Community Organizing PDF

Assoc. Prof. JANET L. SATURNO Department of Agricultural Extension College of Agriculture  Major Concepts of CO Purposes of CO OUTLINE Steps of CO Approaches & Strategies in CO  COMMUNITY DEFINED ü a group of...

Assoc. Prof. JANET L. SATURNO Department of Agricultural Extension College of Agriculture  Major Concepts of CO Purposes of CO OUTLINE Steps of CO Approaches & Strategies in CO  COMMUNITY DEFINED ü a group of people who interact with one another (e.g., friends, neighbors) ü this interaction is typically viewed as occurring within a bounded geographic territory, such as a neighborhood or city ü the community’s members often share common values, beliefs, or behaviors Rationale Given the different groups and different needs and interests, there is a need to organize the community to respond to the common needs and problems which affect the community as a whole. Process by which a community identifies its needs or objectives, prioritizes them, develops confidence and will to work at these needs or objectives, finds the resources to deal with these needs or objectives, takes action in respect to them, and in so doing extends and develops cooperative attitudes and practices in the community (Ross, 1955). A dynamic, systematic, planned, liberating, continuous and sustained process of:  Educating people; and  Organizing people to work collectively and efficiently on their problems and needs Community Organizing (CO) @ is a process of assisting groups or community to move from a point of problem identification to a point of problem solution @ is a means or strategy for generating active community/ group participation in development @ helps a community action system composed of individuals, groups or organization to engage in a planned collective action in order to deal with their problems in a democratic way (DILG-ILGA Manual)  People-Centered Development Empowerment People’s Participation Self-reliance Organization Community Conscientization Social Organizing Transformation Resource-Poor Powerlessness Community Dependency Passivity (Dizon, 2012) 1. Go to the people, live among them. 2. Learn, plan and work with the people. 3. Start with and build on what the people know. 4. Teach by showing, learn by doing. 5. Not piecemeal but an integrated approach. 6. Not relief but release. Dizon, 2012 Principles of CO  Aims/Goals of CO PBSP Rubin and Rubin (1988) 1. Improved 1. Enhancement of quality of life people’s potential 2. Leadership 2. Improvement in the development quality of life and 3. Exercise and mobilization preservation of democratic values 3. Social 4. Improvement in overall transformation equity in society Dizon, 2012  Aims/Goals CO Apuan (1988) Chiong-Javier (1987) 1. Develop the capability of the 1. Empowerment of community members for people participation in the planning, implementation, and evaluation 2. Establishment of permanent of project activities on a organizational structures sustained basis; which best serve the 2. Assist the farmers in people’s needs establishing a cohesive and 3. Build or join alliances useful viable community to the people organization that is able to promote the welfare of its members and to manage its physical environment. Purposes of CO @ to form legal groups/organization/association @ to pool resources - human, physical, material @ to act on real problems besetting people’s lives - projects, activities... @ to acquire a meaningful orientation in life @ to develop rural communities Steps in CO 1. First Step: Know the Community/Preparation Stage @ gather basic information re community, e.g., demographic, social, economic, political, practices, lifestyle, leaders, uniqueness @ must have clear objectives and roles on CO process/strategies 2. Second Step: Community integration/immersion @ courtesy call to elected officials @ observation of the area and people @ develop an understanding of the community, gain acceptance 3. Third Step: Situation Analysis/Community Study @ develop capabilities of people to describe their conditions, identify their own problems and draw out solutions @ conduct participatory rapid appraisal @ use of secondary sources of information; barangay profile 4. Fourth Step: Core Group Formation/Identifying Potential Leaders @ emergence of leaders @ tap local initiatives, focus group discussion @ sectoral groupings 5. Fifth Step: Setting up the Organization @ direction setting @ VMG, objective formulation @ organizational structure, roles and functions @ program thrusts, activities/components @ policies and by-laws @ membership, election, fees, requirements @ registration 6. Sixth Step: Managing and Strengthening the Organization @ planning (workplan preparation) @ project proposal preparation @ linkaging, fund sourcing, budgeting @ implementation, monitoring @ assessment and review of accomplishments THE ROLES OF THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER 1. Catalyst 2. Process helper 3. Resource linker 4. Facilitator 5. Consultant 6. Initiator 7. Solution giver QUALITIES OF A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER 1. Work guidelines – pro-poor, awakens people, builds up solidarity, builds up people’s organization 2. General characteristics – technical capability, administrative capability, leadership 3. Attitude and beliefs – respect for other’s values, will to help, respect for institutions, concern for people QUALITIES OF A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER 4. Knowledge – range of human needs, resources, values and motives of people, change, KASP 5. Skills – conflict management, networking, resource generation  COMMON MISTAKES OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS 1. Know-it-all mentality 2. Do-it-all worker 3. Emphasis on the task goal rather than the process goal 4. CO as a packaged technology Approaches and Strategies in CO @ this involves LGUs, NGOs, PS, NGAs, and POs in situation analysis, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation (SAPIME) to achieve specific objectives @ encouraging the community to get organized and participate in SAPIME to promote empowerment and sustainability @ identifying priority areas and community members @ enhancing information centers of LGUs at all levels by involving the community in gathering, analyzing, and utilizing information about their problems and needs for community development @ convincing all sectors to support and participate in CO activities through policy advocacy, tapping media channels, IEC campaign, organizational linkages, and community mobilization @ improving the administrative and technical capabilities of planners, implementers, monitors, evaluators, households, and institutions @ exploring innovative resource management strategies to implement services to achieve the objectives Community/Program Development Cycle agency mandate, goals, programs, manpower, budget, MOA preliminary data and information on area to be covered mastery of approach/CD strategies depending on the approach – what is the target group? What sectors of the community should be addressed? legitimate planners, committees, project beneficiaries GO, NGO, PO involvement participatory rapid appraisal (venn diagram, seasonal calendar, time line, problem analysis) problem prioritization sectoral planning/core group planning community/project/program plan  community plan – vision, mission, goal, programs, activities, people/ agency, time frame, budget, linkages program/project plan – title of the program/project, program goals, project, objectives, rationale, strategies of implementation, expected outputs, budget, manpower, structures, etc. detailed activities/ time frame delineation of area of coverage, functions allocation of resources schedule of monitoring and documentation linkages and coordination action stage coordination, complementation flexibility alternative courses of action  expected outputs are clear measurable performance indicators known by concerned persons replanning 1. Planning 2. Implementation 3. Monitoring and documentation 4. Evaluation  Program/Project/ Workplan Community Plan Planning Process Implementation Organization for Planning Evaluation Situational Analysis Preparation Stage Community/Project Development Cycle Community Organization @ organizations exist because of a strong desire to achieve objectives @ they are composed of people performing planned activities @ they are guided by principles and values @ covered a specific geographic area Subsystems of Organization @ goals and values @ technical (methods, techniques) @ psycho-social (people) @ structural (structure, roles & functions) @ management Failures of Organization @ unclear objectives @ activities/projects are not well-planned @ records are not organized, funds are not accounted properly @ officers are not properly selected @ roles & functions are not clear and well-delineated @ benefits from project are not well-defined @ technically inadequate to operate machines, systems @ inadequate technical supervision @ projects are not operated in business manner @ plans and policies are prepared by officers @ inadequate/lack of people participation Sustainability of Organization @ group cohesiveness and unity @ clear, doable, and measurable workplans @ transparency in financial matters @ clear roles & functions of officers, committees & members @ regular updating of activities and financial matters @ socialization activities @ benefits are immediate @ misunderstandings must be settled immediately @ continuous education for capability building @ think of new and challenging projects & linkages @ open to new ideas, explore new things