COMMUNITY ORGANIZING &
PARTICIPATORY ACTION
RESEARCH (COPAR)
Community Organizing Participatory Action
Research (COPAR) Definition
- According to Famorca (2013),
Participatory Action Research (PAR)
is an approach to research that aims
at promoting change among the
participants as partners in all phases
of the research, including design,
data collection, analysis, and
dissemination.
- It was around the mid-1990s when
PAR was first introduced. It was
used mostly in social psychology
that encourages researches and
those who will benefit from the
research to work together as full
partners in all the phases of the
research (Famorca et. al, 2013).
PAR then eventually became a
useful tool for community organizing.
- Community Organizing Participatory
Action Research (COPAR) is a
community development approach
that allows the community
(participatory) to systematically
analyze the situation (research),
plan a solution, and implement
projects/programs (action) utilizing
the process of community organizing
(Famorca et. al, 2013).
- It is essentially a research project
done by the community that leads
to actions that improve conditions
in the community (Famorca et. al,
2013).
- Community organizing participatory
action research (COPAR) is a
valuable tool for intervention and
development within communities
and organizations (Jimenez, 2008).
- According to Jimenez (2008), it is a
highly regarded form of experimental
research that brings together and
empowers community members and
researchers to identify and address
local problems and bring about
positive changes in the community.
Success of COPAR
- For COPAR to succeed, the nurse-
researcher must be able to adopt
methodologies that are creative,
interesting, and easy to apply at the
community level (Famorca et al,
2013)
- Strategies that are informal, provide
fun, utilize local resources, and
create excitement among the people
are plus factors (Famorca et al,
2013)
Major Role of the Nurse in COPAR
- The major role of the nurse in
COPAR is to facilitate and guide the
community in the critical assessment
of the situation (Famorca et. al,
2013).
- COPAR requires the nurse to use
techniques that not only provide
wealth of relevant information but
also allow meaningful participation of
as many members of the community
as possible (Famorca et. al, 2013).
PRINCIPLES OF COPAR
• It is to address the oppressed,
economically deprived, and marginalized
people who greatly in dire for change.
• It focuses on the best interests of the
poorest sectors of society.
• It should lead to a self- reliant community.
PHASES OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
(Famorca et al, 2013)
I. Pre-entry
- Pre-entry involves preparation on
the part of the organizer and
choosing the community for
partnership.
- Preparations includes knowing the
goals of the community organizing
activity or experience.
- Skills in community organizing are
developed on the job or through an
experiential approach.
- dentification of possible barriers,
threats, strengths, and
opportunities at this stage is an
important determinant of the overall
outcome of community organizing.
An ocular survey done at this stage
may provide answer to essential
questions that should include the
following:
o Does the community meet the
“GIDA” criterion of the Department of
Health? That is, is the community
geographically isolated and in a
 disadvantaged area? In other words,
is it hard to reach unserved or
underserved, or economically
depressed?
o Do the members of the community
perceive the need for assistance?
Note that resistance or reluctance
among some community members is
to be expected; therefore, the
organizer must take this as a
challenge in the community
organizing process.
o Does the community show signs of
willingness or hostility towards the
organizer or the organizing agency?
o Is there no obvious threat to the
safety of the community organizer?
o Are there other individuals, groups,
or agencies working in the area? If
so, are they using the community
organizing approach? Will there be a
duplication of services for the same
target group?
o Is the partnership among all
potential stakeholders (the
community, the LGU, and other
external agencies) possible and
feasible
II. Entry into the Community
- Entry into the community formalizes
the start of the organizing process.
This is the stage where the
organizer gets to know the
community and the community
likewise gets to know the organizer.
Courtesy call is important.
III. Community Organization
- Through various means of
information dissemination, the core
group, with the assistance of the
organizer, instills awareness of
common concerns among other
members of the community.
- the community conducts an
assembly or a series of assemblies,
with the goals of arriving at a
common understanding of
community concerns and formulating
a plan of action in dealing with these
concerns.
- The organizer must remember that it
is their project to be done in their
community. The organization must
let them decide.
- If the community decides to
formalize the organization, it must
have the following characteristics:
o An organizational name and
structure,
o A set of officers recognized by
the members of the community
o Constitution and bylaws stating
the vision, mission, and goals
(VMG), rules and regulations
of the organization, and duties
and responsibilities of its
officers and members.
- The community may then decide to
seek legal recognition by registering
the organization with the appropriate
government agency
- Gaining legal recognition paves the
way for the organization’s
participation in the Barangay.
Municipal or City Development
Council as provided in the Local
Government Code (RA 7160).
- The organization may also establish
linkages and networks with other
government agencies, non-
government organizations/agencies,
or other people’s organizations that
will further strengthen and expand
the organization, facilitating the
attainment of its goals and
objectives.
IV. Sustenance & Strengthening
Phase
- Occurs when the community
organization has already been
established and the community
members are already actively
participating in community-wide
undertakings. At this point, the
different committees setup in the
organization-building phase are
already expected to be functioning
by way of planning, implementing
and evaluating their own programs,
with the overall guidance from the
community-wide organization.
Key Activities
  Training of CHO for monitoring and o Use of survey
implementing of community health questionnaires is
program. discouraged
 Identification of secondary leaders. o Community leaders can
 Linkaging and networking. be trained to initially
 Conduct of mobilization on health assist the community
and development concerns. worker in doing the
 Implementation of livelihood social investigation
projects. o Secondary data should
be thoroughly examined
because much of the
CRITICAL STEPS (ACTIVITIES) IN information might already
COPAR be available
1. Integration o Social investigation is
- The health care worker facilitated if the health
becomes one with the people worker is properly
in order to: integrated and has
a. Immerse himself/herself in acquired the trust of the
the community people
b. Understand deeply the o Confirmation and
culture, economy, leaders, validation of the
history, rhythms, and lifestyle community should be
in the community. done regularly.

