Participatory management re community-managed programmes

This short paper argues for decision-making on local issues in community-managed programmes to be left to local collective processes. The paper also argues that for development workers to support such programmes implies long-term committment and the adoption of management styles that coach and facilitate rather than supervise and dictate. For local leadership to flower, the paper recommends a ten year period of support, in the form of advice or patronage from a development organisation, for each community-managed programme to ensure continuity and consistency regardless of changes of staff or structure.