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MIDTERM COVERAGE

ESTABLISHING A WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COMMUNITY

Basic Values in Community Organizing

To effectively implement community, the organizer and


community worker must possess value or give importance to
human rights, social justice and social responsibility.

Human Rights

Every individual is with worth and dignity this is even recognized by the UNCharter and
the 1987 Philippines Constitution. This is the essence of our humanity -to be human, and to be
humane is to live with worth and dignity. However, the many of our social problems make us say
"madaling maging Tao, pero mahirap magpakadao." At times, humans are robbed by others of
their self-worth and human dignity. In some instances, the individuals' themselves allow others
to dehumanize- the robber (called the oppressors) and the "robbed" (called the oppressed).

Community organizing is anchored on the


belief in human's worth and dignity. As
community organizers, we recognize the inherent
rights of individuals-the right to life (and a
secured life and Survival), the right to liberty (and
self-determination) and the right to property
(which includes the right to enjoy the fruits of our
labor).

Social Justice

One Filipino president once said: "Those who


have less in life must more in law." That is, the
poor should have more access to law to at least.
But, of course, this does not mean deprivation of
the rıght of the more economically well-off for
this would result to injustice. Rather, the law
should level off the "have not's." this value is
actually the essence of social justice that
community organizers must promote.
In this module, we mentioned the social opportunities that must be accessed by the people
in order to meaningfully satisfy their basic needs. By providing equal opportunities to people,
human worth and dignity is upheld.

Social Responsibility

We said in the preceding part of this modules that we are part of a community: that the
condition of our community affects us also. As part of a community, we should not merely limit
ourselves to our personal concerns but should. We should also develop interest on the concerns
of others and move jointly to achieve common goals. This only emphasizes the need to be
responsive to the needs of our community. However, the challenge for community worker is how
to assist the community members acquire the needed abilities to response to their needs. That
is, how to make develop their “response-ability”

STEPS IN COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION PROCESS

This section presents the different steps needed in


community organization process.

Area Selection

Though site selection must follow the general design of your


program, certain criteria have been used to determine the
project areas. This site must be a depressed area with majority
of the population belonging to the sector your program wishes
to organize. An area with about 150-250 households would be
ideal if the Community organizer is working with a partner. The area must not have a serious
peace and order problem.

Initially, the organizer can gather Socio-economic, demographic and geographic data
selected municipalities from the municipal agencies to assist the organizer in the selection of the
project site. The organizer can also inquire from friends or contacts regarding the characteristics
of possible project areas. It is also best to consider your level of commitment, as well as that of
the other project staff, which could affect your personal adjustments to Situations in the field.

Community Entry

Once the area has been selected, the organizer is now ready to enter the community. Begin with
a visit to the local community officials to inform them of the objectives and nature of the objectives
and the nature of the organizer's stay in the community, Select a home to live in which will
facilitate the organizer's work. Choose to stay with a family of good reputation. Adapt a lifestyle
and personality that is in keeping with the community. When talking of the program avoid raining
the people's expectation. Keep a low profile. Avoid attracting unnecessary attention to yourself,
be honest and sincere and share strengths as well as weakness to the people.

Community Integration

The first and basic step in community organizing is integration or becoming one with the poor
community to get to know the culture, economy, they visit people, engage in small talk, share
the people's work, take part in informal group discussion, share the people's housing, food
entertainment, and meetings. Integration is a continuing effort to immobile community life. It is
accomplished by living with the people and sharing the some ex periences with them; the
organizer can participate in economic activities, share in their household work, or join them in
social activities.

In the process of integration certain things should happen to the integration:

1. He or she should come to respect the people and see the liberating aspects of their culture
that gave them the strength to struggle. The so-called culture of silence is a sociologist's
abstraction. The poor are though, determined, full of good naturedness. They also have the
weakness of other gunman beings.

2. The organizer should see how the social analysis he or she may have made of the national
situation is concretized in the people's lives. He or she can see to what extent the social analysis,
too, is only an abstraction. Reality is much complex and complicated.

3. The organizer should try to see or intuit God's activity among the poor, since the poor are the
privileged site of god's work today, according to the teaching of the churches.

