EVANGELISTA, Gabrielle Angela B.

NCMP113 – RLE (RR31)

Task #1: Module 1: Review on COPAR

Answer the following questions:

1. What is COPAR?
2. Discuss the principles of COPAR?
3. Describe the critical steps of COPAR?
4. Discuss the phases of COPAR and activities in each of the phases.

Preparation:
1. COPAR
Community organizing participatory action research (COPAR) is a valuable tool for intervention
and development within communities and organizations. A social development approach that aims to
transform the apathetic, individualistic and voiceless poor into dynamic, participatory and politically
responsive community. It is a highly regarded form of experimental research that brings together and
empowers community members and researchers to identify and address local problems and bring about
positive changes in the community.
2. Principles of COPAR
1. People, especially the oppressed and exploited sectors are most open to change and are able to
bring about change. Along this line, community organizations should be based on the following.
a. Power must reside in the people.
b. Development is fro the people to the people.
c. People's participation should always be present.
2. Community organization should be for the interest of the poorest sectors of the society. The
solutions of problems commonly shared by these sectors must be focused on collective
organizations, planning and action.
3. Community organizations should lead to self-reliant communities.
3. Critical Steps of COPAR
1. Integration – the health worker becomes one with the people in order to:
• Immerse himself/herself in the community;
• Understand deeply the culture, leaders, history, rhythms, and lifestyle in the community.
2. Social Investigation – other name for “Community Studies”
3. Tentative Program Planning – to choose one issue to work in other to begin organizing the people
4. Ground work – going around and motivating the people on a one on one basis to do something on
the issue that has been chosen
 5. The Meeting – people collectively ratify what they have already decided individually. The
meeting gives the people the collection power and confidence, problems and issues are discussed.
6. Roleplay – means meeting out the meeting that will take place between the leader of the people
and the government representative. It’s a way of people to anticipate what will happen and
prepare them much eventually.
7. Mobilization or Action – actual experience of the people in confronting the powerful and the
actual exercises of people power.
8. Evaluation – the people reviewing the step 1-7 so as to alter mined whether they are successful or
not.
9. Reflection – dealing with deeper, on concern to look at the positive values. Gives people time to
reflect on the start reality of life compared to the ideal.
10. Organization – the people organization is the result of many successive and similar action of the
people. A final structure is set up with elected officers and supporting members.
4. Phases of COPAR and activities in each of the phases.
1. Pre-Entry Phase - is the initial phase of the organizing process where the community organizer looks
for communities to serve and help. Activities include:
Preparation of the Institution
o Train faculty and students in COPAR.
o Formulate plans for institutionalizing COPAR.
o Revise/enrich curriculum and immersion program.
o Coordinate participants of other departments.
Site Selection
o Initial networking with local government.
o Conduct preliminary special investigation.
o Make long/short list of potential communities.
o Do ocular survey of listed communities.
Criteria for Initial Site Selection
o Must have a population of 100-200 families.
o Economically depressed.
o No strong resistance from the community.
o No serious peace and order problem.
o No similar group or organization holding the same program.
Identifying Potential Municipalities
o Make long/short list.
Identifying Potential Barangay
 o Do the same process as in selecting municipality.
o Consult key informants and residents.
o Coordinate with local government and NGOs for future activities.
Choosing Final Barangay
o Conduct informal interviews with community residents and key informants.
o Determine the need of the program in the community.
o Take note of political development.
o Develop community profiles for secondary data.
o Develop survey tools.
o Pay courtesy call to community leaders.
o Choose foster families based on guidelines.
Identifying Host Family
o House is strategically located in the community.
o Should not belong to the rich segment.
o Respected by both formal and informal leaders.
o Neighbors are not hesitant to enter the house.
o No member of the host family should be moving out in the community.
2. Entry Phase - sometimes called the social preparation phase. Is crucial in determining which strategies
for organizing would suit the chosen community. Success of the activities depend on how much the
community organizers has integrated with the community.
Guidelines for Entry
o Recognize the role of local authorities by paying them visits to inform their presence and
activities.
o Her appearance, speech, behavior and lifestyle should be in keeping with those of the
community residents without disregard of their being role model.
o Avoid raising the consciousness of the community residents; adopt a low-key profile.
Activities in the Entry Phase
o Integration - establishing rapport with the people in continuing effort to imbibe
community life.
▪ living with the community
▪ seek out to converse with people where they usually congregate
▪ lend a hand in household chores
 ▪ avoid gambling and drinking
o Deepening social investigation/community study
▪ verification and enrichment of data collected from initial survey
▪ conduct baseline survey by students, results relayed through community
assembly
Core Group Formation
o Leader spotting through sociogram.
Key persons - approached by most people
Opinion leader - approach by key persons
Isolates - never or hardly consulted
3. Organization-building Phase
Entails the formation of more formal structure and the inclusion of more formal procedure of planning,
implementing, and evaluating community-wise activities. It is at this phase where the organized leaders or
groups are being given training (formal, informal, OJT) to develop their style in managing their own
concerns/programs.
Key Activities
o Community Health Organization (CHO)
▪ preparation of legal requirements
▪ guidelines in the organization of the CHO by the core group
▪ election of officers
o Research Team Committee
o Planning Committee
o Health Committee Organization
o Others
o Formation of by-laws by the CHO

4. Sustenance and Strengthening Phase

Occurs when the community organization has already been established and the community members are
already actively participating in community-wide undertakings. At this point, the different committees
setup in the organization-building phase are already expected to be functioning by way of planning,
implementing and evaluating their own programs, with the overall guidance from the community-wide
organization.
Key Activities
o Training of CHO for monitoring and implementing of community health program.
 o Identification of secondary leaders.
o Linkaging and networking.
o Conduct of mobilization on health and development concerns.
o Implementation of livelihood projects.

Reference:

Hellahellz. (1970, January 01). COMMUNITY ORGANIZING THROUGH PATICIPATORY

ACTION RESEARCH(CO-PAR). Retrieved August 08, 2020, from
http://nursecribs.blogspot.com/2009/08/community-organizing-through.html

Itsmefred78. (n.d.). Critical steps in Copar 1 Integration the healthworker becomes ones with the:
Course Hero. Retrieved August 08, 2020, from
https://www.coursehero.com/file/p7pm4m9/Critical-steps-in-Copar-1-Integration-the-
healthworker-becomes-ones-with-the/