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CEBU TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

In consortium with
CEBU CITY MEDICAL CENTER – COLLEGE OF
NURSING

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

AS A PROCESS:
Ø it consists of steps or activities that instill and reinforce the people’s self-
confidence in their collective strengths and capabilities.

DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY’S COLLECTIVE CAPACITIES:

Ø solve its problem
Ø aspire for development through its efforts

HARNESSING AND DEVELOPING THE COMMUNITY’S CAPACITIES:

Ø recognize community’s problem
Ø identify & implement solutions
Ø monitor and evaluate the efforts in resolving the problem

EDUCATING AND MOBILIZING MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY:

Ø resolve community problems

Emphases of community organizing in primary health care are the following:

1. People from the community are working together to solve their problems.
2. Internal organizational consolidation as a prerequisite to external expansion
3. The social movement first before technical change
4. Health reforms occurring within the context of broader social transformation

Community development is the end goal of community organizing and all other efforts
towards uplifting the status of poor and marginalized.
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Community Organizing is a values-based process, tracing its roots to three fundamental

values
1. Human rights – based on the worth and dignity inherent to all human beings; the
right to life, the right to development as persons and as a community, and freedom
to make decisions for oneself.
2. Social justice- entails fairness in the distribution of resources to satisfy basic needs
and to maintain dignity as human beings.
3. Social responsibility- people being part of one community and is reflected in
concern for one another.

Core Principles in Community Organizing

A. Community organizing is people-centered.
• The basic premise of any community organizing endeavor is that the people
are the means and ends of development, and community empowerment is
the process and the outcome.
• With an emphasis on the development of human resources necessitating
education
B. Community organizing is participative
• The participation of the community in the entire process should be ensured.
• Community participation is evident in the involvement of many people in
community activities:
ü People are well-informed.
ü Decision making and responsibility are in the hands of ordinary people,
not just to the elite.
ü The distinction is not made among different groups and different
personalities.
C. Community organizing is democratic
• Allows the majority of people to recognize and critically analyze their difficulties
and articulate their aspirations
D. Community organizing is developmental
• Directed towards changing current undesirable conditions
E. Community organizing is process-oriented
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• Organizers need to diligently and patiently follow the community organizing

process to achieve its goals,

COPAR

- it is a social development approach that aims to transforms the:

o apathetic
o individualistic
o voiceless poor into:
ü dynamic
ü participatory
ü politically responsive community

- a transformative force, that enables the individuals, families, and communities to be

responsible for their own health.

- a liberal freedom of the community where the people are allowed to participate in
the overall health care status for their community.

PAR
- participatory action research is an investigation on problems and issues concerning
life and environment of the underprivileged.
- Is community-directed process of gathering and analyzing information on an issue
for the process of taking actions and making changes.

Purpose of COPAR

1. to enable the health resource development program of health training

institutions to effectively implement their community-based health programs.

2. to generate community participation and involvement in health activities

and the prepare community to set up their own health programs.

Importance of COPAR

1. maximizes community participation and involvement.

2. could be an alternative in situations wherein health interventions in PHC don’t

require direct involvement of modern medical practitioner.

3. gets people actively involved in selection and support of community health

workers.

4. community resources are mobilized for selected health services.

5. improves both project’s effectiveness during planning, implementation and

ultimate impact.
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6. critical in achieving the PHC goal of self-reliance and social awareness.

Basic Qualities of a Community Organizer:

ü Has exemplary professional and moral qualities
ü Possesses excellent communication/ facilitation skills
ü Has the ability to set good leadership examples for the community to emulate
ü Displays a charismatic personality
ü Adopts and enjoys working with and living will all types of communities/ people
ü Can empathize with the people or community
ü Believes in the vision of change, empowerment, and development
ü Has personal conviction consistent with the values and principles being advocated

PHASES OF COPAR PROCESS

I. PRE-ENTRY PHASE
- the initial phase of the organizing process where the community organizer looks for
communities to serve or help.
- Recommended activities:
a. Criteria for site selection
1. must be depressed rural community with the majority of the population
belonging to the poor sector.
2. health services in the site are inaccessible/inadequate to meet the needs
of the majority of community residents.
3. poor health status of the community in general
4. the area must not have a serious peace and order problem for the safety
of the program staff and students who will be involved in the program.
5. there must be no strong resistance from the community.
6. the area must be relatively free of similar agencies to avoid competition
and duplication of services.

Ø Preliminary Social Investigation

Objective:
- to gather information about the different areas focusing on the
data necessary to determine the site that best conforms with the
criteria set.

