Community Empowerment Introduction - Readings

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Part A: What We Want for the Community

Introduction to the Empowerment Methodology



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Key points


We want to be able to make communities stronger, more self reliant, less dependent upon handouts. We want them to improve their power, their ability, their strength. This course shows you how, first by explaining the process from the point of view of the community, second by explaining it from the point of view of an individual, the mobilizer who stimulates, guides and encourages the community to undergo that social process.




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Reading

Resources listed include articles, handouts, course readings/notes, and key word definitions

Article: Bartle, P. The Human Factor and Community Empowerment Review of Human Factor Studies, Vol 14, No 1, Summer 2008
Notes: This published article provides a summary of the Empowerment Methodology, while the following short handouts and key words go into each of the aspects in a little more detail.





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Outcomes

  • The student will become aware of community empowerment as a social process.
  • The student will be able to identify what contributes to the empowerment process
  • The student will be able to identify the eight elements of the empowerment methodology, the six dimensions of culture, the sixteen elements of strength, and how each of these contributes to the process


Avoiding Social Engineering

We can not force a community to grow and become stronger (social engineering) but we can encourage and guide it to develop itself

Why Empower a Community?

Empowerment Principles Module Hub (Introduction)
  • The Community is the Most Effective Medium
Why Empower a Community? Discussion Handout
  • Power, Capacity, Ability
Ability Key Words Entry
Strengthen Key Words Entry
Capacity Development Discussion Handout
  • Choosing Which Communities
Read about Choosing in Managing an Empowerment Programme
Read Choosing a Community in Empowerment Principles
Read Why Empower a Community in Empowerment Principles
  • Wealth and Poverty, A Social Approach
Poverty Key Words Entry
Wealth Key Words Entry
Wealth Discussion Handout
Value Key Words Entry
  • Participation (Necessary but not Necessarily Sufficient)
Participation Key Words Entry
Community Participation Key Words Entry
Consult Key Words Entry
Participation Discussion Handout by Ben Flemming

Factors of Poverty (Not Causes)

Five Factors of Poverty Discussion Paper
  • Disease
Read Disease in Factors of Poverty
Disease Key Words Entry
  • Apathy
Read Apathy in Factors of Poverty
Apathy Key Words Entry
  • Dependency
Read Dependency in Factors of Poverty
Dependency Key Words Entry
Read Dependency in Project Design Module Discussion Handout
  • Dishonesty
Read Dishonesty in Factors of Poverty
Dishonesty Key Words Entry
  • Ignorance
Read Ignorance in Factors of Poverty
Ignorance Key Words entry

The Problem with Charity

Read Charity in Hidden Resources Discussion Handout
  • Kindness can Kill
Kindness Kills Discussion Handout
Charity Key Word Entry


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Discussion

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  • The So-Called "Welfare Mentality"
Parallels –– Student Generated Discussion
  • Partnership and Training
Hand up vs hand out –– Student Generated Discussion
  • Corruption and the Multiplier Effect
The Multiplier Effect Discussion Paper

The Dependency Syndrome

The Dependency Syndrome Discussion Handout
  • Charity Rightly Belongs to Emergency Response
Review Charity in Hidden Resources Discussion Handout
  • Giving Alms Trains Beggars
Read Wealth in Principles of Wealth Discussion paper
  • The Broken Bone Analogy; Pain Killers (Alleviation)
Read the Medical analogy in After the Disaster
  • Money Transfers Do Not Generate (New) Wealth
Read Assumptions in Principles of Wealth Generation Discussion Paper
Wealth Key Words Entry

Hidden Resources

Hidden Resources Discussion Handout

Why People Hide their Wealth

Don't you?
  • Self Reliance Requires Uncovering All Resources
A Lesson About the Value of Transparency
Read Chapter Three of The Strategy Report
  • Redefining Liabilities as Assets, Challenges as Gifts (Theresa)
Management and Positive Attitudes Discussion handout
Rename Problems as Gifts Discussion Handout

The Mobilization Cycle

Why we describe mobilization as in a cycle?
The Mobilisation Cycle Module Hub
Mobilization Cycle Key Words Entry
  • The Structure of the Intervention
Mobilization Cycle Explicated Discussion Handout
  • Training as mobilization
Training as Mobilization Discussion Handout
  • Once-And-For-All Invites Failure
Think about it
  • How to Sustain the Cycle
Sustaining the Intervention Short Module
  • Intervention as a Process


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Discussion

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Student Generated Discussion
  • Reporting
Leaving Usable Records
Report Writing Discussion Handout


Part B: What You Need to do to Mobilise a Community


To Be a Mobiliser

To Be a Mobiliser Discussion Handout
  • Intrinsic Personal Characteristics
Skills Discussion Handout
  • Trainable Personal Characteristics
Skills Discussion Handout
  • Reputation
Your Reputation is Your Most Valuable Asset
  • Integrity not only must be done, Integrity Key Words Entry
It must be seen to have been done Requirements Job Description
  • Not every community is ready to be mobilised
Knowing When to Fold ‘Em Discussion Handout

Getting Prepared

Getting Prepared Module Hub
  • Know (or Learn) Your Goals and Objectives
Know Your Goals Discussion Handout
  • Know (or Learn) About Your Beneficiaries
Know Your Target Community Discussion Handout
  • Know (or Learn) the Needed Skills
Know the Required Skills Discussion Handout
  • Know (or Learn) the Community Empowerment Concepts
Know the Concepts Discussion Handout

Getting Started (Preparing the Community)

Getting Started Module Hub
  • Making the Road Passable (Permissions)
Clearing the Pathway Discussion Handout
  • Raising Awareness, Not Expectations
Raising Awareness Discussion Handout
  • Challenging the First Wish List
Challenging the Community Discussion Handout
  • Making Community Decisions
Choosing a Project Discussion Handout

Organizing the Community

Organizing the Community Module Hub
  • Organizing for Decision Making and Action
Organising for Action Discussion Handout
  • Management Training (and Union Organizing) for Communities
Training as Mobilization Discussion Handout
  • Community Plan and Action Plan
Community Action Plan Discussion Handout
  • Project Design
Project Design Discussion Handout
Project Design Module Hub

Implementing the Community Action

Into Action Module Introduction
  • Organizing Without Action is Not Mobilizing
Action Key Words Entry
  • Implementing the Community Plans
Implementing Community Plans Discussion Handout
  • Oops! They Need More Skills
Skills Discussion Handout
Needs Discussion Handout
  • Include the Monitoring, Too
Monitoring Discussion Handout
  • Celebration (Necessary Work) –– Avoid veisalgia)
Celebration Discussion Handout

Sustaining the Process

Sustaining the Process Module Hub
  • Do We Eat Once-And-For-All?
Sustaining the Cycle Discussion Handout
  • How do Communities Maintain Their Facilities? (Flat Rates vs Fees)
Costs of Maintaining Water Supply Discussion Handout
  • The Importance of Finding Leaders to Carry On
Identifying and Training Leaders Discussion Handout
  • Reporting to Assist in Sustaining
Review Leaving Usable Records
Review Report Writing Discussion Handout

Community Empowerment and National Development (Conclusion)

Content generated from student discussions


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Discussion

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  • Expectations in Newly Independent Countries
  • To Decree That Participation is Allowed does not Guarantee It
  • The Community is the Medium Where it Can Work
  • Do not Ask a Chicken for Milk, or a Cow for Eggs