Community Engagement,

Solidarity, and
Citizenship (CSC)
S.Y. 2022-2023 - Second Sem
 Analyzing the
Strategies of
Community Initiative
Empowerment
Is an enabling and interacting process and
a process of change. Requisites/elements:
an enabling environment human rights,
expanded choices, institutions, attitudes,
values, civil society organizations, subject
individual or groups or policies.
 How will you
define
empowerment?
Empowerment
Is a capacity of individuals to make choices
that can produce the desired changes in
their social, economic, and political lives. It
is important that people be empowered so
that they will not be depending on others
for charity.
Empowerment as a concept has diverse
connotations in various cultural and
political contexts. According to the World
Bank (WB), empowerment is defined as
“gaining power and control over decisions
and resources that determine the quality of
life.”
Broadly, the term refers to the expansion of
assets and capabilities of poor people to
participate in,
negotiate with, control and hold
accountable institutions that affect their
lives. (WB)
 ELEMENTS OF
EMPOWERMENT
ACCESS TO INFORMATION
information is power, It is impossible for the
poor to participate and take effective action
if there is lack of pertinent, appropriate,
and easy- reading information.
The more informed the people are the
more active they can be in taking the
opportunity to participate and get access to
service, exercise their rights, negotiate
effectively and hold the state accountable.
INCLUSION AND PARTICIPATION
as explained by the WB, inclusion focuses
on the question about who are included.
On the other hand, participation tackles the
question how are they included and what
role do they play?
However, in the attempt to withstand
“inclusion and informed participation,” it
necessitates altering the rules in order to
provide a space for people to deliberate on
issues and “participate directly or indirectly
in local and national settings, budget
formation and delivery of basic services.”
ACCOUNTABILITY
This term refers to the ability to call public
officials and other service providers to
make them accountable for their policies,
actions and use of funds. The WB
identified three types of accountability
mechanisms; Political, administrative, and
public.
Political accountability refers to
making political parties and
representatives accountable
through elections.
Administrative accountability of
government is achieved through
internal accountability
mechanisms within and among
agencies.
Public or social accountability
holds government agencies
accountable to citizens.
LOCAL ORGANIZATIONAL
CAPACITY
This element refers to the ability of
people to work together, organize
themselves and mobilize resources to
solve problems of common interest.
Organized communities are more likely to
have their voices heard and their demands
met than the communities that are not
organized or with small organizations.
Local community organizations capacity
building is key to their effectiveness.
ADVOCACY
Involves fighting for the rights of others
and having their concerns addressed by
targeting people in position of power. It is
an act of supporting a cause. There are
three types of advocacies: systematic,
individual, and self-advocacy.
 TYPES OF
ADVOCACIES
SYSTEMS ADVOCACY
Focuses on effort that shall change
policies at the local, national, or
international levels so that lasting
changes will be brought to the lives of
groups or individuals who share similar
problems.
INDIVIDUAL ADVOCACY
Focuses on efforts that will change the
situation of an individual and protect his
or her right.
SELF-ADVOCACY
Focuses on strengthening an individual’s
ability to communicate with otherpeople,
and at the same time persuading and
convincing the individual to address his
or her own needs and rights.
What is common among these advocacies
is their goal of changing the status quo by
targeting decision-makers, leaders, or
policymakers who can affect positive
change. Lastly, advocacy work requires a
carefully detailed advocacy campaign,
which follows a cyclical procedure:
• Identifying a priority problem
• Gathering information
• Developing achievable aims and
objectives
• Identifying the level of advocacy
• Identifying target people or groups
• Developing advocacy messages
• Identifying allies
• Identifying available resources
• Creating an action plan
• Monitoring and evaluating advocacy work
Advocacy strategies:
• Raising public awareness
• Use the media
• Eight questions that will guide your
advocacy strategy
• Remember the relationship between
online and offline activities.
• Consider the impact.
• Ensure your action step is front and
center.
• Contact in the best way possible.
• Keep your friends close