Methods of PSI:
1. use of secondary data from various government offices
2. use of secondary data from other community health programs.
3. coordination with extension workers from GO and NGO
agencies.
4. conduct of ocular observations.
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II. ENTRY PHASE

- sometimes called the immersion phase.

- Recommended activities:

Ø sensitization of the people on the critical events in their life.

Ø Motivating them to share their dreams and ideas on how to manage their
concerns and eventually mobilizing them to take collective action.

- Guidelines for entry into the community:

1. recognize the role of local authorities

2. one’s appearance, speech, behavior and lifestyle should be in keeping
with those of the community residents.
3. avoid raising the expectations of the community residents.

- integration with the community

Integration – the process of establishing rapport with the people in a

continuing effort to imbibe community life.

Methods of Integration:

1. participation in direct production activities of the people.

2. conduct house to house visits
3. participation in social activities.
4. conversing with the people where they really gather
5. doing household chores.

- Core Group Formation – the process of laying down the formation of a strong
people’s organization brought about by bringing together several of the most
advanced indigenous leaders to exchange knowledge and insights
towards deeper understanding the dynamics of the community.

Functions:

1. serves as training ground for democratic and collective leadership.

2. builds people’s potentials and self-confidence.
3. social preparation of a community for health and development work.
4. organizing a community research team for the conduct of a community
diagnosis.
5. setting up the community health organization and facilitate the
identification of potential CHW’s
6. sensitizing and mobilizing the community to act on their immediate health
needs and participate in the delivery of health services.
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Core Group Selection.

1. integrate with community residents.

2. conduct a community study and deepening social investigation.
3. provision of basic health services.
4. formulate criteria for selection of core group leader/ potential leaders.

Characteristics of Potential Leaders

1. must belong to a poor sector.

2. must be a respected member of the community.
3. must be responsive and willing to work for change.
4. must have potential management skills.
5. must possess relatively good communication skills.

Techniques in Identifying Potential Leaders:

1. informal discussions with the community members.

2. observing the people who are active in small mobilization activities.
3. observing who in the community readily responds to community problems
and emergencies and those whose concerns for other people are very well
manifested in their actions.
4. observing the people in their natural environment
5. sociogram – systematic process of identifying indigenous leaders in the
community who can help facilitate the change process.

III. COMMUNITY DIAGNOSIS/RESEARCH PHASE

Research Training Phase I

I. Problem Identification

II. Problem Analysis

2 types:

a. structural analysis – analyze the cause/roots of the existing problem

b. cause and effect analysis – analyze both the cause and effect of the
problem

III. Problem Classification

a. primary – problem which are directly health related
b. secondary – problem which are indirectly health related

IV. Identification of data to be gathered based on the problem analysis

.
V. identification of possible informants/respondents
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VI. Selection of research methodologies

a. survey – systematic collection of the people self-reported information

at a particular point in time

b. systematic observation – involves recording of an object, event or

behavior as it is seen or occurs.

c. interview – face to face meeting between 2 or more people

d. record review – consists of reading through existing records of an

agency or person.

e. community meetings/assemblies – public meeting that allow the

community to participate.

f. focus group discussion – qualitative technique for gathering information on

a topic or number of topics for small group of informants who share
homogenous characteristics and who are capable of shedding the light on
the subject for discussion.

Guidelines in conducting FGD:

1. keep the focus group small

2. get to know the member of FG beforehand
3. make sure the member of the focus group knows what are expected of
them during the session
4. be familiar with the guide questions for discussion
5. don’t allow for long “pregnant pauses” during the discussion
6. speak less but listen more
7. establish continued rapport with the group during discussion.
8. record the session and group behavior as accurately as possible
9. avoid marathon sessions

VII. Selection of Research Instruments

a. resource/social map – provides a clear picture of the barangay in one glance.

b. seasonal diagramming – provides information about the trends and patterns of
income , production, expenditures, illnesses, etc throughout the year in a barangay
c. time allocation diagram – informs the CO and research team of the ways in which
a certain household allocates time to their different tasks
d. census mapping – gives the CO and researcher a chance to take a closer look at
individual households.
e. service mapping – determines the availability of services in the community.
f. wealth ranking – determines the economic attributes of the household in a
barangay.
g. health data board – provides information about the health status of the
community
h. questionnaire – helps to obtain the profile/demographic data of the households.
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i. historical mapping/time line – provides information about the important events that
have happened in their community.

