This paper explores the way social development ideals can be promoted through community social work practice. Although community work can enhance social work's involvement in the .field, conventional approaches have failed to embrace a developmental perspective that fosters social change within the context of economic development. Developmental community social work must also address wider issues of poverfY and social injustice and transcend conventional concerns with local organizing and institution building. These arguments are illustrated with reference to a project operated by the Department of Social WOrk at the Universiy of Natal in South Africa.