Challenges of Community-Based Working within Municipalities

Challenges of Community-Based Working within Municipalities

This research investigates the evolving relationship between the government and citizens in the Dutch welfare state with a focus on the challenges of community-based working within municipalities.

The reshaping of urban and social policies in community-based programs involves collaboration among municipal stakeholders, neighborhood organizations, citizens and other parties. Such collaboration necessitates a new discourse in which collective social arrangements and local community involvement are central. This research explores the level of citizen engagement and trust-building between the government and the community.

Organizational Ethnography

Through organizational ethnography, this research project investigates everyday policy practices to better understand the challenges, experiences and opportunities of community-based working and policy processes. The research explores the level of citizen engagement and trust-building between the government and the community. It reveals the need for effective strategies that foster mutual trust and engagement between the two parties. The study centers on the activities of municipal teams and their dealings with district-based residents' organizations and colleagues within the metro area. It engages stakeholders actively, enhancing their comprehension of the dynamics, challenges and impediments that affect their institutional procedures.

The research seeks to develop innovative governance structures and empower citizens, with an emphasis on regaining trust in government. The researcher also investigate how new forms of government and working methods are implemented, including the tensions between community-based approaches and traditional policy processes within the municipality.