Community Capacity

Introduction

According to Chaskin (2001), Community capacity is the interaction of human capital, organizational resources, and social capital existing within a given community. It can be leveraged to solve collective problems and improve or maintain the well-being of a given community. Additionally, community capacity can operate through informal social processes and/or organized effort (Bengtson Russ, 2019). Therefore, spheres within a community such as Holcombe Rucker Park via its introduction of Rucker Tournament should impact on the culture of the Harlem Community. This essay aims at discussing the oral history of Rucker Tournament and how since time immemorial has impacted on the Harlem Community culture. It is indeed an important case study which not only focuses on the strategies for effective tournament but also defines the future outcome for Rucker Tournaments such as, developing armature players to professional basketball personnel. Additionally, the topic tends to add future knowledge on how sports, recreation or tourism activities might impact on culture of the community.

Objectives of the Study

To explore the impacts of Rucker Tournament on the community, its residents, and the socio-ecological system.
To identify the individual(s) involved into the affair of community development.
To identify how the individual (s) address social equality, economic development, conservation, among many other activities relevant to the sustainability goals.
To identify the impact Rucker Tournament has on resolving community problems, building community capacities and leading to other actions and campaigns

Research Questions

What is community Capacity?
How does Rucker Tournament on the community impact on socio-ecological system?
How does individual (s) or organizations indulge in the affairs of the community?
How can a group of people or organization address social equality, economic development, conservation, among many other activities relevant to the sustainability goals?

Literature Review

For the purpose of, “How has the infamous Halcombe Rucker Park impacted the culture of the Harlem community in which it lies?” research, the tool used is Conceptual Framework of Generic Youth Development framework in addition to Youth Development and Youth Empowerment Framework. Through it, research questions construction becomes easier. In the long run, one can easily apply positive youth development framework. Positive Youth Development framework for instance, identifies ways of engaging youths in activities such as Basketball Tournament (Dahl John, Schell Connor & Simmons Bill, 2018). It also facilitates introduction of policies and practices that tend to achieve community sustainable goals in addition to other outcomes such as improving socio-ecological system of a community.

Via it, one would easily understand the assets within the community to achieve sustainable goals in addition to community agency as well as its contribution to recreation activities. Besides that, Positive Youth development framework as incorporated by Bengtson Russ (2019) denotes its aspects in providing enabling environment that aid in supporting sports such as Basketball Tournament in Rucker Park.

Based on Generic Youth Development framework, one would easily understand terminologies such as community capacity. Chaskin (2001), defines community capacity in other words as interaction of organizational resources, human and social resources which are within a specific community. The core aim is to leverage and solve existing problems and further increase or maintain its well-being. Via Generic Youth Development framework therefore, it would be easier for one to features of a community such as skill building, youth engagement and contribution, health relationship and bonding, belonging and membership, positive perceptions, norms and expectations and safe spaces within the community (Mallozzi, 2003). Besides that, in order for one to answer the questions appropriately, he or she would use Generic Youth Development framework get the correct youth depending on the appropriate age needed for integration.

In communities where there are rampant cases of violence on youths, the Youth empowerment Framework has been used especially when it’s dealing with cultural differences. They have been engaged in different activities that would result in problem solving. In the long run, they have reduced violence in the youth and even engaging them together in sports activities (Bengtson, 2019). Youth empowerment programs have indeed improved conflict avoidance in addition to promoting resolution skills, leadership skills, civic efficiency and reducing racial conflicts.

Study Context and Data Collection

For the purpose of the case study, the time, space, and activities taking place in Rucker Park were identified based on Qualitative Content Analysis. The aim was to ensure the information given is valid and reliable at any given point. Correspondingly, the study context ensured via the application of Qualitative methodology then, the gathered information would be replicable, ordinary as well as plausible. To meet the objectives of the study, I followed parallel analytical approach to provide comparison and integration in finding on the impact of Halcombe Rucker Park to the culture of the Harlem community.

To ensure legitimate information is received, the research followed a structures literature search specifically on Rucker Basketball Tournament. In the process, I was able to identify the different individuals and organizations who address social equality, economic development, conservation, among many other activities relevant to the sustainability goals within Rucker community. Therefore, database search incorporated “disco” engine search that I was able to more than a thousand books having information on the history of Rucker Park in relation to Rucker Tournament. That also added to more than enough scientific journals and articles that discuss the impact of community capacity. Among some of the scientific data bases incorporated for the research included WoS, Elsevier, Wiley and JSTORE among others which indeed I must appreciate its ability to provide a combination of different information on intercultural projects. The generally provided different relevant degrees based on the research questions.

Based on Selection Criteria for the data, the incorporated was fixed to the analysis of empirical evidence which were particularly published on International Journals. From the beginning, I selected essential books, articles and journals that focused on elimination of studies which had mere information on national culture, community capacity and development in addition to challenges affecting the communities. Primarily, the articles, journals as well as books offered insight information on Rucker Park and its history on Rucker Basketball. Through that methodology of data collection, I was able to limit essential documents that impacted adhesively on my research.

The selected ten case studies were published between 2001 and 2020 and that they included a contribution to different frameworks for community capacity especially for the youths such as Generic Youth Development framework and Positive Youth development framework. The research also focused on various Rucker Park reaction activities journals that necessitated socio-ecological balance. The scholars presented are therefore stakeholders from different community organization or street communities who fully understand the implication of community capacity to the members in the community as well as national culture.

Preliminary Results and Discussion

Based on the finding, community capacity building as defined by Chaskin (2001) in the Show on Rucker Good Hoopstv aims at promoting the local communities capacities via the urge of developing, implementing and sustaining their own solutions to the problems. In the long run, they can actively shape and exercise control on their cultural, economic, social and physical environment. On the other hand, Bengtson (2019) describes the history of Rucker Park based on its ability to impact positively to the community, its residents and social ecological systems when linked to Rucker Tournament.

