CONSTITUENCY ACTION PLANNING

AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT

MANUAL

 

Prepared in Support of the

Rural Community Development Fund/Scheme

(RCDF/S)

 

 

 

SIG-UNDP DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION

AND PARTICIPATORY PLANNING PROGRAMME (SIDAPP)

Provincial Government Development Unit

Ministry of Provincial Government and Rural Development

5th Floor, Anthony Saru Building

Honiara, Solomon Islands

Tel. (677) 26560 to 62; 26358 Fax (677) 26458

Email: sidapp@welkam.solomon.com.sb

 

 

 

NOTE FOR THE USER OF THIS MANUAL

 

This Manual is for the use of government officers, NGO fieldworkers, volunteers and other development workers involved in the challenging task of mobilizing communities to take part in the Rural Community Development Fund/Scheme.

 

It is by no means complete.  We hope to hear feedbacks from you as you use it in participatory planning project development activities with target communities and groups in the rural areas of Solomon Islands.

 

Help us further improve the Manual.  Let us hear from you.

 

 

SIDAPP PROJECT TEAM

FOR PIPOL FASTAEM DEVELOPMENT

 

 

The basic steps in Constituency Action Planning and Project Development are as follows:

 

1.     Prepare the constituency Development Profile

 

2.     Identify key problem of each ward, village or settlement using profile data or information

 

3.     Set goals and objectives on the basis of the problems identified and assess available resources

 

4.     Determine villages or families most affected by the problems

 

5.     Assist target families, villages or groups to identify and formulate projects

 

6.     Train local development committees to appraise projects

 

7.     Prepare the Constituency Action Plan

 

8.     Provide support to the implementation, managing and monitoring of projects

 

9.     Evaluate the impact of projects on community goals and objectives

 

 

 

 

1.  Prepare the constituency Development Profile

 

 

What is a Profile?

 

 

 

-A community profile is a useful starting point for planning

 

-It puts together all the relevant information about the locality, the people and the social, cultural and economic features of the Constituency

 

-Its basic elements include:

 

  • physical and environmental resources
  • economic activities
  • social services
  • sources of wealth and power
  • demographic structure
  • social organization
  • culture, religion, and governance

 

-It can describe access to services by the disadvantaged

 

  • The constituency profile can describe what services exist in the community and how well they actually meet the needs of the people.

 

  • Identifying access to services involves the availability of schools, health services, clean water supplies, staple foods and other basic necessities.

 

  • Various factors, including cost, distance, and treatment by service providers may discourage use.

 

  • Traditional beliefs and taboos, cultural and religious factors, may also discourage use of service.

 

 

 

How can the Constituency Profile be prepared?

 

 

-Profiling has to be a joint effort between the community and the planners or technical officers

 

-While planners can analyze the data they have collected, and define issues that they see as problems, action on those issues is not likely to be effective unless members of the community also see them as problems and are committed to solving them

 

-Planners contribute data, analysis and professional insights about possible avenues of action, while community residents contribute their own ideas of what their problems and needs are

 

 

What activities are to be undertaken in preparing the Constituency Development Profile?

 

 

-Organize government officers and NGO representatives and train them on profiling

 

-Mobilize them to gather secondary data

 

-Get village representatives to update the data with their knowledge of the local situation

 

-Refer to Guidelines on Constituency Profiling

 

 

 

 

2.     Identify key problem of each ward, village or settlement using profile data or information

 

 

How can we use Profile data or information to identify key problems in each ward, village or settlement?

 

 

 

 

 

The Profile can serve as a mirror through which the community can view its current problems and potential and decide on what to do.

 

Use profile data and information:

 

  • To look for causes and effects, and let the causal connections explain the why’s and how’s of the situation.  For example:

 

It is not enough to say that 10 percent of infants in a given village die before their fifth birthday.  We must be able to seek possible causes by looking at other information: the status of the environment, food production patterns, nutrition, sanitation, consumption habits, etc.

 

  • To indicate the nature and extent of development problems in the area.

 

  • To indicate the social groups most affected by the problems identified.

 

  • To identify possible solutions to the problems.

 

  • To understand the local sources of power and authority, the families, clans, institutions or individuals who wield it, and how it may affect the direction of development efforts.

