BASIC CONCEPT/PRINCIPLES/DEFINITIONS

1.0 Community Organizing is a process by which a community or a group - identifies its needs, objectives or goals; - prioritizes them; - takes the will and confidence to work on them; - takes resolute action in respect to them; and, in doing so, - extends and develops cooperative and collaborative attitudes, practices and organizations/institutional mechanisms in the community. 2.0 Community Development is a process which leads to a significant increase in the capacity of the people to control their environment (physical, economic, social, cultural), accompanied by greater sharing of benefits resulting form such control.

3.0 Basic Propositions Applied to CO 3.1 The disadvantaged do not participate actively in making societal decisions affecting their lives because they are powerless. They are often regarded as belonging to the lowest ranks of the social, political and economic hierarchies. For their part, they often perceive themselves as helpless individuals in the face of forces beyond their control. 3.2 by grouping together, they can correct the earlier imbalance between weak and strong and facilitate interaction with those in power or authority. 3.3 Their participation in mobilization and group can result in greater self-reliance, self-pride and a sense of dignity. through their own organization, they can marshal knowledge ad resources necessary to reach their goals. They can have greater access to services and the amenities of life, as well as the means to become more productive. The mobilizing process itself generates this sense of control which, in turn, unleashes a people's ability and desire to direct their lives in new and meaningful directions.

3.4 Community Organizing seeks to establish participatory and empowered people's organizations through which the disadvantaged can enter the sphere of decision-making on matters affecting their lives. I aims at liberating the disadvantaged from a position (feeling; attitude) of helplessness so they can take their destiny in their own hands. 4.0 Basic Community Organizing Methodology The Community Organizer's aim to build, strengthen, consolidate and expand the people's organization for the empowerment of the economically, socially and politically disadvantaged. All organizing methodology can be reduced to three basic elements: 4.1 Consciousness-raising Community Organizing helps the community or a specific target group clarify and sharpen its analyses of issues, and to place these issues within the framework of larger and more encompassing social structures and processes. 4.2 Organization-building Community Organizing helps the community or a specific target group to set up and maintain its own organization and to develop such organizational skills as leadership, decision-making, conflict resolution, resource allocation and management, etc.

4.3 Mobilization Community Organizing helps the community or a specific target group to move towards resolving their own issues, either through political action or through concrete alternative projects responding to their needs.

THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZER AS CHANGE AGENT 1.0 Description of a Change Agent 1.1 the term Change Agent implies an individual sent to a place on a mission by an outside agency. S/he becomes a part of the place: - developing social mobility and acceptance; - working as a member of the community; - interacting with the people, including the disadvantaged, to help identify priority problems; and to - mutually work out solutions.

1.2 The CO as change agent is basically an educator whose subject matter is the process of involving individuals or groups effectively in self-directed development efforts. 2.0 The CO as Resident Participant As resident participant, the CO must accomplish two basic functions, prerequisites to anything s/he may do: S/he must survive and gain access to the community. 2.1 Survival It is the ability to adjust to life in a new environment with people who may follow different standards and/or levels of living. 2.2 social access and acceptance It is the ability to gain acceptance and act effectively in a new place as a "knowledgeable outsider." This means first seeing oneself as seen by others; and then learning to understand the logic of their circumstance, their ideas, attitudes and values. It also means acquiring a functional use of communication tools, and a working knowledge of the customs and traditions of the client culture

Survival and social acceptability are basic requisites for the change agent in any project; they are not, however, an end unto themselves. To many COs have spent their energies just trying to survive, accomplishing very little in terms of their development tasks. The CO and the community pass through a period of adjustment before the technical task can be fully implemented. Rapport between the outsider and the community or the targeted local group is vital to the initiation of technical inputs. 3.0 The CO as Technical Participant The CO as technical participant performs varied roles: 3.1 Analyst S/he interprets a situation in the context of the community environment or a target group's mission and goals. S/he helps people: - arrive at an understanding of their needs; - judge the relative importance or priority of these identified needs; and

