Community or Network?

On holiday in the highlands I had time to reflect on community...Still a great sense of community and trust in the west coast villages in the highlands! I asked my partner if he thought community was still alive and his response was, of course! He said - individuals choose which community they wish to belong to. He said - what do you mean by community, there is different perspectives. Community needs trust and community comes about due to a common need or purpose – quite rightly in the highlands in remote village’s people come together, supporting and assisting each other!

On our first night we had no electricity and approached a neighbour for advice, on arrival another neighbour came around also advising there was no electric - there everyone was communicating about the situation, the essence of Community!

My view is community is like a team, working towards the common goal or purpose, like community education and partnerships or networks driving change for development in society and individual progression. Professions interact in different communities, at work, and forums, where people come together to share knowledge for creative practice, to provide generic services to clients through a community approach, or network.

Online we have networks of different communities, technologies bringing people together with a common interest or purpose, whether entertainment, social, educational or professional. Technology has enhanced networking and driven an online social community, creating a knowledge sharing culture, enhancing awareness and life-long learning....... e-reflection of guidance practice, innovation and new ways of working is an initiative being driven by the Scottish Government. Bringing together the guidance profession through technology, blogging for future best practice, adding a SHEEN to guidance, community education, career planning and economic development!......... see www.heacademy.ac.uk/sheen