Community Action Programs are private or public nonprofit making organizations that work towards improving the social welfare of our communities. For instance, they can work to alleviate poverty in given geographical areas by starting projects that offer employment opportunities. Besides, Community Action Programs fight for equal rights to sidelined individuals to an education, health, and infrastructure. They have a tripartite board structure designed to enhance whole community participation in phasing out inequalities in education, health, and resource allocation. These programs seek to involve public and elected leaders, private sector leaders, low-income earners in the evaluation of local needs in the attacking of the causes of inequalities and conditions of poverty.
Mission and Purpose
To fight poverty in communities, the Community Action Program works towards better utilization of the available local, state, federal, and private resources. Besides, they train low income earning families essential skills and knowledge that they can use to gain access to new opportunities and realize economic self- sufficiency.
Community Action Program mode of operation
The program solely involves low-income earners or population in planning, administering, and evaluating their programs. Some of their programs include:
Comprehensive anti-poverty strategies and plans
Mobilization of financial and nonfinancial resources
Advocacy on behalf of the low-income population
Community-wide assessments of strengths and needs
Partnerships with related community-based organizations to
eradicate poverty
Provision of a range of direct services
Why Community Action Organizations are irreplaceable
Most of these Community Action Programs focus on specific needs, for instance, job training, healthcare, education, economic development, and decent housing. The programs reach out to low-income populations in their areas of residence, and address their multiple needs through comprehensive approaches, developed partnerships with related community organizations. They involve low-income populations or clients in their daily operations; the administration aimed at having a positive, measurable impact on poverty.
Key stages of creating a Community Action Program
Introduction and socialization that provides a deeper understanding of the importance of having a feasible action plan and a common goal
Social and environmental mapping
Identification of societal needs, problems, and resource
potential
Determination of community priority needs and problems
Formulation of strategy choices and variety
Action plan formulation
Formulation and implementation of the action plan
Community action plans are essential movements as they struggle to improve the living standards of low-income earners by improving their healthcare, education, and empower them economically. They involve the targeted population in their policymaking and assessments. Before rolling out their action plan, they assess the community resource potential, needs, and problems aimed at eradicating poverty.
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