Table of Contents
List of Abbreviations and Acronyms 3
1.0 BACKGROUND 4
1.1 Purpose of the Manual 5
1.2 Targets of the Manual 5
1.3 Structure of the Manual 5
1.4 Methodology 6
1.5 Scope of the Manual 6
2.0 PREPARING FOR THE CAP PROCESS 7
2.1 The Profile of the Facilitator of CAP 7
2.2 Understanding the work 7
2.3 Engaging the District Assembly and Traditional Authority 10
3.0 CAP PROCESS 11
3.1 Community entry 11
3.2 Community Situational Analysis 14
3.3 Community Section: Visioning 19
3.4 Community Section: Goal Formation, Strategy Design and Action Planning 21
3.5 Community Section: Validation of the Community Action Plan 22
4.0 POST CAP ACTIVITIES 23
4.1 Community dialogue and interface: Influencing the DMTP 23
4.2 Marketing the CAP 23
4.3 Monitoring local development and commitment 24
4.4 CAP Review 25
5.0 ANNEXES 26
5.1 ESSENTIAL SKILLS OF THE CAP FACILITATOR 26
5.2 TOOLS FOR COMMUNITY ACTION PLANNING 28
5.3 Selected Participatory Learning and Appraisal Tools 31
List of Abbreviations and Acronyms
CAP Community Action Plan
CAPs Community Action Plan
CIDA Canadian International Development Agency
CIFS Community Driven Initiatives for Food Security
CSO Civil Society Organization
DA District Assembly
DCE District Chief Executive
DMTDP District Medium Term Development Plan
MMDA Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies
MTDP Medium Term Development Plan
NDPC National Development Planning Commission
NGOs Non – Governmental Organizations
PRA/PLA Participatory Rapid Appraisal / Participatory Learning and Action
1.0 BACKGROUND
CARE Ghana has recently concluded an evaluation of the CAP (Community Action Planning) methodology in Ghana with a case study of the suitability of the CAP as a mechanism and tool to seek participation and connect the voice of citizens in local development planning and implementation processes. The evaluation analyzed the different approaches adopted by various stakeholders that implemented CAP in the last years to support citizen voice, participation and influence in the local development planning and implementation processes. The findings and recommendations of the evaluation were validated in a workshop that brought together representatives of districts assemblies, the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), peer agencies and the Africa 2000 Network. From the validation workshop further assessment of the national CAP training manual was conducted with recommendation for consideration by the NDPC in the development of the second edition of the national CAP manual.
This manual complements the first edition of the national CAP facilitators training manual. It served as the main resource materials for the development of this manual in order to ensure that this enhanced CAP manual aligns with the national CAP standard manual and also customized to meet the specific needs and concerns of poor and vulnerable communities as it relates to climate change and resilience, and food security in Ghana. This way, this CAP manual will aim to support DAs to integrate and prioritize concerns of climate change, food security and resilience in planning and budgeting processes to meet needs and concerns of citizens living in communities prone to shocks and stresses of climate change.
Since 2002 CARE Ghana had been working alongside its national partners to support Ghana’s decentralization process, focusing on facilitating community development and planning processes. Through the CAP process CARE and partners are enabling poor and vulnerable communities to express their aspirations, interest and needs and contribute to local development planning processes through to the District Medium Term Development Plans (DMTDP) development. CARE intends to continue working with its partners in this area while advocating for the institutionalization of CAP into Ghana’s decentralized development planning processes and guidelines. With reference to the CARE Ghana CAP Evaluation study report and other relevant resources, the revised CAP facilitator’s manual brings some innovative yet cost effective ways and approaches for strengthening the CAP model as a mechanism and platform for citizen participation, voice and accountability in the local development and governance. The revision process paid a specific attention to the need to strengthen women and youth participation and accountability and transparency in local development planning and decision making processes. The revised CAP has taken into account the issue of cost effectiveness to assure the model as a mechanism and/or platform for dialogue between local authorities and their constituents is sustainable.
The CAP also takes into consideration the fact that the effects and impacts of Climate Change are most felt by people – especially women and children – in marginalized communities though contributing very little to the effects of Climate Change. The CAP process should therefore consider the issues of Climate Change and its effects on the various groups within the community. Identifying and knowing people most at risk and most vulnerable in the community, the challenges they face as well as their needs and challenges will support the CAP process. The process needs to take cognizance of this fact and facilitate local adaptation and efforts and prioritize the response to climate change in the CAP. There should be maximum and meaningful active participation of all stakeholders in climate change discourse and adaptation efforts at all levels.
1.1 Purpose of the Manual
The manual will be used to support CARE Ghana’s programming on governance, climate change resilience and food security in Ghana. The facilitator’s manual will be used by CARE, CSOs, DA and other agencies in their quest to build and strengthen citizens’ participation in local development and decision making processes. The manual is also available for sharing with peer organisations for direct use of adaptation for own programming.
1.2 Targets of the Manual
This manual is designed for different category of users clustered in three main groups: (1) community capacity builders including community mobilisers and facilitators; (2) community leaders from village to the district assembly level, including both opinion and decision makers; and (3) development stakeholders including CSOs, INGOs, and development partners supporting decentralisation and development planning processes in Ghana. The current CAP model is designed to fit into the MMDA planning processes and thus becoming a valuable resource to the MMDPCU. The MTDP process is expected to be participatory. The successful application of this manual at the community and sub – district levels will contribute to building an evidence base on citizens’ meaningful participation in local development planning and implementation processes. Hence the use of the CAP manual should aim at strengthening citizen participation in the MTDP process.. The manual therefore seeks to complement and give effect to the provisions of the local government and decentralization policies, the relevant development planning guidelines and regulations and also the MMDA level processes.
