Developing communitary projects. Developing communitarian projects content thinking in a participative manner how to build a community project? kick-off:

Developing communitary projects

Developing communitarian projects

contentthinking in a participative manner

how to build a community project?

kick-off: purpose & diagnosis

the question of priorities

view to the objectives

strategies

action plan

Evaluating the process

Thinking in a participative manner

“Plans are nothing, planning is everything.” (maximum of strategic planning).


Empowerment

“If we translate litterally «ability to gain power», in other words, the process of empowerment is an individual and collective ownership of social power." (Guerra, 2002,p.91).

Participatory Democracy vs. Representative Democracy

“If until now we are accustomed to the practice of a representative democracy, then that which is demanded is the strengthening of participatory democracy.” (Guerra, 2002,p.95).


Participative methodology of the projects

The methodology of participatory design is a tool that allows both a greater understanding of reality and a more efficient means and technique of intervention.

“Today we cannot consider the existence of a «participatory approach to project» sufficiently coherent and integrated, it may be, however, said that the methodology of the project itself contains the necessary ingredients to be a participatory and scientifically based methodology.” (Guerra, 2002, p.120).


Participative methodology of the projects • One way of thinking and designing the action; • A methodology that requires the development of a systematic and rational thinking; • A call to the organization and use of the simple and common sense;• Interactive and constant revision, adapting itself to new facts, suffering setbacks and advances;• A technique for innovation and change that requires a continuous adaptation to the everyday work.“ (Guerra, 2002, p.122)

How to build a community project?



Projects stages • Emergence of a collective will for change and finding the resources (human, material, symbolic, etc.);• Analysis of the situation and conducting the diagnosis;• Design of the action plan;• implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the project.” (Guerra, 2002, p.127).



Kick-off: purpose & diagnosis

Purposes

The objectives indicate the reason for a project and what contribution he can bring to problems and situations that it becomes necessary to transform (p.163).

Examples:

• Promote the cultural level of a population;

• Develop local capacity for employment creation;

• Promote the general welfare of a population and housing.



Diagnosis

A diagnosis aims to answer the question: Where is the satisfaction of social needs in a particular system of action?

“The diagnostic part is creating a «culture of design» and a mutual understanding between all parties involved.” (Guerra, 2002, p.135).



Diagnosis

Presupposes a relationship of interaction between variables in the presence and identification of not only vulnerabilities but also the potential / resources of the means of intervention, particularly those available for the operation concerned.



Target-groups

Level 1 – Those for whom the project is headed: users, clients, parents, users of information, etc.

Level 2 – Those who are responsible for implementation of action: social workers, nurses, administrators, supervisors, politicians, teachers, parents, etc..

Level 3 – Those of you who depend on the action, even when not directly involved, and are responsible for the activation of resources (buildings, equipment, available technology, transport, salaries) and solutions. (Guerra, 2002, p.153).



Diagnosis stages

The diagnosis always includes, albeit with different intensities, three phases: • Pré-diagnosis: exploratory time, based on existing documentation and interviews with various leaders; • Diagnosis: collection of original information; • Hierarchy of problems



Common methods:• Document analysis• Interview given to informers; • Forum for ongoing consultation;• Other.


The question of priorities

In the hierarchy of problems there is a frequent recourse to the use of criteria that are punctuated according to their importance. (Guerra, 2002, p.143).


The question of priorities

Problems SeverityExisting

resources

Sensitivity of the population for the

Intervention (level 1)

Sensitivity of professionals and decision makers

(level 2 & 3)

Prioritiessum

Problem 1

Problem 2

Problem 3

Problem 4


View to the objectives

General objectives

The general objectives describe the main guidelines for action and are consistent with the purposes of the project. There are usually expressed in operational terms, so there is no possibility of knowing whether or not achieved.



General objectives

Examples:• Develop programs that promote education and training;• Provide the community of management tools and analysis of problems of development; • Promote best ways to ownership of the house and neighborhood.



Specific objectives

reflect the results we hope to achieve (goals) and that detail the overall objectives. Are formulated in operational terms, quantitative or qualitative, so that it can review its implementation.



Specific objectives

Examples:• Qualify 30 people by mid-level vocational training; • Create 50 jobs; • Rehabilitate 10 homes and areas surrounding the District.

Relationship between objectives and evaluation.


Strategies

What is the most cost effective way, mobilizing and innovative to achieve the objectives to be achieved?

Or ...

What is the best strategy to achieve these goals?


Strategies

Exemplos:

To promote training in rural areas: • Strategy of decentralization and participation of existing institutions (option for decentralized use of existing resources such as information centers and training at the expense of creating new services or equipment); • Strategy for promoting skills of intermediate levels of training and technology-based (option for vocational training of young people with levels of education between compulsory education and secondary education).


Action plan

Main components of the plan and activities:

• Definition of a program of activities;

• Definition of the activity;

• Definition of the tasks that result because of the action;

• Responsible for the choice of action;

• Necessary resources;

• Calendar.


Action plan

These decisions require a collective discussion about possible alternatives on how to do, the sequence of steps, the potential risks of the various choices.



“Knowledge brings the evidence of validation of their practice" (Michel Conan).



Some of the key functions of evaluation:

• How to measure;

• Instrument for supporting and making decisions;

• Process of formation;

• Deepening participatory democracy



Moments of evaluation:

Diagnostic evaluation (ex ante) - aims to provide information necessary to decide whether the project should be implemented.

Assessment and monitoring (on-going) - examines how to implement the project and give input to the thinning or its correction.

Final evaluation (ex post) - measure the results and effects of the project.



Criteria to take into account the time to assess:

Suitability – Is the project / program suited to the context of the problem and the situation on which you want to intervene? This project is consistent in its internal construction?

Relevance - The project is justified in the context of policies and strategies of the agency / service?




Effectiveness - To what extent the objectives had been achieved and the planned actions implemented?

Efficiency - The results compared with s resources are used to their jobs more economic and satisfactory?




Equity - The objectives, defining the target group, the distribution of resources to increase equality of opportunity or generated (increased) new inequalities?

Bibliography

Guerra, Isabel. (2002). Fundamentos e Processos de uma Sociologia de Acção – O planeamento em ciências sociais. Princípia: Estoril.

Fundação para o Desenvolvimento do Vale da Campanhã. (1999). Azulejaria Comunitária – um projecto na reedificação do Bairro do Cerco do Porto. Rainho&Neves: Sta Maria da Feira.

Carmona, Tiago; Cunha, Nuno & Rodrigues, Patrícia. (2007). Sinergias – projecto de intervenção socioeducativa. São Tomé e Príncipe [Texto inédito].

Documents

Developing communitary projects. Developing communitarian projects content thinking in a participative manner how to build a community project? kick-off: