15602 Social Planning and Community Development

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Institute for Public Policy and Governance
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 15604 Local Government Principles and Practice OR 49460 Local Government Management Principles and Practice 1 OR 15608 Organising and Managing in Local Government OR 49277 Corporate Planning and Management
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses.
There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

This subject is an elective in the Graduate Diploma in Local Government Management (C06033). It can also be taken as a Professional Development (PD) subject.

This subject explores the theory and practice of social planning and community development, with a particular focus on the role of local government. Councils have a specific, regulatory responsibility to continually consult, review evidence, synthesize, and respond to broad, as well as local, social, economic, environmental and civic leadership factors that uniquely affect their communities.

The subject provides students with practical knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to allow them to research, analyse and then respond to local strengths, opportunities, risks and challenges. Students are supported to deploy sound social scientist research and social policy and planning approaches, based on contemporary planning and development approaches. They are also encouraged to ground their practice in key frameworks including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the key social justice principles of equity, access, participation and rights, in order to deliver evidence-based and sustainable outcomes for communities.

Students gain access to knowledge and skills related to effectively reviewing their and others social planning and community development strategies, plans and activities through quality monitoring, evaluation, research and learning (MERL) techniques

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

1.	Increase knowledge and understanding of social planning and community development theory, good practice and their role in decision making
2.	Apply community development approaches - such as social impact assessment, social infrastructure analysis, ‘Safety by Design’, and stakeholder engagement - to local scenarios
3.	Develop capacity to think strategically and practically about place and communities, using social, cultural, economic, environmental, and leadership drivers of change, working collaboratively with colleagues with colleagues and other professions
4.	Acquire project planning methods, tools and techniques that reflect social justice, ethics and Quadruple Bottom Line concepts required in local government settings
5.	Analyse current challenges and barriers, plus personal views and values and their impact on professional practice
6.	Learn skills in impactful communications and report writing relevant to social planning and community development decision making.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Apply leadership skills to take a proactive and convincing role in in fostering cultural competence and identifying and addressing policy issues (A.2)
• Collaborate effectively and apply leadership skills within multidisciplinary teams for local government and intergovernmental relations (C.3)
• Develop critically informed and innovative approaches to understanding local government and intergovernmental issues in domestic and international contexts (I.1)
• Apply an advanced understanding of theories and debates in local government and intergovernmental relations, including Indigenous perspectives, and articulate this understanding across a range of organisational types (P.3)
• Conduct independent applied research to develop a deep understanding of complex policy problems and innovative, cross-disciplinary solutions pertaining to government and its stakeholders (R.3)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:

C = communication and groupwork

A = attitudes and values

P = practical and professional

R = research and critique

I = innovation and creativity.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is run in 'Block' mode on Campus at the UTS City Campus. Block 1 is 9am-5pm on 23 & 24 August and Block 2 is 9am-5pm on 5 & 6 October. Each day has 4 sessions (9-10.30, 11-12.30, 1.30-3.00 and 3.30-5)

This subject incorporates a range of teaching and learning strategies including interactive presentations, discussion of readings and case studies and student group-work on the application of theory to practice. These learning strategies are complemented by independent self-study, incorporating student reading together with online and face-to-face discussion with peers and staff. The teaching and learning strategies include:

• Self-directed study beginning at least three weeks before the first scheduled block of teaching in which students make use of Canvas and the UTS library to access readings, supported by the Canvas platform. Canvas supports students' preparation for discussion and interaction in the workshops

• Canvas exercises are commenced ready for use in face-to-face workshops

• Presentations and guest practitioners – students are made aware of the range of activities being undertaken by other council’s broadening their knowledge and fostering ideas

• Case-studies and scenarios

• Peer-to-peer learning - students learn from each other and build connections with other local government officers over the five days of workshop

• Individual assessment with feedback.

Content (topics)

This subject is made up of the following interconnected modules, each discussed on the Canvas platform.

Module 1: Introduction to Social Planning and Community Development

This module covers the key theory and good practice principles that underpin quality social planning and community development.

It includes discussion of:

• Legislative and Regulatory Requirements, including local government IP&R issues
• Social justice principles and the role of Quadruple Bottom Line thinking
• Effective engagement and decision making principles
• Different types of planning and key considerations including common community, recreational and infrastructure activities, plus safety, local conflicts, and crisis management.

