lpinSteve CorbettTom LePage

Doing Asset-Based, Participatory Relief, Rehabilitation and

Development

Helping In Haiti: Webinar 2Feb 24, 2010

Steve CorbettTom LePage

Doing Asset-Based, Participatory Relief, Rehabilitation and

Development

Helping In Haiti: Webinar 2Feb 24, 2010

Asset-Based Approach• Individuals and communities have resources

to contribute, even drive, positive change in their lives. – Social

• Social Capital refers to the collective value of all “social networks” (who people know) and the inclinations that arise from these networks to do things for each other (norms of reciprocity)

– Knowledge– Economic

• Key action is to– Identify– Mobilize– Connect

Some Some ABCD Tools

• Asset Maps/Inventories• Participatory Learning and Action• Learning Conversations

Participatory

What Kind of Participation?Functional participation: Involvement in project/program activities that are predetermined by the implementing organization.

Empowering participation: Building capacity of people by involvement in the planning, implementing and evaluation of the project/program.

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A Participatory ContinuumA Participatory ContinuumMode of Mode of

ParticipationParticipationInvolvement of Local People

Relationship of Research and Action

to Local PeopleCoercion

Compliance

Consultation

Local people submit to predetermined plans.

Tasks are assigned to local people with incentives: outsiders decide agenda and direct the process.

Local opinions are asked: outsiders analyze and decide on a course of action

TO

FOR

FOR

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A Participatory ContinuumMode of

ParticipationInvolvement of Local People

Relationship of Research and Action

to Local People

Cooperation

Co-learning

Collective action

Local people work together with outsiders to determine priorities; responsibility remains with outsiders for directing the process.

Local people and outsiders share their knowledge to create new understanding and plans. Action done primarily by local people with some outsider facilitation

Local people set their own agenda and mobilize to carry it out in the absence of outside initiators and facilitators

WITH

BY

WITH/BY

Relief-Rehabilitation-Development

ReliefThe urgent provision of emergency aid to reduce suffering resulting from a natural and/or man-made crisis.

Relief is by its very nature, immediate and temporary. It is prolonged only when self-reliance is impossible.

The basic dynamic is provider and receiver.

RehabilitationThe restoration of people and their communities to their pre-crisis state and minimization of future vulnerabilities.

Opportunities for moving from doing for to doing with. Local population involved in the work.

Serves as a bridge between relief and development.

DevelopmentThe process of on-going change that is moving people closer to being in right relationship with God, with themselves, with others and with nature.

Development isn’t done to people or for people but with people.

The key dynamic is promoting an empowering process. This will typically be done around or result in some “products/project”.

Development can be done at a variety of levels:

-Individual: Restoration of identity and vocation

-Household: Both nuclear and extended family-Community: Larger scope, associations,

institutions-Societal: Wider institutions, laws. Note this is often labeled advocacy.

Minimum Standards of Disaster and Rehabilitation Assistance

(The Sphere Project)

• Participation of affected population in assessment, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the assistance program

• Initial assessment to provide an understanding of the disaster situation and to determine the nature of the response

• Response when needs of affected population are unmet whether due to local inability or govt. unwillingness

• Targeting of assistance based on vulnerability and need and provided equitably and impartially. Focus is typically children ages 0-5, pregnant women and the elderly.

• Aid workers possess appropriate qualifications, attitudes and experience to plan and effectively implement appropriate assistance programs

• Supervision and support of aid workers is sufficient to ensure effective implementation of assistance programs

• Monitoring effectiveness of assistance to help determine improvements or phase out plans

• Evaluation of assistance program to draw lessons learned in order to improve practices, policies and as a mechanism of accountability

Humanitarian Assistance: Minimum Standards for all Sectors. Chapter 1 http://www.sphereproject.org/content/view/28/84/lang,English/

Engineering in Emergencies: A Practical Guide for Relief WorkersISBN 1-85339-521-8

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Do No Harm

Looking at ways unintended harm can result in relief, rehabilitation and

development work

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Negative Economic Impacts

Providing assistance can severely distort local economic activities and reduce incomes and employment opportunities

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Intensifying Group Conflict

Targeting aid to specific groups within a community to the exclusion of others heightens inter-group suspicions, tensions and competition

Relief Work in Haiti

• Medical • Food/Nutrition• Shelter/Infrastructure• Water/Sanitation

Rehabilitation Work in Haiti

• Cash/Food/Commodity for Work– Haiti minimum wage: $4.80/day (60 cents/hr)

• Small Grants• Sectors will provide different opportunities– Housing– Business Development– Water/Sanitation– Church

• Webinar 3: Wednesday March 3

• Further Learning Resources– www.chalmers.org– www.whenhelpinghurts.org