Portal:Social entrepreneurship/Curriculum/General/Understanding Developing Communities/Activities

Understanding Developing Communites To make a social impact, engage with communities and catalyse innovation. ^ Home Activities Resources Community Links

Select activities which best suit your learning style and take a look at the Resources page for tools which might help.

Orientation (grounded in your own experience)

Resource type: ponder these things ...

Reflection

Think about communities of which you regard yourself a member. What advice would you give an outsider who wanted to present an idea which might change things? Is there anything you would change that would have a significant social impact? If so, could this be your social entrepreneurship project?

Type classification: this is a reading group resource.

Reading assignment

1. Surf the web for learning materials and case studies of social entrepreneurship to find out more about community engagement.
   • While doing so, identify stories of social entrepreneurs interacting with communities.
     • Are there any common success factors?
     • Any anti-patterns? (i.e. approaches, attitudes or actions which should be avoided)
       • What advice was shared?
     • In the example(s) you have found, how would you have approached the community and facilitated engagement?
2. Identify a case study of a community where social entrepreneurs are involved to link to or write about.
   • Add a link to the case study you have found or written on our Case Studies page.
3. Share insights with fellow students.
4. Finally, add a link from your user page (recall) to anything you have written, or significantly contributed to.

Where to Start

Type classification: this is a reading group resource.

• Your own Community (or communities)
• The web.

Type classification: this is a discussion resource. Please feel welcome to join it.

• Discuss your findings with fellow learners, and post insights on the discussion page.

Experiential Learning

This is your first step towards community engagement. Activities here will be extended in future modules/units. The pattern will generally be: Preparation and planning ... field work/ quest ... learn ... come back and share ... create links under Community ....

In advance, find out as much as possible.

What questions need to be asked?

• General background information.
  • Where can you get this information?
• Who are the community leaders?
• What existing community structures are already in place?
• Are there any existing community development initiatives?

Approach the community with humility in learning mode only.

No judgements.

Document your learning.

What Next?

The next module in this course is Social Innovation.

Alternatively, return to the main curriculum page and choose a different unit.