Section 3: Community Development

SIX PILLARS OF COMMUNITY

WHAT DOES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MEAN?

Community – A group of people sharing a common purpose, who are interdependent for the fulfillment of certain needs, who interact on a regular basis, who share in defining expectations for all members in the group and assume responsibility for meeting these expectations, and who are respectful and considerate of other persons within the community.

Community Development – The process of shaping the environment or building on the experiences and needs of members, both individually and collectively, of creating the attitudes and developing the skills necessary to progress toward the realization of those conditions which make up a community.

Sense of Community – The feeling of cooperation, of commitment to group welfare, of willingness to communicate openly, and of responsibility to and for others as well as one’s self. Paramount to the development of communities is the emergence of leaders in the community who are consistently contributing to the group. They may be individuals who rise to lead in a particular situation depending on the needs of the community and the individual’s own feelings. In any case, one of your primary responsibilities as a Resident Assistant will be to work with and encourage the leadership skills in these individuals.

(Adapted from “Campus Life: In Search of Community” a Special Report from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, with a foreword by Ernest L. Boyer.)

THE SIX PILLARS OF COMMUNITY

Our Residence Life department subscribes to the philosophy of having six pillars of community:

• Community CONNECTIONS
  Connections between peers, faculty and staff enhance the experience of students in the residence halls. As our world becomes more technologically oriented, it’s easier for students to “hide-away” from the rest of the community. It is important for staff to design ways for students to become involved in residence hall communities, as the interaction does not always occur “naturally.”
• Community INVOLVEMENT
  A community is only as strong as its membership. When a variety of people with a variety of skills get involved, the results are bound to meet more people’s needs and the quality of community improves. Studies show that students who get involved outside of the classroom tend to do better in school.
• Community PRIDE
  Community pride is manifested through people identifying with their community where their community becomes an extension of themselves. Community pride is a force that makes people return to their hall year after year, take ownership of their surroundings, and believe that they live in the best place. It results in people speaking up when something needs to be done, noticing and reporting problems, organizing for change, and treating others and the physical environment with respect.
• Community CONFLICT
  When a diverse group of people are living in a community, conflict is inevitable. Students, regardless of background and experience, seek to develop an interpersonal support system with their fellow students. They must, perhaps for the first time, relate to students, faculty and staff of different cultural backgrounds, sexual orientations, life experiences, physical disabilities, races and ethnicities.
• Community COALITIONS
  A coalition may be thought of as a group of individuals coming together for a common purpose. Coalitions imply inclusivity, working together, an alliance of people of all abilities, religions, sexual orientations, cultures, lifestyles, and ethnic backgrounds.
• Community SAFETY
  Students expect a safe and secure living environment. Students must understand they have an important role in creating a safe environment for them selves and others. Students who are educated and informed realize that security measures only provide safety if students are invested in maintaining a safe environment and if they assume responsibility for protecting themselves and their property.

THE ROLES OF RAs AND ALAs IN DEVELOPING COMMUNITY

As an RA or ALA, you can best implement the foundational principles of community through the following roles:

Role Modeling:
One of the most critical ways you can create these dynamics of community is by role modeling these principles. Residents will take cues from your actions and behaviors on how to act in the residence hall and in the classroom. If you role model good study habits, a respect for differences, and a commitment to abide by University and Housing policies and procedures, your residents will be more likely to do the same.

Programming:
Activities that help residents contribute to the community in caring, celebratory, etc. ways and that assist students in their academic success here at the University are critical to developing a purposeful and well-considered community. Programming can be geared to residents in exciting and creative ways that help them in learning about themselves and each other.

Advising:
Your role as a paraprofessional counselor is an important one and your work in this area also helps to develop community. Advising students on options and resources that they can take advantage of will support the emotional and mental health of individuals and the community.

Administrator:
Being a "cluster administrator" is important in providing the services and resources residents will need to feel good about the physical space they live in. This includes your work in the Cluster Office, checking-in students, being on duty and so on. Residents and staff members are more likely to create communities that have the above defining characteristics when they have the physical resources they need in their hall.

Crisis Manager:
As residents struggle to develop personally and collectively, residents will come into conflict with one another, test limits and boundaries, and experience their identity as a student in numerous ways. Being sensitive to how each of your residents is doing and responding to student concerns and crises are one of the most critical reasons you are an RA or ALA.