- 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 these people will be called ‘motivators’.
- People in the community know each other very well. Take time to carefully choose honest people who are respected by others, and who can encourage others to work well together. They need to have some time and energy available, have a desire to bring change and be willing to work free of charge. Each community should select two or three motivators. The people chosen will need equipping and support in their role.
Discussion
- List the characteristics of a good motivator.
- How should the motivators be chosen?
- How can we ensure that the selection of motivators is done fairly and that no one tries to influence other people’s choice?
- Who will help to train, equip and support the motivators in their work?
- How often should the motivators meet together?
- Who will benefit from their work?
NOTE The role of motivators is very similar to the role of animators (described in C10 of the PILLARS guide, Building the Capacity of Local Groups). However, we use a different term here as the motivators are selected and trained.
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