How to Coach Yourself and Others Empowering Coaching And Crisis Interventions | Page 61

This book is in B&W, not color - Print page in Grayscale for Correct view! Community. Community may be defined in terms of ethnicity, family, friends, place of residence, faith, sexual orientation, common organizational affiliation, or other bonds. A community is a source of strength and hope, identity and history, support and challenge, interaction and contribution. Community is fundamental to empowerment in two ways. First, the community can provide resources, support, and affirmation for clients. Second, the clients mutual contribution back to that community is essential in furthering the empowerment process. Counsellors work with clients to develop an understanding of the clients sense of community, the resources available, and the extent and quality of client interactions with the identified community. Often clients will not experience a sense of community with any others in their environment, or may belong to communities that undermine their resources and abilities. Thus, counsellors must also be aware of potential new sources of community, and assist clients in accessing or fostering community. This may include helping clients develop skills for drawing upon the community’s support. Finally, counsellors can assist clients in identifying ways to support the empowerment of others in their community. Source: Excerpt of article published in the Canadian Journal of Connselling / Revue canadienne de counseling / 1998, Vol. 32:1 - An Empowerment Model of Counsellor Education By Ellen Hawley McWhirter - University of Oregon For [email protected] Property of Bookemon, do NOT distribute 61