Community Organizing
Uploaded by
Eloisa Joy MoredoCommunity Organizing
Uploaded by
Eloisa Joy MoredoBasic Community
Organization Process
DWCC, NSTP-CWTS 2 January 30, 2021
The Guiding Principles of
Community Organizing
Go to the people and live among the
people
Learn, plan and work with the people
Start from where the people are in their
development
Teach by learning first from the people
Integrative and holistic approach
Cumulative and continuous
The Community Organizing Process
The Community Organizing Process
Step Stage
1. Entry into the community
2. Social investigation
3. Leadership identification,
AWAKENING
mobilization and core group
STAGE
formation
4. Problem identification,
analysis and priority setting
5. Goal setting
6. Implementation and
EMPOWERMENT
mobilization
STAGE
7. Monitoring and evaluation
8. Organizing building and INSTITUTIONALIZATION/
development EXPANSION STAGE
9. Turn-over and phase-out
I. ENTRY TO THE COMMUNITY
The decision to enter a community and establish a
helping/working relationship with the people
should be based on the following:
a. initial dialogues with formal and informal
leaders and some community members.
b. the identification of social problems and
needs around which the organizing process can
start.
c. the Community’s desire for the need for
change and its willingness to work with the
community’s organizer to bring about the
desired change/s.
I. ENTRY TO THE COMMUNITY
Initial impressions can either
facilitate or hinder the achievement of
organizing goals. The following
guidelines are suggested in entering a
community:
a. Recognize the role and position of
local authorities by paying them a
visit and informing them of your
presence and objectives.
I. ENTRY TO THE COMMUNITY
b. In your personal appearance, speech and
behavior, adopt a life-style that keeps us
with that of the community.
c. Choose a modest dwelling which is open to
the majority of the poor in the community.
d. Avoid raising expectations by adopting a
low key approach and profile. Avoid
establishing a commercial relationship.
II. INTEGRATION WITH THE PROFILE
➢ integration is establishing rapport with
the people.
➢ the organizer tries to immerse himself
or herself in the community.
II. INTEGRATION WITH THE PROFILE
Some suggested activities to facilitate
integration:
a. Participate in direct production activities
of the people
b. Conduct house to house visits.
c. Seek out and converse with the people
where they usually congregate
II. INTEGRATION WITH THE PROFILE
Some suggested activities to facilitate
integration:
d. Lend a hand in household chores
e. Avoid gambling and too much drinking.
✓ The process of integration should make the community
organizer learn to respect the people’s strength to
struggle, their values and lifestyle.
III. SOCIAL INVESTIGATION/COMMUNITY STUDY
Social Investigation (S.I.) → process of
systematically learning and analyzing the various
structures and forces in the community,
economically, politically and socio-culturally.
Community Study → draws a clearer picture of the
community and is a long phase and process.
III. SOCIAL INVESTIGATION/COMMUNITY STUDY
Objectives of Social
Investigation/Community study:
a. To gather data on geographic, economic, political
and socio-cultural situation of the community.
b. To identify the classes and sectors present in the
community.
c. To determine the correct approach and method of
organizing.
d. To provide a basis for planning and programming or
organizing activities.
IV. PROBLEM/ISSUE IDENTIFICATION
AND ANALYSIS
➢ is the process of defining, analyzing and
ranking community problems and needs.
Guide in Problem Identification
1. Scope / Degree of the Problem
a. Who are affected?
b. How many are affected and or concerned?
c. In what ways are they affected? To what
extent?
d. How does the problem affected the operations
of the community/groups?
e. How does the members feel individually and
collectively?
IV. PROBLEM/ISSUE IDENTIFICATION
AND ANALYSIS
Guide in Problem Identification
2. Past change efforts
a. What has the group/community done about
the problem? What happened? Why?
b. Were there other agencies in the past who
tried to do something about the problem?
What happened and why?
3. Origin of the problem
a. When did the problem begin? How did it
start?
IV. PROBLEM/ISSUE IDENTIFICATION
AND ANALYSIS
Guide in Problem Identification
4. Factors that maintain/increase or eliminate the problems
a. What forces (economic, political, socio-cultural)
maintain, increase, reduce, or eliminate the problem?
b. What are the implications of the problem to the
community’s structure?
5. Problem prioritization
a. Which problem is the most urgent? Most
widely/seriously left?
b. Which problems are the most manageable to act on
considering community’s resources and limitations?
c. Which problems are tactical/strategical?
