Core Values Model

Theory Name: Core Values Model (Schuler 1996) Definition: A community is like an ecosystem or a human body - each part works together to make the organic whole work. Isolating portions will make the whole fail. The model is based on community participation and citizen action, and the core values presented by Schuler include: Education, Strong democracy, Health and well-being, Economic equity/sustainability, information and communication, and conviviality and culture. Ledwith, M. 2005 "Community Development: A critical Approach" 79-80 Application to community development: When trying to establish a TimeBank in a community, obviously you're going to need to recruit members. However, handing out flyers to inform/educate the members about the project is one step that cannot be the only one. The TimeBank will not succeed if you don't address other community-related issues as well. (are there community members will to keep the project going? are community members in well enough health to participate?) Ledwith says that "projects in the process of change should not be fragmented from the organic whole" (79). What's the long-term goal? While you have to break down the goal into smaller, do-able portions, do not lose sight of the long term goal.

Adaptation to outside field: In the field of public health, when you want to address a particular health outcome, trying to address only one part of the problem (individual behavior, for example) will usually cause to you to fail in the long run, unless you acknowledge and address other factors as well: policies, power, sustainability, current barriers, etc.