Abstract
M.A. (Social Work)
The objective of this study was to provide guidelines for the training of professionals and others in community development for South West Africa/Namibia.
The primary purpose was to establish how training programmes for both community consultants and workers nearer the grass roots levels could be developed.
With this objective in mind, an exploratory study was undertaken in six countries, viz.• Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Bophutatswana and Lesotho•.
Interviews were conducted with various categories of trainers in these countries, utilising an interview schedule designed to cover the basic principles of curriculum design.
The researcher concluded that prospective professionals and others should be trained at four levels, viz. the unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled and academic and professional levels.- Specific curricula were proposed to serve as guidelines for the development of training courses for these different categories of trainees and students, in preparation for service in the field of community development.
The envisaged indexes of successful community development are an ultimately improved quality of life, enhanced social functioning and stimulated but controlled
modernization.