The community center
is a public place where the local citizens can gather and community groups can
hold functions or events for certain important purposes such as – for certain
group activities, social cause, share information, and other purposes. This
kind of activity helps in uniting the entire community or town. That kind of
center can be sometimes open for the whole community or for a particular group
within the greater community. For example- community centers in a particular
group such as- Islamic community centers, Christian community centers, youth clubs
and many more.
Uses and activities
Community centers are generally used for performing many
different kinds of functions. Some of them are mentioned below:
•
Celebrations of various kinds of occasions and
traditions.
•
Public meetings are held for the citizens on
various issues.
•
Election campaigns are held by the politicians
or other official leaders to encourage and request public to vote them on the
time of election day.
•
It is used for social gathering where every
member of the community meets each other.
•
That place is used for local clubs and volunteer
activities.
•
Community center can be rented for a private
family function party, such as a wedding or birthday party.
•
Those centers are used for organizing local
non-government activities.
Organization and ownership of community center
Basically, there are 4
common ways in which community centers are owned and organized in most parts of
the world.
•
Community owned: This kind of community center
is directly owned and operated by the local community of the area by forming an
organization separate from the government bodies. Though most of the time local
governments are aware of that and sometimes they even funds them.
•
Government owned: This kind of center is owned
by the government. It is used for governmental purpose, although sometimes, it
can also be used for non-government community activities on several occasions.
•
Sponsored: It is owned by a rich individual,
families or corporate houses for the purpose of donating to the community for use
as a charity.
•
Commercial: This type of center is owned by the
private entity or government organization or a community and is used purely for
commercial purpose by renting its facilities to various groups.
Schools as community centers
In the United States
of America, the earliest forms of community centers were based in education
institutions like schools that provides facilities to inner city communities
after school hours. An early example of this kind was found in Rochester, New
York from the year 1907. A Presbyterian minister, named Edward J. Ward, joined
the Extension Department at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and organized
the Wisconsin Bureau of Civic and Social Development. After that, by the year
1911, they organized a conference in different parts of the country in schools
as social centers. They were successful in meeting their objective, despite
concerns expressed by the political groups and public officials.
With the foundation of
the National Community Center Association in 1916, the term Community Center
was generally used in the United States of America. It is noted that, by the
year 1918, 107 cities in the United States have community centers and by 1924,
there were community centers in 240 cities. And by the year 1930, the number of
community centers in the United States of America was 500.
In the United Kingdom,
there are many villages as well as towns that have their own Community Center,
though many nearby schools sometimes offers their assembly or dining hall after
classes get over for Community Center activities. For instance, local schools
located near Ouston are provided for a local community center activity purposes
such as hosting dances, or other sporting activities.
Parks as community centers
Parks were also
considered as community centers for serving many important events and
functions. Mary Parker Follett was another pioneer in the field of community
centers. She saw community centers as playing a major role in her concept of
development of the community. Those places where were used by the individuals
by organizing themselves into neighborhood groups to attend people's needs,
desires and aspirations.
The oldest community
center in the United Kingdom is possibly that was established in 1901 in
Thringstone, Leicestershire. That center was run by the old age pensions
pioneer, Charles Booth (1847-1916). The center was extended in 1911 and in
1950, it is taken over by the Leicestershire County Council. However, today
still this center thrives as an educational, social and a recreational
community resource that act as an inspiration for several others of its kind.
There are also many
community centers that have been established and used for a particular purpose,
but helps in serving the whole community. For example- arts center.
There also exist
online community centers. These types of centers are web base interactive
platforms. The user creates a community type of websites and urge people to
join the groups or community. Once the people registered the website, they
become members. In this kind of platform, members can easily interact online
with each other.
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