Sulpicio L.

Demontano III

1. What is community organization? Community organizing is the process of building power through involving a constituency in identifying problems they share and the solutions to those problems that they desire; identifying the people and structures that can make those solutions possible; enlisting those targets in the effort through negotiation and using confrontation and pressure when needed; and building an institution that is democratically controlled by that constituency that can develop the capacity to take on further problems and that embodies the will and the power of that constituency. 2. What are the types of communities that organize? Shared place Shared work situation or workplace Shared experiences or concerns.

3. What are some models of practice in community organization? Several models of practice emerged in various contexts of community organization work (Rothman, 1995).

a. Social planning

Social planning uses information and analysis to address substantive community issues such as education, child development, or environmental health. For example, planning councils or task forces engage (usually) professionals in setting goals and objectives, coordinating efforts, and reviewing goal attainment.

Social planning might occur in a context of either consensus or conflict about goals and means. For example, information about high rates of adolescent pregnancy, and factors that contribute to it, may help communities focus on the goal of preventing teen pregnancy, and even decisions about using controversial means such as sexuality education and enhanced access to contraceptives. Use of social planning helps build agreement on common results.

b. Social action

Social action involves efforts to increase the power and resources of low-income or relatively powerless or marginalized people. For example, advocacy organizations, such as those for disability rights or tobacco control, often use social action approaches. They might arrange disruptive events -- including lawsuits, sit-ins, or boycotts -- to draw attention and focus to their concerns by those in power.

Organizers create events, such as a protest or strike, that those in positions of power (such as employers) can avoid or stop by coming to an agreement. For example, people with disabilities might stop picketing a business when it modifies policies that discriminate against people with disabilities. Or, a tobacco company might avoid a lawsuit by tobacco control advocates by eliminating advertising directed at minors. Social action tactics are used in lots of situations involving conflicting interests and imbalance in power; they usually take place when conventional negotiations aren't working.

c. Locality development

Locality development is another way to get people to work together. It is the process of reaching group consensus about common concerns and collaborating in problem solving. For example, local residents in urban neighbourhoods or rural communities may cooperate in defining local issues, such as access to job opportunities or better education, and in taking action to address the concerns.

d. Community partnerships or coalitions

There are many hybrid models that combine elements of the three approaches. For example, community partnerships or coalitions combine elements of social planning and locality development when people who share common concerns, such as child well -being or substance abuse, come together to address them. The goal of many coalitions is to change community conditions -- specific programs, policies, and practices -- that protect against or reduce risk for these concerns. These models, and their variations, may be implemented at local, state, regional, and even broader levels.

4. What are some lessons learned about community organization and change? The lessons come through experience within: Understanding (and affecting) community context Community planning Community action and mobilization Understanding (and addressing) opposition and resistance Intervention and maintenance of efforts Promoting community change Influencing systems (or broader) change Achieving community-level improvements

5. Give example of a successful community organizing in the Philippines. Please describe briefly. Community Organization of the Philippines Enterprise (COPE Foundation Inc.) It is true that the people we organized are poor financially but if they will be asked for a contribution they can afford, they provide. They can even ask help and support to individuals and organizations who are willing to support them. It is also important in an organization that a monitoring be made of every activity, program and project. This is to identify areas for improvement in an activity and project taken up by the organization considering their strengths and weaknesses.

Sources: http://ctb.ku.edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1386.aspx