CONSTITUENCY PROFILING, ACTION PLANNING AND PROJECT PREPARATION

PGDU Manual

CONSTITUENCY PROFILING,
ACTION PLANNING AND 
PROJECT PREPARATION MANUAL

Prepared by:

Provincial Government development Unit
Department of Provincial Government and Rural Development
5TH Floor, Anthony Saru Building
Tel. 26560/62; Fax No. 26458
Email: sidapp@pipolfastaem.gov.sb

With technical assistance from:

Solomon Islands Development Administration and Participatory
Planning Programme (SIDAPP)

First Edition
December 1999

PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT UNIT (PGDU)
DEPARTMENT OF PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT AD RURAL DEVELOPMENT

MODULE 1:
Data Gathering and Community Preparation

Module 2:
Constituency Profiling and Action Planning

1.  To assist village representatives prepare the constituency profile by drawing out from them relevant data and information;

2.  To assist village representatives prepare a three-year action plan based on their own identification of problems, resources, and strategies;

3.  To assist village representatives determine villages and families most affected by development problems;

4.  To assist village representatives identify projects which can benefit disadvantaged villages and families.

Day 1 : (Date)

Facilitator : ____________

Day 2 : (Date)

Facilitator : ____________

Day 3 : (Date)

Facilitator : ____________

Day 4 : (Date)

Facilitator : ____________

Day 5 : (Date)

Facilitator : ____________

INPUT GUIDE

WORKSHOP GUIDE

General guidelines for all workshops:

-Grouping of participants for the workshop is by wards

-Presentation of outputs is necessarily by wards/work groups

-consolidation of certain data or information for the entire Constituency will be done by the team at PGDU level

-Formulation of goals and objectives, as well as strategies, will be done at team level

WORKSHOP 1: REPORT FORMAT

Trainer need to facilitate a common definition of development for the entire Constituency.  Ward outputs will be discussed during the plenary and efforts need to be directed to arrive at a consensus

WORKSHOP 2: REPORT FORMAT

1. Follow the guide questions in Guidelines on Constituency Profiling in soliciting views from the participants and in presenting workshop outputs;
   
2. Present the Land and other maps prepared by each workshop group;
   
3. Organize the data or information according to the  Tables for the Constituency profile.

WORKSHOP 3: REPORT FORMAT

WORKSHOP GUIDE

GUIDELINES FOR WORKSHOP 4

First Task - Determine Priority 1 and Priority 2 villages in each ward based on the criteria agreed upon each ward

Read and discuss the criteria for determining relatively disadvantaged villages or groups in the ward; the village participants need to understand each criterion; they will be asked to modify some criteria or add their own criteria in your ward

PROPOSED CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING RELATIVELY MORE DISADVANTAGED VILLAGES IN EACH WARD

Top ranking in four or more of these criteria qualifies a village to be relatively more disadvantaged:

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 produce
   
4. Geographic remoteness or isolation, difficulty of travel in and out of the village (topography)
   
5. Limited opportunities to use land resources due to disputes
   
6. Number of school dropouts or push-outs
   
7. Lack of support from government agencies, NGO's or donor agencies as evidence by limited number of absence of externally funded projects
   
8. Difficulties in imitating or sustaining income generating projects

Note: Record the output using the following format

WORKSHOP 4: REPORT FORMAT (Disadvantaged Villages)

Ward Name: _____________

Identifying target families per village

Participants are grouped according to their respective wards:

1.0  Second Task in Workshop No. 4 - determine the number of target reference families per village in each ward.  The target families need to be identified for all Priority 1 villages.

If there is still time, target families can be identified for the Priority 2 villages.

1.1  Discuss the criteria for determining target/reference or disadvantaged families.  These families are those who are relatively more disadvantaged than others in a village.  They are more burdened with problems.  They need to be reached first with projects or services.

1.2   Apply the criteria in classifying families in the village.  Group members will count the number of reference families in their respective villages.

