Introduction

While casework and social group work which are the other methods of social work focuses
its concern with the individual's dysfunction, community organization's concern is with the
system's dysfunctions, the elements in the environment that had made the individual's life
stressful which led to their dysfunctioning.
The two kinds of problems identified by the social work profession which the CO
worker needs to address itself are the following:
1. Residual problems
These problems are brought about by the operational break down of either the producing
system or the consuming public. This breakdown results to gaps in services and lack of
resources. When our population increases for example, its demands on the producing systems
as well as on the labor market increases. If we fail to produce adequate food, clothing, shelter,
new jobs and establish basic social facilities for our increasing population, these gaps in
meeting consumer's needs manifest itself in social problems, crimes and delinquency, It also
breeds social unrest.
2. Institutional problems
This refers to the irrelevant or defective social policies and community decision-making
process which need to be changed or modified as they adversely affect the interests and
welfare of the majority of the people, When the interests and welfare of the majority are in
jeopardy, the situation is likely to breed social problems, unrest and instability in the society.

Chapter 1 Theoretical Base of Community Organization

Before a social worker can practice community organization (CO) as a method of the
social work profession he/she should be well-grounded on its basic theories and functions.
He/she should also have a clear understanding of her arena of operation and the kind of
problems community organization has to address itself.
What is a community?
Arlene Johnson defined a community as "a group of people gathered together in a
geographic area, large or small, which has common interests, actual or potentially recognized
in the social welfare field."
What are the two concepts of a community?
Roland Warren developed the concept of community; the community may be either
geographic or functional in nature.
A geographic community refers to the people in a specific geographic area as the
village, barangay, sitio, district, municipality, city, province, region, nation or the world.
Thus we refer for example to our world as "a community of nations".
A functional community on the other hand is composed of the people who hold
common values, share some common functions or express some common interest. Example
of this concept is the community chest, the professional community, the fisher folk
community, the banking community, etc.
How is organization defined?
Organization has been defined as the orderly arrangement of group effort to provide
unity of action in the pursuit of common purpose.
What is community organization?
Murray Ross defines community organization as a process of identifying problems
and needs, prioritizing them, formulating solutions in solving problems/attaining needs and
implementing them through cooperative and collaborative efforts which results to improved
capacity in community problem-solving process and community integration.
Arthur Dunham however defines CO as the process of matching needs with
resources and as a conscious process of social interaction concerned with three types of
objectives which are task goals, process goals and relationship goals
Perlman and Gurin on the other hand define CO as a process of finding solutions to
social problems by redistributing resources, functions and decision-making power.
Integrating Ross, Dunham's, Perlman and Gurin's foregoing definitions with other
concepts, community organization has therefore been defined "as a method of social work
that uses the conscious process of social interaction of meeting any or all of the following
objectives:
1) The meeting of broad needs and bringing about and maintaining adjustment between
needs and resources in a community.
2) Helping people deal more effectively with their problems, needs and aspirations by
helping them develop, strengthen and maintain qualities of participation, self-
direction, cooperation and integration of efforts.
3) Bringing about changes in community and group relationship, in policies and in the
distribution of decision-making power.

It deals with problem-solving in response to problems and needs.

It seeks social change for the greater good.
It involves the process of social interaction,
It involves people's participation in planning and implementation of plans.

What is the philosophy of community organization?

Acceptance of the right of the community to decide what it wants rather than having
the organizer's views imposed upon it, belief on the capacity of the people to find richer and
more satisfying ways of living if they are helped to use the resources within themselves and
their environment which are and could be made available to them.
What are the values of community organization?
The values of community organization as a method of social work are:
1. A commitment to democratic processes and goals.
2. The right of a client community to self-determination.
3. Belief on the capacity of people to change.
4. Belief on the innate dignity of the individual in the community.
5. The commitment to seek social justice
What are the assumptions of community organizations? The assumptions of community
organization are:
1. "Changes in which individuals, groups and communities determine their own destiny
in a democratic process have a better chance of enduring than changes that are
imposed,"
- This means that the people should undergo the process of identifying their own problems
and needs; analyze and solve them by participating in the problem-solving and decision-
making process so that the changes sought for would be a felt need and the resultant change
would endure and not just be ningas cogon.
2. "Readiness to change is a variable which affects the potential and the rate of
community change obtainable at a given time,"
- This would entail people's social preparation for change. I' can be brought about through
consciousness raising, education, information dissemination, demonstrations, etc.
3. "Skills in participating in democratic process can be taught and learned by individuals
and groups."
- People's involvement in problem-solving and decision-making in their own community
problems and needs would enable them to learn how to participate in democratic processes
even in a national scale.
4. "Society can provide ways to achieve maximum compatibility of individual and
community interest."
- The greater good for the greatest number is the primary goal of every society, Thus
individual interests should be harmonized with society's primary goal wherein the majority's
benefit and interests override any individual's self-interest.
5. “Social welfare provisions, services and programs can enhance human welfare and
prevent and reduce social ills."
6. "Planning, coordination and integration of social welfare provisions are by
individuals; social ills are inter-related, and social welfare provisions are inter-
dependent."
- Society can derive maximum benefit when social welfare programs and services are
integrated and coordinated among existing welfare agencies working in the communities
since social ills are inter-related and social welfare provisions are inter-dependent. An
example of inter-relatedness of a social-ill is graphically shown here under:
Poverty Causes:

