TREE OF LIFE

CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY


Community is an interesting word-we yearn for a sense of community, a sense of belonging, a sense of fitting in. Community also means a geographical location, where a sense of empathy resides. In my life, I found a sense of empathy and belonging at the Hope Center, a mental health alternative for people in Recovery. I served as an intern there, as well as a mental health client. The people there were “my kind of people.” It was easy to talk with them and to empathize with them in their struggles. There is a distinct culture among mentally ill people-one that is very different from the average work-a-day world. Maybe it is because we’ve all experienced a mental illness and have been part of the “system.” We have struggled to get appointments with our doctors, struggled with the medication and side effects, struggled to understand our “problems,” struggled to overcome the difficulties that we encountered along the way, and struggled with the people outside of the “system” understanding us.

The Hope Center was more of a horizontal structure than a vertical entity, in that the power and the structure of the Center were in line with an equal power base. Whereas, a vertical structure would be one from the top down-a hierarchical structure. Although roles were played, by both the clients and staff, it was more on an equal playing field. Members, or clients, learned their roles and were allowed to contribute to the governance of the Hope Center. This was done by ongoing meetings in which the members were listened to and their advice was considered. Although this “system” is not significant in the world of global economics and megacorporations, it worked well with the members and staff at the Hope Center. It is resisting “pressures toward mass society” (Hardcastle & Powers. 2004. p. 107), and protects the individual member.

Mutual support and communal strength are necessary for this type of community to exist. This is referred to as “free riders and suckers” by the power elite that rules society-the dominant male influence. In a perfect world, all would commiserate for the common good. We, as social workers, have to decide whether or not we want to aid such communities, or be a part of the power elite whose concerns are money instead of mankind. In my life, I know which side I’m on.

Hardcastle, D. A., & Powers, P. R. (2004). Community practice: Theory and skills for social workers. (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.