The All Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work Education and Training have produced a set of standards for community work (building on Towards Standards for Quality Community Work developed and widely disseminated in 2010). The aim is to provide a reference point and guide for key stakeholders that seek to support community work for the promotion of social inclusion, social justice and equality, and as an intervention for social change. These stakeholders include community workers, programme implementers, employers, policy makers, funders, organisations, groups and community work educators.
The All Ireland Standards for Community Work provide the foundation and guiding framework
for community development in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. These Standards,
developed by the All Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work Education and Training (AIEB), articulate and re-emphasise the key values and associated knowledge, skills and qualities required for the practice of effective community development work.
The aim is to provide a reference point and guide for key stakeholders that seek to support community work for the promotion of social inclusion, social justice and equality and as an intervention for social change. These stakeholders include communities, community workers, programme implementers, employers, policy makers, funders, organisations, groups and community work educators.
The All Ireland Standards for Community Work are designed to act as a guiding mechanism in:
• the design, development, monitoring and review of programmes, policies and other initiatives focussing on community development, family support, local development, rural development, urban renewal and the eradication of poverty;
• the design of relevant elements in a variety of community engagement, community participation and social inclusion initiatives;
• the development of community work education and training curricula at all levels including Continuous Professional Development for community work practitioners, managers of community
workers and those using a community work approach in their work;
• the recruitment and employment of community workers and personnel with a remit in using a
community development approach.
The Standards aim to be useful for community workers and those who use a community work approach in Ireland and to act also as a reference point for our community development colleagues at European and global levels. They are an essential starting point for all community work education and training.
The All Ireland Standards have been one of the sources drawn upon by the IACD International Standards for Community Development Practice Working Group.