 due to unemployment/underemployment
 due to poor health, sickness
 due to lack of education, lack of required skills
 lack of opportunities for employment; palakasan system
 exploitation of employees on wage benefits, fringe benefits due to social injustice 2s
land-grabbing which deprive affected families their sources of income
 due to lack of provisions for poverty alleviation
 due to lack of-institutions catering to the needs of the poor social welfare provisions
such as the Land Reform Program and the National Reconciliation and Development
Program
 due to people's ignorance in electing the more qualified and pro-poor candidates for
proper governance in their respective localities and nation
What is the focus of community organization?
The focuses of community organization are the following:
1. "Removal of blocks to growth."
- Identified blocks to growth are ignorance, negative values such as bahala na, ningas cogon
and maniana habit, exploitation of the weak and ignorant and some oppressive social
structures.
2. The release of potentialities in the individual, group and community as a whole."
3. The development of the capacity of indigenous leaders to lead, to manage and
function in their assigned social roles in the community,"
4. "Developing the ability of different sectors in the community to function as an
integrated whole
5. "Strengthening people's capacity for problem-solving, decision- making and
cooperation."
6. The full use of inner/indigenous resources before tapping external resources."
- A self-reliant and self-managed community is the primary goal of community organization.
Thus the people should learn to tap and make full use of their own resources before tapping
external resources.
What are the purposes of community organization?
The purposes of community organization are the following:
1. To solve certain problems and meet needs.
2. To achieve selected social goals.
3. To strengthen the people's capacity in dealing with their problems, needs and
aspirations.

Chapter 2 Goals and Objectives of Community Organization

Without specific goals and objectives, a community worker would be like a traveller
in uncharted seas. Professional CO workers have to have specific goals and objectives to
guide them in their community work.

What are the goals of community organization?

1. Tasks Goals - are concerned with concrete tasks to be undertaken to meet the specific
needs and people’s aspiration or to solve particular problems.
2. Process Goals - are concerned with process of helping people in a community or
groups strengthen their quality of participation, self- direction and cooperation.
3. Relationship Goals - are focused in changing certain types of relationship and
decision- making process in a community by diffusing power to a wider base
What are the objectives of community organization?

 To remove blocks to growth.

 To release potentialities and bring about people’s empowerment
 To develop the capacity of indigenous leaders to manage community life can be self-
reliant
 To develop the ability to function as an integrated unit.
 To encourage the full use of inner or indigenous resources for community
development before tapping outside resources.
 To change /modify existing policies and programs that are oppressive and irrelevant
to propose needed ones.
How these objectives are be achieved?
These objectives can be achieved in the following:
1. Removal of blocks to grow
 Ignorance
 Negative social values/patterns/attitudes as the ninga cogon attitude, maniana
habit, bahala na, palakasan, utang na loob, fatalistic attitude as attributing poverty
or poor health to God’s will
 Regionalism/functionalism as electing candidates for leadership roles belonging to
one region or religion without considering their competence and qualifications for
the position.
 Oppressive power structures that take advantage the poor
2. To Release Potentialities and Bring About People's Empowerment
- Every individual, group or a community no matter how depressed have potentials that
can be tapped for their own development This can be done by involving people to
participate in community activities, group discussions, problem-solving and decision
making sessions. People empowerment, the people should be given opportunities to
acquire new knowledge and skills through informal education, seminars, skills
training, field exposures and on-the-job training.

3. To Develop the Capacity to Manage Community Life and be Self-reliant

- The first thing to do in attaining this objective is to first identify the community’s
indigenous leadership, they are formal and informal leaders in the community. The
formal leaders are those who have been elected as officials of the local government,
the heads of the different government and private agencies, and the head of the
different civic and religious organization as the Knights of Columbus, Women’s
Catholic League, the PTA, the Neighbourhood Association, etc. The informal leaders
are those persons to whom the people have high regard and go for advice by virtue of
his past positions and high standing in the community, those who have a strong
influence with the people by virtue of his wisdom and integrity so that his opinion is
widely sought and valued and those persons the people dependable for any
undertaking.

