Community Empowerment Introduction - Readings

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Part A: What We Want for the Community

Introduction to the Empowerment Methodology

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.

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. Introduction to the Empowerment Module Hub of the Module The Eight Elements of Community Empowerment Discussion Handout The Six Dimensions of Culture and Community Discussion Handout The Sixteen Elements of Strength Discussion Handout Community Empowerment Key Words Entry Empowerment Key Words Entry

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

• Capacity Development Key Words Entry
• Social Engineering Discussion Handout
• Social Engineering Key Words Entry

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

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

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

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