VIII. Planning for actual data gathering

Guide for research training:

1. SALT (Self-awareness Leadership Training)

2. PAR
3. Research Instruments / Methodology
4. Workshop – situation then sample
5. Critiquing
6. Pre-test questionnaire
7. Finalization of questionnaire
8. Research Planning
9. Implementation

RESEARCH TRAINING PHASE II

I. Data Tabulation
> for creative data gathering methods, tabulation can be done in several
ways.

II. Data Analysis – analyzing the problem in the community

> Points to consider:

1. trends and patterns
2. comparison of data with standards
3. implications
4. interrelationships of factors

III. Presentation of Data

IV. Prioritization of Community Needs / Problems for Action

> Points to consider in Priority Setting:

a. technology to be used in solving problem
b. magnitude /severity of the problem
c. social concern
d. health policies / programs implemented by the government in the
area.
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IV. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION AND CAPABILITY BUILDING PHASE

Community Health Organization (CHO) or CBPO - in charge with the

management of relevant and appropriate health programs

Tasks of CBPO:

Ø Ensure collective participation in decision making.

Ø Planning, implementation and evaluation of community projects
Ø Establish network of linkages / for mobilizing external support and referrals
Ø Generate resources for maintaining and sustaining health programs or activities
Ø Raising the community’s consciousness on health and other broader issues
Ø Mobilizing the people to act in their health problems and issues affecting them

Community Organizing – maybe reactivated to bring social and behavioral change.

(“empowerment” or building the capability of people for future community action)
.
1. community meetings with the CO
2. election of officials
3. development of management system
4. team building/action
5. working out legal requirements
6. organization of working committees
7. training of CBPO officers

COMMUNITY ACTION PHASE

I. Organization and Training of CHW

Levels of CHW Trainings

Level I – Basic Health Skills/Services

Level II – Advanced Health Skills
Level III – Specialized Health Skills

II. Setting up linkages

III. PIME of Health Services

a. Planning – community health and development plans

b. Implementation

Role of CO worker:

1. monitor the proper functioning of each committee in the people’s organization

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2. provide project management seminars

c. Monitoring – an internal project activity designed to provide constant

feedback on the progress of a project.

d. Evaluation – assessment of whether or not the planned project strategy actually works in
the field.

Monitoring and Evaluation – are essential management tool which help improve the
efficiency of on-going projects and the selection and design of future projects.

Performance monitoring – assess the extent to which project input are being used.

Impact evaluation – estimates the net impacts of projects on the target population.

Cost – effective analysis – compare alternative projects in terms of the cost of producing a
given output.

Difference between monitoring and impact evaluation:

Monitoring Impact Evaluation

Focus:
- on operations - on effects/purpose
- answer: “How is the - answer: “What
project running? differences did the
project make?

When conducted:
- continuously from - either after a project, or
beginning of after the completion of a
implementation particular stage/phase

Documentation:
- documentation of the - documentation needed
project’s progress occurs before, during and after
during implementation the project operation
data gathered are used
as inputs during
evaluation.

Person’s Role:
- project monitor is actively - project evaluator has no
concerned with the involvement with day-to-
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conduct and outcome of day operations of the

the project. project.

Uses of M & E Data:

1. decision making
2. assessment/improvement of performance
3. allocation of resources
4. personal development
5. new knowledge and understanding

V. SUSTENANCE & STRENGTHENING /EXPANSION & CONSOLIDATION PHASE

Expansion & Consolidation Phase – occurs when the community health organization has
already been established & the community residents are already actively participating in
community wide undertakings.

Sustenance/Sustainability – the capacity of the projects to continuously provide its positive

impacts to the beneficiaries.

Strategies Used:

1. education and training

2. linkages and networking
3. implementing livelihood projects
4. developing secondary leaders

Critical Steps in Building People’s Organization

1. integration – immerse himself in the poor community - understand deeply the culture,
economy, leaders, history and life style in the community

Methods of Integration:
a. participation in direct production activities of the people
b. social investigation – systematic process of collecting, collating,
analyzing data to draw a clear picture of the community.
c. tentative project planning
d. ground work
e. the meeting
f. role play
g. mobilization/action
h. evaluation
i. reflection
j. organization

Roles & Activities in Community Health Care Development

Recorder – community worker keeps a written account of services rendered, etc.

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Reporter – takes the responsibility to disseminate pertinent information to appropriate

authorities or agencies.

Documenter – develops the people’s capabilities to keep maintain their own recording
and reporting system.

Records – forms on which information pertaining to the client is noted.

Reports – periodic summaries of the services of an organization

Purposes of Records and Reports:

1. measure service program directed to the client

2. provide basis for future planning
3. interpret the work to the public and other agencies.
4. aid in studying the conditions of the community
5. contribute to client care