4. To Develop the Ability to Function as an Integrated Unit

- One of the objectives of community organizations to bring these disparate groups
together in order that they can integrate their programs and efforts so that their
intended beneficiaries may receive fair treatment and prevent their discontent,
competition among the groups can also be avoided as more beneficiaries can be
served since duplication of services can be prevented when separate groups work as
an integrated unit because their services can be harmonized and rationalized when
they work in collaboration with one another.

5. To Encourage the Full Use of Inner or Indigenous Resources for Community

Development Before Tapping Outside Resources
- This is the reason why it is a must for CO workers to first make a survey of their
target community and prepare a community profile which includes the identified
internal resources of the community in terms of manpower; economic resources as
indigenous raw materials, such as rattan for furniture, clay for pottery, shells for shell
crafts, swamps for shrimp/fish culture, river beds for hollow blocks making, etc. The
community should also be made to realize that their most important resource is the
people themselves who if properly trained, organized and motivated can be a potent
force for their own development.
-
6. To Change/Modify Existing Policies and Programs that are Oppressive,
Defective or Irrelevant and to Propose Needed Ones
- There are existing or proposed laws, ordinances or policy guidelines which the people
may find oppressive, defective or irrelevant which need to be changed or modified as
such laws/policies run counter to the welfare of the people or tend to benefit only a
privileged sector of the population. The CO worker may also experience the need for
the passing of new laws, ordinances or policies that would solve same identified
problems and needs in the course of her work with the people. When confronted with
these situations, it is the CO worker's responsibility to initiate with the people's
participation the passing of these required legal statutes and/or to change/modify
existing ones as the situation demands.
Chapter 3 the three models of community organization
Community organization as a method of social work has three models which distinguishes
itself from other community organizing work.

 Community development/locality development

 Social Planning
 Social Action 

Community development/locality development 

According to Kramer and Specht: 

- Community development as a CO model refers to efforts to mobilize the people, the

victims, the unaffiliated, unorganized and the non-participating who are affected by
the community condition into groups and organizations to enable them to take action
on these social problems and issues which affect them.
As stated in UN publication

- "Community development can be tentatively defined as process designed to create

conditions of economic and social progress for the whole community with it's active
participation and the fullest possible reliance on the community's initiative"
Themes emphasized in locality development include:

 Democratic procedures
 Self-help
 Development of Indigenous leadership
 Voluntary cooperation
 Education 

The basic elements of community development as identified by Kenneth Maygood are

the following
 1. The community is approached as a whole.
3. Activities undertaken correspond to the basic needs of the community 
4.
This are classified into:

PHYSICAL ECONOMIC
- Water supply system. - Problems of livelihood; lack of income
- Irrigation system - Poor production of farm lots
- Schools - Lack of facilities to transport production to
- Market market outlets
- Housing - Law materials for productive pursuits
- Roads
- Playgrounds
- Health clinics
- Community center
Social Psychological
- Problems on crime & delinquency, drug - Sense of community
abuse, squatters, street children, etc. - Sense of security
- Lack of basic services for education, health, - Sense of well-being
recreation, day care center, counselling and - Sense of achievement
social services - Sense of efficiency and effectiveness
- Aspirations for better quality of life, better - Sense of Dignity
governance, land ownership, etc.

3. The educational-organizational process moves from an awareness of problems to a

definition of problems followed by study.
4. Community Development activities are thought of in long-range terms
5. Widespread participation and involvement is sought with decision making taking place at
the lowest level, consistent with the nature of the problem 
6. The resources of both governmental and non-governmental organizations are utilized
7. Both professional and lay participants are sought in community programs
8. The identification, encouragement and training of local leaders is a central feature of
community development programs.
Social Planning 
- It is translating social goals into programs and services by an agency, group of agencies,
public or private in collaborative efforts with the community.
Alfred J. Khan
Suggest that social planning should contain the following elements:

 Research (fact-finding, projection and inventory taking) 

 Value analysis and facilitation of expression of various 
 positions, sometimes through political machinations 
 Policy formulation 
 Programming 
 Measurement and feedback 

Also posited that in social planning what may be sought as outcome is one or more of
the following: 

 New policies (standing plans) 

 Program and policy coordination 
 Service integration 
 Innovation in programs
 Choice in priorities in any of the foregoing or for the  allocation of services  
 Administrative decisions 

Three levels of Action Planning (John Dick)

 Societal goals
 Testing consequences 
 Social programming 

To assure successful implementation of the process in social planning, Kahn suggest that
the following steps should be taken:

 clarify goals, priorities, interests

 ascertain the facts, the social realities, the trends
 inventory the knowledge, the skills, the resources available and obtainable
 analyze the alternatives and the predictable outcomes of choices among them
 formalize the expression of preference and the process of choice
 translate policies into implications for program or different levels of objectives
 measure the outcome of the program

SOCIAL ACTION

 Social action is popularly associated with activism, protest rallies and other forms of
group dissent or dissatisfaction.
 As a Co model, social action refers to individual or group activity designed to
influence a change in social policy or to lobby for the formulation of needed policies
or social legislations for the benefit and welfare of people.