1.3 Structure of the Manual
This Guide has been developed from experiences gained during the implementation of CIDA - CARE Ghana Community-driven Initiatives for Food Security (CIFS) Project and also based on formats for MTDP preparation espoused by the Ghana National Development Planning Commission (NDPC). The methodology and approach applied in this manual has been developed from refined methods and applications utilized by other development agencies. The PRA /PLA Toolkits used in this Manual have been accessed from various PRA/PLA sources and have been modified, fine-tuned and elaborated for application in assisting communities to develop and prepare Community Action Plans for their own development.
The Manual commences with community entry processes, through the CAP development process and leads the user to the stage of the finalization of Community Action Plans. There are ‘information boxes’ inserted in the guide to provide detail description and/or examples of a Toolkit, Tool or Technique for clearer and deeper understanding by the User of this Guide.
1.4 Methodology
The methodology for the development of this manual is informed by CARE Ghana experiences in facilitating CAP and other community based processes in Ghana. The process also involved the consolidation of other in-country experiences at the community through to national levels. Best practices in community based planning and services from other parts of the world also informed the process. Inferences drawn from the above mentioned processes and domains were synthesized and matched with planning guidelines and practices within the national development planning regime and the provisions of the local government law and decentralization policy.
1.5 Scope of the Manual
This manual has been designed as both a reference guide for facilitating the CAP process and also for people engaged in community based planning and services. It provides a detailed step-by-step process for facilitating and undertaking the development of a CAP as well as serve as a resource material for people facilitating training events on planning. It is valuable for training on the CAP process if it is complemented by other resource materials especially those relating to training skills provisions. The manual therefore is aimed at:
Ø Supporting the facilitation of CAP and other related processes
Ø Providing a process approach for leading and developing Community Action Plans (CAPs)
The manual is in 3 parts. The first part details out the preparatory activities to be undertaken by the facilitator for the CAP process. It guides the facilitator on activities to be undertaken as part of the entry process. This part is what helps the facilitator to prepare to get to know the ‘community’. The second part of the manual presents the CAP process itself whilst Part 3 deals with the post CAP activities to ensure that the CAP is integrated into the District Assembly’s Medium Term Plan.
2.0 PREPARING FOR THE CAP PROCESS
2.1 The Profile of the Facilitator of CAP
The facilitator of CAPs should be someone who has the knowledge, skills and behaviour that supports adult learning. He / she could be an external person. The advantage of an external person is that he/she might not introduce his/her biases into the discussion. The following gives a summary of these knowledge and skill the facilitator must possess;
· A warm personality, with an ability to show approval and acceptance of participants
· Exhibit good social skill, with an ability to bring the group together and control it without damaging it.
· Approach the CAP process in a manner which generates and uses the ideas and skills of participants.
· Good organizing ability, so that resources are booked and logistical arrangements smoothly handled.
· Skill in noticing and resolving participants’ problems.
· Enthusiasm for the subject and capacity to put it across in an interesting way.
· Flexibility in responding to participants’ changing needs.
· Knowledge of the subject area.
Guiding Notes for the Facilitator
Section 1: Preparation of the Facilitator
The most important person in the CAP process is the facilitator, who is central to the process. The facilitator could be a person external to the community, an employee of an NGO or funding organization or even a person from the District Assembly. The person could also be a community member probably a member of the Development Committee, Assembly Person, an opinion leader, etc. Sometimes the facilitator could be an independent consultant engaged for the purpose.
As the driver of the process, it is important that the facilitator prepares very well before embarking on the CAP process. There are a number of things that the facilitator needs to know and do before launching the process. In preparing for the process the facilitator will have to be aware of two major issues. These are:
· Preparation needed by the facilitator before the process
· Entry at the start of the actual facilitation process
These two steps in the process comprise what we refer to as the period of initial engagement. The relationship between the facilitator and the cgmmunity group(s) is also critical at this stage. The facilitator will have to consider some of the factors which affect the relationship with the group and his /her stance in relation to the group since there are countless factors that affect or have impact on a facilitated process. Most of these the facilitator learns to work with within the moment. It is the facilitator’s self-awareness and alertness to the process that enables him/her to successfully work into the unknown.
2.2 Understanding the work
It is useful to have a framework of questions to work from if you are new to facilitation. On the other hand if you have been engaged in process facilitation, you still need to answer these questions as a way of defining your work. Too often it is at this stage that one neglects what is required and what needs to be done. These stage, if not well managed comes back to haunt you later in the process. The process of understanding what needs to be done is the contracting stage in the CAP process and involve the following:
a. Who is the Community?
It is important to understand who the community is, where they come from, what they stand for and what they are trying to achieve in the world. Depending upon the time available to you and the community this can be shared personally in a meeting. If you are far from the community or constrained with time, encourage the community to send you information about themselves. Knowing your community is the first step in understanding your work. Understand the culture of the community and some of the do’s and don’ts/ There are some communities that even the way you dress would determine the way they would receive.
b. What do they want to do?
At the outset the facilitator needs to have a clear understanding of what the community is trying to do in the process and why they need a facilitator. Be sure to understand what kind of process they have in mind - are they trying to reach an agreement on something; to develop a strategy; to re-position the community; to face and work with conflicts in the organization; etc.? More importantly, are they trying to define their priorities and linking up with the bigger picture, which is the MMDA?
c. What do they hope for at the end?
The next step is to try to establish the outcomes of the process. This is important for many reasons. It helps to clarify the time needed, and ensures the right people participate and provide direction to the overall process, amongst other things. Ownership of the outcome by all those who participate in the process is crucial. Discuss with the community how to ensure that this will be the case by the time you all meet.