V. PLANNING AND STRATEGIZING
➢ is the process of translating goals/objectives
into specific activities to meet community needs
or solve community problems. Through planning
and strategizing, the following questions are
answered:
✓ how much (quantity of resources);
✓ of what (programs, projects, services);
✓ for whom (target beneficiaries);
✓ why (to achieve what goals);
✓ for how much (the social economic costs and
under);
✓ what conditions (with what other
consequences?).
V. PLANNING AND STRATEGIZING
The Planning Process involves:
A. Identification of perceived problems and needs.
B. Identification of existing resources.
C. Studying how to utilize the resources.
D. Formulation of possible solutions.
E. Setting plans of action.
Strategy → a general or over-all direction that the
organizing process will take to attain long-range
goals
Tactic → a specific action within strategy to attain
short-term goal
V. PLANNING AND STRATEGIZING
Some guidelines for forming a strategy:
A. Principal issue or problem
B. Solution to the problem
C. Strength and weaknesses
D. Other secondary issues
E. Larger outside issues
VI. Core Group Formation
In the process integration and social
investigation, conscious efforts are
made to identify potential leaders.
Potential leaders can assist the
community organizer in validating
about the community and its people.
VI. Core Group Formation
Criteria used for spotting potential
leaders:
1. Belong to the poor sectors and
classes and is directly engaged in
production
2. Well- respected by the members(
with relatively wide influence)
VI. Core Group Formation
3. Desirous of Change and is willing to
work for Change
4. Conscientious and resourceful in his
work
5. Able to Communicate Effectively
VI. Core Group Formation
Core groups formation is the laying
down of the Foundation of a strong
people’s organization.
VI. Core Group Formation
Functions of the Core Groups:
1. Training Ground for Democratic and
collective leadership
2. Builds people’s potentials and self-
confidence
3. Helps the organizer to gather data
4. Helps in laying out plans and tasks
for the formation and maintenance of
the community
VII. Organizational Development
After a core group has been formed,
other members of the community may
join to form a community organization.
A community organization will
facilitate wider participation and
collective action on community
problems.
VII. Organizational Development
The Process to recruit members:
1. Ground Work
- the organizer goes around and
motivates people ( agitation)
2. The Meeting
- the people collectively ratify what
they already decided individually.
- gives a sense of collective power
and confidence.
VII. Organizational Development
3. Organizational Structure
- done through General Assembly
Principles:
1. maximum participation
2. maximum control by the people
VII. Organizational Development
3. simplicity of structure;
a. general assembly
b. council of leaders
c. executive committees
d. working committees
4. collective/shared leadership
VII. Organizational Development
Characteristics of a People’s Organization:
1. organization, not individuals
2. has an internal structure
3. based multi-issue-based at any time
4. in constant action
5. serious, out to win
6. visible, projects an image of power
7. new leaders are constantly emerging
VII. Organizational Development
8. raise funds among the people and is
accountable to the people
9. creates impact beyond its immediate
concerns.
VII. Organizational Development
4. Leadership Training and Development
Community organizing promotes
collective or shared leadership. This
best described in the slogan:
“ All the people, all the time.
Some of the people, all the time.”
VII. Organizational Development
Leadership Training must be anchored on
the following principles and concepts:
1. Leadership as Service
2. Corporate/collective Leadership
3. Delegation of Authority
4. Eliciting Participation
5. Problem Solving
VIII. Mobilization
Mobilization is an activity
undertaken by the community in
solving problems, and building
people’s self confidence and self
respect.
VIII. Mobilization
Steps and guidelines in preparing for
conflict situations are:
1. Issue Spotting and Analysis
2. Target Analysis
3. Planning
4. Role Playing
IX. Reflection and Evaluation
A. Reflection
- means analyzing the finished mass
action
- identification of good and weak
points
IX. Reflection and Evaluation
B. Evaluation
- the process of discovering by the
people what has been accomplished,
what has been left out and what
remains to be done
- can draw inspirations and deeper
commitment
- as important as planning and
implementation
X. Turn-over and Phase-Out
Community organizing is an
enabling process where after
sometime, the community organizer
become dispensable and the people’s
organization take- over.
X. Turn-over and Phase-Out
The relationship between the
community organizer and the people
should be a temporary one.
This includes transfer of community
roles and responsibilities and
documents.
X. Turn-over and Phase-Out
The turn-over doesn’t always
mean a complete pull-out, after the
phase-out, the organizer may have to
shift to a supportive role- monitoring.
THANK YOU!
