While seeking to alleviate the plights of the people, you are better placed to understand the concerns of the people by talking to the local influential personalities, local government officials and local group leaders. These are people whose input in community needs assessment is very vital. You can also seal loopholes in your study by consulting independent agencies or groups with better understanding of the local challenges.
When talking to the local stakeholders, you can ask about their views on the pressing requirements of the people. You can also seek to find out from them if they know where else details you want are held or whose contribution is important in better understanding the problems and solution approaches. In some cases you might be able to obtain a reasonable insight into what the people want through such consultative meetings with the local leadership and stakeholders.
Seeking to understand the challenges of a deprived people helps to draw focus on the most pressing issues. This means that such focus is likely to garner support of the local people and stakeholders which in turn means greater chances of success in the undertaking. However, in the event that you rush to implement your own mental picture without discussion with the concerned people, you may face resistance and even total rejection.
Something that you should never forget when going through discussions with the local people is open-minded approach to the issues on the table. Obviously, differences are likely to surface in such consultative talks and sometimes it might take longer before a deal is finally reached. But if that is what it takes, so be it because rushing to implementation without the popular support of the local people can prove disastrous.
This explains why even when addressing an issue that might seem very obvious, getting down on a discussion table with the local leadership, stakeholders and interested groups in the area is necessary before that big step. Consultation paves the way for smooth implementation of the project. In addition, it ensures that you get a motivated people to work with because they feel ownership of the project.
In the event that there are no prior research to help you corroborate the perspective of the local leadership and stakeholders, doing your own survey is not a bad idea. In fact, carrying out survey to establish the approval or feeling of the people regarding a particular position is less involving. You just have to be very clear on your mind about what information you want and then design the survey questionnaires in that line.
After conducting a survey for your intended project, you can now get back to the people through focus groups. Now armed with options for your action plan, you can once again discuss with the stakeholders and potential partners in the local area so that more light can be shed on the priorities and operations. This is best done with a facilitator in the room so that people can stick to the topic.
Remember though, that focus groups might not give you facts, as such, they are best for understanding perceptions. That is why your questions to such forum during community needs assessment might just touch on their main concerns and identification of particular groups facing the problems noted. Taping the conversation is recommended over note taking because it has less interruption.
When talking to the local stakeholders, you can ask about their views on the pressing requirements of the people. You can also seek to find out from them if they know where else details you want are held or whose contribution is important in better understanding the problems and solution approaches. In some cases you might be able to obtain a reasonable insight into what the people want through such consultative meetings with the local leadership and stakeholders.
Seeking to understand the challenges of a deprived people helps to draw focus on the most pressing issues. This means that such focus is likely to garner support of the local people and stakeholders which in turn means greater chances of success in the undertaking. However, in the event that you rush to implement your own mental picture without discussion with the concerned people, you may face resistance and even total rejection.
Something that you should never forget when going through discussions with the local people is open-minded approach to the issues on the table. Obviously, differences are likely to surface in such consultative talks and sometimes it might take longer before a deal is finally reached. But if that is what it takes, so be it because rushing to implementation without the popular support of the local people can prove disastrous.
This explains why even when addressing an issue that might seem very obvious, getting down on a discussion table with the local leadership, stakeholders and interested groups in the area is necessary before that big step. Consultation paves the way for smooth implementation of the project. In addition, it ensures that you get a motivated people to work with because they feel ownership of the project.
In the event that there are no prior research to help you corroborate the perspective of the local leadership and stakeholders, doing your own survey is not a bad idea. In fact, carrying out survey to establish the approval or feeling of the people regarding a particular position is less involving. You just have to be very clear on your mind about what information you want and then design the survey questionnaires in that line.
After conducting a survey for your intended project, you can now get back to the people through focus groups. Now armed with options for your action plan, you can once again discuss with the stakeholders and potential partners in the local area so that more light can be shed on the priorities and operations. This is best done with a facilitator in the room so that people can stick to the topic.
Remember though, that focus groups might not give you facts, as such, they are best for understanding perceptions. That is why your questions to such forum during community needs assessment might just touch on their main concerns and identification of particular groups facing the problems noted. Taping the conversation is recommended over note taking because it has less interruption.
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