According Bengtson (2019) based on the finding, application of Ostrom Framework can be used to analyze social-ecological systems. Rucker tournament facilitates socio-ecological interaction which aims at the management of Protected Urban Green Spaces specifically Rucker Park for sustainable future. In the process of the tournament, the findings indicated how different youths as well as stakeholders from different organization come into discussion on how to restore Rucker Park through productive strategies that aim at improving its condition through sport interaction. Information is given to the community on how to manage their environment and health through the preservation of the Urban Green Spaces.

On the other hand, the research findings indicated how Rucker Tournament impacted to its residents in great deal. Primarily, Harlem community members benefited rapidly from Rucker Basketball Tournament taking place in Halcombe Rucker Park (Merlino, 2011). They not only develop strong bonds but also safer places for community cultural preservations. They have ended up becoming healthier and happier in places where the activities are taking place based on the knowledge and the information received from sports education.

The results based on Merlino (2011) indicated that towards Wall Street Silicon Valley and the Basketball Court at Holcombe development was necessitated by a number of individuals and organizations. As further stated by Harlem (2020), the legends include the late Holcombe Rucker, Bob McCullough, Fred Crawfard; mentored by Holcombe Rucker, Wilt Chamberlain, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kyrie Irving. The findings additionally indicated that the group has indeed according to Dahl John, Schell Connor & Simmons Bill (2018) since time-immemorial addressed social equality, economic development, and conservation, among many other activities relevant to the sustainability goals.

Dahl John, Schell Connor & Simmons Bill (2018) stated that the group indulge its community members on social equality discussion on aspects of shared responsibilities and facilitating anti-campaigns on Gender Based Violence (GBV). A discussion facilitated via qualitative analysis indicated that the groups empower its community to develop themselves productively and further depend on themselves. That has been facilitated by financial assistance to the needy. Environmental conservation as well as culture conservation when linked to the result outlined how individuals such as Holcombe Rucker came up with strategies to improve the conditions of his community (Washington Jesse, 2015). Not only through education provided by prominent personnel but also entertainment via Basketball Rucker Tournament.

The result generally discussed through different frameworks how Rucker Tournament resolved community problems as it not only empowered the teenagers as well as the members of the community but also facilitated capacity building. In the end, the members understood ways of interacting productively through capacity building education. In the long run, stakeholders’ contribution as agued by Oates (2016) is that sports especially football and basketball tournaments have economic impact as it provides platform for business personnel to sell their work, provide jobs to the community from its ability to the community agents, referees and coaches for the tournament. The finding additionally indicated further by Washington (2015) is that sports highly impact to the community unity as they come together to support their respective teams. Washington argues that sports have the power to lift people high especially when in turmoil times. They communities can effectively have pride to their cultural heritage through various symbolisms identified. Besides that, the result indicated that through sports the youths get active and that is essential to their immune system in addition to identifying their role models who impact to their development.

Implications and the conclusion

Based on the findings the infamous Halcombe Rucker Park has indeed impacted the culture of the Harlem community via the introduction of Rucker Basketball Tournament. Via the tournament, young players have turned out as professional players in different leagues worldwide. For instance, LeBron James has highly participated in the NBA league in addition to other basketball tournaments. In the long run, such players as stated by Oates (2016) have become a value system from the cultures he or she upholds. They end up becoming products of certain societies from the talents they have particularly. Additionally, the Harlem Community culture has ever since been preserved through the engagement of various sports taking place in Rucker Part. Halcombe Rucker Part as discussed in Doneuemf (2016) video on YouTube denotes aspect of a community activities which have a great impact to the world activities.

Generally, the aim of Halcombe Basketball tournament is to improve the intense conditions of Native Harlem. The City’s Basketball and Tournament taking place in New York, Halcombe Rucker Park not only to serve the groups with platform for interaction but also a field to economic impact. The city indeed deserves better and that not only comes with preservation of the Harlem Community culture but also focusing on the teaching young teenagers who have passion for basketball. As the community is highly famous for its basketball tournament, via Rucker Park additionally, it easily updates the community based on the events taking place in addition to its daily programs which, aim at promoting capacity building for its members.

In conclusion, the entire world of basketball taking place in Halcombe has highly impacted to the culture of Native Harlem community. Harlem is indeed a center for African-American culture which other than having its revolutionary of R&B, Hip Hop and Rap culture, preserve its recreational activities such as Halcombe Basketball tournament. The tournament has indeed impact to community unity, creation of jobs, community impact as well as nurturing of young talents. Therefore, the states in addition to its different agencies should try as much as they can to restore the footsteps of Rucker in his ability to teach and mentor young boys and girls who turn out as professional players. Sports participation is highly linked to youth development and it is the responsibility of reliable personnel to ensure youth from different backgrounds have engaged themselves in one or two activities. Besides, sports outcome is self-regulation skills, sense of coherent and well-being. Additionally, it tackles pro-social problems affecting diffident communities as it provides platforms for them to interact successfully. Generally, sport participation is not a unified concept and can therefore take different forms and shapes.

References

Bengtson Russ (2019). A History of Rucker Park; the True Mecca of Basketball

https://www.complex.com/sports/history-of-rucker-park-true-basketball-mecca

Bleacher Report (2011). Playground Legends: 10 Best NBA Players at Rucker Park

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/794133-playground-legends-ten-best-nba-players-at-rucker-park

Dahl John, Schell Connor & Simmons Bill (2018). 30 for 30: Rucker Park