4. He or she should in the end be accepted as member of the community

5. Finally, the organizer's values and lifestyle should change. He or she should become more
understanding and intolerant, more dedicated, more realistic and a poor man or woman as much
as possible.

To integrate well, the organizers should live in a poor urban or rural community in an
ordinary house and eat the food the people eat. Integration guarantees that a person's
commitment to change society is attuned to what the people want by a way of change and not
to some theoretical model or ideological or religion. Integration is basic to all others steps. If the
organizers are not one with the people, they can never really learn the true dimensions of the
people's problems or how to motivate them to change.

Social Investigation
Social investigation is the process of systematically looking for issues to organize the people
around. The organizer, immersed in the community, looks for problems that the people feel
strongly about to the extent that they will act on them. He or she looks for something concrete,
for example, sater and latrine problems, that are objectively problems that are obvious forms of
community integration. The organizer's few months will be spent on getting to know the
community well to be able to draw up a program that will maximize the participation of the
community members. A community study must be regarded both as phase of a long process and
as a long process itself. As a process, it is a continuing activity set to fulfill definite expectations
as definite periods. Making a community study can take several forms, including: gathering and
reviewing secondary date sources such as records and documents, holding personal interviews,
conducting a survey, and observing people and their environment.

Initially, the organizer can prepare a guide for a community study which can be divided into major
areas of investigation Such as the physical environment, economic, socio-political and cultural
aspects of the community. The organizer can also look into organizational aspects by getting a
list of existing organizations in the community, their nature, objectives, leadership membership
and activities. The organizer's preliminary can include the community's:

1. Physical characteristics (e.g. location, area size, natural resources, climate, etc.)

2. Demographic characteristics (e.g. population size, age, and sex composition, occupational
groupings)

Once the organizers have been integrated to the community, he or she can conduct an in-depth
study to explore the community's different economic, political social structures and their various
interrelationships. This can also include an assessment of the people's levels of consciousness
based on their socio-economic classes. Once you do this you are now doing social investigation.
How to do social investigation? There are three ways in general: the first is to study the
documents and reports that talk of the people's problems. The second way is to learn from the
people themselves how they feel about the problem, how they see a problem's details,
complications and significance. The third way is to study the problem as it is affected by the
power structure of the Community, that is, to study how prevalent usury is in slum areas.

He can see for himself and learn from the people how common it is and what a weight it is put
on people. He should also see how it serves certain specific needs of the community that are not
served by government or other agencies and how the local leader is often the principal usury.
This last piece of information warns him that action against usury will be opposed by the leader
and his friends. A piece of advice though avoids excessive drinking as well as courting or flirting
with men and women in the community. Do not gamble. Remember, too, that an important
component of organizing is documentation. Hence, it will be an advantage to keep the diary of
daily activities, experience as well as impressions of and reflections of interactions with the people
in the community. This can be a use for reference in the future, which can also be share with
other organizers. After a period of about one or two months, the organizers are now ready to
write the result of the community study. Community data can be reported and the initial phase
of community organizing can be documented. This will also help the community organizer to
evaluate the feasibility of the program in the community.

Spotting and Development of the Potential Leaders

In the process of integration and community study, Conscious efforts must be identify
contacts in the community who can provide and or validate information about the community and
its people. We can also develop this group of contacts into a pool of local organizers or leaders
for the program.

Some of the criteria that may be used or employed in identifying contacts/potential leaders
include the following:

1. They must belong to the low or middle-income sectors of the community.


2. They must be credible and have a wide sphere of influence.
3. They must be critical of their environment.
4. They must be responsive to change.
5. They must have good communication skills.
6. Trey must be articulate as well as attentive to their fellow community members.
7. They must be partisan to the poor of their community.

Once the organizers have identified the contacts, he can now hold a series of informal or
small group discussion with them. These will serve as venues for raising their consciousness and
helping them realize the importance of concerted and collective action.

Core Group Formation


With your group of contacts, the organizer is now ready to form the core group. Core group
formation is the laying down of the foundation for a strong community organization. The core
group can come mainly (through no only) from the group of contact. The core group represents
the most advanced group in the community in terms of consciousness.