PROPOSED CRITERIA FOR REFERENCE TARGET FAMILY

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

1. Large families size with more than 6 members, mostly children
   
2. With history of infant death and/or child malnutrition
   
3. With school dropouts 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)

Note : Record the output using the following format

WORKSHOP 4: REPORT FORMAT (Disadvantaged Families

Ward: ___________________

WORKSHOP GUIDE

WORKSHOP 5: REPORT FORMAT

Ward ____________________

workshop Guide - Module 2
Revised 05  Dec 99

Constituency Profiling, Action Planning and Project Preparation Process

Module 3:
Project Preparation and Appraisal

A.  Main Objective:

    To assist community groups develop their identified project ideas into full-blown project documents

    Specific Objectives:

I.  To determine which project ideas identified by the participants can benefit most the disadvantaged villages and families;

II.  To conduct consultations (technical discussions, brainstorming sessions, surveys, etc.) with the proponent group and the community representatives, especially the targeted beneficiaries and participants;

III.  To undertake the following tasks and thus be able to prepare the required project document:

• conduct feasibility or in-depth study of all aspects of the identified project;
• formulate project objectives, activities, outputs and benefits, costs and overall project design;
• determine the appropriate size, scale of operation, location of project site and area to be covered;
• analyze the pre-project situation in relation to the end-of-project situation;
• obtain the preliminary views of potential donors;
• assess both the facilitative factors and the possible constraints to project implementation;
• prepare the work programme, budget, Terms of Reference, blueprints, site and location plan, etc.

B.  Methodology

C.  References

1. Overview of the Project Cycle
2. Project Document Format

List of Training Handouts

1. SIDAPP primer
2. Copies of Constituency Profiles and Action Plans (Book and Project Documents (Book2)
3. Development with Soul and Vision
4. Human Development Report
5. Pacific Human Development Report
6. Guidelines on Constituency Profiling
7. From Profiling to Action Planning
8. Criteria for the Selection of Disadvantaged Villages
9. Criteria for Selection of Disadvantaged Families
10. Overview of the Project Cycle
11. Summary Tables for the Constituency Profiles

REFERENCES

1. SIDAPP Primer
2. Development with Soul and Vision
3. Guidelines on Constituency Profiling
4. Summary Tables for the constituency Profile

From Constituency Profile to Action Planning

1. Overview of the Project Cycle
2. Increasing Participation at Local Level

Building Government-Community partnership 
for grater grassroots participation in development

through the

SIG-UNDP Development Administration
and Participatory Programme
(SIDAPP)

PRIMER

Provincial Government Development Unit
Ministry of Provincial Government and Rural Development
5th floor, Anthony Saru Building
Honiara, Solomon Islands

Telephone Nos.:    (677) 26350, 26358, 21140
Facsimile:            (677) 26458
Email:                   <sidapp@welkam.com.sb>

ALL ABOUT SIDAPP

What is SIDAPP?

SIDAPP stands for SIG-UNDP Development Administration and participatory Planning Programme.

What does SIDAPP aim to do?

SIDAPP aims to achieve greater grassroots participation in development by promoting close government-community partnership.

How can SIDAPP achieve this long-term aim?

The Programme will assist the Ministry of Provincial Government and Rural Development provide the required training and technical support to provincial governments to enable the latter to work more effectively with communities in development planning and implementation.

How will training and other forms of technical assistance be systematically provided to provincial governments?

The Ministry has organized the Provincial Government Development Unit (PGDU) which will systematically provide training and other support to provincial governments, both to the public service officers and the elected officials.  The PGDU has been formed in collaboration with the Ministry of National Planning and Development, the Physical Division of the Ministry of Lands and Housing and other partner agencies.

Who compose the PGDU?

The core staff of the Unit consists of: Director, Chief Training Officer, project Planning Officer, Training and Institution Building Officer and Budget and Accounts Officer,.  UNDP temporarily funds the administration staff composed of the Administrative Assistant, Programme Secretary and the Driver-messenger.

How does the SIDAPP relate to the PGDU?

SIDAPP is the UNDP-assisted project which assists the Ministry in organizing and eventually strengthening the PGDU.  Over a three-year period, starting in November 1997, UNDP will provide funding and technical assistance to PGDU in the amount of around USD1million.

What are the key activities of SIDAPP and the PGDU?

SIDAPP assists the Unit produce the modules for the skills training of Ministry staff, both at national and provincial levels.  The Programme will assist the Unit identify training needs of government officers and elected officials in provincial government units and institutions, as well as prepare and implement training programmes to address these needs.

SIDAPP assists the Unit in assessing existing systems and procedures, including those for budgeting and accounting and in implementing measures designed t improve the overall service delivery capability of the Ministry.

