COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND DEVELOPMENT

Man is a social being. He cannot develop unless he is part of the society. He must work together with his fellowmen for common interests. The problems of other men are his problems. Together they must search for solutions. Thus, it is the people of community who must organize themselves.

What is a COMMUNITY
- is a dynamic entity composed of people living in a given territory who share common culture, needs, aspirations, resources, lifestyles and the like, bounded by a feeling of belongingness and interacting with one another in consonance with its structure and institution to achieve common goals . (Norman, L.P.1998)

Community Organizing
- Is transformative/liberative, collective, sustained, systematic preparatory process of building peoples organization by mobilizing and enhancing the peoples capabilities and resources for the resolution of their issues and concerns to effect change in the existing oppressive exploitative condition

As a process it is described as
1. Collective. It requires the concerted effort of a significant number of people having common problem and sharing the same vision.

2. Participatory. It emanates from the bottom-up and not top-down. 3. Systematic. It is a strategy with a set of tactics planned by an organizer to mobilize the poor or unempowered 4. Sustained. It is dynamic, never static; lasting not short lived.

5. Tranformative/Liberative. The changes it seeks to effect are not simply palliative or cosmetic in nature. It should result in deemed self-worth, in knowing the truth.

6. The development process should be community-driven, community led and community owned.

Goals in Community Organizing

-

Peoples Empowerment - Building relatively permanent structures and peoples organization Improve quality of life. - Popular democracy - Social transformation - Leaders in development
(81)

People-centered development is the aim of CO which adhered to the ff. principles. 1. Sovereignty resides with people. They are the real social actors of positive change.

2. To exercise their sovereignty and assume

responsibility for the development of themselves and their communities, the people must control their own resources, have access to relevant information, and have the means to hold the officials of govt accountable.

3. Those who would assist the people with their development must recognize that it is they who are participating in support of the peoples agenda, and not the people.

Approaches in Community Organizing

1. Issue-based approach this refers to an organizing approach which revolves around issues or problems that: a. are felt by a significant number of people in the community. b. require the people to negotiate from a position of strength in number with a target group, usually outside the community. c. have a high probability of being resolved if collectively acted upon it.
(93)

Approaches in Community Organizing

2. Socio-Economic-Projects Based Approach this approach centers around the introduction of socio-economic projects, such as healthcare, income generating projects, enterprise devt, credit/marketing/multipurpose cooperative formation, etc. that are identified by the CO based on the perceived needs of the community.
(93)

Approaches in Community Organizing

3. The Church/Faith based approach- is used within
the structures of the church or within the components of Church based programs. Unity among the children of God is stressed in addressing common issues, needs and aspirations. The process usually starts with the shared reflections on passages of the Bible or with the performance of common rituals and other forms of worship.
(93)

Principles of Community Organizing

1. It is rooted in the local indigenous leadership, the local organization and agencies and in short the local people. 2. It aims at not just towards helping communities to solve their day-to-day problems, but ultimately towards national social transformation

Principles of Community Organizing 3. It recognizes and respect the primary role of the people in the task of social transformation. 4. It recognizes the genuine transformation can be effected only through the peoples collective strength

Principles of Community Organizing 5. It involves learning through praxis,i.e. the continuing refinement of theory and understanding through experiences. 6. Using the peoples felt needs as a starting point for organizing

Principles of Community Organizing 7. Using the collective process in most important problem-solving, decisionmaking, and planning activities with the people.

8. Developing local leaders who will eventually perform the tasks of community organizer.

Principles of Community Organizing 9. Establishing open and legal CO with publicly known leaders, members and activities. 10. Avoiding the imposition of ideology on the people.

OPERATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING PROCESS

Awakening Stage focuses on developing the client-beneficiaries awareness on the realities obtaining in the environment.

This is considered a crucial stage in arousing the peoples interest on and developing commitment to do something about their situation, especially common problems and needs.

AWAKENING STAGE

Problem Identification People look into a present problem affecting their lives. People identify the resources available.

Observation ocular survey Study the existing records Orientation with barangay captain/leaders Home visitation/informal conversation with the people

AWAKENING STAGE

Problem Analysis What are the causes of problems? Participatory analysis of problems in the community assembly Ranking of problems according to priority, participatory ranking of problems and needs during the community assembly Goal Setting of changed target according to ranked problems

Planning the steps or action to be taken to solve the problem.