The organizer cam initiate a series of meetings and discussion among the members of the core
group so they can exchange knowledge and insights towards a deeper understanding of the
problems, resources and dynamics of their community. The core group can then lay out the plans
and task for establishing a community organization composed of various sectors of the
community. One of the tasks of the core group is to come up with a tentative program the
organizer should not have pre conceived ideas on what is the right issue to tackle. He should be
continually curious and always looking for deeper levels of complexity in problems. He finally ,
however, should choose one issue to work on. Some organizers will go on studying problems and
never settle on an issue. At some point you have to begin and believe that as result of action you
will discover further information.
The issue settled on must:

1. Affect the large number of people; it is basic organizing to include large numbers of people.

2. The people must feel strongly about it, for example they must have complained about the
problem in some way the organizer or given some sign that the problem bothers them.

3. It should be winnable that is, the people should be able to get what they want soon. It shouldn't
on the other hand be a hopeless struggle, for example, a plan to get rid of the multi-nationals.

4. Action on the issue should interest other people who will join in allies are needed at every
stage of the organizing work.

5. The issue should be dramatic and interesting if possible. This will create wider interest in the
organizing work.

6. The issue should lead to further issues, for example, an organizer s hould see that action on
water tops that lead to small water consumers group that can later oppose a traditional
government controlled leader.

Once tentative programs the core group with the assistance of the community organizers will
conduct ground work. Groundwork means to go around and motivate people on or one to one
basis to do something on the water top issue or whatever issue has been chosen, this is also
called agitation. Some aspects of motivation or agitation that can be used are self -interest,
morality, rights, honor or shame, and anger. The organizers as he go around should talk about a
general meeting to which more people can come for further discussion and action. He should for
example, propose a meeting to talk about people going to city hall to demand water taps. He
discusses the pros and cons of this action with the people he talks too. He should get people
willing to do something and prepared to come in meeting at such a time to agree on such type
of action.

Sometimes, our agitation, we use points intimately tied to the people's culture and religion. We
should not use for the agitation purposes anything in culture is really good and yet against the
people. If we don't believe in the things we use in our agitation, we can wind up manipulating
people and acting as if holy this is the height of arrogance.

The core group may initially undertake training in leadership and organizing. You can conduct the
training yourself or seek to help of other resource persons. Training activities should inc lude
assessment and reflection sessions. When the members had gained the needed knowledge and
skills, they can then conduct their own training for other section of the community. Other
mobilization activities may be planned to sharpen the skills of the core group. As these
mobilization efforts gain greater ground and reach a wider segment of the community, the
functions of the community organization can be formalized.

Recruitment and firming up of Members

The core group task is also to recruit and firm u the potentials members of the organization. The
basis for recruitment should be based on commonness of vision, problems, class interest or
political standpoint.

Setting up the Organization

After sometime in which the capabilities of the core group members have been sufficiently tested,
and when an adequate number of people have been attracted to common goals and objectives,
the formalization and expansion of the core group can now be done through the formation of the
community or sectored organization.

The formal setting up of the organization will involve planning in the national assembly.
Mobilization or action is the actual exercise of people's power. Conflict types of mobilizations are
needed. The people's confidence and self-respect are buried beneath centuries of oppression.
Confrontation is a good way to cut through all this. A good argument, surprisingly, can create a
sense of capability and dignity. What types of action? Some of the fun of organizing lies in this
tactics. The tactics should within the experience of the people, but outside the experience of the
powerful.

Before conducting any major mobilization, a role play is helpful. Role play means to act out the
meeting that will take place between the leaders of the people and the government
representatives. The leaders play themselves while some of the people take the part of the
government and answer as they think the government people will answer. It is way of training
people to anticipate what will happen and prepare themselves. It can be (and very enlighten too)
to see the poor people's imitation of the powerful. Role play is a good method to develop a sense
of reaction on the spot. The organizer can step in with advice from time to time.

