Planning for Organizational and Community Change

This course examines planning as a systematic process for community change that promotes social justice and empowerment. The course critically analyzes the sociopolitical and organizational contexts in which planning occurs, as well as major models and methods of planning practice. It presents practical tools for engaging community members, assessing community strengths and needs, setting goals and developing action plans, fostering support and partnerships for implementation, and evaluating and monitoring results. Emphasis is placed on participatory planning processes with marginalized and oppressed groups (including ability, age, class, color, culture, ethnicity, family structure, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), marital status, national origin, race, religion or spirituality, sex, and sexual orientation).