Helping Your Community. Adult Education Series. Discussion Paper Nine.

Group discussion and learning activities are featured in this paper, the ninth in a series of resources for community development groups. The introduction defines the nature and goals of "core groups"--small community groups that will discuss the possibilities of individual and community transformation and promote new, life-enhancing patterns of growth. The text is organized under three areas of knowledge about communities, each with background information, suggestions for group learning activities, and discussion of possible outcomes for each activity. Part 1, "What Is a Community?" emphasizes the bonds that are essential to a community. Learning activities include naming communities that do not share a geographical location and identifying the bonds that unify these groups. Activities in Part 2, "Assessing Your Community," ask participants to describe how they feel when they think about trying to improve their community, to describe the community from the perspective of various groups (mothers, elders, firemen, school board members, etc.), and to identify the numerous sub-groups to which they belong. The focus of Part 3, "Helping Your Community," is the unifying forces in communities and the role of influential members. The learning activity has participants identify influential community members and their spheres of influence. (JHZ)