Resources

A postgraduate course for professional social workers, entitled "Social Research and Popular Participation", has been developed at the Central American University, Nicaragua. This paper describes the course in detail: diagnosis of practical experiences through "forum-like role play" led to defining a new model of participatory action research. Finally, a participatory research project was carried out by researchers and students in a fishing village in Masachapa. Greater emphasis is given to the theory sections of the course, including training methods used, than to the field work experiences.

The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) works with village communities in Gujarat State, India. This paper describes how village analysts are trained in participatory appraisal and planning. Details are given on how the training programmes are designed at the village level, with defined stages in the training process. Training leads to a "local cadre of village analysts... who can take up the responsibility of initiating the development process". The constraints of such a process are highlighted. The case is argued for "investing more in training village analysts and trainers as opposed to the development of a body of external professionals who continue to dominate the decision-making process".

PIDA (Participatory and Integrated Development Approach) has been used in four pilot projects in Kilifi district, Kenya. PRA is an integral part of the PIDA approach : an initiating phase is followed by a PRA phase, then a follow-up phase. This volume discusses in detail the institutionalisation of the PIDA approach within Kilifi district structures. The process of running PRA training, developing community action plans and implementing follow-up is described, with the emphasis on the latter which 'has so far been totally neglected in the PRA literature'. The report is written from a planning and organisational angle, concentrating more on the process of producing plans and reports than on training methodologies.

The Forestry Cooperation Programme in Vietnam initiated a training process to develop an approach to gender analysis and implementing gender-sensitive programmes at the village level. The report describes a training programme which included two days classroom session on gender concepts and a period of fieldwork using PRA methods for gender analysis. The fieldwork focused on resources, activities, decision-making, social relations (between individuals and institutions) and the impact of project components. PRA methods were used to explore the gender dimension of all these areas. The transect walk revealed insights about women's workload that contradicted verbal discussions with women and revealed issues around what is considered 'difficult' or 'light' work. Another issue that arose was around 'inside' and 'outside' work. The analysis revealed the reasons why women were not fully involved in project activities and suggested ways of institutionalising gender-sensitive project planning. There was particular need for separate PRA activities within women's groups and gender disaggregated monitoring and evaluation. The appendix includes an impact diagram of planting orange trees by a women's group and seasonal analysis done by women-only, men-only and a mixed group.

This handbook is based on the experiences of the CUSO-CCPD Training Programme for NGOs in Northern Ghana. However, examples are used to bring out the underlying principles which shaped the training process and generated participants' experiences. The emphasis of the book is strongly towards participatory approaches to development and training. Chapters 1 and 2 present the theoretical framework of the handbook - participatory training and the designing process of a participatory training programme. Subsequent chapters deal with data collection and project design, project planning, monitoring and evaluation, project management, and group animation. The handbook is very clearly written and organised, making the concepts extremely accessible.

This report discusses a workshop held in Sri Lanka to introduce PRA methods and to determine how and if these methods can be applied to the community mobilisation programmes of integrated rural development projects. It was agreed that PRA would be valuable in combination with existing approaches to community mobilisation, planning and implementation. The reasons for this conclusion are discussed, with reference to the nature of the existing programme and the implications of the new approach for current planning, budgeting and implementation practices. An introductory phase is recommended. Training needs are outlined, and the distribution of institutional responsibilities suggested. Monitoring and evaluation needs are discussed, as is the implications for incorporation in existing top-down planning systems. Further consultancy needs are outlined.

This short booklet designed for those involved in planning and implementing field projects, provides a simple guide to indicators and how they can be used in conservation and development projects.