EMPOWERMENT STAGE

Concerns itself with building the clientbeneficiaries capabilities and skills on how to go about doing concrete action to combat their difficulties. Participatory planning Participatory implementation

Technical trainings

EMPOWERMENT STAGE

Participatory Implementation

Leadership/Organizational trainings Project management trainings Resources mobilization Project Program Implementation

EMPOWERMENT STAGE

Participatory monitoring and evaluation

People are provided with necessary knowledge and skills to carry out planned change, farm planning and budgeting, etc. People are provided opportunities to plan, implement and evaluate their projects geared towards the solution of their problems. People organize themselves to participate collectively in planned activities.

RESTRUCTURING STAGE

Gives focus on the setting up and/or strengthening of peoples initiated structures that would carry out planned action, which could be undertaken to meet needs and/or problems

RESTRUCTURING STAGE

People set up structures/system committees, council unit leaders, etc., to continue and oversee the change process. People establish new relationships/linkages, with change agents/development workers, government organizations (GOs), local government units (LGUs), and nongovernment organizations (NGOs).

RESTRUCTURING STAGE

Can manage own project and can stand alone. The community or organization helps trained leaders who can lead the group in understanding planned activities.

Steps in Community Organizing

1. Entry into the community. Purpose:

a. To introduce the COs to local officials;

b. To inform the local authorities on the project, its objectives and the nature of the Cos stay in the community

Component Activities: a. Adapting a lifestyle in keeping with the community. b. Choosing an appropriate place or family to stay with

Steps in Community Organizing

2. Integration with people. Purpose:

a. To imbibe community life and get to know the culture, economy, leadership, history and lifestyle of people.
b. To establish rapport with the people a and build mutual trust and cooperation. c. To allow COs to be one with people and learn or understand the peoples problem.

Component Activities:
a. Participation of COs in economic activities, household work, group discussion, social functions

Steps in Community Organizing

3. Social Investigation Purpose:

a. To systematically acquire information and analyze the political and socio-cultural structure of the community.
b. To identify issues around which to organize the people

Component Activities:
a. Gathering and reviewing secondary data sources such as records and documents. b. Holding personal interviews c.Conducting a survey d. Observing people and their environment

Steps in Community Organizing

4. Problem Identification and Analysis Purpose:

a. To identify, analyze and rank the problems and needs.

Component Activities:
a. Identification of the scope and degree of the problem. b. Investigation of past efforts to solve the problem c.Analysis of the origin of the problem

d.Identification of factors that maintain increase or eliminate the problem.

e.Undertaking consequences analysis

Steps in Community Organizing

5. Planning and strategizing Purpose:

a. To translate goals and objectives into specific activities top solve community problems.

Component Activities:
a. Problems Identification. b. Identifying resources c. Formulation of possible solutions d. Setting plans of actions

Steps in Community Organizing

6. Core-group formation Purpose:

a. To form a small group of potential leaders to assist the COs in organizing and mobilizing the community.

Component Activities:
a. Identification of contacts and political leaders in the community. b. Conduct of training in leadership and organizing with the core group members as participants.

Steps in Community Organizing

7. Organization Development and Mobilization

Purpose: a. To facilitate wider participation and collective action on issues and problems concerning the community. Component Activities: a. Setting up a formal organizational structure.

b. Mobilization of community effort or action to solve community problems.

Steps in Community Organizing

8. Evaluation and Reflection

Purpose:
a. To review the course of action that has been undertaken to solve community problems Component Activities: a. Holding of workshops, dialogues,etc.

Steps in Community Organizing

9. Turn-over and Phase-out
Purpose: a. To transfer the Cos roles and responsibilities to the organization as soon as the latter is ready or fully prepared to handle the responsibilities. Component Activities: a. The Cos may shift to a supportive role in monitoring, consultation and evaluation.

Factors Contributing to Successful Community Organizing

1.

Presence of knowledgeable and committed change agent/development worker/ organizer who can assist and provide guidance to the affected sector or group in the participatory process of effecting or achieving the desired changes
organizations

2. Existence of a functional community based

Factors Contributing to Successful Community Organizing

3. Local leaders/volunteers civic workers who serve as mediator and coordinator between people and assist agencies in initiating processes to help people help themselves.
4. Education and training for local leaders and the people for increased awareness understanding of the program, which may bring the desired change.

Factors Contributing to Successful Community Organizing

5.Common aspiration and social status among people. Goal of the community or the organization is geared towards economic development.
6. Clear understanding of the program objectives and the benefits that can be derived from the introduced changes by the people.

CONCLUSION

People empowerment is the process of releasing the potentials of people through appropriate programs, services and strategies Removing blocks that deter their growth and development and accessing them for the enhancement of their highest capabilities that they would be freed from the fetters of poverty, ignorance, oppression, social injustice and fear to stand up for their rights and pursuits for happiness as a member of a free and just society. Agrinela Nelmida