SIDAPP also assists the Unit to work with government officers and community volunteers in formulating Constituency profiles and plans, which will serve as basis by specific communities and groups for identifying, preparing and implementing projects.  The various profiles and plans will also guide the setting up of community-based project monitoring systems linked t the provincial government system and PGDU.

In turn, the PGDU will coordinate with the Policy Evaluation Unit (PEU) and the Project Development Unit (PDU) in prioritizing donor support to community project.

How is SIDAPP organized?

A Chief Technical Advisor works closely with the Undersecretary of Provincial Government and Rural Development in overseeing the Programme.  United Nations Volunteers (UNV) are assigned to each section of the PGDU to provide technical backstopping under the direct supervision of the CTA.  The UNVs serve as Project Planning Specialist, Training and Institution Building Specialist and Budget and Accounts Specialist.  Each UNV has a government counterpart.

The CTA and the UNVs are all based at the PGDU office.  The CTA works directly with the PGDU Director and the Chief Training Officer in carrying out day-to-day activities.

A Programme management Committee provides policy direction.  It is composed of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of provincial Government and Rural Development, the Undersecretary, MPGRD, who serves as secretary to the Committee; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Development and Planning , the Permanent Secretary, Economic Reform programme; the Permanent Secretary, Public Services and the Head, Policy and Structural Reform Programme.

A National Advisory Committee serves as clearing-house for training modules and reform measures prior to implementation by the PGDU.  It is composed of representatives from the Physical Planning Division, Health, Education, Planning, Agriculture, Fisheries, Trade and Commerce, Office of the Legal Advisor, National Council of women and Development Services Exchange.

A National Inter-agency Programme Support Team provides personnel and technical backstopping to the PGDU core staff in carrying out training and other activities.

At the provincial level, a Provincial Core Team of Trainers is mobilized, trained and fielded by SIDAPP to reinforce the PGDU-led national trainers.

At the constituency level, a Local Development Core Team composed mostly of community volunteers is recruited, trained and linked to the PCTT to undertake tasks related to project monitoring and service delivery.

What is the present coverage of SIDAPP?

The Programme area consists of the provinces of Isabel, Malaita and Rennell and Bellona.  These provinces have been selected to provide representative sizes of provinces (medium, large and relatively small) for the field-testing and developing of training modules and other programme interventions.  During the three year period, the Programme hopes to reach 110,485 people of around 60 villages in 18 Constituencies.  The target beneficiaries represent roughly 1/3 of the country's population.

What are the expected outputs of SIDAPP after three years?

The major outputs are as follows:

• disadvantaged communities and groups in 59 wards identified and encouraged to formulate and implement projects, and their projects linked to a community-based monitoring system;
  

• 3 Provincial Development Profiles and Plans consolidated, implemented and monitored with a system linked to the PGDU;
  

• a functioning Provincial government Development Unit fully equipped, staffed and with budget for its training operations aimed at strengthening the provincial government system, as well as enhancing grassroots participation in development;
  

• the Ministry's structure, system, procedures and processes reviewed and reform measures are being implemented to improve overall staff performance;
  

• rural development projects assessed and new guidelines implemented to ensure their effectiveness and impact to the situation of disadvantaged communities and groups;
  

• training modules prepared, field-tested and validated for each category of participants at national, provincial and constituency levels;
  

• 18 Constituency Development Profiles and Action Plans on Basic Services and Family Livelihood formulated and implemented with close government-community collaboration.

How will the other provinces benefit from SIDAPP?

Towards the end of the three-year period, an expansion plan will be prepared by the Ministry in collaboration with UNDP and other donor agencies.

The training modules and reform measures are for nation-wide implementation.  They will be made available to other provinces.

        Reference No. 2

DEVELOPMENT WITH SOUL AND VISION

1. Increasingly people are becoming discontented with the kind of development that is taking place.  Development that is leading to growing inequalities, human suffering and a rapid degradation of our natural environment.
   

2. Hence, people are beginning to question the single-minded emphasis on a type of economic growth which is not sustainable and searching for a new and enlightened vision of development that has soul and vision and which will improve the lives of the masses.
   

3. This "emerging vision" is being referred to as sustainable human development (SHD).
   

4. SHD is people-centered.  It meets their basic needs, makes them self-reliant, including enlarging their opportunities to lice s long and healthy life, to be educated, and have access to resources needed for a decent standard of living.

5. It is environmentally sound, it regenerates the natural resource base and makes wise use of it; not only for the benefit of the present generation by also for the benefit of future generations.
   

