Community Driven Development

Social Mobilization

Charles Phillips
Global Peace Service Alliance

Diana Vaptzarova
Service For Peace
Community Driven Development: Definition
A process whereby local community groups gain
control over the decisions and resources in the
area of local development and are encouraged to
act as informed participants in the development
process.
Guiding principles of CDD

• Reduce the gap between social policy planners and

beneficiaries

• Generate funds for specific project initiatives (eg.

Capacity building programs and occupational training)

• Promote and improve the capacity of communities, thus

creating social capital.
Changes in Development
Philosophy and Practice

Old Paradigm New Paradigm: CDD

• Driven by experts and well- • Driven from within
funded agencies through a • Decentralized
top-down approach • Taps into the
• Centralized
community’s knowledge
• Designed without input
of its own needs and
from beneficiaries capabilities
• Unsustainable
• Sustainable
Social Mobilization: Definition

An approach that engages and motivates a

wide range of partners and allies at national
and local levels. Members of institutions,
community networks, civic and religious
groups and others work in a coordinated
way to reach specific groups of people for
dialogue with planned messages.
 Social & Economic Sustainability

• CDD gives control over

planning decisions and
investment resources to
the local community,
which ensures
sustainability, empowers
the community, creates
ownership, and
preserves communal
dignity.
60,000 children immunized in Haiti. How?

Social mobilizers
used megaphones
to raise awareness
on importance of
immunization.

“I know that with my megaphone I am saving lives.”

Mrs. Omene Charles, Social Mobilizer, Campo

Challenge: Connecting the vaccine to the people.

Solution: Equipping social mobilizers with megaphones.

Empowering and Mobilizing Youth & Women

• Involve young people in activities that benefit

community
• Integrate service opportunities and character education
into schools’ and universities’ curricula
• Youth-endorsed initiatives; eg. Peace Corps
• What about an African Peace Corps? Or a Global
Peace Corps?
• UN Office of Women created July, 2010
Kenya’s Dr. Wangari Maathai

• She was the first to recognize the

connection between environmental
destruction and poverty
• Founder of Green Belt Movement
• 35 million trees planted in Kenya in
last 30 years
• Believes trees :
– Restore ecosystems
– Provide habitat for wildlife
– Retain water
– Become a resource if harvested
sustainably
Successful Community-Driven Development Projects

• To what degree were

members of this community
involved in the planning and
execution of this project?
• Do the members of the
community plan to continue to
work together on this and
other projects?
• Were next steps identified by
the community in which the
community will take the lead?
Transition Town Movement: Embracing Reality
& Resilience
• Started in the UK in response to Peak Oil & Climate
Change
• Grew into a global community-driven movement
• Central concept: Resilience
• Benefits
– Successful Model
– Global Support Structure
– The Transition Handbook
Global Peace Service Alliance (GPSA)

• Supports Community Driven

Development throughout the world
• Positive experiences for youth
• Establish an international service
corps and support such programs on
a national and regional level
• Global Social Entrepreneurship
Coalition online platform
Summary of Benefits of CDD

• Preserves dignity
• Community takes responsibility of own
development
• Empowers community & builds community spirit
• Bring diverse members of community together for
common cause and therefore fosters
understanding, tolerance, solidarity
Summary of Benefits of CDD (con’t)

• Creates resilience
• Stimulates democratic participation and therefore
advances human rights
• Social mobilization promotes the free flow of
knowledge and information
What You can do

• Promote the information learned at this conference

• Involve yourself, your family and friends in
community building initiatives
• Create a community planning committee in your
community
• Become a social entrepreneur
• Join the GSEC network
Resources

• www.globalpeaceconnect.org
• www.transitionnetwork.org
• www.pluggintheleaks.org
• www.serviceforpeace.org
• www.greenbeltmovement.org
Asante sana

THANK YOU!