REVIEWER IN CESC

LEASON 1: Core Values of Community Action Initiatives

Core Values – Core values are principles that guide an - Equity is the quality of being fair and
organization’s internal conduct as well as its relationship impartial
with the external world. Core values are usually
summarized in the mission statement or in a statement
of core values.

COMMUNITY ACTION INITIATIVE

Community action includes a broad range of activities

and is sometimes described As “social action” or C. Gender Equality
“community engagement”. These activities can vary in - Gender equality, from the
their objective, The role the community plays, the types establishment of the Commission on
of activities involved, their scale and their integration the Status of Women – the main global
Within the council. Intergovernmental body exclusively
dedicated to the promotion of
Gender equality and the empowerment
of women – through the adoption of
various landmark agreements such as
the Convention on the Elimination of All
A. Core Values of Human Rights Forms of Discrimination against Women
- According to United Nations, human (CEDAW)
rights are rights inherent to all human
beings, whatever our nationality, Place - The UN explains: “Gender equality is
of residence, sex , national or ethnic not only a fundamental human right,
origin, color, religion, language, or any but a necessary foundation for peaceful,
other status. prosperous and sustainable world.
Providing women and girls with Equal
Principle of universality of human rights is the access to education, health care, decent
cornerstone of international human Rights law. work, and representation in political
• promote and protect all human rights and and Economic decision-making
fundamental freedoms. processes will fuel sustainable
economies and benefit societies and
• Human rights are inalienable. They should not be Humanity at large.
taken away, except in specific situations and according
to due process.

• All human rights are indivisible, whether they are civil D. Participatory Development
and political rights, such as the Right to life, equality - The practice of participatory
before the law and freedom of expression; economic, development is many things to many
social and cultural Rights, such as the rights to work, people. The motivation to use
social security and education, or collective rights, such participatory development
as The rights to development and self-determination, methods and the approach to its
are indivisible, interrelated and Interdependent. practice, depend upon one’s
perspective on, or philosophy of
• Non-discrimination is a cross-cutting principle in development. Participatory
international human rights law. development can be a manipulative tool
THE PRINCIPLE OF NON- DISCRIMINATION to engage people in a pre-determined
process, an expedient way to achieve
• Respect- means that States must refrain from results, or an attempt to support a
interfering with or curtailing the enjoyment of Human democratic, empowering process.
rights.
LESSON 2: Strategies of Community Empowerment and
• Protect- requires States to protect individuals and Advocacy
groups against human rights abuses.