The main Advantage of role play over other methods of preparation is that by its nature, it involves
people's emotion as well as their intellects and people enter into it with full enthusiasm. It is not
hard to do so, so it's a pleasant way of reviewing issues and aspects of the problem. Role play
allows for an air of confrontation that the people should get used to. After the action the people
should sit down and review that what happened good or bad. The action is the raw material of
the evaluation. Some of the question that should cover is:

1. Did we prepare well? Did we go the right person? Were leaders are ready to speak? We're the
demands clear and feasible? Did we have enough people? Did we overestimate our strength?

2. What did we learn? Did we learn anything about how the system works in practice? About the
value of peoples power? About our own weaknesses?`

Theoretically, reflection could be part of evaluation, but in practice, it is better to separate it


because it deals with deeper ongoing concerns and may need quieter atmosphere. Reflection is
the time to look at the positive values we are trying to build in the organization. t deals with
sacrifice, community building, the role of leaders and authority, the nature of freedom and
democracy. It is useful often to use the scripture of the different religious in these discussions.

The people's organization is the result of many similar actions of the people. Gradually, the groups
of people who have acted can come together choose their leaders, and form their own
organizations. The following are some characteristics of people's organizations that the Asian
Committee for People's Organization has tried to promote:

1. It is an organization of smaller organization not individuals.


2. It has an internal structure that checks and balances and helps people participate and
deliberated

3. It is multi issues at any given time.

4 It is in constant action is the lifeblood of an organization.

5. It is serious. It is out to win.

6. It chooses tactics that are effective.

7. It is visible and controversial.


8. It projects an image power.

9. New leaders are constantly emerging

10. Leaders and people think and operate in terms of self-interest.

11. Partisan political alliances are made very critically.

12. It takes funds from within the people.

13. Is creates an impact beyond its immediate concerns and areas

Program Operations and Management

This is step where frequently the socio economic programs are implemented and manage by the
people themselves.

Networking and Alliance Building

This step emphasizes the interdependence of people's organizations. Is also emphasizes the need
to network with GO's NGO's, and other concern PO's. Please remember that the phases in the
organizing process described in this guide are not a step by step prescription of what is to be
done. Your whole stay in the community is a continuous process of integrating with people,
conducting social investigation, building contacts and launching mobilizations. Sometimes, all of
these happen simultaneously. The formation of the community organizations is by no means, the
end goal of this whole undertaking. The organization provides the people with a venue for
collective action, and by such their capabilities to deal with their needs and problems are
strengthened. But you will continue to work with the people, building them as they start to build
their capabilities. For only when people are able to say that “we did it ourselves” will you know
that you have done your job right, and you done it well.
ACTIVITY

Name: ___________________________________________ Score: ________________


Course: __________________________________________ Date: _________________

ACTIVITY : "COMMUNITY PAPER COLLAGE" (base your answer in the collage that you
made in one of the activities in the preliminary coverage)

Guide Question:

1. Based on the current situation, what gap exists between the ideals of the community people
and the reality?
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2.Make a reflection paper on your output (paper collage) that you made
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MAKING AN ACTION PLAN

PROGRAM AND PROJECT PLANNING,


IMPLEMEMENTATION MONITORING, AND EVALUATION

Now that you realized the significance and interrelatedness of the different threats to human
security and their impacts to human existence, the responsive and meaningful framework to
address these problems (sustainable development), and the significance of community organizing
and community profiling in carving out actions to deal with these issues, we can now proceed to
the steps in delivering the development interventions (program and projects) in the community.
We now move from the simple theoretical plane to the application phase. It is important to note
that the succeeding actions can be done while organizing the community to action.

The data and information on the profile of the community serve as bases in designing
development interventions for the community. Over the years, this task is undertaken by group
of experts believing that they have the monopoly of knowledge in community development
(technocratic bias). However, as we have pointed in the preceding modules, the people
themselves have knowledge on how to improve their condition and find solutions to their
problems. Through democratic participation, the community and the community organizers can
carry out responsive and meaningful community development interventions.

In this module, the rudiments in conducting development programs or projects were presented.
In this module, you will learn the application of participatory project planning, implementation ,
monitoring , and evaluation in NSTP-CWTS.

Program or Project Cycle

Responsive and meaningful sustainable developments programs and projects, unlike most dole-
out activities follow a dynamic cycle. That is, after the last stage of the program or project,
development intervention moves to another plane until the people are able to work on their own
At this stage, the development workers (or the NSTP-CWTs the NSTP-CWTSs students) become
ready to move to another partner community (without necessarily cutting the ties with the
previous partner community).

Figure 1 shows the major stages of the program or project cycle. These are planning,
implementation, monitoring, and evaluation stages.

Project Cycle:
In every phase of the program or project cycle, a similar cycle takes place. During the planning
phase, for example, a plan on how to carry out the planning meetings is drawn. In the plan for
planning, the process of implementation, monitoring and evaluation are also set. Likewise, during
the implementation stage, planning on how to implement the plan for the implementation is
conducted, followed by the implementation of the plan for implementation. Similar "mini-cycles"
are also carried out during the monitoring and evaluation stages.

The purpose of adopting these cycles is to make sure that the development plan is followed.
Errors are also minimized, if not totally avoided. However, there instances that some aspects of
the original plan cannot be possibly implemented (i.e. budget problem, loss of some organization
members, and or other factors beyond the control of the group and organization members). This
can be resolved during the stages of the "mini-cycles" while being firm to the objectives of the
program or project. Furthermore, data and information for program or project evaluation after its
termination become more become project accurate (and even easy). The reasons for the problem
during the entire program or project implementation are identified, including the assessment on
the solution adopted to resolve these problems. SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and
threats) analysis can also be done using these data and information.

Since NSTP-CWTS courses only courses only cover a yea, documents-such as minutes of
meetings-become available to the next batches of students. They can peruse or read in detail the
operation of the program or project at whatever stage and be able to decide with community
members of the next courses of action to do. This process basically ensures the utmost continuity
(and sustainability) of the program or project.
Planning Stage

In his classic book The Art of War, Chinese Philosopher and militarist Sun Tzu said:

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a
hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you
will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb
in every battle..”

Sun Tzu essentially emphasized the importance of knowing the enemy (capabilities and
weaknesses) and one's self before engaging into any type of war. As Sun Tzu said, "If you know
the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." Such is the
case when we mount our battle against the threats to human security.

In the previous modules, you learned how to gather data and information that can help you in
planning for data and community works. Yet, these may turn out to be useless if they are not
utilized properly. If you further read in detail the book of Sun Tzu, you would notice that
significance of planning slowly unfolds. No matter the intention and data available without
participatory planning, development works are most likely to fail.

Planning is a conscious, systematic process which decisions are made about goals and activities
that an individual, group, organization, community will pursue in the future (Natulla, 2006). The
plan provides a systematic direction and framework for the entire program or project.
Furthermore, planning becomes effective when there is a careful analysis of the situation,
definition of the problem, alternative actions, persons to implement the actions and monitoring
of the implementation process.

How to Start? Look into the data and information that were that were gathered during the pre-
community organizing and community profiling stages. Identify the issues and problem that
confront the community members. Present these in these in a meeting, first with the key persons
then to the community members (especially the household heads without discriminating the
participation of women). In Module, we discussed the basic in conducting participatory meetings
and organizing that you can adopt in planning.

After identifying the problems, discuss with the community members which of these are the
priority issues that need immediate resolution. Present also your group's (institution) capabilities
in assisting the community and address their concerns. The result of the series of meetings with
the community members can help you decide what development intervention you can introduce.

Consistency of the Development A Program or Project

It is not enough that you have determined the kind of program or project for the community.
Oftentimes, there are already existing programs or projects in the community that aim to address
the identified problems. Duplicating these would only result to the waste of the valuable resources
especially financial) and efforts.
In the Manual of Operations in Extension of the Mariano Marcos state University, Esteban (2005)
enumerated three (3) preliminary questions in preparing extension project proposals for the
Mariano Marcos State University that can as well guide us in planning for NSTP-CWTS programs
or projects in our partner communities. These are:

1. Is the project idea within the mandate, of the proponent operating unit and the University?

2. Is the project idea different from existing ideas? Is it not just duplication?

3. Is it feasible and practicable under prevailing conditions and situations (i.e. availability of
resources)?

Aside from the three (3) preliminary questions, Esteban 2005) further enumerated ten (10)
questions in planning can also be adopted as guide questions in conducting participatory planning.
1. What problem or issue will the project address?

2. What is the project idea and how does it address the identified problems/issues?

3. How is the project idea different from existing ideas?

4. What will be the result and impact to be achieved?

How will this be measured? Who will be benefited?

5. Where, when and how will the project be implemented?

6. Who will be the significant partners and cooperators? What and how much resources will each
partner contribute to the project?

7. How much and from what sources will the needed budge be?

8. What are the activities to be carried out towards effective and efficient achievement of the
results?

9. How will the project be monitored and evaluated?

10.How can the project be replicated?

Once these questions are answered, you can start writing your formal program or project
proposal.
Writing a Project Plan

There are various formats that you can adopt in writing a program or project proposal. The H.E.S
Consortium (2004) suggested the following format.

I. Introduction
II. Objectives
III. Task Allocation and Timeframe
IV. Budget and Resource Assessment
V. Reflection/Evaluation

On the other hand, Esteban (2005) presents a more elaborated format for program or project
proposal.
I. Project Title
II. Proponent
III. Implementing Agency
IV. Cooperating Entity
V. Target Area
VI. Target Beneficiaries
VII. Period of Implementation
VIII. Status
IX. Source and Amount of Budget
X. Project Description
XI. Situational Analysis
XII. Scope and Project
a. Rationale
b. Logical framework
c. Components and Phases
d. Organization
XIII. Budget Breakdown
XIV. Cost-Benefit Analysis
XV. Risk Assessment
a. Socio-economic and Environmental
b. Critical Assumptions
XVI. Monitoring and Evaluation

The decision on the format you are going to write depend on the extensiveness of the program
or project you are going to implement and the demand of your funding agency (or your
institutions). However, the latter format is basically basically adopted in more comprehensive
community development programs.

Introduction/Rationale. Writing the introduction or rationale of the program or project begins


by having a clear concept on the specifics of the problem or issue that you intend to address.
Once the basic problem or issue you want to be concerned with flashes in your mind, write them
down on a sheet of paper, no matter how many" (H.E.S. Consortium, 2004).

On the other hand, the five (5) questions in critical thinking mentioned (Table 1) by Professor B.
Tayag of the University of the Philippines could be of help in organizing the program or project
introduction or rationale.

TABLE 1. Five Questions in Critical Thinking


QUESTIONS WHAT TO DO?

What This questions defines what the problem or what the situation is.

How This aims to determine how the problem developed.

Why This questions emails the identification of the reasons for the occurrence of the
problem situation.

So What Answering this question will help us draw a deeper assessment of the situation
or problem.

What now This leads to the planned solutions and actions to solve the problems or
solutions.

The answer to the "what" question either start with the national (or even international) situation
related to the issue or problem that confronts the community. Statistical data and information are
valuable tools in presenting more convincing introduction, especially if the proposal is presented
or submitted to a funding agency.

On the other hand, the "how", "why" and "so what" questions underscore the source or cause of
the problem and the bases in determining the development interventions. By answering these
questions, the reason for the implementation of the development program and project is
presented. The bases for the intervention of the NSTP-CWTS are also explained.

Finally, the "what now" question leads to the program or project response to the identified issue
or problem. This question also establishes the action to be taken by the NSTP-CWTS students-
either in coordination with the school's extension or outreach department, or with other agencies
or institutions.
ACTIVITY:
Name: ___________________________________________ Score: ________________
Course: __________________________________________ Date: _________________
1. Write the introduction of your proposal by answering the five questions. (base your answer
in Table 1.)
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Objectives. The objectives set the general and specific target actions of your program or project.
Usually, the objectives of the program or project are anchored on the vision and mission of your
school. Nevertheless, the objectives must respond to the threats to human security, which is the
very core of the NSTP-CWTS course.

The objectives must indicate specific and measurable variables before, during and after the
implementation of the program or project. Determining the attainment of the objectives would
be difficult if these are vague or indefinite. (However, objectives can also be numerically
incalculable. To establish the changes that happened in the lives of the community members,
stories are sometimes used.)

Oftentimes, the issues and problems that confront the community are sometimes overwhelmingly
extensive. Propelled by over enthusiasm, this may lead to the adoption of unattainable objectives.
In setting the objectives, make it a point that they are obtainable or attainable.

Program/project components.

In order to attain the objectives of development programs, various projects components are
usually formulated. For example, the Solid Waste Management Program (SWaMP) of is composed
of three (3) projects - i.e. Seminar on Solid Waste Management, Operation Plan (OPLAN) Linis
Kanal, and Construction of a Mini-Material Recovery Facility. All of these projects aim to realize
the objectives of the SWaMP.

Each project component can be discussed or elucidated in separate proposal, while emphasizing
the thrust of the SWaMP that is being carried out. The contents of these project proposals (or
reports) must remain in line with the thrusts of the SWaMP.

The projects can still be broken into sub-projects. In the the case of the SWaMP, a series of
awareness seminar workshop can be conducted among the different sectors of the the
community. The first seminar-workshop can be conducted for the faculty members in the school,
followed by the seminar-workshop for the students, then for the members of the partner
community.
ACTIVITY:
Name: ___________________________________________ Score: ________________
Course: __________________________________________ Date: _________________
1. Identify the program or projects that you can implement in the community in order to
realize your objectives. Make sure that these program or projects are withing capabilities
to implement.
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

Time allocation. In each project component of the program the time for every activity is
presented, using Ghantt chart. This would be very useful in monitoring the project and the
operation of the entire program. In setting the time frame, make it sure that allocated period for
the activities are realistic.

Budget and resource allocation. The dole-out approach has long been noted as the primary
reason for the dependence of the underprivileged and economically challenged. Not only does
this approach exhaust the needed fund to cover the implementation of development works but
also perpetuate the disempowerment of the underprivileged.
The concept of "pay what you get" should be adopted in implementing NSTP-CWTS programs or
projects. All available sources of funds must be exhausted-i.e. the NSTP CWTS fund, the
Government and its agencies, private corporation, and others. However, it is encouraging for the
community to contribute a “counterpart” funds – either in monetary or service forms- from the
community.

Implementation Stage

The effective and efficient implementation of the program or project hinges on the kind and
nature of the organization, the availability of resources, and monitoring system. Likewise, the
participation of the community members and the sincerity of implementing participants (NST P-
CWTS student) to put through the realization of the program or project's implementation are
important. After the plan has been approved and the organization of the plan the community
organization is set (or the ad hoc committee), the implementation of the program or project
commences.
A review on the organizational structure for the mechanisms and operations of the program or
project is a good start before the actual implementation of the program or project components.
In the case of the NSTP-CWTS, the task of each student or group must be reviewed through final
meeting or series of meetings.

In doing the actual implementation, take note of the following in implementing the program or
project.

1. Supervision must be done to help the implementing participants effectively (and effectively)
perform their tasks.

2. Frequent communication is needed between and among the implementing partners to ensure
that the objectives of the program or project are kept.

3. Remember, coordination is a process by which teamwork, agreement and understanding are


secured to support a common endeavor. It is working to relationship based on tasks. Hence,
coordination is indispensable.

4. Community relation is the process of establishing effective working relationship between the
NSTP CWTS students and the community people. It brings about responsiveness of the actions
to community needs.

The effective and efficient Implementation of the program or project is dependent on the ability
of the implementers to follow the designed plan. However, if the plan is unsatisfactory, expect
defective program or project results. Re-writing the plan while the program or project is being
implemented is time consuming and resource-depleting

Monitoring and Evaluation Stage

Monitoring is the regularly or periodic assessment of the activities and outputs during the
implementation of the program or project. Bamberger and Hewitt (1986) defined monitoring as
"type of evaluation performed while the project is being implemented, with the aim of improving
the project design the implementation stage, the most appropriate solutions to the problems
encountered as decided. Therefore, wastages of the valuable financial resources and effort are
avoided.

On the other hand, evaluation "studies the outcome of a (program) project (changes in income,
housing quality, benefits distribution, cost-effectiveness) with the aim of the informing the design
of future projects." (Bamberger and Hewitt, 1986). Evaluation contains information reports gained
from the past action to improve future actions. These reports usually contain finding conclusions,
recommendations and lessons learned. These processes are vital in the sustenance of the
community project.

As a process, evaluation includes judging value on what a project or program has achieved
particularly in relation to activities planned and overall objectives. In involves value judgment,
hence different form monitoring (which is observation and reporting of observations).

According to Freeman, Rossi and Wright (in Esteban, 1990) evaluation should be viewed as a
sequential activity where implementations is examined first. This is followed by the assessment
of the impact or output and cost-benefit or cost- benefit analysis. However, "... there are cases
where it is foolish to invest in studying impact where there is reason to believe that projects are
not implemented as planned... In such cases, resources should be directed and devoted to
studying implementation firsts." (Freeman, Rossi and Wright, 1979). Hence, proper program or
project implementation is the precursor evaluation.

Conventional versus Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation

In the past, the technocrats of experts conventionally conducted monitoring and evaluation.
According to Sulabo (2004), traditional monitoring and evaluation were carried out by "...outsiders
who gather information about people, a situation without the subjects involved process." The
outsiders" solely perform the monitoring and evaluation based on stringent or highly structured
indicators and methodologies.

Participatory monitoring and evaluation, however, greatly rely on the participation of the partner
community. The members of the partner community participate in the collection and analysis of
data, thereby empowering them to make decisions for their live. Bamberger and Hewitt, (1986)
also claimed that the integration of the community members or beneficiaries (stakeholders) ideas
or opinions ...brings greater ownership of project objectives and encourages the sustainability of
project benefits. Ownership brings accountability." As such, the value of participatory planning is
underscored.

Correspondingly, in participatory monitoring and evaluation,

..stakeholders are involved in defining what will be evaluated, how it will be


evaluated, and how the data will be analyzed, consolidated and reported.

Unlike in the conventional type, participatory monitoring and evaluation is flexible, locally adaptive
and holistic in approach (Sulabo, 2004)

Approaches to Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation


The two most commonly adopted approaches in monitoring and evaluation are the Snyder
evaluation (or model) and the logical framework or approaches. In the Snyder model, the program
or project beneficiaries are involved as co-evaluators in the three-stage process of evaluation-
process, outcome, and short cycle.

During the process of evaluation, the evaluator and the stakeholders gain better understanding
on the operation of the program or project. Natura (2004) added,

The outcome evaluation enables the participants to apply their knowledge


developed through process evaluation to assess which of the goals are being achieved
and how ell this is being done. The short cycle evaluation, in turn, uses the
understanding and performance indicators gained in the two earlier phases to set up
the feedback loops which allows for self-improvement or programs.

On the other hand, logical framework approach or loo frame is an "...analytical presentation and
management tool that involves problem analysis, stakeholder analysis, developing a hierarchy of
objective and selecting a preferred implementation strategy." (Natura, 2004)

Concerns of Monitoring and Evaluation

Since the concern of monitoring and evaluation is the determination, measurement and
assessment of the program or project results, it is necessary (particularly in designing programs
of projects that adopt multidisciplinary approach) that careful assessment be made at certain
critical points in the implementation stage. The implication of the program on the condition of the
target beneficiaries must also be determined, including the sustainability of the desired or planned
impact on the community members.

The results of the program or project can be the categorized as follows:


1. Output. These are the physical outcome of the program or project (e.g. number of seedlings
planted, length of fences constructed, number of machines delivered). Likewise, the services
provided are also considered outputs (e.g. number of trained persons, vaccinated children, and
women assisted

2. Effects. This refers to the direct effects and immediate consequences of the program or project
outputs to the intended beneficiaries.

2. Impacts. These are the changes on the standard of living of the target beneficiaries as
results of the project of program. The impact can be felt an individual, a family of the
entire community.

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