6. It is participatory.  it can only be achieved when people have the chance to participate in events and processes than shape their lives.  Where women, youth, NGO's, civil society are empowered to participate in the open market, the democratic process and where human rights are protected and access to information and skills guaranteed.

7. SHD is, therefore, a people-centered process that focuses attention on increasing opportunities for people to lead productive and satisfying lives.
   It promotes:
   
   - equitable development
   - social integration
   - sound governance
   regeneration of the environment and the
   - safe-guarding of options for future generation
   

8. SHD is a precondition to bringing human numbers into balance with the carrying capacity of nature and the coping capabilities of societies.
   

9. SHD is not human resource development.  It is not anti-economic growth.  It recognizes that economic growth is an important means of achieving SHD.  SHD is not only concerned with social issues.  SHD strategies approach every aspect of the conventional growth model from the vantage point of people.
   

10. Pacific island ministers of planning and senior planners, when they met in Suva in May 1994, confirmed that SHD is consistent with the optical commitment for people-centered development which already exists in all Pacific island countries.
    

11. Pacific Policy majors also agreed that responses to SHD will have to take into account development approaches which are more consistent with the traditions and cherished values which make up the unique Pacific way of life.  this, together with guiding principles, has been incorporated into the Suva Declaration on Sustainable Human Development.
    

12. the ability to build on the foundation of Pacific cultures and traditions is particularly pertinent.  
    

13. This is because the conventional perspective of development assumes that there is a single track that all countries follow, and the task of those who are behind is to "catch-up" by imitating those that are further ahead and by investing in physical capital.
    

14. Because all our intention is focused on the experience of others, developing countries are encourage to copy and imitate and abandon their traditions.
    

15. By contrast, a SHD perspective recognizes diversity and that there are many different ways to achieve and sustain human development.
    

16. A premium is placed on the ability to innovate rather than imitate.  since innovation is derived from one's previous experiences, tradition is not a liability but an asset, and human beings are at the center of the process.
    
    
    Emerging Realties in the Pacific
    

17. Lets put development task into perspective
    

18. Although we enjoy a decent standard of living in the Pacific, this quality of life is increasingly coming under siege.
    

19. Already, we are living these disturbing realities:
    
    - 50 Pacific island children die each day from silly preventable causes
    - 19,000 children die each year before 15th birthday
    - 1,100 women die each year from pregnancy related conditions
    - 1.4 million adults can neither read or write
    - 40% of children have less than 8 years of schooling - the minimum level of education for productive living
    - suicide and motor accidents are amongst the most frequent causes of death of Pacific teenagers
    - there is  growing inequalities, poverty and human distress in many countries
    - the region's rainforest will be gone in less than 20 years at current rates of felling 
    - most countries experience massive depletion of reef, lagoon and ocean resources
    

20. These problems will be compounded when we take into consideration population growth.  It is estimated that the region's population will double in 20 years; urban populations will reach 43% placing even greater pressures on already inadequate urban infrastructure and services, and an extra 3 million wage jobs will be needed to keep up with population growth over the next two decades
    

21. Despite possible significant in economic growth, the majority of the region's people will still have access to cash employment and will have to depend on the traditional and subsistence economy.
    
    
    Pacific Human Development Report
    

22. The Pacific Human Development Report identified the following key issues requiring immediate attention by PIC's.
    
    - need for more judicious and sustainable management of the region's natural resources
    
    - need to address growing inequalities, disparities and emerging poverty in the region, together with the    advancement of women, youth, and rural communities
    
    - need to promote primary and preventive health and to ensure the relevance of education
    
    - improving productivity and expanding employment and sustainable livelihood opportunities in the rural and subsistence sector
    
    - managing population growth and distribution
    
    - establishing effective governance and promoting people's participation
    
    - strengthening economic and financial planning and management for SHD

Reference Material
 Number 3

GUIDELINES ON 
CONSTITUENCY PROFILING

Prepared by:

SIG - UNDP
DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION AND PARTICIPATORY
PLANNING PROGRAMME (SIDAPP)

Provincial Government Development Unit
Department of Provincial Government and Rural Development
Ministry of Home Affairs, Provincial Government and Rural Development
Fifth Floor, Anthony Saru Building
Honiara, Solomon Islands

Telephone: (677) 26560 to 62, 26358
Facsimile: (677) 26458
Email: sidapp@welkam.solomon.com.sb

SUMMARY TABLES FOR THE CONSTITUENCY PROFILE
(To be used with the Guidelines on Constituency Profiling)

A.  ENVIRONMENT AND POPULATION

1.  Draw a map on the land use pattern in the ward

Natural
a) Garden areas

b)  Cattle

c)  Forestry

d)  Mangroves

e)  Copra/Cocoa

f)  Flat land and hills

g)  Other physical features

Man made
h)   Rivers and their names

I)  Clinics/Health Aid Post

j)  Schools (type)

k)  Churches (types)

l)  Roads (types)

NB.  Prepare two land  use maps.  One for natural land use and the other for man made land use or services.  Roads are to be included in both maps.

2.  Cite specific threats or actual destruction of environmental resources in the ward or villages

3.  Prepare a table indicating number of population and households per villages

Ward no. ____________________    Zone no. ________________

4.  Describe migration pattern in the ward (how many have left over the last 5 years and where to; or are people coming back; are people settling in form other constituency/provinces

5.  Prepare table showing the land areas, locations of common languages and population Density

Ward no. _________________    Zone no. ______________

6.  Prepare table showing climatic seasons or rainfalls, cyclones and draughts.

B.  COMMUNITY LIFE AND GOVERNANCE

1.  Narrate how people came to settle in their wards or villages/ Relate traditional legend if nay, on how people settle in the area

2.  Cite cultural belief or practices related to the situation of the children, youth and women; to the use of environmental resources

3.  Prepare a table indicating membership and specific projects or community activities of the church in the villages

Ward No. __________________    Zone no. ________________

4.  Estimate how much each average family contribute to the church in a month; cost in kind contribution 

5.  Give number of landowners per village and an estimate of their respective land holdings

6.  Describe how people gain access to the use of the land resources

___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_________________________

7.  Describe how landownership is transferred

___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
_________________________

8.  Cite specific land-related problems, for example, delay in development projects due to land dispute etc.

9.  Estimate number of land dispute cases in each villages

10.  Describe kastom or legal ways of settling land dispute; assess specific weaknesses or strength of these ways of settling land disputes

(a)

(b)

(c)

11.  What is the average number of visits made by government officers in the village or wards; specify from which the officers come from

12.  prepare a table showing government projects per village and indicate whether each project is a success or a failure

13.  How do political leaders (MP;MPA) help the people in the village or ward?  In what ways do they help the people?  How many time have they visited the village or wards during the last two years

14.  Prepare a table showing existing community organization (women; youth etc) their respective membership and activities

Ward no. ___________________     Zone no. ______________

15.  Describe the justice system in the ward?  Are there kastom ways of punishing crimes?  What are the common crimes in the ward

C.  SOCIAL SERVICES

1. Prepare a table showing a government or church schools, as well as rural training centers, in the ward; indicate enrolment in each of the schools or centers

2.  Prepare a table showing the number of school's drop outs and illiterates per village

(a)

(b)

3.  Cite specific contributions made by the community to the school in the area.

4.  Are there kastom ways of educating the young; describe these ways

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________
__________________________________

5.  Prepare a table indication health facilities (aid post, clinics etc) showing the specific villages served

6.  Are there herb doctors?  Traditional birth attendants in the ward?  Have they been trained by the health department

Ward no. _______________________    Zone no. _____________________

7.  Are primary health workers in the area?  How many per ward/Zone (PCTT)

8.  Prepare a table indicating number of births and infant deaths per during the last five years? (PCTT)

Ward no. __________________    Zone no. ____________________

9.  Prepare a table showing number of children aged 0-6 years per village (PCTT)

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

10.  Cite government, church, NGO services for children (immunization, etc) in the area

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

11.  Cite specific family planning devices distributed and used in the area

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

12.  Prepare table showing number of houses per village, indicating whether local, semi, or permanent houses

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

13.  List water sources in the area; describe how people have access to clean water

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

14.  Prepare a table showing number and types of toilets per village

D.  EMPLOYMENT, TRADING AND LOCAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTION

1.  Prepare a table showing a number of persons aged 18-65 years per village and those engaged in regular cash jobs; indicate where employed, with government or private company; in the village or Honiara.