• fulfill- means that States must take positive action to

facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights. Communities: are groups of people that may or may not
be spatially connected, but who share common.
B. Core Values of Social Equity
- Equity extends the concept of equality Empowerment: refers to the process by which people
to include providing varying levels of gain Control over the factors and decisions that shape
support based on ndividual need or their lives.
ability. Community Empowerment: is a process of
re-negotiating power in order to gain more control. It
recognizes that if some people are going to be Principles represent an objective reality that transcends
empowered, then others will be sharing their existing cultures and individuals.
power and giving some of it up (Baum, 2008).
Assessment means analysis not compilation. It is the
Globalization: the process of community action or an instance of making a judgment about
empowerment. In today’s world, the local and global are something, the act of assessing something.
inextricably linked. Action on one cannot ignore the
CORE VALUES OF COMMUNITY-ACTION INITIATIVE
Influence of or impact on the other.
Human Rights – Human rights are universal and
What is advocacy?
inalienable, All people everywhere in the world are
- Advocacy is the act or process of entitled to them. “All human beings are born free and
Supporting a cause or proposal, the act or equal in dignity and rights.”
process of advocating. The word “advocacy”
Gender Equality – is the state of equal ease of access to
comes from the Latin “advocare” and literally
resources and opportunities regardless of gender,
means ”to call out for support”. The origins of
including economic participation and decision-making;
advocacy dated back to ancient Rome and
and the state of valuing different behaviors, aspirations,
Greece when well-established orators would
and needs equally, regardless of gender.
perform as advocates or wrote orations
specifically for pleading someone’s cause. Participatory Development – Seeks to engage local
populations in development projects, to give the poor a
STRATEGIES OF EMPOWERMENT AND ADVOCACY
part in initiatives designed for their benefit in the hopes
1. Root cause analysis- Identifying the core issue that development projects will be more sustainable and
and analyzing its roots causes. successful.
2. Visioning exercise- Develop a vision and select
Social Justice- Assigns rights and duties in the
path for solutions.
institutions of society, which enables people to receive
3. Issue selection or Issue Analysis- It is a process
the basic benefits and burdens of cooperation.
of weighing your expertise, capacity and
experience against the issue complexity. Empowerment and Advocacy- Authority or power given
4. Power Mapping- Power mapping reveals the to someone to do something. Seeks to engage local
power needed to make things happen. population in development projects. Advocacy refers to
5. Lobbying, influencing and getting your voice be public support for or recommendation of a particular
heard- The term “lobbying” describes direct cause or policy.
attempts to influence policy makers, public
officials or other decision makers through CORE VALUES PRINCIPLES OF ENGAGEMENT
personal interviews and persuasion. Careful planning and Preparation- Through adequate
6. Advocacy Campaign Evaluation- It is important and inclusive planning, ensure that the design,
to focus right from the start on what outcomes organization, and convening of the process serve both a
you want to see for the following reasons: 1) clearly defined Purpose and the needs of the
outcomes reduce the danger of being too participants.
activity-focused, i.e. objectives can sometimes
be a list of things we intend to do; 2) if You are Inclusion and Demographic Diversity- Equitably
outcome focused. incorporate diverse people, voices, ideas, and
information to lay the groundwork for quality outcomes
Importance of Commitment and Action in Participatory and democratic legitimacy.
Development for Community Well-Being
Openness and Learning- Help all involved listen to each
“ Commitment is what transforms a promise into other, explore new ideas unconstrained by
reality” – Abraham Lincoln predetermined outcomes

Transparency and Trust- Be clear and open about the

LESSON 3: Assessment of Community Action Initiatives process, and provide a public record of the organizers,
sponsors, outcomes, and range of views and ideas
expressed.
Community Action is any activity that increases the Impact and Action- Ensure each participatory effort has
understanding, engagement and empowerment of real potential to make a difference, and that participants
communities in the design and delivery of local services. are aware of that potential.
Values are beliefs and opinions that people hold Sustained Engagement and Participatory Culture-
regarding specific issues or ideas, and are ultimately Promote a culture of participation with programs and
internal, subjective and malleable. institutions that Support ongoing quality community
engagement.
Core Values are the fundamental beliefs of a person or
organization. These guiding principles dictate behavior
and can help people understand the difference between
right and wrong.
COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT – the collection and analysis fields, vegetation, and possibly
of information on the needs and characteristics of a habitation.
certain community action initiatives.

FIVE BASICS STEP IN COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

PROCESS:

1. Plan and Organize – means define the

parameters.
2. Design Data Collection- create an assessment
plan
3. Gather Data – create a data collection plan.
4. Review and Analyze Data – implement the
needs assessment survey.
5. Make Decision – Report and take action.

LESSON 4: Methodologies and Approaches in

Community Action

A method is a way of dealing with something or

somebody, it is a systematic procedure, technique , or
mode of inquiry employed by or proper to a particular
discipline or Art. It is a systematic plan followed in
presenting material for instruction.

An approach Is an act or instance of taking preliminary

steps or manner toward a particular purpose.

Community action is putting communities as the center

of the services development and services delivery. This
initiative aims to cater the primary needs of the
communities before implementing it.

Community Engagement Methods and Approaches

• Community meeting
• Focus Group
• Surveys or questionnaire
• Web-based engagement

Systematic Methods of Community Action

1. Participatory Method – A participatory learning

approach, applied at each stage of a community
development project, is crucial to reaching the
level of stakeholder involvement needed for
lasting, positive change.
a. Mobility Map Method – This is a
method for gaining an understanding of
movement patterns for an individual, a
group, or a community. A mobility map
provides insights into where people go,
for what reason, how frequent, how far
the travel is
b. Social Map Method – A social map is
constructed by local people. It is not
drawn to scale, as the primary focus is
to identify what the local people believe
to be relevant and important for them.
c. Resource map- is constructed by locals,
showing the natural resources in a
Community. Local people draw on their
knowledge of the area to identify
resources such as land, rivers, hills,