Welcome to the Mel King Institute Online Modules Pilot!

What to learn more about Community Development? Host small learning circles with your staff, board or team? 

MKI created a few online learning modules capturing our most popular session in bite size offerings! The three short videos below capture core concepts in community development and the questions provided are to encourage group discussion.

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joe intro to ced class

Intro to Community Economic Development

Joe Kriesberg, Director of MACDC

1. What is a CDC? (7:58) This video gives a brief overview about what a Community Development Corporation is and provides context for the goals of community development work.

Discussion Questions:

  • What does it mean to build civic culture in a place?
  • Is your organization a CDC? If so, does your organization match with the definition written in MA state law? If not, what similarities and differences are there between your work and what a CDC does?

 

2. Values of Community Development (2:43) This video describes the three core values of the community development field.

Discussion Questions:

  • What power dynamics do you see in your organization? How do they affect community development?
  • Do you agree that the goal of community development is mainly about economic development? Why or why not?
  • Can you think of any other values of community development?

 

3. What is Community Building? (5:09) This video goes over the basics of community building and the stakeholders involved.

Discussion Questions:

  • What do you think of Mel King's questions for community builders: "Which community? Whose voices? Who are we speaking for?" 
  • How can your organization incorporate new aspects of community building into your current work?