Community Development Practice HubCommunity Development Practice Hub The Community Development Practice Hub is a resource for people and organisations who ‘work with’ people in Birmingham so they can take collective action to make changes to things that are important to them and their communities. We aim to connect, inspire and upskill community development practitioners across Birmingham. Come join us on this exciting journey, as we collaborate with the sector to offer a tailored approach with a focus on Birmingham-specific learning, challenges, and achievements. Home Tools & Resources Definitions Stories External Resources About Core Skills for Agents of Change Community development practitioners are agents of change, enabling individuals and whole communities to bring about social change they want to see, to improve the quality of life in their community. The principles and values of community development are shared across the United Kingdom and around the world. They perform variable functions in their work roles including guide, enabler, facilitator and expert. They can also act as a connector between communities and a range of external agents e.g., local authority and voluntary sector service providers, police, and health workers. Community development practitioners may be in a paid or unpaid roles e.g. Community Enabler, Connector, Helper, Builder, Guide, Networker, Liaison or Development Worker. Increasingly community development practice approaches are adopted by workers in a range of settings whose roles depend on effectively working with communities. What skills do Community Development Practitioners need?These core skills, qualities and knowledge enable effective and appropriate community development practice. Good listening skills Advocacy and networking skills An ability to reflect and incorporate learning into your practice Research skills Excellent communication, interpersonal and team building skills The ability to interpret, analyse and present data, and the ability to write reports Political, social and negotiating skills Knowledge and understanding of community and social issues An good understanding of how public sector bodies work and relate to the third sector A non-judgmental and positive attitude Compassion and the ability to empathise with people's life experiences Creative thinking A motivating approach to work to encourage others to take action Fundraising - at management level there is an increasing need to identify and apply for funding You may also need the ability to manage budgets. Sample job descriptions and role specifications from organisations engaged in community development in Birmingham are available to download. View Sample Job Descriptions