Beyond the Buzz Word: Empowerment in Community Outreach and Education

Abstract

Social service practitioners are challenged by serving target populations that are increasingly diverse ethnically. The challenge is compounded by budget and program cuts that limit resources for multicultural staff and training. This case study of a perinatal outreach and education program targeting low-income women from diverse ethnic backgrounds speaks to program planners and practitioners faced with these issues. The study invites a critical assessment of how "empowerment" is conceptualized and operationalized in program objectives. The impact of the social organization of an agency-driven program on the interaction between the educator and the client is examined. An alternative approach, decentralized in the diverse target communities, is suggested for future projects. This perspective requires critical consciousness on the part of planners and change agents as mediators of an empowerment process.

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