Empowerment and community participation: Does gender make a difference?

The study discussed in this article examines the effects of client particip ation on empowerment, with special emphasis on gender. A group of community activists in a low-income neighborhood in central Israel was assessed by c ommunity participation on three stales and their perceived empowerment on t wo settles. The findings suggest different relationships between types of p articipation and empowerment by gender. Gender did not have a significant m ain effect on empowerment, and its effects only became evident when it inte racted with participation. This article discusses the nature of empowerment and its measurement and analyzes the connection between participation and empowerment. Because mole and female respondents appeared to reach empowerm ent in different ways, the implications for workers in the helping professi ons are examined.