As a CO model, social action has the following strategies:

 Social brokerage
 Integrative mechanisms to strengthen organizations 
 Social protests to support social movements 
Chapter 4 roles, function techniques and strategies of a CO worker

Roles of Community Organizer

Community organizers that possess the necessary skills, abilities, and knowledge of
the procedures involved in community organization will be able to use these in various
contexts by performing the proper roles. Here, the roles and responsibilities of a community
organizer are covered
1. Communicator- Community organizers act as communicators, passing along ideas,
expertise, and other things to community members. By exchanging information, a community
can become more informed and well-equipped.
2. Enabler: For a change, the community organizer facilitates the community's process. He
doesn't perform any work alone; rather, he makes it possible for the community to do the
work. The process is valued more by the organizer than the final product. In order to avoid
the dependency syndrome, the organizer would foster independence among the participants
by playing the role of enabler.
3. Animator: In any process of community organization, the organizer motivates
participants, gives them guidance, and instructs them on how to carry out the various
activities. The community organizer's function as an animator is crucial in getting people to
participate actively in all discussions of issues and problems, from planning through
evaluation.
4. Guide – Instead of taking action on his own, the community organizer instead helps the
community members organize themselves. The task of solving the problems of the people
does not fall to the community organizer. Instead, he must get the people to react, for which
the organizer offers a variety of channels and demonstrates a range of causes while
addressing issues in the community.
5. Counselor – the community organizer understands the community and enables the
community to understand itself. At the time of difficulty the individuals or the groups are
given the required counseling to proceed in the correct direction. When people are in need
there should be someone to listen to them.
6. Collaborator: The community organizer works together with his coworkers and other
like-minded individuals and groups to complete his goal. Organizations today handle an issue
differently than in the past; they also rely on the nearby organization. As a result, the
collaborator function is crucial for the coordination of activities among comparable and like-
minded organizations and groups.
7. Consultant – The community organizer serves as a consultant to the populace, giving
them advice on important issues. The community organizer develops into a knowledgeable
individual who shares information with the public. The community organizer offers his
services to those in need as a consultant.
8. Innovator – Community organizers are innovators who perform, enhance, and develop
new approaches and content related to community organization. The residents of the
community are given a direction by this, enabling them to test out novel techniques for
addressing needs and issues. The role of a community organizer is not to uphold the current
system, but rather to provide new strategies for moving up the development
9. Model – As a role model and a source of inspiration, the community organizer demands
excellence in their work. The organizer's job is to set an example for the group they are
working with. It will be easier for others to aid you if you handle problems properly, follow
your plan, and document the entire process. The method for resolving issues becomes an
example for others
10. Motivator – Community organizers work as motivators by igniting and maintaining
public enthusiasm in finding solutions to issues and needs. The community organizer
encourages everyone to start small and do it effectively so that they can go on to more
challenging tasks.
11. Catalyst: During the community organizing process, the community organizer maintains
his identity while also empowering the people. The population has access to resources, has
more power over them, and develops decision-making abilities. The organizer can boost the
amount of response from the audience by acting as a catalyst. The catalyst function further
empowers the individuals to develop their independence and competence in meeting their
own requirements.
12. Advocate: The advocate's job is to convince community people to act as representatives,
train them to do so, and convey the issues to the appropriate authorities in order to find a
remedy for the unmet requirements. In the current context, the advocacy function is crucial.
The community organizer serves as an advocate for the community's interests in gaining
access to services or enhancing the quality of those services, both of which may be impeded
by outside influences.
13. Facilitator – Community organizers serve as facilitators, assisting the community in
articulating its needs, defining and identifying its problems, exploring potential solutions,
choosing and implementing intervention tactics, and building its capacity to better address its
own issues. A facilitator aids client systems in modifying their surroundings.
14. Mediator – Community organizers serve as mediators, stepping in to help parties resolve
conflicts, work out their differences, or come to peaceful arrangements. A mediator is
involved in settling conflicts between community members and outside parties or the larger
environment.
15. Educator – Community organizers serve as educators, disseminating knowledge to the
local population and wider environment. The organizer gives the community the knowledge
they need to deal with difficult situations, helps them practice new behaviours or skills, and
instructs by example. The community organizer offers the data required for making decisions.

What are the functions of a CO worker?

