The Grameen Bank approach to community engagement

Muhammad Yunus, founder of the micro-credit Grameen Bank made two observations fundamental to the mindset required for non-tokenistic approaches to community development and community engagement. He noted (1997, p. 3): “First, our knowledge base about people and their interactions is still very inadequate; second, each individual person is very important. Each person has tremendous potential. S/he alone can influence the lives of others within communities, nations, within and beyond his/her own time.” The capacity for micro-interventions, focussed on supporting community aspirations and community identified training needs, to be effective in generating “the essential worth of individuals, fundamental to any sustainable change process” (Paton 2003, p. 5) is examined. This paper explores the perspective that, contrary to popular rhetoric, the much misunderstood process of capacity building is only one of the elements required to generate effective community engagement. In fact creating an enabling environment is an equally vital element necessary to allow individuals and communities to reach their potential. It further argues that community engagement can only occur when people not only posses the skills essential to adequately address their own issues but also feel confident enough of their own ability and worth to participate. They must also be treated as respected equals by all others involved in the process. To what degree socially focused micro–interventions can contribute to pro-active community engagement is discussed in the practice context of the delivery of short flexible training programs designed to meet the specific needs of rural and regional areas of Queensland.