2.  List down activities undertaken in the ward mainly for home consumption

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

3.  Prepare a table showing a number of trading shops by village, types of merchandize, number of workers, and an estimate of the monetary value of goods imported from outside the constituency in  a year

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

4.  Prepare a table showing goods or products, their estimate value, exported out side the constituency per year.

5. Prepare a table showing examples of successful and failed business in their ward

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

6.  List the problems encountered by local businessmen or entrepreneurs.

7.  List ways or measures that can be done by the government to help local people expand or improve subsistence activity

8.  List number of people per village who are members of credit unions; specify the credit union

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

9. List the number of people per village who deal with banks; specify the nature of transactions, whether savings or taking out loads

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

10.  Estimate the value of total crop/livestock/fisheries/forest/handicraft product in the ward and indicate the percentage of production that goes for the home consumption alone and for commercial purposes

E.  INFRASTRUCTURE

1.  Prepare a table showing roads and bush tracks, indicating length in kilometers and location, which run through the ward

2.  List the type of  transportation used for travel within the ward, and those for transporting people and goods outside the ward, indicating the amount of fare or cost of freight

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

3.  List the facilities needed to improve the flow of goods and services in the ward and to improve communication

Ward no. _____________________    Zone no. __________________

List major energy source (s) in the award

5.  From Constituency profile to Action Planning

• PLANNING WITH AND FOR THE COMMUNITY
• ANALYZING PROFILE FINDINGS
• ASSESSING LOCAL STRUCTURES AND PARTICIPATION

1.0  WHY PLAN

We can know what our real problems are, not guess.  We will know the relative importance of each problem, the number of people actually affected, its history; how much resources are needed to solve these them; which problem the entire community will tackle first based on what it considers important.

we will have a basis in knowing as a community where are we going, rather leave the task to a few people.

We will truly be a community inspired by the same vision, striving for the same goals.  present-day problems have grown a little more complicated that we have a better chance of solving them if we recognize the interdependence of our needs and resources and act truly as a community.

We can better allocate our resources based on priorities we ourselves have determine.

we can better assisted by the central government and donor agencies if they know what we want to work for in the interest of our community, our family and the country as a whole.

2.0  HOW DO WE PLAN

Planning involves activities we already do in everyday life:

• We seek to know more about things we are interested in or we want to do something about
  

• We find what is really the trouble with things, which affect or pose a threat to our health, safety, security or overall sense of well being
  

• we aspire, struggle, work hard to get things done which can, in turn, give us good health, comfort and happiness
  

• We seek what we think to be the best ways to get things done
  

• We set out to do things in certain ways to carry out what we think can solve our problems

3.0  PLANNING WITH AND FOR THE COMMUNITY

Preparing our Area Development Plan basically involves the same steps

• First we have the actual situation in the community

We must have a community profile.  The profile shows our resources in the community, and how we use these  resources.  It tells us how many people live in the island, their occupations, their health, their education, what they produce in both land and sea, how they earn money, their means of transport, water supply and waste disposal, their cooking and lighting facilities, the activities engaged in by youth, women, and other local groups.

You can see there are just too many things to be concerned about, to pay attention to, to gather information on when we try to look at the real situation of our island.  Hence, when we prepare the profile, we must adopt a systematic way to form a true picture of our island.

The important thing is that the profile helps us agree on what problems we can all work on together se we can have a better chance to solve each one of them for the benefit of each family in the community.

Knowing the relevant details about our community will be first step in preparing the Development Plan.  We must know the same things about our community if we must plan for it together.

• The second step in planning for our community will be identify what our problems is based on the data we have analyzed and confirmed by our observation and experience

We have to look at the data, interpret the information they convey about the present situation in the community and relate it to what we want to see in the foreseeable future.

That difference between what the current information tells us what we want for the future for our families and community actually makes up a problem that we all have to face.

There's no limit to what we want for the future.  and there's no limit to problems we can identify.  Yes, there's no limit what we want to do if all the resources are available.

Our own experience will show we always lack resources to do everything we want to do.

Hence, there's a need to select key problems, which will require more of our efforts and resources to effectively solve them.  Solving these priority problems usually lead to overcoming other problems as well.

• For each key problem, we have its many causes and effects.  We have to know how a problem is related t some other problem is related to some other problem is related to some other problems in the community, and to problems outside the community.  Like the roots of the banyan tree, most problems are intertwined and that a solution from one family or organization alone will not be too effective.
  

