COPAR

Community Organizing
Participatory Action Research
 COPAR
 A social development approach that aims to transform
the apathetic, individualistic and voiceless poor into
dynamic, participatory and politically responsive
community

 A process by which a community identifies its needs and

objectives, develops confidence to take action in respect
to them and in doing so, extends and develops
cooperative and collaborative attitudes and practices in
the community (Ross
1967)
 COPAR

 A continuous and sustained process of educating

the people to understand and develop their critical
awareness of their existing condition, working with
the people collectively and efficiently on their
immediate and long-term problems, and
mobilizing the people to develop their capability
and readiness to respond and take action on their
immediate needs towards solving their long-
term problems (CO: A manual of experience,
PCPD)
 Traditional
Based on researchers
Purpose: Identifying and
meeting individual needs within
existing social system.
The research problem is studied The community group
by the researches who control
the research process.
Recommendation for the
community are based on the
researches findings and
analysis
PAR
Based on Community
Purpose: The community
groups undertakes the
investigation or research
process from data collection to
analysis
undertakes the investigation or
research process from data
collection to analysis.
The community formulates
recommendation and an action
plan based on research
outcomes
 Importance of COPAR
1. COPAR is an important tool for community development
and people empowerment as this helps the community
workers to generate community participation in
development activities.

2. COPAR prepares people/clients to eventually take over

the management of a development programs in the future.

3. COPAR maximizes community participation and

involvement; community resources are mobilized for
community services.
 Principles of COPAR
1. 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.

2. COPAR should be based on the interest of the

poorest sectors of society.

3. COPAR should lead to a self-reliant community

and society.
 COPAR Process

 A progressive cycle of action-reflection

action which begins with small, local and concrete
issues identified by the people and the evaluation
and the reflection of and on the action taken by
them.
 Consciousness through experimental learning
central to the COPAR process because it places
emphasis on learning that emerges from concrete
action and which enriches succeeding action.
 COPAR Process

 COPAR is participatory and mass-based

because it is primarily directed towards
and biased in favor of the poor, the
powerless and 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 COPAR Process
Pre-entry Phase

-is the initial phase of 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 in the Pre-entry Phase

> Preparation of the Institution

> Site Selection
> Criteria for Initial Site Selection
> Identifying Potential Municipalities
> Identifying Potential Barangay
> Choosing Final Barangay
> Identifying Host Family
 Entry Phase

- Social preparation phase

- Is crucial in determining which strategies for organizing
would suit the chosen community.

Guidelines for Entry

 Recognize the role of local authorities by paying them
visits to inform their presence and activities.
 Her appearance, speech, behavior and lifestyle should
be in keeping with those of the community residents
without disregard of their being role model.
 Avoid raising the consciousness of the community
residents; adopt a low-key profile.
 Activities in the Entry Phase:

 Integration - establishing rapport with the people

in continuing effort to imbibe community life.
 seek out to converse with people where they
usually congregate
 deepening social investigation/community study
 verification and enrichment of data collected from
initial survey
 conduct baseline survey by students, results
relayed through community assembly
 core group formation
 Self-awareness and Leadership training (SALT),
action,planning
 Core Group Formation

 Leader spotting through sociogram.

Key persons - approached by most
people
Opinion leader - approach by key
persons
Isolates - never or hardly consulted
 Community Study/Diagnosis Phase
(Research Phase)
 Selection of the research team
 Training on the data collection methods and techniques;
capability-building (includes development of data
collection tools)
 Planning for the actual gathering of the data
 Data gathering
 Training on data validation (includes tabulation and
preliminary analysis of data)
 Community validation
 Presentation of the community study, diagnosis &
recommendations
 Prioritization of community needs/problems for action
 Organization & Capability Building
Phase

- entails the formation of more formal structure

and the inclusion of more formal procedure of
planning, implementing, and evaluating
community-wise activities.
- it is at this phase where the organized leaders
or groups are being given training (formal,
informal, OJT) to develop their style in managing
their own concerns/programs.
- formation of the Community Health
Organization (CHO)
 Activities in the Organizing Phase

 Community meetings to draw up guidelines for the

organizations of the CHO
 Election of officers
 Development of management systems and
procedures, including delineation of the roles, functions
and task of officers and members of the CHO
 Team building/Action-Reflect Action (ARA)
 Working out legal requirements for the establishment
of the CHO
 Organization of the working committees and task
groups(e.g. education and training, membership of
committees)
 Training of the CHO officers/community leaders
 Community Action Phase
 Organization and training of the community
health workers (CHW’s)
 Development of criteria for the selection of CHW’s
 Selection of CHW’s
 Training of CHW’s

 Setting up of linkages/network referral systems

 Initial identification and implementation of
resource mobilization schemes
 Sustenance & Strengthening
Phase
- occurs when the community organization has
already been established and the community
members are already actively participating in
community-wide undertakings
Strategies used may include:
 Education and training
 Networking and linkages
 Conduct of mobilization on health and
development concerns
 Implementation of livelihood projects
 Developing secondary leaders
 Activities in the Sustenance & Strengthening
Phase:

 Training of CHO for monitoring and implementing of

community health program.
 Identification of secondary leaders.
 Linkaging and networking.
 Conduct of mobilization on health and development
concerns.
 Implementation of livelihood projects.
Phase-Out

- the nurse gradually prepares for turn-over

of work and develops a plan for monitoring
and subsequent follow-up of the
organization’s activities until the community
is ready for full disengagement and phase-
out

- the purpose is for the people to realize

self-reliance