The following are the functions of the CO worker according to Arthur Dunham:
1. Fact finding - to secure and maintain an adequate factual basis for sound planning
2. Program development - to initiate, develop new programs& services and modify or
terminate social welfare programs and services that had become irrelevant
3. Establishment of standards - to establish, maintain and improve of standards social
welfare standards, and to increase the effectiveness, efficiency and economy of operation of
social welfare agencies
4. Coordination - to improve & facilitate inter-relationships and to promote coordination
between organizations, groups and individuals concerned with social welfare programs and
services
5. Education - to develop better public understanding of social welfare needs, problems,
resources, objectives, services, methods and standards
6. Support & Participation - to develop adequate public support of and public participation
in social welfare activities

What is the required knowledge a CO worker should possess?

Based on the CO worker's roles and functions, she should possess the following knowledge:
1. the goals and objectives of society
2. social legislations
3. research
4. group processes/human and group behaviour
5. power structure in a community
6. management of power
7. use of inter-group relationship
8. problem-solving and decision making
9. situation analysis
10. planning processes
11. policy formulation
12. existing resources (internal and external)
13. program development

What skills are required of a CO worker?

The CO worker should possess the following skills:
1) Working with people/one on one and small groups
2) Organizing
3) Verbal and written communication
4) Committee work
5) Leadership
6) Administration
7) Interviewing
8) Research
9) Planning& policy formulation
10) Strategy design & implementation
11) Lobbying
12) Recording
13) Social education & action
14) Inter-group relationship
15) Coordination
What is technique?

- It is a technical method of accomplishing end according to Webster. The Philippine

Social Work Encyclopaedia described technique as “the manner by which certain
activities are executed based on the mechanical or formal aspects.”
What are the techniques of a CO worker and how can they be illustrated? 
The following are the techniques of a CO worker with brief illustration on how they
are used:

1. Structuring
- This technique employs the use of suitable structures to engage in problem solving
such as councils, committees, task force, ad hoc committee, study groups, etc. This
technique of employing the use of suitable structures gets the job done in an orderly,
effective and expedient manner than had it been done by the CO worker and the
political leaders themselves. The fact that the cross-section of the community where
relevant groups were involved in a systematic problem-solving and decision-making
process augurs for the successful attainment of their goals and objectives. 
2. Situation Analysis
- This technique "involves the breaking up of a problem situation, or collection of data,
exploring the content and examining and setting forth of the various aspects, issues
and relationships involved to gain insight and understanding the content better for
logical conclusions/solutions". The situation was analysed using the six investigative
questions of what, when, who, where, why and how.
3. Problem Analysis
- This technique is the process of looking into the causes of the problem and their
effects on those affected by it. Once-the causes and effects of the problem had been
pin- pointed, the solutions to the problems can be planned by dealing with the causes
as identified. The effects should be used as a motivator to prod the responsible leaders
and the affected populace to act on the problem before it results in dire consequences.
4. Role Playing and Socio-drama
- Role playing is acting out a situation which would depict a problem or varied
problems and their effects designed to change the attitude and thinking of the target
audience towards the problem as from apathy to concern.
- Socio-drama is a dramatic performance, with psychological overtones that is also
designed to change the values, attitudes, habits and thinking of the target audience to a
desired manner.
5. Education and Promotion
- This technique employs a range of educational and pro- motional ways/approaches to
enhance people's understanding and support of programs, projects and plans for
community improvement and development. Examples of such educational and
promotional techniques are the use of film showing, training seminars, posters, folk
media, field visits to model projects and communities, community assemblies where
resource persons are invited to speak on vital topics or issues and other concerns;
6. Demonstration
- This technique uses the organization of demonstration projects to illustrate ways of
dealing with certain social problems which can be subsequently adopted for similar
uses by the community and other communities and organizations.
7. Use of Group Dynamics and Experiential Learning in Training
- CO workers in Region XI who implemented the Baranganic Approach have
discovered that the use of experiential learning and group dynamics are effective
techniques in training indigenous leaders who have an aversion to lecture-type
seminars. Experiential learning employs the exposure of trainees to a planned
situation or game where they experience a learning process. Group dynamics on the
other hand had been defined and to mean "the interacting forces within a small human
group." For purposes of our learning and indigenous application, it refers to planned
group processes designed to communicate new knowledge and ideas; to change
negative values, attitudes and behaviour and promote/strengthen relationships among
the target group members.
8. Use of an Expert/Consultant
- No person has a monopoly of knowledge; hence one of the CO worker's techniques is
the use of an expert from other fields she is not knowledgeable about or another CO
worker who has more experience as consultant. By utilizing the knowledge and
expertise of other she enriches own and wastes no time doing things through the trial
and error method. She accomplishes therefore her goal and objectives as a CO worker
as she assists her target client community with increased confidence and competence
that assures positive results.
9. Formal Study
- The CO worker employs this technique to influence public opinion and motivate
people to act on certain community or national issues. She carries out a formal study
by gathering and analyzing data in connection with current issues or problem, the
results of which she interprets and disseminates to the public that they would
appropriately act on said issues or problem.
10. Use of Questions in Handling Group Discussions

What is a strategy?

