PARTICIPATORY PLANNNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
Participatory Planning
 laying out the course of actions needed to attain a set of
socio-economic goals. It resolves community issues or
problems by giving concerned community members the
chance to identify problems and propose solutions.
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
1970’S
 Professional Development workers became aware of the
mismatch between reality they constructed, and the reality
others experienced; dissatisfied with the short rural visits of
development technocrats only to drop by the offices of, or
talk to, local male leaders; and disillusioned with the
questionnaire surveys and their results.
 They also acknowledged that people from the province
themselves knew more about their situations and
communities as compared to those form the cities.
 Thus, these workers developed new methods and
approaches in social planning as an alternative to
centralized, top-down planning.
PRINCIPLES OF PARTICIPATORY PLANNING
1. Development should be seen more as a change from the
bottom-up than from topdown.
2. The development process should be managed naturally
rather than mechanically, i.e., unduly focused on plans,
goals, objectives, target, and schedule.
3. The development process should also.
4. The development process should be supported by local
institutions with villages, primary cooperatives, religious
and youth groups, and community-based and self-help
associations playing a major role.
5. Must be based primarily on confidence-building and
learning rather than on expertise and training.
LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION
1. Passive People are told of what will happen or is taking
place.
2. Information-based People answer a survey team’s
questionnaire (no follow-up)
3. Consultative-based People answer questionnaire define or
designed by “outsiders”.
4. Incentives-based People work for cash, food, or other
incentives.
5. Functional-based Decision by “outsiders” and interest
group are synthesis to meet objectives
6. Interactive Joint analyses, decisions, and action plans are
made, implemented, and monitoring by interest groups.
7. Self-mobilization Initiatives are taken independently from
official institutions.
Project
 Described in the webster’s dictionary as planned undertaking.
This is the initial step to identify acts that must be taken to
meet a set of objectives.
Project’s Common Elements
1. Objective: Describe the Project aims
2. Boundaries: Specifies the scope and limitation of the
project
3. Location: Identifies where the project will be implemented
4. Target Beneficiaries: States who will benefit from the
implementation of the project Project’s Common Elements
5. Duration: Determines the schedule of the project, when the
project will be implemented and when it will end.
6. Budget: Itemizes the expected expenses that the project will
incur upon its implementation
7. Methodology: Indicated the approach or manner by which
the project will be implanted.
PROJECT DEVELOPMENT CYCLE
Projects vary according to their: Objectives Boundaries Locations
Target beneficiaries Duration Methodology. All projects undergo a
process called the PROJECT DEVELOPMENT CYCLE. These
are the stages:
Identification
Preparation Implementation Evaluation
1.
Identification: a potential project design is organized.
2. Preparation: planners determine a chosen project to be
implemented
3. Implementation: project is carried out based on an agreed-
upon timetable
4. Evaluation: determine if the project objectives have been
met.
Conclusion
A participatory planning process - one in which all the participants are
involved - is often the most effective and inclusive way to plan a
community intervention. A participatory process provides community
ownership and support of the intervention; information about community
history, politics, and past mistakes; and respect and a voice for everyone.
It also takes time, care, mutual respect, and commitment.
Successful participatory planning will help identify and transform
community weakness into strengths. With the support of the local
government, community members may contribute in the planning of
projects that can solve the problems that beset them. Since it creates a
sense of urgency among the members of the community, it should be
followed by the implementation of the project which has incorporated
their ideas.
If you can manage a planning process that meets all these
requirements, the chances are that you will come up with a
successful community intervention, one that truly works and meets
the community's needs.