- assess the availability of resources within one's self and the community to satisfy these needs. S/he explores areas of knowledge relevant to the problems encountered by community groups. 3.2 Advisor S/he advises the community on alternatives or options in handling problems or a given situation. 3.3 Advocate S/he recommends one or several alternatives, in rank or order, from a number of possible alternatives. 3.4 Systems-linker S/he helps people understand basic techniques for getting organized to pursue common purposes; ways in which societies and communities can be better organized for better social or technical service delivery; ways by which the disadvantaged can take part more actively in community activities. 3.5 Innovator S/he initiates new programmes, systems or institutions in response to the expressed need of the people. 3.6 Trainer

S/he develops skills amongst the local people so that they can continue the work initiated through technical assistance. This role involves the initiation of educational programmes and the development of training materials. 4.0 The CO as Mobilizer The CO must be convinced that it is dependence which locks local resources into immobility and continues to suppress selfassertiveness amongst people. When people rely too much on external agents and resources, they conveniently forget the potent of their own creative labor, leadership, social control and discipline. They become less imaginative and persist on following the beaten path from year to year. The CO must be good at mobilizing the people, especially the disadvantaged, so that they begin to see things in their own light and strive to rectify the situation through their collective will and bulldog persistence. The most critical factor in mobilizing the people is dialogue and discussion of issues where people educate themselves and eventually: - define their choices; - identify and agree on goals and constraints; and

- select activities consistent with both human development values and technical principles. The CO as mobilizer must be good at stimulating discussion and lively debate amongst the people. 5.0 The CO as Team Player or Group Worker 5.1 Through participation in a group, the CO makes sure that group decisions come about as a result of knowledge, sharing and integration of ideas, experience and lessons learnt, rather than as result of denomination/manipulation from within or outside the group. 5.2 In dealing with community groups, the CO must have knowledge of individual behavior and of social conditions and community relations which interplay in the achievement or nonachievement of groups goals. 5.3 The CO needs to be aware of both programme activities and of the interplay of personalities within the group and between groups and the surrounding community. 5.4 The CO assists the group to get from the collective experience the satisfaction provided by programme activities, the enjoyment and personal growth available through social participation, and the opportunity for greater participation in community affairs.

5.5 The CO makes conscious use of the particular relations to the group, the knowledge of the programme as a tool for human development, and the understanding of the individual and the group so that collective efforts can be pursued based on both group goals and the larger values that the CO represents. 5.5.1 As A Guide The CO helps the group establish and find means of achieving its own goals. S/he guides the group in making informed decisions, but the choice of direction must be that of the group. The Co is aware that the process by which the goals are identified is an essential aspect of the process by which the group may develop the capacity to recognize and deal with the problems. Guiding the group towards this direction is a vital role of the CO. 5.5.2 As An Enabler The CO facilitates the collective process in the group. This role requires tact and technique. it does not mean the CO will do all the inputting and talking, always appearing like a wise guru all the time. 5.5.3 As an Expert The Co helps provide data and information needed to arrive at decisions. S/he is expected to speak with authority on vital matters. Again, this role requires tact and technique.

5.5.4 As A Therapist This role an acute awareness of what is going on in the group or community, what reasons underlie tensions and conflicts in the community which, in the final analysis, constitute the group problems. The CO is expected to contribute to resolving such tensions and conflicts, rather than act merely as passive observer of how events will unfold.

2.0 The Community Organizer believes that: 2.1 communities, including those who have less in life and law, can develop the capacity to deal with their own problems; 2.2 people want change and can change; 2.3 people should participate in making, adjusting, or controlling the changes taking place in their communities; 2.4 self-imposed or self-developed changes are more meaningful and permanent than externally imposed changes; 2.5 the community's effort to solve its own problem and/or its roots creates changes in attitude necessary to deal with future problems. 2.6 democracy requires cooperative participation and action in the affairs of the community, and that people must learn the skills which make this possible; 2.7 communities, especially those who have less in life and law, often need help in organizing to deal with their needs.