- Strategy had been defined as “a tactic or careful plan or a method devised to achieve a
desired goal.” The Philippine Social Work Encyclopaedia alludes to strategy as “a
procedures adopted by social worker to achieve a goal”
What are the different strategies of the CO worker and how can they be illustrated 
1. Management of Power
- The CO worker uses this strategy by helping create new centers of power in
communities where leadership is indifferent and ineffective. Where there is however a
concentration or monopoly of power, she helps diffuse this power to a wider base by
involving new leadership, the uninvolved and those who are targets for assistance or
change that they may be able to represent their own interest in any decisions that
would affect them.
2. Training of Leaders for their Role Functions
- The training of indigenous leaders for their role functions is an effective strategy in
enabling the community to be a self-reliant and self-managed community. Those
leaders who were elected and appointed to Provincial, Municipal and Barangay
Development Councils would be ineffective if they do not know their roles, functions
and responsibilities and how to carry them out as community leaders, Thus they have
to be trained in learning not only their roles, functions and responsibilities but more
importantly how to effectively carry them out in order to Succeed as leaders. 
3. Organizing People for Specific Tasks, Roles & Functions
- Goals and objectives can only be realized if there are groups of person who plan for
these goals and objectives, then implement and monitor and evaluate their
implementation. Organizing people for these purposes is the forte of CO workers,
People are organized to do specific task is a strategy that facilitates the attainment of
goals and objectives since the job is done in a more organized manner which uses at
the same Lne pooled thinking, expertise and resources of those involved n the
different organized operational units.
4. Use of Conflict
- This strategy had been popularized by Alinsky. It is used in com munities where the
people are apathetic towards their pressing problems and needs when other strategies
fail, The introduction of conflict is designed to awaken the people from their lethargy
and trigger the desired action on their part to do something about their community
problems. The use of conflict however requires its handling by a competent and
experienced CO worker. According to Burke, conflict strategy works best for
organizations committed to a cause rather than specific issues.
5. Collaborative Strategy
- Roland Warren had developed a typology of strategies for achieving purposive
change. These are collaborative strategy, campaign strategy and contest strategy.
Collaborative strategy is based on the assumption of consensus or Common base of
values and interests among the parties in disagreement. And that agreement can be
obtained by overcoming poor communication, misinformation and inaction.
6. Campaign Strategy
- Campaign strategy is applicable when the people are not in agreement on how an
issue should be resolved. This strategy employs educating, persuading and pressuring
the recalcitrant into agreeing with a group's proposed solution/approach to a major
issue or problem in the community.
7. Contest Strategy
- Where there is dissension in crucial issues, the contest strategy would apply to
crystallize the issues involved and to get majority vote/ Support for one of the
contestant's proposal which will 
8. Social Brokerage
- This is strategy of social action, one of the community organization models which had
been briefly illustrated in Chapter III. It is employed when a problem threatens to be
explosive or disruptive and diffused through the CO worker's intervention as a broker
with the involvement of relevant groups and individuals who can help diffuse a crisis
situation.
9. Use of Integrative Mechanisms to Strengthen Organization 
- This is the second strategy of the Social Action model of community organization. It
employs the integration of other groups' efforts and support to strengthen the cause
another group or agency is espousing. The support may be in the form of expertise,
logistics, equipment, personnel, speaker’s bureau or just a public announcement of
support.
10. Social Protests to Support Social Movements
- This is the third strategy of the social action model which is commonly used as a
strategy in influencing change or modification of policies, legislations, ordinances,
programs and services deemed irrelevant, inadequate or disadvantageous to the
greater sector of society. It is also used to pressure the removal of officials perceived
as incompetent, immoral and corrupt or simply in different to the plight and welfare
of some sectors of society as the poor, the squatters, the handicapped and others of
their kind. Social protests are mass action activities where people march in the streets
with placards conveying the cause of their action or what the group is protesting
about.
11. Lobbying
- This may be included as the fourth strategy of social action wherein interest groups
attend committee meetings of the legislative bodies and the legislative sessions itself
to show support of or protests against the passage of certain bills or some of its
offending provisions.
- This strategy does not only apply in both chambers of the legis- lative body but also in
the barangay, municipal and provincial councils where local ordinances/laws are
being enacted.
12. Use of Field Trips
- People learn faster through visual aids and actual experience. Hence, the CO worker
employs this strategy for fast-track learning designed for indigenous leaders training
for community development and leadership roles. She therefore schedules a field trip
to a model community where the trainees learn how the model community is
administered and managed through people's participation, They also observe the
community's development projects, the community's primary health care program,
their livelihood projects, their literacy program, the cleanliness and sanitation of the
model community, their -disaster preparedness program, youth projects and how they
conduct a community assembly where the people are consulted, informed and
democratically involved in the affairs of the community which bespeaks of a truly
empowered people.
13. The use of volunteers 
- The use of volunteers had been found as an effective strategy 10r lack of manpower
and resources. Volunteers bring into their job their own expertise, knowledge and
resources that are tapped from their own network. It is however the responsibility of
the agency to meet the psychic needs and interests of the volunteers to keep them
happy in their job. Their enthusiasms should also be continually nourished to inspire
them to work to their level best for the benefit of the agency's target clientele. This
can be done through appropriate and challenging job assignments and recognition of
jobs well done. The agency should also be aware of the motivations, needs and
interests of their volunteers so that they can be met and creatively used in furtherance
of agency goals and objectives.

