CHAPTER 3

• COPAR

  Community Organizing Participatory Action Research
• Approaches to Community Development

  • Welfare Approach
  • Modernization Approach
  • Transformatory/Participatory Approach
• Welfare Approach


  The immediate and spontaneous response to ameliorate the manifestation of poverty, especially on the personal level. Assumes that poverty is God-given; destined hence the poor should accept their condition since they will receive as reward in heaven. Believes that poverty is caused by bad luck, natural disaster and certain circumstances which are beyond the control of people.
• Modernization Approach


  Believes that poverty is due to lack of education, resources such as capital and technology. Assumes the development consists of abandoning the traditional methods of doing things and must adopt the technology of industrial countries. It is a project development approach. It introduces whatever resources are lacking in a given community. Consider as the national strategy which adopts the western mode of technological development.
• Transformatory/Participatory Approach


  The process of empowering/transforming the poor and the oppressed sector of society. Assumes that poverty is not God-given, rather it is rooted in the historical past and is maintained by the oppressive structures in society. Believes that poverty is caused by prevalence of exploitation, oppression, domination and other unjust structures.
• Importance of COPAR

  • It is an important tool for community development and people empowerment in order to help community workers to generate community participation in development activities
  • COPAR prepares people to eventually take-over the management of the programs in the future
  • COPAR maximizes community participation and involvement, community resources are mobilized for community services
• Principles of COPAR

  • People, especially the most oppressed, exploited and deprived sectors are open to change, have the capacity to change and are able to bring about change
  • COPAR should be based on the interest of the poorest sectors of society
  • COPAR should lead to a self-reliant community and society
• Methods used in COPAR (Process)


  • Progressive Cycle of Action-reflection-action which begin with small, local and concrete issues identified by the people and the evaluation and reflection of and action taken by the people
  • Consciousness-raising through experiential learning. It is the center of COPAR process because it is more on learning that emerge concrete action which enriches succeeding action
  • COPAR is participatory and mass-based because it is primarily directed towards and biased in favor of the poor, the powerless and the oppressed
  • COPAR is group centered and not leader-oriented. Leaders are identified, emerge and are tested through action rather than appointed or selected by some external force or entity
• Phases of the COPAR Process

  • Pre-Entry Phase
  • Entry Phase
  • Organization-Building Phase
  • Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
• Pre-Entry Phase


  The initial phase of the organizing process where the community/organizer looks for communities to serve/help. It is considered the simplest phase in terms of actual outputs, activities and strategies and time spent for it. Activities include: Designing a plan for community development, including all its activities and strategies for care and development; Designing criteria for the selection of site; Actually selecting the site for community care.
• Entry Phase

  Sometimes called the social preparation phase as the activities done here includes the sensitization of the people on the critical events in their life. Motivating them to share their dreams and ideas on how to manage their concerns and eventually mobilizing them to take collective action. Signals the actual entry of the community workers/organizers into the community (with IDB- survey form). Guidelines to follow: Recognize the role of local authorities by paying attention to them by means of visits to inform them of their presence and activities; Appearance, speech, behavior and lifestyle should be in keeping with those of the community residents without disregard of their being role models; Avoid raising the consciousness of the community residents; adopt a low-key profile.
• Guides for Entering the Community

  • Know the situation in the community
  • Prefer a low profile entrance into the community
  • Pay attention to the recognized leaders of the community
  • Be realistic when presenting expectations
  • Have contact persons in the community before entering it
• Organization-Building Phase


  Entails the formation of more formal structures and the inclusion of more formal procedures of planning implementing, and evaluating community-wide activities. At this phase where the organized leaders or groups are being given trainings (formal, informal, OJT) to develop their AKS (Action Knowledge Skills) in managing their own concerns/programs.
• Sustenance and Strengthening Phase


  Occurs when the community has already been established and the community members are already actively participating in community-wide undertakings. The different committees set-up in the organization-building phase are already expected to be functioning by way of planning, implementing and evaluating their own programs, with the overall guidance from the community-wide organization. Strategies used: Education and training; Networking and linkaging; Conduct of mobilization on health and development concerns; Implementation of livelihood projects; Developing secondary leaders.
• Community Organization (CO)


  A process that revolves around the lives, experiences, aspirations of the people. A process that creates the conditions for development through people participation. A strategy for mobilizing people to become fully and collectively involved in activities that aim to improve their lives.
• CO Defines


  A process that is people-centered, and geared towards the people's continuing capability building, self-reliance and empowerment. A process that presents opportunities for growth to both the people and the organizer through the full use of their capabilities and resources.
• Basic Principles of CO


  • Start from the people's felt needs and interest
  • Emphasize collective action
  • Identify and develop local leaders
  • Raise the people's consciousness through experiential learning
  • Make sure that the organization is people centered, strong, viable and sustainable
  • Prepare for the CO worker's phase-out from the community
• Community Organizing Process

  • Entry into the community
  • Integration with the people in the community
  • Analysis of the community
  • Identification of the Local Leaders
  • Development of the Local leaders
  • Formation of the core group
  • Recruitment of Members
  • Setting Up the Organization
  • Action Planning
  • Implementation of the Projects
  • Resource Generation
  • Networking with other Organization
  • Institution Building
  • Monitoring and Evaluation of Projects
  • Sustaining the Organization
• Strategies in Community Integration

  • Home visit
  • Participation in the production process
  • Discussion with key informants
  • Informal talk with the people
  • Participation in social activities
• Insights on Community Integration


  • Live with the people to fully understand them
  • Start integration with the household where one (CO) worker lives
  • Choose a place to stay which is typical of the houses in the area
  • Be patient, understanding of people's lives comes gradually
  • And integrating with people takes time
• Pointers in Community Analysis

  • Let the people participate in the analysis
  • Use tools and symbols that are familiar to the people
  • Use the community analysis as an instrument for conscientization
  • Remember that the people can do something to change for the better
  • Unearth the resources in the community
• Insights on identifying and developing Local Leaders

  • Leaders must represent the whole community
  • The needs, interest and aspirations of the people must be shared by the local leaders
  • Leaders may not recognize at first their potentials
  • The identification and development of leaders cannot be done haphazardly
  • It may be necessary to overcome the leaders traditional beliefs and attitudes
  • It is best to tap leaders who are credible to the people
• Qualities of the Core Group Members

  • Thorough knowledge about the community, Communication skills
  • Deep understanding of the community's needs
  • Possession of more ideas and opinions than others
  • Sympathy for the people
  • Availability for the organizations activities
  • Bonafide members of the community
  • Value orientation
  • Innovativeness and creativity
  • Team orientation
  • Development-oriented
• Pointers in Setting Up Organizations

  • Anchor the organization on the lives, experiences, and aspirations of a community
  • Base the goals of an organization on the conditions and needs of the community
  • Let the organization evolve from where the people are and on what they have
  • Make the organization active, dynamic and democratic
• Steps in Action Planning

  • Know the Strength and Weakness of the organization
  • Know the Opportunities for and Threats to the organization
  • Consider the environment of the organization
  • Set the goals or objectives
  • Identify the actions that can achieve the objectives
  • Compare alternatives
  • Choose the appropriate action or alternatives
  • Identify the activities to implement the action or plan
  • Identify the resources needed for the plan
• COPAR

  A social development approach that aims to transform the apathetic, individualistic, and voiceless poor into dynamic, participatory and politically responsive community

    A continuous and sustained process of educating the people to understand and develop their critical awareness of their existing conditions, working with the people, efficiently answering their long-term problems and mobilizing the people to develop their capability and readiness to respond and take action on their immediate needs towards solving the problem.