3 Models of Community Organization Practice (Jack Rothman)

An overview of Jack Rothman's framework featuring three overlapping approaches to community organization: locality development, social planning, and social action. These models are intended to be used in conjunction to strengthen community work.

This model focuses on building relationships, trust, and leadership within the community, encouraging residents to work together to solve their own problems rather than relying solely on outside experts.

A structured, evidence-based approach where planners use data, surveys, and reports to identify problems and design specific, realistic programs and solutions.

Focuses on addressing deep-seated injustice, inequality, and systemic issues by encouraging affected individuals to voice their needs and organize for fundamental change.

Exploration of how the models overlap: Locality development plus social action builds empowered, united communities; locality development plus social planning ensures programs are relevant and community-owned; planning plus action creates effective, lived-experience-based strategies.