Chapter 5 working with committees and other groups

Most of the community organization work takes place in working with groups as
councils, committees, ad hoc committees, task force, study groups, etc. it is therefore
imperative for a CO worker to know about group pr0 cesses, its principles, dynamics and
techniques in working with such groups and in handling them.

What is a group process?

Group process had been defined as "the network of psychological interaction that
goes on in every group; it is everything that happens in a group, and is affected by the kind of
interaction among the members. In this sense, it is used to also mean group dynamics."

What are the forces operating in a group?

According to a leading authority in group dynamic the forces opera- ting in a group
are the following:
 
Social interaction
- Is the dynamic interplay of forces in which contact between persons results in
modification of attitudes and behaviour of participants.
Communication
- Is the means through which information, symbols and messages are given or
transmitted and received. It may be verbal or non-verbal. It is the element that
facilitates interaction.
Leadership
- Is the process of influencing others for the purpose of performing a shared task. This
process requires that one person direct, motivate and coordinate others in the group in
order to get the assigned task accomplished."

What are the principles of group process?

 Principle of Participatory Leadership
 Principle of Group Action
 Principle of Felt Needs
 Principle of Feedback
Principles developed by Audrey R. Trecker and Harleigh B. Trecker
 The Principle of Democratic Values
 The Principle of Purpose
 The principle of Constructive and Creative Leadership
 The Principle of Proper Personnel (Members)
 The Principle of Planning
 Principle of Preparation
 The Principle of Setting and Atmosphere
 The Principle of Fact First
 The Principle of Participation
 The Principle of Team work
 The Principle of Progressive Process
 The Principle of Time and Timing
 The Principle of Reporting
 The Principle of Evaluation
 The Principle of Member Satisfaction
What are factors for effective working relationship?
 Group Solidarity
 Sense of Common Purpose
 Group Stability
 System of External Reward
 Sense of Belonging
What are the uses of questions as a technique in group discussion?
As practice and learned from leading CO practitioners, the use of question have the
following use:
 Open Discussion
 To stimulate interest
 To provoke thinking
 To accumulate data
 To get individual participation
 To develop a subject matter
 To change the trend of discussion
 To limit or eliminate discussion
What types of questions are usually asked as a technique and for what purpose?
1) Overhead
- This type of question is directed to the group as a whole. It is effective for launching
discussion and in promoting group thinking
2) Direct
- This type of question is directed to a particular individual to draw his participation,
curb monopolization, interrupt private conversations and bring back the discussion
into focus.
3) Kick-off
- This type of question is used to launch discussion of a new subject matter and should
therefore be challenging and be able to provoke participants to think.
4) Follow-up
- This type of question is used to keep the discussion going towards attaining the
objectives of the meeting

Chapter 6 the process for people empowerment

The preceding chapters have provided the necessary knowledge, techniques and
strategies for the worker to function competently on this job. The processes leading to people
empowerment had also been discussed. This chapter will provide CO workers with more
insights on how people can be empowered for their benefit, their community and their
country.
What is people empowerment?
From my viewpoint as a professional social worker, people empowerment is the
process of releasing the potentials of people through appropriate programs, services and
strategies; removing blocks that deter their growth and development and accessing them for
the enhancement of their highest capabilities that they would be freed from the fetters of
poverty, ignorance, oppression, social injustice and fear to stand up for their rights and
pursuits for happiness as a member of a free and just society.
What are sources of power?

