Teaching Tip: Using the Ladders of Participation in Community Practice

The Ladders of Participation model is a powerful tool for helping students understand levels of community engagement—ranging from tokenism to true citizen power. Developed by Sherry Arnstein, the ladder illustrates how participation can be superficial or deeply transformative, making it an essential concept in teaching community practice.

Bring It into the Classroom:

To make this concept resonate, start with a visual of the ladder and walk students through each rung—from manipulation to citizen control. Use real-world examples (e.g., public hearings, advisory boards, community co-design projects) and ask students to place them on the ladder.

Suggested Activity:

Divide students into small groups and assign them different case studies involving community engagement efforts. Ask them to:

• Identify where the example falls on the ladder
• Discuss who holds power in the scenario
• Propose strategies to move higher up the ladder toward shared decision-making

Why It Works:

This approach helps students critically evaluate the quality of participation in community work and reflect on ethical, inclusive practice. It also encourages them to consider how to shift power dynamics in their future roles.

In Chapter 7 of Social Work Skills for Community Practice, students can explore Sherry Arnstein’s 1969 Ladder of Citizen Participation, a foundational tool for understanding how community engagement varies in power and influence.

Participation exists on a continuum—from nonparticipation (e.g., manipulation, therapy), where citizens have no real influence, to tokenism (informing, consultation, placation), where they may be heard but lack decision-making power. The top rungs—partnership, delegated power, and citizen control—reflect genuine shared or citizen-led decision-making. Arnstein’s work continues to influence the characterization of participation in community projects.

This framework helps students critically assess how much power communities truly hold in planning and change efforts, and how to move practice toward more equitable engagement.

Teaching the Ladders of Participation helps students go beyond checking boxes for “involvement”—and start thinking about what real community empowerment looks like.