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An exciting process of encouraging and supporting communities to analyse their own situations and to take steps to work together to make changes for the better.
To download a pdf version of the book, click here (1115K). To view the pages of the book in html format, follow the links below.
This guide looks at an exciting example of community mobilisation that is based on using outside facilitators and workshops. However, outside facilitators and money to run workshops may not always be available. This PILLARS guide takes the basis of t... More >> |
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caste social class system determined by birth
community people living in one local area, often with the same culture and similar interests
credit union an organisation able to lend money at fair interest rates to poorer people
development a pro... More >> |
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People often think of ‘development’ as something that comes from outside the local area. If life is hard and there are few facilities for health, education or economic development, people may have little hope for the future. They may wait for ‘outs... More >> |
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Waiting for change to be brought into the community by outsiders may take a very long time indeed. It may also not bring the changes that people long to see. For example, local people may see a health clinic and training for health workers as their... More >> |
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The support of local leaders is very important in the process of mobilisation. The rest of this guide will lead your group through a process that has been well tested elsewhere. It will take you step by step towards understanding the needs and prio... More >> |
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Call together as many local people as possible for a meeting. Make sure you include people who are often not represented, such as women, people with disabilities, older people, youth and those of low caste. Choose a meeting place and a time that is... More >> |
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It was easy to start a fire and involve a number of people. It was harder to make sure that the fire kept burning. Community members need to choose certain people whose role will be to keep the fire of community mobilisation burning. In this guide ... More >> |
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Most motivators learn their skills by experience. The rest of this guide suggests topics that the motivators should first try out on each other with group leaders, before they are tried with the wider community. The motivators should continually en... More >> |
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Each local area has a number of different kinds of resources. People use these resources to keep alive and to cope with changing seasons, political change and cultural pressures. Helping people to understand and to value the different resources they ... More >> |
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This is a simple and useful role-play to use during a community meeting. Three people are needed for the role-play. One person (usually a man) acts as the outsider who comes to a community and offers to help someone cross the river. The river has sev... More >> |
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People need to agree on the words they will use during the training and know exactly what they will mean. For example, one person may have a certain picture in their mind when they think of the words ‘community’ or ‘poverty’, while someone else may... More >> |
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Find a large cardboard box without holes. Place a number of different items in the box that have been found in the local area. These could include a bag of seeds, some stones, a hammer and some nails. Close the box so no one can see inside.
The mot... More >> |
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Local people already know more than any outsider about their community and the people living there. Many people assume they know everything about their local area, but there is always more to learn and understand before making new plans.
Take plent... More >> |
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All change builds on what has gone before. It is helpful for a community to reflect on the changes that have already occurred and what has been learned from them. One very useful way to help discussion about this is to produce a ‘community timeline’.... More >> |
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At certain times of the year, there may be particular pressures or struggles that people face. Sometimes, ways to reduce these pressures may develop through discussion, helping community members to plan better for the future.
One simple way of meas... More >> |
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Another helpful way to focus on key issues within the local area is to encourage people to prepare a role-play to express their concerns. As people discuss what subjects to use, they will often focus on important issues. However, they are also like... More >> |
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Preparing and discussing information gathered from timelines, mapping and role-plays will highlight the key issues facing the community. Now it is time to decide on the way ahead. Remind people of all they have learned and achieved so far. Do we wa... More >> |
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Having chosen their first priority for action, local people need to decide whether they have enough information to take action. For example, if education is identified as the priority, people may need more information about the problems and whether... More >> |
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Preparing simple questionnaires and forms to collect the answers will make things much easier, both during the interviews and when preparing charts of the results.
A sample form on gathering information about the use of health services is shown b... More >> |
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The interviewers will come back with lots of numbers and information. These need to be displayed clearly and simply to enable everyone to understand the issues. Charts should show the answers to the following questions, using as much information as p... More >> |
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Arrange a community meeting to share all the information gathered. Present the information clearly showing all the important facts. Present each chart in turn, using different people. Explain how the information was gathered, who was involved, people... More >> |
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Careful planning takes time. It is easy to miss out this stage and just start doing things. However, time spent planning is never wasted. Good planning also helps to check on progress.
Gaining experience in good planning will not only help the comm... More >> |
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After the time of planning, work will start and changes will take place over time. On a regular, maybe monthly, basis, check what happens against what was planned to make sure all is going according to plan. Sometimes plans need to be adjusted as t... More >> |
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Nothing is more exciting than for people to gain confidence about themselves and what they can do together. If leaders and motivators are committed and have helped the community to plan wisely, the sense of achievement and confidence will be very e... More >> |
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These Bible studies are designed to use in small groups. They may provide a useful introduction to a meeting where different topics from the Guide are being discussed. Choose a study that will be linked to the topic you plan to study or that is relev... More >> |
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