Community Development Practice Strategies for Instilling the Value of the Institution of Family : Perceptions of Academics at Howard College - Research

Too often literature on community development strategies presents general strategies used by practitioners as agencies of change in communities they practice in. This paper analyses at the collapse of the family institution as a community challenge that needs to be addressed using the community development approach. The aim is to generate knowledge on strategies that can be used for instilling the value of the institution of the family. The objective is to describe academics perceptions of strategies that can be used for instilling the value of the institution of the family. The paper uses a qualitative case study of Social Science university lectures to explore specific strategies that could be used to restore the way communities should value the institution of family. In-depth interviews were conducted on a sample of six lecturers selected from three departments. The paper identified nine strategies for restoring respect and valuing the family institution in communities, namely, communication forums and religious institutions strategies; curriculum and media strategies; access to resources and job opportunities strategy; resource person strategy; family resilience strategy; family well-being intervention and preservation strategy and the empathy strategy. The study recommends a pro-family curriculum change in universities and colleges. An improved collaboration between the Department of Social Services and the Department of Correctional Services in matters concerning families is recommended. Development nongovernmental organisations can play a big role in family education. Lastly, the media can be used as a strategy to restore the respect of the institution of the family.