• The third step in planning is to set our goals and determine the most effective ways to meet those goals

The next looks at each of the priority problems and determine how much of it we want t reduce or eliminate for the next four years.  Perhaps we want to eradicate the whole problem in less than four years.  It really doesn't matter as long as we set a goal to work for; it will guide us on what to do next.

This problems-oriented goal then becomes a realistic statement of what we intend to do.

Once we specify our goals, we can next decide on how best to achieve them.  Again, there are ways of trying how to reduce, solve or overcome a problem, to reach a goal.  Knowing our goal, we can begin t describe all these proposed measures, also called strategies by planners, and assess each one as to:

• Relative impact on the problem being addressed;

• Degree of acceptance or potential support from the people;

• Quantity, quality and sourcing or resources required;

• Extent by which they can be sustained or maintained
  
  

• The fourth step will to be identify projects in line with these proposed measures or strategies

At this stage of the planning process, we are actually putting in more details to the various measures and strategies.  we list specific activities to be undertaken, the agencies/organizations/individuals who will undertake them, the resources required, including costs and the time frame for undertaking activities.

Hence, a project is actually a strategy, or part of one strategy, but given more implementation details to address as aspect of a development problem.  It consists of a specific set of activities aimed at helping to enable the community achieve goal within a given time period.

3.0  NEED TO ANALYZE PROFILE FINDINGS, IDENTIFY AND ASSESS PROBLEMS AND EVOLVE SOLUTION

The profile should serve as a mirror through which the community can view its current problems and potential and decide on what to do.  We need to assess toe data and information gathered, analyze them for causes and effects and let the casual connections explain the why's and how's of the situation, which are critical of planners.

For example

It is not enough to note that 10 per cent of infants die in a given village before they reach their fifth birthday.  We must be able to seek possible causes by looking a the other information: the status of the environment, food production patterns,  nutrition, sanitation, consumption habits, availability and access to health services, the reasons cited by mothers on why their children die, etc.

Use profile information and data t indicate the nature and extent of development problems in the area, although initially the local residents may not view them as problems, much less agree on how they may be solved.

Use the profile findings to indicate the social groups most affected by the problem identified.  Pay particular attention to groups traditionally outside local decision making on account of roles defined by culture or because of other constraints, e.g. initially to pay for social obligations, etc.

Aside from identifying problems, profiling includes looking for possible solutions.  It also identifies both the facilitative factors and specific constraints to implementing these solutions.

Development workers formulate the initial profile based on information and data partly gathered from sources outside the community and partly generated in the community itself.  Guided by these preliminary findings and analysis, they solicit community involvement in gathering more data and further analyzing them.  This consultative process should ripen into more active participation of community residents, including those in the periphery or those in disadvantaged and marginal situations, to define the development problems themselves and articulate what they think are solutions to these problems.  this central task requires utmost creativity form development workers.

While development workers can analyze the data collected and define issues that they see as problems, action on these issues is not likely to be effective unless members of the community also see them as problems and are committed to trying to address them.

For example

Development workers may look at environmental resources and dependency ratios and may define rapid population growth as a problem in terms of the provision adequate services and too intensive use of the land.  Nevertheless, cultural values and the desire for economic security often provide stronger incentives for child bearing.  Methods or family planning cannot work without the active commitment of the people.  Thus, it is necessary for them to see population growth as a problem affecting themselves directly.  Then they must be involved in developing ways t meet their social roles and needs security through other means, and they must be involved in choosing methods to be used t reduce fertility.

To sum up:

Community profiling, thus, becomes a process through which development workers contribute data, analysis and professional insights or technical inputs about possible development actins to take, while community residents share their own ideas of what their problems and needs are.  Out of such process should come a common definition of the problems, and willingness to work out solutions.

5.0  NEED TO ASSESS LOCAL STRUCTURES AND PARTICIPATION

Individuals and institutions exercising power, authority or strong influence in the area can be strong force either supporting or opposing participatory development.  Hence, community profiling should include efforts to understand the local sources of power and authority, the families, clans, institutions or individuals who wield it, and how it will affect the direction of development efforts in the area.

Sources of power and authority go beyond wealth.  Other sources of influence and authority include age, family ties, education or role as a patron.

The other important issue is how those who wield power compel compliance with their views.  Information on how local authority is exercised is vital and provides greater "reality" t the planning and project development process.  the information assumes added significance when dealing with disadvantaged groups who are normally at the periphery of the local decision making process.

