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Careers in Community Development

Gaynor Borade
Community development means 'overall economic and social upliftment' of a community. Vocations such as teaching and nursing are taken up because of the sense of fulfillment they give than remuneration.
The term community refers to people who are bound together by common interests. Ideally, a person who is already a part of a community can lead the others or volunteer services for people in it. There are a number of exciting and personally rewarding options in community service.
You don't have to be jobless to take on the responsibility. Though there are openings for volunteers and students, there is also ample scope for professionals to pitch in, whenever they can.
Among the many careers in community development, there are some that focus on community organizing and finance, while some help in the development of new businesses and business coaching. The many options open for full-time positions as well as for freelancers include:

Organizer of Community Development

As an organizer, you have to help develop and redevelop the existing community. The task involves breaking through barriers and enhancing career advancement opportunities for people within the community, as well as ensuring their lateral development.
As an organizer of employment opportunities, you would be responsible for identifying different institutions that could help members in the field they are interested in. Business networking is important to help members fit into desired roles at work. As an organizer, you would first have to study the community, especially if you are not already a part of it.
You would need to weigh the pros and cons of the community-defined paradigms and regulations before ushering in change. A careful analysis of self-assessment forms and suitability for a particular vocation would be at the helm of research for each member you help.
Your primary responsibility would be to monitor growth and progress and enable the community to remain buoyant even in adversity, while adhering to workplace ethics.

Finance Consultant

Offering your expertise in finance to a community involves a lot of groundwork and networking skills to make the resources required easily accessible. Financial consultancy could address housing, education, business, or any other monetary requirement.
You would need to assimilate information and stay updated on the recent developments in the fiscal world. Finance is a sensitive arena and being professional about all dealings is of utmost importance. As an integral part of the community, you would need to handle all dealings meticulously.
Even as a volunteer in some community you are not already a part of, the advice and guidance should be from a sound and established resource base . The job profile of a Financial Consultant in Community Development is very fulfilling. You can see the fruits of your labor through advice and guidance instantly. The love and respect gained is immeasurable.
This profile in financial management gives you the opportunity to be a part of a network of both, resources and investors. As mediator, the job enables you to help a staggering businessman through business consulting strategies, as well as ensure that funds are accessible dot-on after retirement, in the case of senior citizens.

Community Upliftment and Empowerment Executive

As an executive responsible for community upliftment and empowerment, your primary duties would involve identifying trouble areas and developing a strategy to approach them directly. You could opt for any one arena or take on complete responsibility for fiscal aid, rehabilitation, vocational assistance, and even facilitate education to the student community.
As a facilitator for upliftment of the community, you would be interacting with two distinct categories of people, irrespective of the community you belong to. One category comprises of those recognized within the community and can help you gain access to the other category or group, comprising those who need help. You can freelance or work full-time.

Educator and Counselor

As one facilitating access to resources for higher education and counseling the student community, your social networking skills would ideally revolve around identifying and tying up with educational institutions, career education forums, and vocational training centers.
The job profile enables you to assure the community of a great future, since you would be primarily dealing with children, adolescents, the youth, and adults on the verge of making important decisions pertaining to a vocation. The job descriptions, salary ranges, resources, and volunteer positions are designed for a line of work that is very fulfilling.
There are a number of other interesting and career opportunities with non-government organizations or NGOs. All it takes is the right qualifications and social networking skills and the right intent to compliment the philosophies as well as the expectations of any community.