6 Conclusion

This course has considered the concept of community empowerment and the way that its principles can be applied to help and support the development of communities.

We have argued that for communities to be successful, not only must they be empowered but stakeholders from all sectors must collaborate effectively. Social loafing and waiting for others to take the lead are not effective strategies in any context, most particularly not in a community setting.

By considering the barriers to community empowerment and some of the risks which can arise if communities are not effectively empowered we have sought to highlight its importance and relevance to communities of all types.