Not all grassroots organizations may be able initially to play an active role in development efforts.  Some organizations may embody values and have goals that do not lend themselves easily to development.  Kinship groups or voluntary organizations that already exist to achieve institutional goals may be able to take additional functions.  It is important to know which organizations a particular powerful group and those that have broader community interests dominant.

If a community is divided into different factions based on family, economic interests or other groupings, grassroots organizations may not easily be able to work together.  Awareness about such factionalism within the community is crucial, but the situation should deter development workers from working out effective ways to make the various groups discover their "community-ness".

The cooperation of governmental agencies and programmes need to be sought right at the initial profiling stage because any significant local development effort will eventually require their sustained participation.  We have to understand the organization structures they work in, the constraints they faced, their specific strengths and weakness in terms of performing their respective development roles and their likely attitude to other agency's roles.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT CYCLE 
OVERVIEW OF THE PROJECT CYCLE

Overview of the Project Cycle

The Project Cycle refers to the following basic steps of project development and management:

PROJECT DOCUMENT FORMAT
(For application to the CD Grant - Rural Community Development Fund)

1.0  Basic information about the Project

    1.1  Title of the project/Project Number

    1.2  Location of project

    1.3  Project cost

    1.4  Number of people to benefit from the project

    1.5  Project manager/person responsible

2.0  Importance of the project (Rationale/Justification/Problem(s) being addressed

3.0  Objectives/Expected Outputs

4.0  Key Activities/Work Plan

5.0  Project organization and management

6.0  Reporting

7.0  Budget

DPGRD
11/07/98

7.  Increasing Participation at Local Level

1.  There is no one best definition of "local".  It will vary from one country to another.  the definition of "local" as adopted by government agencies will inevitably determine its effective meaning, at least in terms of activities which involve these agencies.

2.  For participatory planning, "local" is defined as the first point of contact, interaction and negotiation between the people and the government agencies/NGOs.

3.  This definition allows for various not only between countries, but also within countries.  Thus, within the same country, different agencies and NGOs may operate at different local levels.  Any agency may change its local level by changing its mode of operation (e.g. by increasing the number of extension personnel or the base from which it operates).

4.  Those involved in development at the local level include:

a)  people of the community who are differentiated in a variety of ways, e.g. by age, sex, socio-economic status, geographic location, etc.

b)  traditional or indigenous leaders;

c)  officially appointed or elected leaders;

d)  government functionaries;

e)  members of development NGOs/community-based organizations;

f)  representatives or agents of donor agencies.

5.  The nature and form of participation in local development is determined by the roles of, and relations between, these various partners in development.

6.  The challenge to local-level development is how to harmonize the relationship of the various partners for the benefit of disadvantaged or marginalize groups.

7.  In practice, it will never be possible to achieve complete harmony because of conflicting interests between different individuals and groups involved.  However, the aim should be to identify and build upon those issues or relationships where there are common or mutually beneficial, rather than conflicting interests.  The extent to which this can be done, and the type of strategies which can be used, will depend on the particular situation.

8.  In an ideal situation, the people would be totally responsible for their own development.  The role of government agencies and NGOs would be merely provide support and advice, and respond to the people's requests and demands.  The aim of local development will be maximize the extent of people's participation in the overall enterprise of improving their general well-being.

9.  In reality, the extent to which this can be done will depend on:

a.  the type of development activities concerned;

b.  the stage in the planning and implementation of such activities (e.g. planning, allocation of resources, implementation, management, monitoring and evaluation);

c.  the local socio-economic and political situation, especially the extent to which disadvantaged groups are aware of, and are able to meet their needs;

d.  the extent to which local objectives conflict with national (or regional objectives and the relative importance attached to each).

10.  Before considering how to facilitate people's involvement, it is essential to:

a.  recognize that they are already involved, or participating in many aspects of development; and

b.  understand how such participation takes place, including both formal and informal patterns of leadership, decision-making and participation.

11.  People will participate if and when they can see clear and desirable benefits and they can afford to do so.   They will participate if they consider that the benefits of doing so outweigh the costs.

12.  Participation can be made more effective by:

a.  Helping people - especially the disadvantaged - to become more aware of their own needs and capabilities;

b.  Encouraging community organization;

c.  Increasing awareness among the various partners of both the importance of participatory development and their own roles and responsibilities in it;

d.  Facilitating communication and partnership among the various partners;

e.  Development of skills in planning and project implementation and management.