Village Earth and the Wounded Knee District Economic Development Association (EDA) met with the Wounded Knee Community Council to develop a plan for repairing the waste water system in their village. According to community residents the system has been overcapacity for several years and has been backing up into their homes. Another concern is that the system is polluting a nearby stream through seepage and when it overflows. Initial plans include getting the proper authorization from the Tribal government for the community to repair and maintain the system on their own, completing an assessment from a qualified engineer, developing a blueprint and budget for what needs to be done to fix the system, and accessing the necessary resources for the project. Eventually, the community plans to train a local caretaker to monitor and maintain the system. A priority of the group was to try to engage the community in the project as much as possible so they would feel a sense of ownership and would be willing to maintain the system on their own without having to depend on the tribal government, state, or outside organizations. 
Above: the current waste treatment facility at Wounded Knee
GSLL 1501 – Approaches to Community Development
This course provides a framework for community development based on a participatory, bottom-up, multi-sector model. Various approaches have been used in community development with varying degrees of success. One approach that has consistently demonstrated effectiveness is the Village Earth model based on participatory practices.
Through personal and structural empowerment, the objectives of economic well-being, environmental sustainability, and socio-cultural vitalization can be met. By looking at an overview of the entire development process and using case studies, this course will prepare participants to work in the field of community development and illuminate how all of the development efforts fit together to support the overall goal of sustainability.
Upon completion of this course participants will be able to:
Compare different development approaches and evaluate their effectiveness.
Understand the basic principles that underlie sustainable development.
Incorporate participatory practices into community development activities
Design a development project based on the Village Earth model
Who should take this course? This course is suited for people who are interested in community development and work or plan to work in this field. This includes people working or volunteering at NGOs, NPOs, governmental organizations, without border organizations, or missionary organizations. In addition, people involved in funding community development projects benefit from this course.
