What to know
There are many ways to think about community engagement. This section explores four perspectives of community, each offering a unique process for community engagement.
Section Overview
Knowing how individuals identify and relate to their community is key to community engagement. Four perspectives to consider when approaching communities include
- Systems Perspective
- Social Perspective
- Virtual Perspective
- Individual Perspective
Practitioners of community engagement should understand how individuals within a given community
- Identify and connect with others
- Establish relationships
- Form communities
Tip From the Literature
People should not make assumptions about identity based on appearance, language, or cultural origin; nor should they make assumptions about an individual's perspective based on his or her identity (James, 1890)
Content Source:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry