OPENING PRAYER

Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship

Empowerment and
Advocacy of a
Community Action
Initiative

EDLYN R. DAWIS
Subject Teacher
OBJECTIVES:

• Define empowerment and advocacy in

connection with community action
• Promote empowerment and advocacy of
a specific community action
• Make your own advocacy
Empowerment is the act of giving
somebody more control over their own
life or the situation they are in or giving
somebody the power or authority to do
something.
(According to Oxford Dictionary)
Advocacy is the support, advice, and help given to
people, often with special needs or aims, who are
unable to speak for themselves.
 Public support for our recommendation of a
particular cause or policy
 Active promotion of a cause or principle
 Involves actions that lead to a selected goal
 One of many possible strategies or ways to
approach a problem
To elaborate, according to Taguibao (2016),
in connection with community action,
people empowerment is the process that
increases community autonomy and
individual self-determination. These
processes are designed to help gain control
of their own lives.
As stated by Ban Ki Moon, Former
Secretary General of the United
Nations, this aims to ensure that
people have the right set of skills and
opportunities they need to live better
and dignified lives.
Advocacy, in connection with community
engagement, also means attaining people
empowerment. It can be led by people who
are not part of the community or by leaders
within the community. The most effective
advocacy and people empowerment is the
combination of both.
Empowering sectors like the poor,
indigenous people and the like need strong
and effective advocacies for the protection
and promotion of their interests. In this
sense, according to Huberman (2014), these
are the strategies is community mobilization
resulting to people empowerment and
advocacy:
STRATEGIES OF EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY OF A COMMUNITY
ACTION INITIATIVE

1. Secure Strong Leadership-Engage strong leaders within the

community members.
The leader should possess these characteristics:
• the will to serve as the leader of the community over a
significant period of time;
• the capacity to provide both infrastructure and human
resources;
• financial stability;
• the ability to gather and manage financial resources, and the
respect and support of the community
STRATEGIES OF EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY OF A COMMUNITY
ACTION INITIATIVE

2. Establish Formal Structure- a formal structure

must be created for it can effectively lead
community change efforts.
• These may include specific committees,
organizational charts, rules like by-laws, policy
statements, and formal letters of agreement for
those who lead, organize, and participate in the
community effort.
STRATEGIES OF EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY OF A COMMUNITY
ACTION INITIATIVE

3. Engage the stakeholders- engage people,

groups, or institutions that may be affected by
or are important to the achievement of the
stated purpose of a project. They include
government, civil society, and the private sector
at national, intermediate, and local levels.
STRATEGIES OF EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY OF A COMMUNITY
ACTION INITIATIVE

4. Conduct a Needs assessments-it's a

way of asking group or community
members what they see as the most
important needs of that group or
community. The results of the survey
then guide future action.
STRATEGIES OF EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY OF A COMMUNITY
ACTION INITIATIVE

5. Create a Strategic Plan- develop a

strategic plan that lays out the goals and
objectives. The strategic plan should
identify the social, structural, and
individual changes that will lead to
people empowerment.
Empowerment and advocacy have various
definitions in connection with community
action initiatives. These are two sides of the
same coin. Both are emphasizing the
cooperation of groups and individuals who
are working together to achieve certain goals
and objectives.
Group Activity: My Advocacy “ PICK ME UP

Task do :
1. The class will be divided into three (6) groups.
2. Each group shall be given only 5 minutes of Preparation and 3 minutes of
presentation.
3. Each group will think of a particular campaign of a community, Based on
the picture they will pick.
4. They will present their advocacy in any of the following ways:
A. Tableau
B. Skit
C. Talk Show
D. News Presentation
E. Short Commercial
5. After the presentation, they will give a very concise explanation about their
presentation
Presentations
EVALUATION
MATCHING TYPE: 1-10

Direction: Match column A to column B. Write the

letter of your answer in your answer sheet.
-.
Assignment :

Product: A proposal of your advocacy explaining only the

Rationale of the advocacy
There will be a midyear assembly meeting in your
community that will happen next month to address
different issues/problems in your community. Being
the Barangay Captain / Youth Leader of the community
you are tasked to make a proposal of advocacy
regarding the issue happening in your community that
promotes empowerment.
Thank You for
Listening!
GOD BLESS!