Abstract
The objective of this research is to study the structure of the empowerment of individuals belonging to a community organization. The methodology applied was ethnography, and data were collected by observing and interviewing a group of 12 individuals who were affiliated exclusively with two different community organizations and had given their informed consent to participation. The data were analyzed focusing on revealing the nature of the changes in individual actions. The following results of analysis were obtained. 1. The theme of individual empowerment can be resolved as 're-design of life', which means reconsideration and reorientation of one's lifestyle through belonging to a group. And 're-design of life' is the most important category. As a result of redefining their relationships with the theme, they reveal two aspects of the process and outcome. 2. The process of individual empowerment until re-design of life: (1) The five elements that influence individuals are 'form of activity', 'roles', 'networks', 'changes in community organization' and 'people'. (2) The transformation process in individual actions involves 'significant experience and emotion effect', 'continuance of actions', 'a partial behavior modification' and 'self-rediscovery' as a part of their own change, and 'conversion of belief' as the basis for one's overall self; and, finally, 're-design of life, oriented by one's 'experiential knowledge' and 'proactive posture', which can serve as the driving forces in becoming proactive. 3. The outcome of individual empowerment after re-design of life: (1) The posture is characterized by one's own approach to activities. (2) 'The expansion of one's field of activity' involves three areas ; <community> <help someone with something however small> <at home>. Also 'broadening of horizons' meaning expansions <to home> <to the organization as a whole> <from the organization to the community> <to society>. The whole results show the structure of the empowerment of individuals belonging to a community organization. From them, it is suggested that there are three relationships among the individual, community organization and community in the structure. This gives positive meaning to belonging to a community organization. The meaning of community organizations was discussed within this perspective.
