Community empowerment refers to the process of enabling communities to increase control over their lives. Communities are groups of people that may or may not be spatially connected, but who share common interests, concerns or identities. These communities could be local, national or international, with specific or broad interests. Empowerment refers to the process by which people gain control over the factors and decisions that shape their lives. It is the process by which they increase their assets and attributes and build capacities to gain access, partners, networks and/or a voice, in order to gain control. Enabling implies that people cannot ‘be empowered’ by others; they can only empower themselves by acquiring more of power’s different forms… (Adapted from World Health Organisation, 2020; emphasis added)
Despite the popularity of the term community empowerment, the concept eludes a precise definition. While some disciplines have contributed to defining aspects of community empowerment, these contributions often refer only to a particular viewpoint. For example, the field of public health often defines community empowerment in terms of “wellness” and the ability of local residents to increase health-promoting behaviours. From this definition, a campaign aimed at reducing alcohol or tobacco use would constitute one method for empowering the community through education, leading to a collective change in behaviour. (Ersing, 2003, p. 262)
On the one hand, many communities have a keen interest in gaining more power over their own destiny (not always for nimby-ish reasons), while on the other hand, there are concerns that governments want to shift responsibilities onto communities as they hollow out public services in a context of austerity.
Barriers | Incentives |
The ethos of active citizenship is derived from the Athenian tradition which unites the values of democratic self-determination with mutuality and solidarity. This means that those who can look after themselves and contribute to the well-being of the wider community will endeavour to do so, while those who cannot will equally be respected and supported by others. This requires a sense of common purpose. As we live in a society with a diversity of cultures, what we need both to bind us together and to enable us to respect our differences, are common beliefs in the democratic practices of citizenship itself, and the rights and duties that go with it. (2003, p.8)
helps improve state performance through a series of institutional rules that constrain and check the prerogatives of the municipal government while creating increased opportunities for citizens to engage in public policy debates. It helps enhance the quality of democracy by encouraging the direct participation of citizens in open and public debates, which helps increase their knowledge of public affairs. (Wampler, 2007, pp. 21-22)
Level of participation | What involvement means in terms of degree of control (e.g. inputting views versus making the decisions) and whether PB is used as a tool for empowering participants or as a consultation mechanism with little change in power dynamics and influence. |
Who is involved | Whether those who participate are, for example, citizens, representative groups, NGOs, or private companies. |
At what stage are participants involved | |
Method of involvement | |
Scale | PB has been implemented at different spatial scales (e.g. national, local, neighborhood); with different types and levels of budget (e.g. small scale grant allocation, or setting priorities for, in some cases multi-million pound, mainstream budgets) and with different foci (e.g. making choices within a policy or thematic area, such as health, or across themes but within a geographical area). |
Whether and to what extent PB is redistributive |
Role of parents Parents are usually the most important people in their children’s lives. Their views and behaviours can have a good or bad influence on their children’s behaviour including offending behaviour. Children are much less likely to get into trouble if their parents: have a good relationship with them and can talk openly with them can agree sensible clear rules and encourage them to stick to them as much as possible know where they are and what they are up to.
School and community Children are also less likely to get into trouble if their parents have an interest in their school life and they have good relationships with their teachers. This all helps to encourage children to go to school as often as possible. Children are less likely to offend if their parents can help them to become involved in activities or interests in their local community. This can include youth clubs, sports clubs, uniformed groups and church groups. (NIDirect, no date)
Factor | Description |
Risk factors | Young people facing transitions: education, place, family, religion and so on |
Cognitive and social openings to new influences | |
Social isolation and exclusion | |
Grievances about discrimination that may be personal, related to unfair treatment at work, access to health care or about other inequalities in society | |
Unemployment | |
Migrant status and experiences before and after immigration | |
International conflict that is considered unjust against a group with which individual identifies on religious, national or cultural grounds | |
Perceived threat to family and cultural group | |
Marginalized and traditional cultural identities | |
Discrimination thought to explain group inequalities in health and social status and access to wealth | |
Not able to negotiate needs and protest through non-violent and democratic means | |
Contact with influential or charismatic leaders who justify terrorism (for example, in prisons, or in schools or universities) | |
Protective factors | Social support |
Social cohesion | |
Social capital and trust in institutions | |
Feeling of safety and security in neighborhood | |
Integrated cultural identity | |
Employment success | |
Access to democratic means for negotiating needs and opinions | |
Access to critical religious leadership that can moderate and inform on legitimate religious perspectives |
Although governments and public authorities must do all they can, the prevention of extremism and radicalisation is most effectively addressed by communities. Extremism is able to thrive when communities themselves do not challenge those who seek to radicalise others. In some communities, particularly minority communities, there is a profound lack trust and confidence in the government, police and public authorities. This can make it harder for them to achieve success. It is therefore important to invest in community engagement and community empowerment. Community engagement should be in place routinely and not just implemented after a problem arises. (Radicalisation Action Network, no date.)
Extremist groups exploit hyperlocal vulnerabilities and events to reinforce their narrative and strengthen their appeal. Since the local context plays a crucial role in the process of radicalisation, the local context forms the basis of any potential solution or counter/preventive strategy. (Smit and Meines, 2019, p. 3)