Social and Resource Mapping Tool
Description:
In drawing participatory maps, the primary concern is not to produce an accurate map but to generate discussions among participants, ensuring participation of the most vulnerable HHs and gather useful information.Social and Resource Mapping is an exercise that maps a community’s space, physical landmarks and resources (social, natural, economic, human, to identify the existing social and material capacities and vulnerabilities in the community along with areas of exposure where hazards occur.
In normal practice, the trained outsider draws a map of the village or territory. In participatory mapping, community members themselves are asked to do the drawing. Outsiders who have not tried the participatory method are often surprised to find that people with no formal education can draw maps that are both quite accurate and very illuminating.
Preparation:
Inform everyone of the next steps in the CBDP process, and explain why it is important that someone from every family, especially the most vulnerable families, participates. Ask them to suggest when and where to meet, and discuss whether to split into subgroups by location or gender in order to have a manageable group size (20 maximum in each group)
Since this is the foundation of the whole Community Based Disaster Risk Reduction Planning process, it is strongly recommended that team conducts this mapping in smaller geographically divided groups, so that the whole map can be complied together later as one Map.
Read this beforehand, do a role play amongst yourselves, so that you get used to the checklist, print copies of this TOOL, clipboard and pens for the note taker, bring summary of information from the Transect Walk.
Bring chalk and masking tape, which can be useful for drawing on a hard surface.
Ask communities to collect some stones, leaves, small scrap pieces of woods/other materials, colored woods, colored papers or so, that they can use for mapping.
If needed, bring large paper and pens, to transfer the map onto paper and leave a copy with the community for future reference
Make the map legends, symbols on colored papers beforehand. Symbols can be for house, roads, bridge, health centers, mosques, church, school, water point, canal, garbage, etc.
Inform the community about this process and explain clearly about the time needed. Arrange meeting in the convenient time of the community, especially for women. If needed, we need to arrange staying in the village.
Ensure that at least one member from the most vulnerable HHs participates in the mapping process.
Materials:
Use local materials (for example, use rice or stones to represent regular houses, beans for vulnerable houses; sticks as village borders, empty bottles for major buildings, leaves for roads, etc). Chalk or masking tape can be a helpful addition. Drawing on the ground, with movable materials, encourages discussion.
Mapping on paper is often an exercise in frustration since it is hard to erase and redraw. Furthermore, the edge of the paper restricts the size and scope of the drawing. The best medium for mapping is a large space of open ground, using sticks, shells, rocks, leaves and other objects as markers. If this is not possible or appropriate, chalk on a cement floor or masking tape on carpet also work fairly well. Following this exercise, the facilitator and the community members can develop a map on paper which reflects the map made with local materials. This map can be kept at a communal meeting point or office within the community. Facilitators should take pictures for records!
Purpose/Objective of this Tool:
To identify the hazards that put the community at risk, the resources that help the community cope with natural disasters, and the people who are most vulnerable or best placed to help during disasters.
To have a map that can be used to inform action planning.
Time:
3- 4 hours
Participants:
The whole community, or one person per family, in open informal groups. The group size should not be more than 25 – 30 people. The same group must be regularly participating.
Process
Introduction and explaining the objective of the Social and Resource Mapping
Review of last day’s discussion
Summarize what was learned during the transect walk: for example, certain areas are more exposed to disaster than others, and homes and crops are affected in different ways depending on where they are located.
Ask if the participants have any questions or clarification.
Ask again if we can start the mapping exercise
EXAMPLE CHECKLIST
•What are the hazards that put the community particularly at risk?
•Blocked drainage canals, broken embankments
•Which areas are at greater risk?
•What are the resources related to disaster in your community?
•Embankments, dikes, drainage canals, etc.
•Flood/cyclone shelters, health centers, schools
•NGO, CBO or government offices
•What are the social capacities and vulnerabilities to disaster?
•Homes of teachers, nurses, doctors
•High risk families due to geographic locations, those most affected by disasters
•High risk recuse of sick, elderly, those living with disabilities
•High risk due to chronic poverty
Note takers should record notes the following which comes out of the discussion:
•HAZARDS
•RESOURCES
•CAPACITIES
•VULNERABILITIES