COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

from the lecture of Prof. Gerardo P. Andamo of The Royal Pentagon Review Specialists, Inc.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING – a continuous and sustained (i.e. never-ending) process of awareness-

raising, organizing, and mobilizing.
Awareness – primary
Basic Concepts and Principles motivation to action
 Based on concrete analysis of actual situation
 Basic trust on the people
 By, for, with, and among the people
 Anyone is capable of change
 Self-willed changes have more meaning than imposed ones

Context of Community Organizing (CO): Current situation

towards the poor, deprived, oppressed (i.e. not all) but
struggling segments of the society

Goal of Community Organizing (CO): Community Development – the creation of a society that
provides equal access to all benefits and opportunities the society can offer to the people

Application of CO in Health: PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

- Essential care (i.e. not alternative)
- Based on scientifically sound and socially acceptable methods and technology
- Made universally available to individuals, families, and communities
- At a cost they can afford at any given stage of their development
- Through their full participation
- Towards self- reliance and self-determination

Major Pillars of Primary Health Care

a. Multi-sectoral approach (inter- and intra-sectoral linkages)
b. People’s participation
Partnership – or shared leadership; minimum level of people’s participation
c. Appropriate technology – underwent experimentation and with high empirical basis;
e.g. herbal medicine and accupressure
d. Support mechanism made available

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING IN HEALTH

Two types of community:

a. Organized community – with people’s organization
b. Virgin community – without people’s organization

Phases of CO:
1. SOCIAL INVESTIGATION
• Preliminary Investigation
- done before entry to community
- secondary data sources are utilized
- baseline information from secondary data sources (e.g. Records Review)
• Deepening Social Investigation
- continuous appraisal of community situation through primary data sources
2. ENTRY – low-key or low-profile approach
Upon entry, start the following:
a. Deepening Social Investigation
b. Social Preparation
c. Community Integration
3. SOCIAL PREPARATION – tampering the grounds for setting up health programs
Target: community leaders
- Establish rapport, develop trust, clarify intentions and expectations
- Starts upon entry, ends with launching
 Methods: courtesy call and attendance to meetings
4. COMMUNITY INTEGRATION – imbibing the community way of life
Target: community
- Deepen rapport, develop mutual trust, draw objectives
Methods: house-to-house, going to places where people are, direct participation in the
production process (best method)
5. SMALL GROUP FORMATION
- cluster of 8-15 households
- manageable units
- data processing of community diagnosis is being done
6. ELECTION OF CHWs
7. LAUNCHING – social preparation ends
8. COMMUNITY DIAGNOSIS
Outcome: Problems and needs of the people
9. TRAINING AND SERVICES
Advanced community health workers have the leadership traits
10. CORE GROUP FORMATION
- Group of advanced CHWs
11. PHASE OUT – so that people can practice self-reliance
- Provide opportunity for the health workers to stand on their own
Indicator of Phase-out: Advanced CHWs are able to assume staff level functions

COMMUNITY ORGANIZING PROCESS

PRE-ENTRY
1. Site selection
2. Preliminary Social Investigation
ENTRY
1. Social preparation
2. Community integration
3. Deepening social investigation
ORGANIZATION FORMATION PHASE
1. Small group formation
2. Election of CHW (women; middle-aged; married)
3. Organizational meetings - to clarify matters
TRAINING PHASE
1. Training needs assessment – COMMUNITY DIAGNOSIS
2. Curriculum development – based on problems identified
3. Actual training
4. Training evaluation
SERVICES PHASE
1. Community clinics
2. Other services
LEADERSHIP FORMATION PHASE
1. Core group formation
2. Advanced training
CONSOLIDATION PHASE
1. Evaluation session
2. Staff development
SUSTENANCE AND MAINTENANCE PHASE
1. Endorsement to sectoral organizing
2. Formation of regional coordinating bodies
PHASE OUT
Transcribed by:
ROBERT C. REÑA
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Class MMIX