2 Community Profile PDF
2 Community Profile PDF
Requirements
Data/information This tool uses secondary data and documents that relate to the
community and any particular focus of the profile (such as livelihoods
and institutions).
Time 1 to 2 days
Skills High level of participatory facilitation and social analytical skills
Supporting No software needed
software
Financial cost If conducted as part of a participatory study, additional costs will be
minimal.
Limitations The community profile provides general data only; therefore it lacks
depth of analysis when used on its own.
References and Messer, N., and P. Townsley. 2003. Local Institutions and
applications Livelihoods: Guidelines for Analysis. Rural Development Division,
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Rome.
http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/Y5084E/y5084e00.HTM; Module 3:
“Doing the Community Profile.”
http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/DOCREP/006/
Y5084E/y5084e06.htm.
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Community Profile: Procedures and Examples
Time, Materials, and Skills Needed
This procedure requires one to two days and requires a simple data recording sheet on
which key standardized qualitative and quantitative information about a community
can be recorded. The data compiler should have a good understanding of the
economic, social and political context of the communities that are sampled and should
have experience in using the data collection methods used for the exercise.
Possible Approach
The following possible approach (which relies heavily on Messer and Townsley
2003) is a general example that can be adapted to suit the local context, views of local
analysts, and the research objectives. These steps and methods can be combined in
various ways, depending on the context.
Start by developing an initial checklist of key issues and questions of interest. This list
is only a starting point and can be added to or amended at any point during the
process. Issues and questions might include the following examples:
• Resources: What principal natural resources are available in or to the
community? Who uses them and how? Where are these resources located?
• Livelihoods: What different activities do households use to support their
livelihoods? Who is involved in these livelihood activities (differentiated by
social and economic group)? How many people and households depend on
these activities? When and where do these activities take place?
• Community structure: How many people and households live in the
community? What is the gender composition and age structure of the
community? What are the different social, economic, ethnic, and cultural
groups? How are those groups defined? Where do different social, economic,
ethnic, and cultural groups live?
• Local institutions: What are the formal organizations and associations? What
are the rules, regulations, and customs? Who is affected by them and how?
• Community infrastructure: What services are available in the community
(transport, power/water supply, markets, agricultural extension, health,
education, and so on)? Who has access to these services? How expensive are
the user fees?
• Community history: How long has the community been in existence and how
was it founded? When did different social, economic, ethnic, and cultural
groups settle in the community? How has the community changed over time
and what has caused those changes?
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fieldwork starts. Once an initial list of the issues and questions has been developed,
appropriate methods/tools and data sources can be identified.
Step 2: Select and Sequence Tools. A wide range of tools and methods can be
used to gather data to build a useful community profile, which might include
participatory tools (such as community resources mapping, transect walk, seasonal
calendars, timelines, Venn diagrams, ranking exercises, and so on); interviews (such
as semi-structured interviews, focus group interviews/discussions, key informant
interviews); and review of secondary data. The tools chosen should be logically
sequenced to progressively build a community profile. The diagram in figure 1
suggests a possible sequence, but remember to be flexible and to adapt the approach
to the local context and research needs as new information or situations arise.
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Figure 1. Possible Sequencing of Community Profiling Tools/Methods
Step 3: Record the Data. A large amount of information can be generated during
the research; data recording from different tools should be ongoing so that data is not
mislaid, forgotten, or reported inaccurately. At regular intervals review the findings,
discuss the directions of the research, and record key information and learnings. This
process will facilitate the production of the final community profile at the end of the
research period and will enable any changes to be made as the process progresses.
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Tables can help to track and order the gathered data and can enable research teams to
identify data gaps more easily. Different tables can be used to review and record key
information regarding different topics (such as social and professional groups, local
institutions, livelihoods, and so on) and can provide easy reference points during later
stages of the process. Tables can also record information such as the team members,
tools/methods, and the informant, which can be useful if problems or inconsistencies
arise at later stages. Table 1 shows an example of a table used to record information
on local institutions.
FOR EXAMPLE:
Youth club Organizes Young people Ravi and Focus Seasonal Group:
sports in the village Musa group calendar male/female
activities for (male and interview
village youth female) Ranking
exercise
Organizes Whole village (comparing
village “clean- (through involvement of
up” “clean-ups”) men/women,
campaigns adults and
Experimental youth in
Works in fish farmers different
experimental village
fish farming in Young people activities)
local village from other
pond villages
(through
exchange
visits)
Malaney: Controls Estanio: Daniel and Key Resource use Individual:
traditional access to original Ravi informant map (showing male (estanio
land tenure best quality inhabitants of interview land community
arrangement agricultural area distribution leader)
land and use)
Abaduk: more
Ensures land recent Timeline
use remains settlers (most (illustrating
within families people in the history of
of limited community) settlement)
group of
landowners
Source: Messer and Townsley 2003.
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Change the format of the table to suit the particular research and information needs.
The aim is to have a systematic method of recording the information provided by
local analysts.
The findings that have been systematically recorded can then easily be used and
analyzed during the preparation of the final community profile.
Points to Remember
A community profile should not seek to explain or detail every aspect of a community
situation/context. It should focus on key areas or issues of concern to the research and
community and should be undertaken with a flexible approach.