The 6-Step Model for Community Empowerment: Revisited in Public Housing Communities for Low-Income Senior Citizens

Abstract

The 6-step community empowerment model was replicated in communities with different geographical, racial, and age backgrounds from the original application. Resident groups of Blue Ribbon Health Panels (BRHPs) in federally funded senior housing in Pennsylvania followed the 6 steps to identify community health issues, to develop strategies to address priority issues, and to implement the strategies in collaboration with partner agencies. The 6-step model served as an operationalization strategy of community empowerment by facilitating quick accomplishments of communities' desired outcomes, legitimizing and motivating BRHP efforts. Community capacities to actively participate and collaborate influenced the model's progress in this replication study, as did partner agencies' capacities to adhere to the community-based participatory and collaborative orientation of the project. Community capacity development and partnership facilitation would be important for a community empowerment project, as well as consistent and clear communication among everyone involved in the process.