 

  • To understand the constraints faced by government officers, their specific strengths and weakness in terms of performing their respective roles and tasks and their likely attitude to people-centered initiatives.

 

 

 

 

 

3.     Set goals and objectives on the basis of the problems identified and assess available resources

 

 

How do we set goals or objectives on the basis of the problems identified?

 

 

We next look at the specific problems and decide how much each of tem can be reduced, minimized or eradicated after a period of time.  This is one way to determine community goals and objectives.

 

Do we want to reduce the number of severely malnourished children from 10 to 5 in a given constituency within a three-year period?

 

How much do we want to reduce the rate of school push-outs in a year?

 

How many jobs do we create to reduce unemployment?

 

Goals are realistic statements of what we want to do with a given problem.

 

 

How do goals differ from objectives?

 

 

Goals indicate what state a community desires to attain in some future time.  Objectives are narrower statements on what should be done to reach the goal.

 

If the goal is to reduce child malnutrition cases by 10% in three years, the objectives may read like the following:

 

To increase the number of families with backyard gardens as sources of balance nutrients;

 

To provide feeding supplements to severely malnourished children;

 

To conduct classes on food preparation to mothers of malnourished children;

To increase consumption of locally produced nutritious food.

 

 

 

 

4.  Determine villages or families most affected by the problems

 

 

Why do we need to identify disadvantaged villages?

 

 

  • Due to scarce resources, we need to prioritize.  Communities and groups which are more disadvantaged than others deserve support and assistance.  Less social services have been made available to them in the past on account of their remote location and other factors.  As a result, they are relatively more burdened with problems.

 

  • The greatest challenge to development efforts is how to bring disadvantaged communities and groups to the mainstream of community life.  They must be effectively reached with development information and services.

 

  • Their situation must improve if development is to be meaningful for all.  Their status affects the entire development picture of the Constituency.

 

 

 

How can we identify disadvantaged villages?

 

We can criteria such as the following:

 

1.       Distance or access to basic services, or existence in the village of such services (health facility, school)

 

2.       Lack of basic infrastructure (feeder road, water supply system, energy source)

 

3.       Distance or access to market for the buying and selling of produce

 

4.       Geographic remoteness or isolation; difficulty of travel in and out of the village

(topographic constraints)

 

5.       Limited opportunities to use land resources due to disputes

 

6.       Number of school drop-outs or push-outs

 

7.       Lack of support from government agencies, NGOs or donor agencies as evidenced by limited number or absence of externally funded projects

 

8.       Difficulties in initiating or sustaining income generating projects

 

More than four of these features can make a village or a settlement more disadvantaged than others.

 

 

Can we also identify disadvantaged families?

 

We can use criteria such as the following:

 

1.          Large family size, with more than 6 members, mostly children

 

2.          With history of infant death and/or child malnutrition

 

3.          With school drop-outs or push-outs

 

4.          Limited access to land

 

5.          Limited source or no source of cash income

 

6.          Lack of involvement in community affairs due to cultural, economic, religious or other factors

 

7.          Non-involvement in development activities, projects, training, etc.

 

8.          Single-headed family, or with widowed mother (or with orphans)

 

 

A minimum or at least four features will qualify a family to be a target reference family.

 

 

 

 

5.  Assist target families, villages or groups to identify and formulate projects

 

 

What are projects?

 

Projects are activities which use resources to solve problems or achieve development objectives.  Hence, identifying projects means looking for activities which when carried out can help overcome development problems.

 

It also means looking for activities which can help use existing opportunities or resources to solve these problems, and thereby achieve local or national development objectives.  Projects are therefore activities which use resources to solve problems or achieve development objectives.

Refer to  - Overview of the Project Cycle

 

 

Where do project ideas come from?

 

Project ideas may come from the following:

 

Ø       the  problem themselves as shown in the profile or situation analysis;

 

Ø       an identified need or absence of services and facilities;

 

Ø       solutions suggested by the people themselves;

 

Ø       existing projects which may need expansion, additional support, etc,;

 

Ø       existing resources which may suggest further development or use;

 

Ø       advice from sectoral ministries, experts, etc.;

 

Ø       local initiatives of the private sector and NGOs;

 

Ø       commitment of the government to specific interest groups, global and regional concerns;

 

Ø       donor initiatives based on their mandates;

 

Ø       prevailing priorities as defined by government officials and political leaders.

