Social Mobilization Program

Social mobilization occupies a central place in HANDS approach, with  primary focus on working with the poor and disadvantaged. Social mobilization is a participatory process to raise awareness, mobilize and involve local institutions, local leadership and local communities to organize for collective action towards a common vision.

The basic working philosophy of HANDS Social Mobilization Program has been to develop Community Based Organization (CBO) as its partner in community development, therefore all programs and projects are implemented with collaboration of CBO, Local Support Organizations (LSOs), local NGOs’ networks which ensure the sustainability of the program.

Best Practice Service Model-1

Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA)

Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) is the best practice model of Social Mobilization program. It is part of social mobilization and is used before any intervention. The PRA tools are used by the field team with the support of local community members to assess the issues related to health, education and intensity of poverty prevailing in the community. It can also be used for need assessment and area/village profile.

Objectives:

The objectives of this model are to:

• Get insight and facts about community
• Involve members of the community through inclusive approach (community participation)
• Promote ownership by the community

Methodology:

Field Teams with involvement/participation of local community members use at least 02 basic tools of PRA i.e.. Social mapping and transect walk to collect accurate information. Local material is utilized in conduction of PRA activity to identify different attributes of the population. Report of the activity is prepared accordingly.

Conduction of Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) at Mazoor Gotth Thatta

Achievements:

3531 PRAs were conducted in 17 districts of Sindh including Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Kamber Shahdadkot, Dadu, Jamshoro, Thatta, Badin, Karachi Rural, Matiari, Karachi  Urban, Umerkot, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Tando M. Khan, Mirpur Khas, Jaferabad and Shaheed Benazir Abad (SBA-Nawabshah)

Best Practice Service Model- 2

Community Based Organization (CBO)

The working philosophy of Social Mobilization program involves Community Based Organizations (CBOs) as its partners in community development, therefore all programs and projects are being implemented with collaboration of CBO which ensure the sustainability of the program to some extent. CBO is a primary level organization and formed at village/settlement/para/ community level in target area. The CBO is the representative body and have women representation in the form of either Women Organization/Group – WO (Female CBO) or female members.

Community Based Organization’s meeting with Social Mobilization team at Mazoor Gotth Thatta 

Objectives:

The objective of this model are to:

• Establish community based institutes for sustainable community development.
• Develop capacity of community to manage their development projects.
• Ensure community participation/involvement and thus ownership.

Methodology:

• First contact visit
• Meeting with key community person/notables/ stakeholders
• Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA)
• Large community  meeting
• Identification /reactivation/formation of CBOs ensuring female representation and participation.
• Training/orientation of CBO members
• Provision of Management Information System (MIS).
• Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between CBO and HANDS Social Mobilization program for project implementation/interventions.
• Opening of  bank account of CBO for transfer of funds for project intervention at community level
• Regular monthly meeting of CBO to share progress and discuss issues.
• Community Capacity Building Package Training (CCBP – Rehnuma training package)
• Development of Participatory Village Development Plan  (PVDP)
• Resource mobilization
• Facilitation to CBO in developing linkages/liaison with required partners/ authority for project implementation.
• Registration of CBO with Government body

Achievements

3531 medium/small CBOs were formed/strengthened, including 1877 men CBOs and 1654 women CBOs in 17 districts of Sindh with  total 1,042,853 CBO members. Other community groups were 8193 in number which included SMCs/HMCs, VHCs and micro finance borrowers.

Best Practice Service Model- 3

Interactive Theatre

The concept of Interactive Theater (IT) is relatively new in Pakistan. An interactive theater is a performance in front of an audience to make a social faux pas in the conclusion. The audience is then asked whether they agree with the conclusion. If not, those who disagree among the audience are asked to take on the role of the performers and present his/her own conclusion. Interactive theater is therefore a very effective methodology to engage the audience, in which people are not merely viewers, but are also active as performers (participants).

Interactive Theater at Rehri Miani Village Bin Qasim Town Karachi

Objectives:

The objectives of this model are to:

• Disseminate certain message to bring the positive change.
• Enable the audience (community) to identify themselves with the characters in the theater and take on the positive role to address/solve different issues.
• Introduce community with interesting and cost effective method of disseminating messages on important issues.

