Rural communities, like communities everywhere, do best when they take charge of their own affairs. RCA is committed to supporting communities in the development and implementation of self-government structures and processes.
Local councils are a key part of this governance structure. Within the boundaries of the legislation and regulations they are bound by, local councils can be a real force for community development, on all fronts. RCA works with local councils to support them in:
- engaging respectfully and effectively with their communities
- reflecting community concerns and priorities in conducting their business
- advocating for their communities to other arms of government to address crucial social needs
- facilitating the coordination of service providers
- promoting and backing small business development
- building environmental integrity and sustainability into all key programs
Deliberative methods of self-governance are a second key element of the RCA governance initiative. The last two decades has seen an upsurge in the use of approaches to community decision-making which are participative and community-led. With such approaches the community increasingly gains experience, capabilities and skill which build their governance capacity. These methods include:
- consensus conferences, workshops and planning cells
- citizen’s juries
- deliberative polling
- on-line dialogues
- community capacity enhancement and community conversations
- collaborative learning (action learning, appreciative inquiry, study circles, etc.)
- self-directed research and assessment methods for community change
- community asset-based development