title: Group Maturity in a Community-Based Project.
abstract: Community-based projects have become popular as a method to address various community problems. Specifically important is that community members take an active role in these interventions resulting in sustainable social change. Although considerable literature exists on the dynamics of small group interaction, this article addresses how group processes differ in community-based projects. Instead of constructing a static model for group interaction, this discussion focuses on experiences from a recent community-based health project on the island of Grenada. Because community-based projects are directed by a diverse group of community members, maturity is described as a process of negotiation rather than consensus.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Sociology, University of Miami , Coral Gables , Florida , USA.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: b Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University , Athens , Ohio , USA.
authors.forename: Berkeley A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Franz
authors.affiliation: c Department of Sociology, Barry University , Miami Shores , Florida , USA.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Callaghan
mesh_terms: D026683:Advisory Committees; D003150:Community Health Workers; D019058:Community Networks / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019425:Grenada; D006285:Health Planning; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans
keywords: Community-based interventions; community-based philosophy; health committees; lay community health workers; small group interaction