 

Projects that have worked in other areas may be an additional source of ideas, but care must be taken to adapt them to local conditions.

 

 

Why do we have to involve disadvantaged communities and groups in projects?

 

 

Projects are the building blocks of development.  It is impossible to share development benefits to disadvantaged communities and groups if they are not involved in projects.

 

How to involve disadvantaged communities ad groups in project planning and development is a great challenge to development workers.

 

Projects affect people’s lives.  They are ultimately for people, for improving their living conditions and qualify of life.  People usually have a clear idea which projects they need.  They will contribute their own resources to the projects if they perceive clear benefits to them.

 

Projects need to be consistent with development policies, and of sufficient priority to justify allocation of financial and other resources.

 

 

 

What are usually required to develop a project idea into a full-blown project document?

 

Preparing a project document will require consultations with many people, especially the targeted beneficiaries and participants.  This step in the project planning process also requires technical discussions, brainstorming sessions, surveys, etc.

 

During project preparation, we need to:

 

Ø       Define more clearly the stated objectives;

 

Ø       Identify the specific beneficiaries;

 

Ø       Select the best options and alternate activities;

 

Ø       Analyze the possible constraints;

 

Ø       Assess the various aspects of the project, namely, the technical, economic, financial, social, ecological and institutional implications of the project.

 

 

 

What are the common tasks to be undertaken during project formulation?

 

 

These tasks include:

 

v      Conduct feasibility or in-depth study of all aspects of the project

 

v      Formulate project objectives, activities, outputs and benefits, costs and overall project design

 

v      Determine the appropriate size, scale of operation, location of project site and area to be covered

 

v      Analyze the pre-project situation in relation to the end-of-project situation

 

v      Obtain the preliminary views of donors

 

v      Assess both the facilitative and the possible constraints to project implementation

 

v      Prepare the work programme, terms of reference, site and location plan, blueprints, etc. as needed

 

 

 

What will the project document need to show?

 

 

The project document or prodoc needs to:

 

ü       Show clearly the need for the project;

 

ü       Indicate the benefits from implementing the project;

 

ü       Show that the activities reflect an effective (and cost-efficient) use of resources;

 

ü       Ensure that the appropriate institutional arrangements are in place;

 

ü       Indicate how the government and the people support the projects;

 

ü       Discuss how project progress and impact can be reported, monitored and evaluated.

 

 

 

 

What are discussed in a project document?

 

 

The key sections of the prodoc include:

 

q       Objectives and expected outputs

 

q       Target beneficiaries

 

q       Proposing and implementing agencies

 

q       Location or project sites

 

q       Key activities

 

q       Organization and management

 

q       Monitoring, reporting and evaluation

 

q       Project costs and funding requirements

 

Refer to – PROJECT DOCUMENT FORMAT

 

 

 

 

6. Train local development committees to appraise projects

 

 

What is the purpose of project appraisal?

 

 

Project appraisal determines whether or not a project is “feasible” or something which can be implemented based on the design and in accordance with its objectives.

 

Refer to – NOTES ON PROJECT APPRAISAL

 

 

What are questions to ask in appraising COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GRANT

Projects?

 

 

Management Aspect

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Are the activities enough to achieve the stated goal of the project?

 

-Are some activities missing?  Are the activities worth adding?

 

-Who will do what when where?  Are there enough people to undertake the project tasks?

 

-Is the timing for the activity adequate?  How will the activities be affected by the season, the weather, or activities on the island or in the village itself?

 

-Who will see to it that the planned activities are done?  How will project progress be assessed?  Who will write and submit the reports?  Is there a system to keep track of the expenses?

 

 

Technical Aspect

 

 

-What specialized skills are needed to be able to implement project activities?

 

-Are these skills available in the village, on the island, in Honiara, in the country, or outside the country?

 

 

Institutional Aspect

 

 

-Which institutions or agencies are involved in the project?

 

-How will these entities support the project?

 

-Will the project help strengthen the implementing organization?

