Community Development Programs in Canada A community development program is an interdisciplinary field that incorporates economics, politics, social science, research and an understanding of cultural diversity. This is a post-secondary program that typically runs for two years, helping students build sustainable careers in the areas of •
Building community capacity
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Promoting sustainable community
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Managing/directing community economic development initiatives
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Social planning
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Promoting social and economic development of communities
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Social change
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Challenging oppression and discrimination
The students are taught that there is no one road map to community development practice that applies universally. This is why, social planning needs to be done, depending upon the specific requirements of people in a community. Community Development Programs in Toronto The job of a community development professional can be very challenging. Therefore, only genuinely interested candidates should only consider it as a career option and enrol into a community development education program. There are several colleges in Canada that offer post-secondary community development programs to students. Unfortunately, not all offer them opportunities to practice their acquired knowledge in real world fieldwork settings. Centennial College offer students opportunities to work in two separate real world fieldwork settings, domestic and/or international, under the supervision of community practitioners during the tenure of the program. They work in communities to understand their problems, challenge social and economic injustice, and advocate for change strategies. Community Development Program Details This program is aimed at helping students build strong theoretical foundations and gain hands-onexperience in community development. It covers a wide range of subjects, including: •
Theoretical foundations in community development
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Sustainable community development
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Communication fundamentals
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Social psychology
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Foundations of community based research
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Community economic development
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Community engagement and participation
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Global citizenship: from social analysis to social action
Centennial College