Module 2: Social Policy, Planning and Project Management

This module introduces effective project management approaches to delivering quality social and community outcomes.

It includes discussion of:

• Practice and management of specific social planning and community development activities
• Introduction to social planning research
• Introduction to effective stakeholder engagement
• Working with communities and managing change in a dynamic environment.

Module 3: Social Planning Methods, Tools and Techniques

This module covers specific approaches, tools and techniques for working at the local level, with specific reference to using evidence-based research and engagement techniques.

It includes discussion of:

• Designing, implementing and managing one off or ongoing social planning or community development initiatives
• Common data sources and how to use in community focused social research
• Undertaking common activities including a needs analysis, a social impact assessment and a social infrastructure plan.

Module 4: Place Based Approaches, Measuring Impact and Influencing Decision Making

This module will draw together the theory and practice across the three previous modules and applies the learning to a place-based scenarios.

It includes discussion of:

• Social Planning and Community Development measurement, evaluation and learning
• Community Indicators
• Communicating with Impact and writing for decision makers.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Social Planning Theory and Practice Research paper

Intent:	Reflecting on the course content and their own research related to social planning, students will reflect on how their understanding of social planning relates to their specific role, workplace, and communities they work with. They will also assess and critique the degree to which their nominated Council demonstrates the application of requited social planning requirements and good practice social planning techniques.
Objective(s):	This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 3 and 5 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.2, C.3, I.1 and P.3
Type:	Essay
Groupwork:	Individual
Weight:	50%
Length:	2,500 - 3,000 words
Criteria linkages:	Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs The student demonstrates an understanding of regulatory requirements, social justice principles, UN Sustainability Development Goals, as well as ethics and how these drive quality social planning practices at a local government level. 20 1 P.3 The student identifies ways that social planning practice can positively influence a locality through analysis of social planning theory and practice research. The student provides a demonstrated understanding of the complex set of drivers impacts on a locality and discusses ways that social planning practice can contribute to public good. 20 2 A.2 The students understanding of social planning role/workplace/communities Social Planning practice in your role and/or workplace is critiqued Ways to strengthen practice in your role/workplace/communities are identified drawing from your research A clear rationale is provided for how social planning contributes to the resolution of current issues and can deliver outcomes for your role/workplace/communities. 40 5 I.1 Current social planning practice is challenged utilising research and reading New perspectives drawn from the research undertaken are applied to social planning practice in your role/workplace/communities Ways to strengthen and improve your role /work place/communities that flow logically from your research and analysis are developed 20 3 C.3 SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Report - Researching and responding to a local community development issue

Intent:	Students imagine that they have been asked by their manager to research a community development response to a chosen community issue and prepare an issues paper to seek resources for the exploration of this issue from senior management. Choose one community issue that you are dealing with in your locality that you would like to learn more about and prepare a paper that informs senior management about this issue.
Objective(s):	This task addresses the following subject learning objectives: 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.): A.2, C.3, I.1, P.3 and R.3
Type:	Report
Groupwork:	Group, group and individually assessed
Weight:	50%
Length:	2,500 - 3,000 words
Criteria linkages:	Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs The student demonstrates the ability to write an informative and engaging paper for senior management. The implementation paper is well structured and laid-out, and provides the required evidence base to support the recommendation 20 4 R.3 The selected community issue is thoroughly outlined and relevant to the student’s nominated locality. The paper considers the key stakeholders for this issue and ways of working with and empowering them. 10 2 I.1 The student demonstrates the benefits of community development for strengthening communities in their locality. The student demonstrates an understanding of the drivers impacting on their locality. They discuss ways that community development can contribute to addressing the community issue. The student shows an understanding of the drivers of change impacting on their locality. 10 1 A.2 The student demonstrates a capacity to critique current community development approaches relevant to their locality and beyond. Such critiques and insights leads to creative approaches for community development that are clearly described, and flow logically from the research and analysis provided. 40 5 P.3 The student demonstrates a capacity to critique current community development approaches relevant to their locality and beyond. Such critiques and insights leads to creative approaches for community development that are clearly described, and flow logically from the research and analysis provided 20 6 C.3 SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

Students must meet attendance requirements and overall must obtain at least 50% of the total marks.

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

Recommended texts

Core and suggested readings are available in Canvas. There is no set text book for this subject.