 

 

Socio-Cultural Aspect

 

 

-How acceptable is the project to the people?  Are there possible negative effects or feedbacks?

 

-How will the community or family benefit from this project?

 

-How will the project help the disadvantaged?

 

-Will there be possible negative effect on existing cultural or traditional practices?  How will the project handle this negative effect?

 

 

Financial Aspect

 

Are the cost estimates realistic?

 

When will the funds be needed?  What are the sources of funding for the project?

 

-What cost items will be supported by the government or by external sources?

 

-Is the project expected to repay the financial assistance extended?  How will this be done?

 

-Is there any system to record financial matters?

 

 

Operations and Maintenance

 

-Who will eventually pay for recurrent costs?  How will existing facilities, manpower, equipment, etc. be paid for on a self-sustaining basis?

 

-How will future training or technical assistance be provided?

 

 

 

 

7.     Prepare the Constituency Action Plan

 

 

What will the Constituency Action Plan consist of?

 

 

It will consist of:

 

-the constituency Development Profile;

 

-the statement of key problems, goals and objectives for the medium tern (3 years);

 

-the package of projects identified by specific communities or groups in the various wards, villages or settlements; and

 

-one year programme of action for each ward indicating targets and activities which have to be undertaken in the short-term to achieve the aims of the medium-term action plan

 

 

Why is there a need to prepare a Constituency Action Plan?

 

It is to avoid the mistake of having just a list of projects at the whim and fancy of a few people.  The CAP is really a programme of action which indicates the problems met by the people, how they will solve them to improve their conditions and ensure their continuing welfare.

 

Through the CAP, we see the clear connection of projects to community problems, goals and objectives.

 

 

How will the CAP relate to the sectoral plans of government agencies?

 

 

It is important that the CAP be linked to the plans of agencies at local level and to those of higher-level government agencies.  Local plans are usually integrated into plans at higher levels, namely, provincial and national levels.

 

What determines the time frame for the CAP?

 

 

A plan that covers three to five years makes sense because most projects have this duration.  Many countries also operate under five-year national plans.

 

What are, then, the key activities to consider in Constituency Action Planning?

 

 

These activities are as follows:

 

1.        Analyzing and understanding the existing situation in the community.

 

2.        Creating a local committee or task force for planning if one does not exist.

 

3.        Defining problems, resources and constraints.

 

4.        Setting goals and priorities amongst them.

 

5.        Considering how various goals might be met by thinking about alternative strategies that might be used.

 

6.        Choosing actual projects, taking into account both the priorities and the efficient use of available resources.

 

7.        Spelling out how each project would be implemented.

 

8.        Creating the plan, which arranges the projects in terms of priorities and time sequence.

 

9.        Negotiating with outside agencies for funding support and for coordinated implementation.

 

10.    Implementing the projects, and monitoring and adjusting the work as it goes along, to deal with unanticipated problems.

 

11.    Evaluating the immediate output of the project, and later the impact it has had as indicator of its success.

 

 

 

 

 

8.     Provide support to the implementation, managing and monitoring of projects

 

 

How do we plan for project implementation?

 

Before we can actually carry out project activities, we need to consider several questions:

 

-Have the staff been appointed?

 

-Is funding secured?

 

-Are the other inputs required available?

 

-Will the people in the project area be involved?

 

-Do we have a schedule for the various activities?

 

 

What are the monitoring actions expected of the implementing agency or organization?

 

 

These monitoring actins include the following:

 

-maintain control of project activities;

 

-regular follow-up of project progress;

 

-completion of project monitoring and accounting reports;

 

-submission of supplementary funds request as needed;

 

-providing feedback reports to the community, relevant Ministries, donors, etc.

 

 

 

 

9.  Evaluate the impact of projects on community goals and objectives

 

 

Why is project evaluation important?

 

Evaluating projects have been fully implemented is important for the following reasons:

 

-it measures and documents the impact of the completed project on community goals and objectives;

 

-it verifies the outcomes or outputs of completed projects;

 

-it makes the lessons learnt during project implementation available for future project planning and formulation;

 

-it identifies key development issues for policymakers and planners.

 

Evaluation refers to the analysis and reporting of the outcomes of a completed project.  It should not be confused with project appraisal, which is done prior to implementation.