your community partners. Critical reflection and dialogue are processes of examining and questioning your own assumptions, values, beliefs, and actions, as well as those of others, in relation to the social, political, and historical contexts of oppression and resistance. They can help you identify and address the gaps, contradictions, and tensions that may exist between your intentions and your impacts, as well as between your theory and your practice. They can also help you learn from and with others, and to foster mutual understanding, respect, and solidarity.

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Giovana M.

🌍 International Development Leader | Monitoring & Evaluation | Transforming Data into Impact | Fundraising Strategist | Driving Equity, Inclusion & Impact Globally
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Incorporating anti-oppressive practices into community development involves engaging in critical reflection and dialogue with oneself, colleagues, and community partners. This process examines assumptions, values, and actions within the context of oppression and resistance, identifying gaps and fostering a nuanced approach. Dialogue facilitates mutual learning, understanding, and solidarity, contributing to more effective and equitable community development initiatives.

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3 Adopt a participatory and collaborative approach

The third step to incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development is to adopt a participatory and collaborative approach that involves and empowers the community members you work with. A participatory and collaborative approach is based on the principles of democracy, inclusion, diversity, and co-creation. It recognizes that the community members are the experts of their own lives and needs, and that they have the right and the capacity to participate in the decision-making and implementation of the community development initiatives that affect them. It also acknowledges that the community members are not a homogeneous group, but rather a complex and dynamic network of individuals and groups with different identities, experiences, perspectives, and interests. Therefore, it requires that you seek out and value their input, feedback, and contributions, and that you facilitate their collaboration and cooperation with each other.

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Giovana M.

🌍 International Development Leader | Monitoring & Evaluation | Transforming Data into Impact | Fundraising Strategist | Driving Equity, Inclusion & Impact Globally
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Incorporating anti-oppressive practices into community development involves adopting participatory and collaborative approach Grounded in principles of democracy, inclusion, diversity, and co-creation, this method recognizes community members as experts in their lives. It emphasizes their right and capacity to engage in decision-making and implementation of initiatives affecting them Acknowledging the community's diversity, this approach values input, feedback, and contributions, fostering collaboration and cooperation among individuals and groups with varied identities, experiences, perspectives, and interests. Empowering communities through such participatory strategies ensures a more equitable and effective community development process

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4 Embrace an intersectional and anti-colonial lens

The fourth step to incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development is to embrace an intersectional and anti-colonial lens that accounts for the multiple and interlocking dimensions of oppression and resistance that shape the lives of your community members. An intersectional lens is a framework that analyzes how different social categories, such as race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, age, religion, and ethnicity, interact and intersect to create unique and complex experiences of oppression and privilege for different individuals and groups. An anti-colonial lens is a perspective that critiques and challenges the ongoing legacy and impact of colonialism and imperialism on the indigenous peoples and lands, as well as on the racialized and marginalized communities that have been colonized, exploited, and displaced. By adopting an intersectional and anti-colonial lens, you can better understand and address the diverse and specific needs, issues, and aspirations of your community members, and to support their self-determination and liberation.

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Giovana M.

🌍 International Development Leader | Monitoring & Evaluation | Transforming Data into Impact | Fundraising Strategist | Driving Equity, Inclusion & Impact Globally
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To infuse anti-oppressive practices into community development, employ an intersectional and anti-colonial lens. This approach recognizes the intricate dimensions of oppression and resistance shaping community lives. Analyzing how various social categories intersect, it addresses unique experiences of oppression and privilege. Simultaneously, the anti-colonial perspective critiques the lasting impact of colonialism on indigenous and marginalized communities. This lens fosters a nuanced understanding of diverse needs, supporting community self-determination by navigating complex intersections of race, gender, class, sexuality, disability, age, religion, and ethnicity, promoting an inclusive and empowering community development strategy.

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5 Pursue social justice and systemic change

The fifth step to incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development is to pursue social justice and systemic change that aim to transform the root causes and structures of oppression and inequality in society. Social justice and systemic change are not only the ultimate goals, but also the guiding values and principles of anti-oppressive practices. They imply that community development is not only about providing services, programs, or projects, but also about advocating for, mobilizing, and organizing with the community members to challenge and change the policies, institutions, and systems that oppress and exclude them. They also imply that community development is not only about addressing the immediate and short-term needs, but also about envisioning and creating the long-term and sustainable alternatives that promote the human rights, dignity, and well-being of all.

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6 Practice self-care and collective care

The sixth and final step to incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development is to practice self-care and collective care that sustain your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health and resilience. Practicing self-care and collective care is essential for anyone who engages in anti-oppressive work, as it can be challenging, exhausting, and stressful. Self-care and collective care are not selfish or indulgent acts, but rather necessary and vital strategies to cope with and prevent burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and moral distress. They can also help you maintain your passion, motivation, and commitment to your work and your community. Self-care and collective care can take different forms and meanings for different people, but they generally involve taking care of your basic needs, setting boundaries, seeking support, expressing yourself, nurturing yourself, and celebrating yourself and others.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Acknowledge and confront oppression

2 Engage in critical reflection and dialogue

3 Adopt a participatory and collaborative approach

4 Embrace an intersectional and anti-colonial lens

5 Pursue social justice and systemic change

6 Practice self-care and collective care

7 Here’s what else to consider

Social Work

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How can you incorporate anti-oppressive practices into community development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Acknowledge and confront oppression

2 Engage in critical reflection and dialogue

3 Adopt a participatory and collaborative approach

4 Embrace an intersectional and anti-colonial lens

5 Pursue social justice and systemic change

6 Practice self-care and collective care

7 Here’s what else to consider

Social Work

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