o Methods of integration include 3. Tentative Program Planning

- Participation in direct
production activities of the
people
- Conduct of house to house
visits
- Participation in activities like
birthdays, fiestas, wakes, etc.
- Conversing with the people
where they usually gather such
as in stores
- Water wells, washing streams,
or in churchyards
- Helping out in household
chores like cooking, washing
dishes, etc.
2. Social Investigation
- Otherwise known as a 6. Roleplay
community study
- A systematic process of
collecting, collating, analyzing
data to draw a clear picture of
the community
- The health worker must
remember the following during
social investigation:
- CO to choose one issue to
work on in order to begin
organizing the people
4. Groundwork
- Going around and motivating
the people on a one on one
basis to do something on the
issue that has been chosen
5. The meeting
- people collectively ratify what
they have already decided
individually. The meeting
gives people the collective
power and confidence.
Problems and issues are
discussed.
- Means acting out the
meeting that will take place
between the leaders of the
people and government
representatives. It is a way of
training people to anticipate
what will happen and prepare
them for such eventuality
7. Mobilization or action a. People's
- actual experience of the participation and
people in confronting the commitment to the
powerful and actual exercise organization
of the people power b. functionality of the
people's
8. Evaluation organization
- The people reviewing the c. Performance of
steps 1-7 so as to determine health activities
whether they were successful d. The attainment of
or not in their objectives. goals and objectives

9. Reflection
- dealing with deeper ongoing
concerns to look at the
positive values CO is trying
to build in the organization. It
gives the people time to
reflect on the stark reality of
life compared to the ideal
STRATEGIES:
o Education and training
o Networking and linkaging
o Conduct of mobilization on health
and development concerns
o Implementing of livelihood projects
o Developing secondary leaders

10. Organization REFERENCES

- the people’s organization is
the result of many
successive and similar
actions of the people. A final
organizational structure is set
up with elected officers and
supporting members
11. Endorsement
- to different levels guidance
and assistance, as needed
a. municipal level
b. Provincial level
c. National, as
necessary
12. Monitoring
- (closely watching or keeping
track of their functionality)
through regular area visits
13. Disengagement
- release from attachment or
connection or freedom from
obligation
COPAR. (n.d.). Retrieved September 25,
2020, from
https://pdfslide.net/documents/copar.h
tml
Community Organizing Participatory Action
Research (COPAR). (2017, July 04).
Retrieved September 24, 2020, from
https://www.rnpedia.com/nursing-
notes/community-health-nursing-
notes/community-organizing-
participatory-action-research-copar/
Famorca, Z. U., Nies, M. A., & McEwen, M.
(2013). Nursing care of the
community. Singapore: Elsevier.
Llandado, J. (n.d.). Community Organizing
Participatory Action Research
(COPAR). Retrieved September 24,
2020, from
https://www.scribd.com/doc/44381261
/COPAR

14. Impact evaluation Vera, M. (2013, December 18). Community

- to assess the degree or Organizing Participatory Action
extent of the following after a Research (COPAR). Retrieved
specific period of time: September 24, 2020, from
https://nurseslabs.com/copar-
 community-organizing-participatory-
action-research/

Submitted to:
Asst. Prof. Rochie Cagara

Submitted by:
GROUP 3
Edar, Bavie
Fernandez, Angel
Fontelo, Anja Shanelle
Galon, Sharifah Shekinah Dawn
Grajo, Rica Joy
Guevarra, Chrisbel
Honculada, Natasha Marie

Level III – A