Theory and Practice of Community Development: a Case Study from the United Kingdom

This paper considers the current concept of community and provides a brief overview of the historical context of British community work with reference to “top-down” and “bottomup” approaches. The top-down approach has roots in Victorian benevolent paternalism, while the bottom-up approach is associated with radical neighborhood action. Community development is considered in the context of current British government initiatives aimed at addressing social exclusion1 and health improvement targets. The strategic objectives for these include empowering local communities, developing effective partnerships, working as multi-agencies, and becoming learning organizations. A case study is presented, the ACHIEVE project, a community-based health improvement project in Bournemouth, UK. The conclusion draws attention to the manner in which community development is embodied in the government's attempt to engage in social engineering in economically disadvantaged communities.