CWTS/LTS

Lesson 2

SOCIAL MOBILIZATION

Social Mobilization is an approach wherein community participation is very essential. It

uses deliberate participating processes to involve local institutions, local leaders,
community groups, and members of the community to organize through concerted efforts
toward a common purpose. Community mobilization is characterized by respect for the
community and its needs.

It is also defined by Abhiyan (2004) as a process of capability-building of a deprived community to enable its people
to plan, manage, and control their own development program. It emphasizes self-decision of the concerned
community, self-initiated development efforts as well as self- capacity building, empowerment of the powerless,
organization of the unorganized, and awareness by the unaware which are the elements of the social mobilization
and which are the concerns of the National Service Training Programs.

Components of Social Mobilization

1. Growth. To achieve growth in the physical, intellectual, volitional and moral capabilities
of the deprived people as persons. This means that people should acquire useful
knowledge, social awareness, and ability to make choices, physical security and self-
assurance.

2. Empowerment. The complementary component is empowerment of deprived people through strengthening

of their collective capabilities. This implies bonafide leadership, solidarity and participatory decision-making
of the self-help group/organizations.

3. Transformation of Social Institutions. The Transformation of Social Institutions in keeping with the
principles of equity and social justice.

4. Enhancement of the Ecological Resource is what the deprived people depend on for their physical security
and sustenance.

5. Dynamic Cultural Innovation in the values, beliefs and norms that constitute the blueprint for a developed
society and for the behavior of its members.

The self-help organizations which can be initiated by the students in the NSTP can help the deprived community to
lead in their self-development process following the self-propelled manner below:

1. Help in providing local mechanism for mobilizing savings in the community and provide credit to meet their
financial needs;

2. Assists institutions to initiate/support local communities and groups to identify and mobilize local resources
and properly utilize external resources.

3. Help in building confidence and enhancing the capacity of the community in promoting self-reliance; and

4. Assist in establishing a network of community financial institutions owned and democratically operated by
the people.

Therefore, social mobilization as expounded by Abhiyah in his advocacy program states that it is a process of
formation and management of a self-help organization/group by the concerned community which could be led by
the NSTP students. In this context, the role of the students is as catalysts and they should do the following:

1
 1. Identify the needs of the people in the community where they are assigned;
2. Assist the people in analyzing their problems;
3. Guide the group to form and manage self-help groups;
4. Help them on how they could develop their institutions;
5. Guide them on how they can increase access and control over the resources; and
6. Help them plan and implement self-reliance through small entrepreneurial activities at the community level.

The NSTP students should bear in mind that the sustainable and self-propelled development of the
community is impossible unless they take charge of their development process with their own decision-making
and implementation mechanism. It is capacitated in terms of conceptual understanding and management and
advocacy related to knowledge, skills and attitudes. The intervention of NSTP students in any deprived
community should provide n appropriate environment for the formation and growth of self-help groups to
achieve their common goals.

The following guidelines are helpful to the NSTP students for Social Mobilization at the grassroots level.
1. We do not develop the community people. They develop themselves through our guidance.
2. We have to use participatory approach by involving the community people in key decisions and acquiring
the appropriate skills.
3. We work with groups and not with individuals. Hence, we should be aware of the individual differences
among the groups.
4. The groups are small and functionally-specific. They have communalities.
5. Self-reliance in resource mobilization is very basic.
6. The initial objective of social mobilization should be analyzed.
7. We think big, but help the community to start small. Th objective is to have quick success so that
cohesion and self-image can be developed.
8. Use a process not a “blue-print approach”. Be flexible. Emphasize a process “not events” to help the
community achieve a self-propelled sustainable development.
9. Work with two or more groups in the community in case conflict arises in their line of interest/problems.
10. Education and training should be a continuing process that caters to the needs of the organization and
its purposes, required knowledge, skills and attitude for its effective functioning.
11. Regular meetings should be conducted in order to keep group cohesion and prevent the emergence of
“we” (members) and “they” (leaders) syndrome.
12. The NSTP students must not impose on the group.
13. Just provide moral support and legitimacy to grassroots’ action for social change.

Activity 2.

Answer the following in yellow paper.

1. Enumerate the following:

a. Components of mobilization
b. Benefits of social mobilization
2. Discuss your role in community social mobilization