COPAR

COMMUNITY
ORGANIZING
PARTICIPATORY
ACTION RESEARCH
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
PARTICIPATORY ACTION
RESEARCH (COPAR) is a social
development approach that aims
to transform the apathetic, poor
into dynamic, participatory and
politically responsive community.
Aprocess by which a community
identifies its needs and
objectives, develops confidence
to take action in respect to them
and in doing so, extends and
develops cooperative and
collaborative attitudes and
practices in the community.
Acontinuous and sustained
process of educating the people
to understand and develop their
critical awareness of their existing
conditions, working with the
people collectively and efficiently
on their immediate needs toward
solving their long-term problems.
Amiddle ground where the
health care worker and the
people need to attain community
organization. A liberal freedom of
the community where the people
are allowed to participate in the
overall health care status of their
community
Atransformation force, that
enables the individuals, families
and communities to be
responsible for their own health.
Importance of c o p a r
COPAR is an important tool for
community development and people
empowerment as this helps the
community workers to generate
community participation in development
of activities.
COPAR prepares people to eventually
take over the management of a
development program in the future.
COPAR maximizes community
participation and involvement;
community resources are mobilized for
health development services.
PRINCIPLES OF COPAR
People, especially the oppressed,
exploited and deprived sectors are
open to change, have the capacity
to change and are able to bring
about change. COPAR should be
based on the interests of the
poorest sectors of the society.
COPAR should lead to a self-reliant
community and society.
Process/methods used in
copar
A PROGRESSIVE CYCLE OF
ACTION-REFLECTION-ACTION : 
Which begins in small, local and
concrete issues identified by the
people and the evaluation and
reflection of and on the action
taken by them. A PROGRESSIVE
CYCLE OF ACTION-REFLECTION-
ACTION
CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING : 
CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING
Through experiential learning is
central to the COPAR process
because it places emphasis on
learning that emerges from
concrete action and which
encircles succeeding action
COPAR IS PARTICIPATORY &
MASS-BASED : 
COPAR IS PARTICIPATORY &
MASS-BASED Because it is
primarily directed towards and
biased in favor of the poor, the
powerless and the oppressed.
COPAR IS GROUP-CENTERED : 
COPAR IS GROUP-CENTERED And
not leader centered. Leaders are
identified, emerge and are tested
through action rather than
appointed or selected by some
external force or entity.
Phases of c o p a r 
Pre- Entry Phase : 
THE INITIAL PHASE OF THE
ORGANIZING PROCESS WHERE THE
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER LOOKS
FOR COMMUNITIES TO SERVE OR
HELP.
IT IS THE MOST COMPLEX PHASE IN
TERMS OF ACTUAL OUTPUTS,
ACTIVITIES, AND STRATEGIES AND
TIME SPENT FOR IT.
ENTRY PHASE : 
ENTRY PHASE SOMETIMES CALLED
THE IMMERSION PHASE AS IT THE
ACTIVITIES DONE HERE INCLUDES THE
SENSITIZATION OF THE PEOPLE ON
THE CRITICAL EVENTS IN THEIR LIFE,
MOTIVATING THEM TO SHARE THEIR
DREAMS AND IDEAS ON HOW TO
MANAGE THEIR CONCERNS AND
EVENTUALLY MOBILIZING THEM TO
MAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION ON THESE.
 SUSTENANCE AND STRENGTHENING
PHASE : 
 OCCUR WHEN THE COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATION HAS ALREADY BEEN
ESTABLISHED AND THE COMMUNITY-WIDE
UNDERTAKINGS.
 AT THIS POINT, THE DIFFERENT
COMMITTEES SET-UP IN THE ORGANIZATION-
BUILDING PHASE ARE ALREADY EXPECTED
TO BE FUNCTIONING BY WAY OF PLANNING,
IMPLEMENTING AND EVALUATING THEIR
OWN PROGRAMS, W/ THE OVERALL
GUIDANCE FROM THE COMMUNITY-WIDE
ORGANIZATION.
PHASE OUT : 
THE PHASE WHEN THE HEALTH CARE
WORKERS LEAVE THE COMMUNITY TO
STAND-ALONE. THIS PHASE SHOULD
BE STATED DURING THE ENTRY PHASE
SO THAT THE PEOPLE WILL BE READY
TO FOR THIS PHASE. THE
ORGANIZATIONS BUILT SHOULD BE
READY TO SUSTAIN THE TEST OF THE
COMMUNITY ITSELF BECAUSE THE
REAL EVALUATION WILL BE DONE BY
THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY
ITSELF.
Capacity Building
for Sustainable
Community
Health
Development
is a process that aims to increase a
community’s ability to work
together to meets its goals and
needs. Capacity building works to
enhance the strengths a community
already has. Capacity is built from:
Commitment: the will to act;
Resources: including both financial
and other resources; and
Skills: talents and expertise
So what is ‘capacity’?
Capacity is the ability of individuals,
organisations, institutions and
societies to set and achieve objectives,
solve problems, and perform functions
sustainably
Capacity components include skills,
systems, structures, processes, values,
resources and – crucially – powers
These components confer a range of
political, managerial and technical
capabilities
(UNDP, 2006)
Dimensions of Community
Capacity
Participation & leadership
Skills
Resources
Social & inter-agency networks
Sense of community
Understanding of community history
Community power
Community values
Critical reflection
SD capacity development
principles
1. Don’t rush the long-term process
2. Respect and foster value systems
3. Scan everywhere for ideas, but reinvent locally
4. Change mindsets and power differentials
5. Aim overtly for capacity, not just as a by-product
6. Start with local processes – integrate external
inputs
7. Stay engaged even here capacity remains weak
8. Be accountable to beneficiaries
9. Emphasise learning by doing
10. Support those with real – not just de jure –
responsibility

 Each is easy to understand, but challenging to

achieve