- Freedom
- Knowledge of Wisdom
- Mental and Moral Efficacy
- Capability for leadership role
- Ability to act or produce an effect
- Prestige and wealth
- Possession of authority and control over others
- Physical might as controlling a group of armed persons

How can the people be empowered for their own benefit and their country?
People should be given opportunities to acquire the other positive sources of power as
freedom, knowledge and wisdom, mental and moral efficacy, capabilities for leadership roles
and abilities to achieve their goals and They should also be assisted to realize their highest
potentials as active and contributing members of society.
Process for people empowerment:

- Identify the blocks that hinder people’s growth and development

- Removal of the block to growth and development
- Releasing the potential of people
- Accessing the people for the enhancement of their potentials to its highest and
productive level

Holistic Approach
People empowerment should be approached through an integrated and inter-
disciplinary effort since a person’s total well-being is attained through his physical, social,
economic, mental and spiritual needs
Atmosphere of Freedom
Only in an atmosphere of freedom can any program for people empowerment prosper.
People should be free to know their rights and privileges, the laws and policies that had been
enacted for their benefit in order that they would be able to profit from them.
Social Justice
Social Justice should be a living reality and experienced and not merely enshrined in
our legal statues. For social justice engenders faith in the government and the institutions that
represent.
Conduct of Government Service
Officials and workers in the government service should be impressed upon that they
are there to serve the people and not to be their masters as many of them believe and behave,
these types of officials and workers are a bane to the government service.

Baranganic Approach
In line with the Baranganic Approach philosophy, "that individuals, group,
community and national growth can only come/about when there is active participation and
the involvement of the people themselves in any development process and that the promotion
of social welfare is not the sole responsibility and concern of the govern- alone, but is shared
with all sectors in the community-public, private and religious"

Another hallmark of the Baranganic Approach is the training of the members of the
Barangay Development Council in barangay development planning which uses the
experiential learning approach rather than the lecture-type seminars. In experiential learning,
trainees are made to learn through group dynamics, games, exercises and work- shops.
Lecturettes are given after each group experience to deepen the learning of the participants
who are encouraged to participate actively in every discussion.

Goal of the Baranganic Approach

The Baranganic Approach seeks to develop the people's capacity in the barangay for
planning, problem-solving and decision-making Barangay Development Councils in
identifying their own problem, needs and aspirations, formulating plans to solve these
problems and meeting their needs and aspirations, and in implementing and evaluating their
plans designed for their common benefit and welfare

Objectives of the Baranganic Approach

1) Assists the barangay in data-gathering which would serve as baseline data in

formulating a comprehensive and integrated barangay development plan designed to
seek the solutions to the people's expressed problems/needs, and aspirations.
2) Assists the Barangay Development Council analyse their gathered data and develop
their capacity to use data in formulating a realistic, comprehensive and integrated
barangay development plan.
3) Encourage the Barangay Development Council implement its plans for barangay
development so that it would become a viable structure in bringing about desirable
change in the community.
4) Strengthen indigenous leadership through training and prepare them for the crucial
role in leading their people transform their barangay into a self-propelling and self-
reliant community characterized by the people participating actively in the whole
process of barangay development.

 The Baranganic Approach Process

1) Getting baseline data and preparing a community profile through survey and research
work
2) Compilation of these data and classification in table Form for easy comprehension
3) Presentation of the data to the Barangay Development Council for analysis
4) Use of analysed data in prioritizing problems and needs and in formulating a
comprehensive and integrated development plan for the barangay 
5) Presentation of the barangay plan to the Barangay Assembly for adoption, approval or
amendments
6) Implementation of the final approved plan by the different committees through
people's participation
7) Evaluation of the plan through regular council meetings and spot site visitation of
projects and services
8) Replan every six months or once a year to include unaccomplished plans
What is a Basic Christian Community?

The Puebla Document gives a descriptive definition of BCC as follows:

"As a community the BCC brings together families, adults and young people in an intimate,
interpersonal relationship grounded on the faith."

 "As an ecclesial reality, it is a community of faith, hope and charity. It celebrates the word of
God and takes its nourishments from the Eucharist, the culmination of the sacraments. It
fleshes out the Word of God in life through solidarity and obedience to the new
commandment of the Lord; and through the service of approved coordinators, it makes
present and operative the mission of the Church in its visible communion with the legitimate
pastors."

Bishop Federico Escaler describes BCC in this manner:

"BCC is a complete reorganization of the traditional concept of the parish...it is a whole

radical upheaval of the traditional method of the organization of the parish in order to give
particular attention to the needs of the people in their small communities."

Lay theologian Alberto Cacayan defined BCC in his and Agnes Nelmida Miclat's
book, Let Your Hearts Be Hold" thus:

“As a fresh manner of living together as a community of faith where people experience
dignity, respects, equality, participation, communion, fellowship, mutual understanding and
caring. It is the locus where Christians evangelize and nourish one another."