Methodology:

• Participants attending the theaters are from all sections of community though the focus of the project may be men, women or children of any specific age.
• The core messages are developed by the project team in the form of a script to be communicated through interactive theater.
• The interactive theater team is formed and trained for the performance. Two master trainers from district are identified for the training of trainers on interactive theater methodology.
• The venue and time for the theater performance is  decided in collaboration with CBO/community and information is disseminated.
• The theater is performed keeping in view the ethics and ethnics.
• After the performance any required follow up activity is announced.

Achievements:

• 389 Interactive Theaters (IT) were performed in community during last couple of years.
• 45 IT groups were trained.
• 357 ITs were conducted on the topic of Birth Spacing
• 32 ITs were conducted on Gender & Social protection issues.

Best Practice Training Model- 4

Capacity Building package for Community Groups

This model intend to provide training of community groups. The community groups include School Management Committee, Village Health Committee, Health Management Committee, Borrowers of social mobilization for micro  finance.   The training program is particularly designed to mobilize the community for management of project interventions in their communities. This training focuses on management of  record , conduction of  meetings, negotiation skills and conflict resolution.

Capacity Building for Community Group

Objectives:

• The objectives of the training are to:
• Improve overall management skills of participants.
• Provide orientation about  the scope of work of community groups.
• Understand the role and responsibility of community group.
• Enhance skills of participants in record keeping and financial management.

Course contents:

Community management skills, organization management, leadership habits, decision making , conflict resolution, facilities development and financial and other activity record keeping

Methodology:

The methodology of the training include group work, individual work, pair work, presentations, role play, lecture and demonstration

Training Duration:

Duration adjusted according to requirement of community group

Achievements:

HANDS trained 2362 SMC members, 143 VHC / HMC members, 36962 borrowers and 620 members of other miscellaneous groups during last year.

Best Practice Training Model- 5

CBOs Capacity Building Training (Rehnuma)

This training model is particularly developed to build the capacity of CBOs for transition to community based institutions. Through this training program the volunteer workers of CBO are trained on community development concept, participatory development, gender and development, conflict resolutions, leadership skills, communication techniques and social mobilization. CBOs are also trained in record keeping and skills to conduct community meetings in their villages.

Training of trainers of an NGO’s professional staff on Capacity Building Package for CBOs

Objectives:

The objectives of this model are to:

• Build the capacity of community volunteer workers on management skills.
• Provide the knowledge and skills to trainees to resolve conflicts.
• Train the CBO members on leadership and communication skills.
• Enable CBOs to manage their records.

Course Contents:

The contents of the training include personality development, decision making, leadership habits development,  conflict resolution, record keeping, village development plan, importance of saving and linkages with other organizations/NGOs

Methodology:

The methodology of the training include in house interactive lectures, individual assignments, brainstorming, field work, role plays, group work, simulations and discussion.

Training Duration:

Total 15 days training package with 5 training of 3 days each.

Achievements:

During the year 2011-2012, 107 training were

conducted for the CBOs with 4046 participants including both men and women. More than 7000 CBO members were trained in previous years.

Best Practice Training Model- 6

Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) Training

The training of Participatory Rapid Appraisal (PRA) is designed to enable the participants to conduct PRAs in the community to gather information.

Professionals training in PRA

Objective:

• To build up an undeviating “people first” attitude in the minds of the participants through showing that “people are capable agents to change their own lives” but require limited outside assistance.
• To establish a notion of “respect” to the people’s knowledge in the life of professionals and their institutions.
• To provide simple analytic tools to analyze rural situations by conduction PRA.

Methodology:

The course uses participatory learning techniques. The sessions are dynamic and include short introductory presentations, interactive, lectures, group work and discussion, presentations, case studies, brainstorming, field work and practical exercise.

Training Contents:

Social Mapping, Transect walk, Well Being Ranking, Focus Group Discussion, Seasonal Calendar and report writing.

Training Duration:

4 Days including 03 days in house and 01 day field activity.

Achievements:

• No of Training         11
• No of Participants   1366

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