Tedtalk: The Urban Community

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“A community is a number of people who have something in common with one another that connects them in some way and that distinguishes them from others” (Kirst-Ashman, 2011, p. 266). The community presented in TedTalk, (2015) would be described as favelas. These communities are also known as ghettos and are usually found in urban communities.
Urban communities come with many challenges such as poverty, discrimination, overcrowded housing, crime, violence, homelessness, and drugs. What Haas and Hahn (TedTalk 2015) admired most was that these communities were built by the people who lived by their own hands. The art project that was established had changed the way people viewed their community. The colors and illustration had brought vitality into their neighborhoods.
“Functionalist theories, …show more content…

304). Power is gained by trust. Haas and Hahn (TedTalk) were extremely influential in motivating the community on their art project. They recruited locals to assist in the design and who were also well respected within the community. “Social workers do not hand power over to people. Rather, they help people identify potential courses of action and make decisions about which options result in greater benefits, giving them more power over their own lives and futures” (Kirst-Ashman, 2011, p. 312). Social workers play a vital role the social and personal empowerment within this community. Getting involved and engaging in the social environment promotes social empowerment. Taking control of your environment and becoming socially aware of your surroundings. Social workers can assist with achieving personal empowerment by helping individuals develop self-awareness, make positive choices, and set goals. Each individual is unique which is why it is important to help those recognize their strengths and weaknesses and expose their true

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