Perhaps you already know that a community action program is a partnership between government agencies, local government, and members of a specific community geared to bring in some changes and developments to the community. The unique thing about the approach is that all decision making must include the residents and serves to implement activities decided by the community. Nevertheless, the success of the program is not guaranteed unless there is close cooperation among the involved parties. Let’s take a look at essential things that make a successful community action initiative.
Project Plan
It’s necessary to develop a plan before investing in resources in the implementation of physical developments. The plan serves as the road map for the initiative. Additionally, it describes the goals of the community, the specific activities, and the resources needed, including labor, materials, and money. The population should be actively involved in the preparation of the plan.
Partnership
As said earlier, the approach involves different people with different responsibilities. However, there is a need for the cooperation of the people involved in the project for the achievement of the goals. This will include the integration of people in the initiative and their full participation in the outlined works. It’s, therefore, important for the parties to develop trust and positive relations to keep the project going.
Budget
Whether your community is looking to install new sanitation facilities or build houses, you will need financial resources to accomplish the goals. Conventionally, the national and local governments fund community initiatives but donors may also be involved. Donors can be domestic or international, and it’s has been a common thing for international donor organizations and private foundations to fund community programs. Furthermore, recognized worldwide and local NGOs can also bring in much needed financial aid to steer the project forward.
Alignment With The Community’s Vision
All in all, the program should be implemented with the sole aim of reaching the community’s goals. A key thing to note is that such an initiative aims to involve the residents in formulating and implementing their preferred development projects. Hence, without the satisfaction of the community, the project is termed as a failure. It’s crucial for government agencies and people playing leadership and guidance roles to keep the mission and vision of the community in mind.
Wrap-up
A community action program involves the residents of a particular community in decision making and implementation of activities outlined in a project plan. Besides the plan, the partnership of the parties, funding, and alignment with the peoples’ vision will be required to complete the initiative successfully.
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