Lsn1: Introductory Concepts in Community Development

Community Development and Organization

Tomas Quintin D. Andres
Community Development: A Manual, 1988

THERE IS NO SINGLE CONCEPT of

The community development and
community organization practice; rather, there organization practice is perceived to be two-
are varied conceptualizations. Fundamentally, pronged. While it emphasizes human resource
however, there are four general phases of the basic development, it simultaneously provides economic
community organization process. These help opportunities for the people through socio-
determine the nature of community organization economic projects. This in particular is the
practice and the particular role functions of developmental nature of community organization
community development organization workers. practice for which potential community
These phases are the following: organization workers and developers should be
prepared.
Phase One: Information/issue/problem
identification and dissemination Improving the quality of life of a community
This is the phase where real needs are depends to a very great extent on the people
determined from felt needs; problems are themselves who form that community. Community
defined and analyzed; relationships are development and organization must be based on the
developed, rapport established, face-to-face sublime Filipino values of BAYANIHAN
interaction with people made. Opinions are (working together for free) and "NAKATAYO
elicited and information disseminated. SA SARILING PAA" (being on one's own) It is,
definitely, not a dole-out nor a program that
Phase Two: Mobilization of will foment the negative values of "pahingi nga"
people/community (mendicancy) and "nakasandal sa pader" (total
In this phase people are stimulated to come dependence on others). Community development is
together to discuss problems, call meetings where a partnership among the community developer,
community problems are identified, problems are the people of the community and other agencies in
analyzed together with the people, objectives, uplifting the standards of life of the community. The
plan of action and implementation are set, people of the community must be willing to give
potential leaders are identified and committee their share in the work.
work are stimulated.
The aim of community development and
Phase Three: Organization organization is to help the people acquire a
This is the combining of constructive forces of coherent meaning to life; it leads the people
men and materials, machinery and money so towards the studying, perfecting and achieving of a
that they may work together in an orderly system useful for the equilibrium and development
way, to turn out finished goods for profit, or of the human being because existence without
render services, to the community. direction or falsified in meaning generates moral
decadence, social ills, personal and collective suffering.
Phase Four: Education
Community development helps clarify this
This is the phase where members of the meaning and shows how to convert a false meaning
community are educated to assume responsibility into a true and meaningful orientation in life.
for their organization and to acquire the
organizational skills and techniques essential to Through community development the people
organization maintenance. develop a common feeling of solidarity and become
aware that they can achieve positive changes in
themselves. They come to realize that life has
meaning and all activities should be guided by this
meaning.

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 Four General Phases of Basic Community Development and Organization Work

Phase Tasks Skills

A. Information/issue/  Determine real needs from the felt  Data gathering skills
problem identification needs  Problem identification and
and dissemination  Define and analyze the problem/s analysis skills
 Develop relationships, establish  Interactional skills
rapport, ace-to-ace interaction with
people
 Legwork – eliciting opinions and
disseminating information
B. Mobilization of  Stimulate people to come together to  Data gathering skills
people/community discuss problems, call meetings or  Problem identification and
community identification of problems analysis skills
 Analyze problem together with the  Interactional skills
people.
 Set objectives, plan of action and
implementation.
 Identify potential leaders
 Stimulate committee work
C. Organization  Build the organization – formalize  Interactional skills
structures and leadership  Organization skills
 Project management skills
D. Education  Educate members to assume  Interactional skills
responsibility for their organization  Organizational skills
 Teach them organizational skills and  Project management skills
techniques essential to organization  Trainor skills
management

THE TRAINING OF A COMMUNITY organizations. As a facilitator, he seeks to

DEVELOPMENT AND ORGANIZATION stimulate wider citizen participation through
WORKER organization. His efforts are directed at influencing,
changing and modifying attitudes and behavior
of people, not as individuals, but as members
TO BE A COMMUNITY development and
of groups, organizations and communities. His
organization worker is not a simple job; it is a major function is to mobilize and organize
vocation, a mission. Prospective applicants for people to come together to help in activities. He
such a mission should have the following facilitates the opening of communication channels
qualifications: among members by providing appropriate
structures such as committees, discussion or study
1. He/she has demonstrated potentials for groups and the like. Much of his work has to do
community development work. with face-to-ace interaction with people.
2. He/she has demonstrated professional
commitment, direction, motivation and As a trainer, the community development
maturity as manifested in his work-history. and organization worker educates people to
3. He/she is willing to understand and respect participate more fully in democratic processes.
the values and culture of people. Members are helped to view their community
4. He/she has the genuine intention of sharing organization as an educational vehicle for
whatever goods he/she has with his/her democratic living. His function is to educate the
fellowmen. people to discuss the nature of their problems
and help them take action on them. He
The Tasks of the Community Development educates the people by involving them in the
and Organization Worker actual problem-solving process. He teaches
them the skills and techniques of gathering data
The various tasks performed by the community about their problems, discussing their findings,
development and organization worker in the analyzing these findings, making decisions, setting
four phases of community organization work alternatives and implementing plans.
indicate that he functions basically as a
facilitator and trainer of indigenous groups and As trainer the worker helps the community to
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understand and utilize the various organizational community in understanding and utilizing the
processes and mechanisms. He prepares them to various organizational processes and mechanisms.
gradually assume the responsibility for organ- He develops their skills in project management
ization building and maintenance. He possesses and prepares them to assume leadership
an understanding of group relationships and responsibilities for their organization.
dynamics, and the ability to train community
or organization members in human At Level II, the community development
relations skills. and organization worker continues to play the
role of a direct grassroots organizer in both
To fulfill his functions as facilitator and facilitative and trainor role and as a trainer of
trainer, he must possess skills in human relations skills. At this level he should
1. Data-gathering possess a deeper understanding of group
2. Problem-identification and analysis relationships and dynamics, intergroup tensions
3. Interaction and social pressures. He must be able to facilitate
4. Organization group dynamic exercises among groups and
5. Project management communities. He assumes direct responsibility for
6. Training training communities in leadership skills, self-
awareness skills, human relations training and the
like.
Levels of Community Development and the
Organization Worker At Level III, the community development
and organization worker continues to play the
There are three different levels in which the role of trainer in human relations skills (at the
community development and organization community level) but he primarily functions as
worker functions as a facilitator and trainer. His an over-all supervisor and trainer of community
cognitive capacities and his competency in skills organization supervisors. He assumes
required at each level determine his ability to responsibility for the continued training of
function on any particular level. community development and organization
workers in levels I and II. This he does by
At Level I the community development holding supervisory sessions and providing
and organization worker plays the role of a further theoretical inputs which are very much
direct grassroots worker where he organizes needed by the community organization workers
groups and communities. For this level he must in levels I and II. He demonstrates to the
possess basic organizing skills. As facilitator he community organization workers the
spends much of his time in face-to-face execution of the following skills: handling
interaction with people, stimulating them to community analyses, eliciting, and evoking
participate in decision-making and problem- techniques.
solving processes. As trainer, he educates the

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