A must have for people who work in the community (Skills in Neighbourhood Work - Paul Henderson and David Thomas)

Member Name: Trixi

Product:	Skills in Neighbourhood Work - Paul Henderson and David Thomas
Date:	10/05/02 (132 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Practical, Not too heavy, Simple language

Disadvantages: None

The second edition of Skills in Neighbourhood Work has been designed to be a practical guide for anybody involved in community development. This might include social work, community based healthcare services, youth work and community work.

The book analyses the method of Neighbourhood work as a way of working within communities.

The book has a fairly comprehensive introduction the sets the scene for the book. It highlights the importance of neighbourhoods and explores neighbourhood theory and community cabability.
Chapter 1 is entitled "Some Ideas Around Which this Book is Organised", in other words this chapter further introduces the book by exploring the concept of neigbourhood work, highlighting that it is a process or method of working. This method can be used as a framework on which professionals can base there work, hence the book is suitable for a cross-section of readers.
Chapter 2 - Having established what neighbourhood work is and why it is important, this chapter tackles the issue of what should be considered when beginning to enter a new neighbourhood. One of the most important aspects of this kind of work is negotiating entry into a neighbourhood with existing community groups and other agencies already working in the area. (In other words....don't go in guns blazing, getting people's backs up, telling everyone that you can solve the problems and that your way is right and theirs is wrong.)
This chapter emphasises that you should do the groundwork and do your research. This process is long but worthwhile (but is often not realistic, as funders and bosses these days want quick answers.)
Chapter 3- This chapter follows on from the previous one (obviously), since it is about getting to know the neighbourhood that you are working in. In practical terms it is about what kind of research you might want to consider and how to do it.
This chapter highlights that you should consult with organisations, lo
oking at the Census for the area, networking with others. The second part of this chapter looks at different methods of research. This is quite a helpful practical chapter, since community work can often be done by community members. Likewise it is vital that groups are consulted. Consultation with groups is increasingly a demand of funders, but it can still be a tokenistic gesture by certain professions. Evidence of research can often help funding applications and therefore this is a very practical chapter.
Chapter 4 - This chapter addresses the issue analysing the data that you have adapted. At the start of the chapter the authors emphasise the need for workers to be cautious and avoiding rushing in with the answer. Rather it stresses that workers should plan but be flexible. It also highlights that you should test the results. It is possible that the perceived priority is overexaggerated and the problem is not as bad as it seems.
Having established the needs it is then necessary to set objectives and establish the role of the worker. This might seem absurd but the fact is that often organisations have high expectations that all the problems will be solved at once. But we all know Rome was not built in a day and the process is often a case of crawling before you walk.
Chapter 5 - This chapter focuses on making contact with organisations. This might seem a very simple task but it can easily go wrong. Some groups may be threatened by a newcomer to the area and let's face it there can also be political or historical baggage that stops group A working with group B. A new worker to the area faces many challenges. For example some areas of need have had previous projects, previous workers which have all wound up and moved on, so why should this new worker be any different. The relationship between the worker and the local residents.

I don't particularly want to give you a chapter by chapter account since it could get very boring. The rest
of the book deals with issues like:
Forming and building organisations - This deals with the tranisition of groups to formalised organisations, including topics like surveys, organistional goals, structures, tactics and group cohesion and helpful hints on Public meetings.
Clarifying goals - This section not only stresses the need for the group toestablish clear goals and roles but for the need for the worker to establish a clear role. It has been known for workers to get over-involved in a group and this can be restrictive. Likewise group members can either expect too much from the worker or become over depended on them.
Keeping the organisation going - Many groups dissolve because people leave a group, for whatever reason, and the group finds it difficult to recruit new members. The section the focusses on keeping the organisation going looks at resources, planning, developeing competence and the different types of tasks that are apparent within groups.
Dealing with friends and enemies - This section deals with identifying and negotiating with decision-makers and working with other groups. Collaborative working is somewhat of a hot potato within the current climate. "Everyone and his dog" wants a slice of cake and funders want to know that you do multi-agency working. But we all know that it can be complicated. A group has to create a profile and be seen in order to be taken seriously - and that can take a long time (not to mention some hard graft).
Leavings and endings - "There is a time and place for everything" This phrase is also appropriate for groups. Sometimes an organisation has to dissolve. Whether it is due to changing needs, lack of funds or another reason sometimes it is right to terminate a group. Likewise sometimes it is appropriate for individuals to leave and for someone else to "carry the baton". In either instance, thought should be given to the exit strategy. Things should be neat and tidy. If a
service is no longer being provided, the community should know where to go fo help instead. If someone is leaving, a proper handover should take place, so that the next person knows the score.

The final chapter of the book reverts back to the process of doing neighbourhood work.This is a very practical chapter which talks about the practice of neighbourhood work within the different professions and fields of work. E.g. social work, community development, adult education etc.

Final thoughts
The blurb on the back of this book says that it is suitable for professionals, fieldworkers and students of community work......and I would agree with this comment. I have had to read extracts of this book (assorted chapters) during my studies.....and unlike many of the other books I have bought and dipped into this is one of the few that I have thought.....when I finish all my essays I will go back and read that properly.
It is a very practical book that you should have on your shelf in my humble opinion. Although some of the advised timescales are unrealistic in my "real life" situations the principles of working with people are sound. It is one book that I will probably keep going back to from time to time......so its well worth the money.

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