Where crocodiles find their power: learning and teaching participation for community development

For community development, facilitators of change processes need to work with the community collectively and reflexively if they are to achieve their vision and goals for development. This paper considers the attributes required of community development facilitators to use participatory approaches and methods that enable them to engage effectively and reflexively within communities. Exploring the learning needs associated with these attributes, it draws on several examples of novel university education programmes before drawing conclusions for practice. It highlights the need for higher education institutions to become inclusive and democratic spaces where critical analysis of social issues is fostered. Basing learning, teaching and curriculum development processes on the principles and values of participation, empowerment and the democracy of citizenship seems essential if we are to bring significant change to decision-making processes, strategies and operations of our institutions of higher learning. This will require a greater ideological solidarity among educators, with close attention given to our assumptions about how change happens.