Community Action

and Participatory
Approaches
Learning MELCS-
Objective
1.
s: Formulate a community
action.
2. Plan using participatory
approaches.
The lesson focuses on understanding and
formulating a community action plan
using participatory approaches. ​

It emphasizes the importance of

community engagement, solidarity, and
citizenship in addressing local issues. ​

The key learning objectives are to formulate

a community action and plan using
participatory approaches. ​
 ​Key points include:
Community Action: Activities that increase
understanding, engagement, and empowerment of
communities in designing and delivering local
services.
​Community Action Plan: A roadmap for
implementing community change, detailing what will
be done, who will do it, and how it will be done. ​
Participatory Approaches: Ensuring everyone with
a stake in the intervention has a voice, either in
person or by representation. ​
​ he lesson outlines the elements of an action
T
plan, including a cover page, cover letter,
introduction, community profile, action plan,
resources, and appendices. ​
It also highlights the principles and core values
of community actions, such as human rights, social
justice, empowerment, advocacy, participatory
development, and gender development. ​
The lesson encourages the use of participatory
tools like Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) and
Participatory Rural Appraisals (PRA) to build
community capacity and support community
initiatives.
Community action involves activities that promote
understanding, engagement, and empowerment of
communities in designing and delivering local services.
Often called "social action" or "community
engagement," it aims to place communities at the
center of local services.
Key objectives include:
1.Building capacity – Sharing knowledge, skills, and
ideas.
2.Community resilience – Supporting self-reliance.
3.Prevention – Focusing on early access, collaboration,
and partnerships.
4.Wealth creation – Encouraging employment and
community enterprises.
 What is the purpose of a
community action plan?
The purpose of a community action plan is to
serve as a roadmap for implementing
community change. ​
It identifies and specifies what will be done,
who will do it, and how it will be done. ​
This plan helps in organizing efforts to
address community issues, ensuring that all
stakeholders are involved and that the
community's needs and goals are met effectively.
 What are the elements of a
community action plan?
The elements of a community action plan include:
1.Cover Page: Style or design of the plan. ​
2.Cover Letter: A letter from the community from the Mayor or community leader.
​
3.Introduction/Executive Summary: A description of the purpose of the action
plan and how it was developed. ​
4.Table of Contents. ​
5.Community Profile: A brief overview of distinguishing characteristics of the
municipality and the priority issues. ​
6.Community Action Plan: A description of the issues and the community goals. ​
7.Resources: Information on where to go for financial support and educational
materials. ​
8.Appendices and Supporting Documentation. ​
 Tips for Writing an Action Plan

1.Establish a clear vision, values,

and strategic framework.
2.Define goals, activities, schedules,
and responsible parties.
3.Identify required resources and
progress indicators.
 Participatory Approaches in
Planning
Participation ensures community ownership,
incorporating stakeholders' ideas, decision-making, and
shared responsibility. Levels of participation (per David
Wilcox) include:
• Information – Sharing plans.
• Consultation – Listening to feedback.
• Deciding together – Co-creating solutions.
• Acting together – Forming partnerships.
• Supporting initiatives – Providing advice and support.
 Examples of Participatory
Methods:
1.Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) –
Collecting community insights on local
conditions.
2.Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) –
Analyzing and sharing outcomes openly.
3.Participatory and Integrated
Development (PID) – Embedding
participatory methods in long-term plans.
How does a participatory approach
benefit community action?
A participatory approach benefits
community action by:
Inclusivity: Ensuring that everyone who
has a stake in the intervention has a voice,
either in person or by representation.
​Empowerment: Engaging community
members in the decision-making process,
which increases their sense of ownership
and responsibility. ​
How does a participatory approach
benefit community action?
Diverse Perspectives: Incorporating ideas and
feedback from a wide range of stakeholders,
leading to more comprehensive and effective
solutions.
​Collaboration: Fostering partnerships among
community members, officials, and organizations,
which can enhance resource sharing and support.
Sustainability: Building community capacity and
resilience by involving members in the planning
and implementation processes, ensuring long-term
success and adaptability
True or False. Read and analyze the statements below
and determine whether the statement being described is
True or False.
_____1. Community engagement requires the participation of
community members in projects that
address their issues.
_____2. Cover Page is a description of the issues and the
community goals.
_____3. Conducting community action requires community
profiling.
_____4. Goal or output is an element of a Community Action
Plan.
_____5. Crafting an Action plan without clear goals or a set of
values is still effective.
True or False. Read and analyze the statements below
and determine whether the statement being described is
True or False.
_____6. A community profile is a description of the purpose of the
action plan and how it was developed.
_____7. Community Action Plan is a brief overview of distinguishing
characteristics of the municipality and the priority issues.
_____8. Building community and social capacity mean helping the
community to share knowledge, skills, and ideas.
_____9. Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRAs) were not designed to collect
first-hand data from the local people.
_____10. In a participatory approach, everyone who has a stake in
the intervention has a voice, either in person or by representation.
 Answer Key
1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False
6. False
7. False
8. True
9. False
10. True