COPAR:

Process:
Community Organizing Participatory
The sequence of steps whereby members of a
Action Research community come together to critically assess to
evaluate community conditions and work
together to improve those conditions.
COPAR or Community Organizing
Participatory Action Research is a vital part Structure:
of public health nursing. COPAR aims to Refers to a particular group of community
transform the apathetic, individualistic and members that work together for a common
voiceless poor into dynamic, participatory and health and health related goals.
politically responsive community. Learn more
about COPAR here. Emphasis of COPAR
1. Community working to solve its own
Definitions of COPAR problem.
2. Direction is established internally and
COPAR stands for Community Organizing externally.
Participatory Action Research 3. Development and implementation of a
A social development approach that aims to specific project less important than the
transform the apathetic, individualistic and development of the capacity of the
voiceless poor into dynamic, participatory and community to establish the project.
politically responsive community. 4. Consciousness raising involves
perceiving health and medical care
A collective, participatory, transformative, within the total structure of society.
liberative, sustained and systematic process of
building people’s organizations by mobilizing Importance of COPAR
and enhancing the capabilities and resources 1. COPAR is an important tool for
of the people for the resolution of their issues community development and people
and concerns towards effecting change in their empowerment as this helps the
existing oppressive and exploitative conditions community workers to generate
(1994 National Rural Conference). community participation in development
activities.
A process by which a community identifies its 2. COPAR prepares people/clients to
needs and objectives, develops confidence to eventually take over the management of
take action in respect to them and in doing so, a dvelopment.programs in the future.
extends and develops cooperative and 3. COPAR maximizes community
collaborative attitudes and practices in the participation and involvement;
community (Ross 1967). community resources are mobilized for
community services.
A continuous and sustained process of
educating the people to understand and Principles of COPAR
develop their critical awareness of their existing 1. People especially the most oppressed,
condition, working with the people collectively exploited and deprived sectors are open
and efficiently on their immediate and to change, have the capacity to change
long-term problems, and mobilizing the people and are able to bring about change.
to develop their capability and readiness to 2. COPAR should be based on the interest
respond and take action on their immediate of the poorest sector of the
needs towards solving their long-term community.3. COPAR should lead to a
problems (CO: A manual of experience, self-reliant community and society.
PCPD).
 Identifying Potential Municipalities
Critical Steps in COPAR ● Make long/short list of potential
1. Integration municipalities
2. Social Investigation
3. Tentative program planning Identifying Potential Community
4. Groundwork ● Do the same process as in selecting
5. Meeting municipality.
6. Role Play ● Consult key informants and residents.
7. Mobilization or action ● Coordinate with local government and
8. Evaluation NGOs for future activities.
9. Reflection
10. Organization Choosing Final Community
● Conduct informal interviews with
community residents and key
4 Phases of COPAR informants.
COPAR has four phases namely: Pre-Entry ● Determine the need of the program in
Phase, Entry Phase, Organization-building the community.
phase, and sustenance and strengthening ● Take note of political development.
phase. ● Develop community profiles for
secondary data.
1. Pre-Entry Phase ● Develop survey tools.
-is the initial phase of the organizing process ● Pay courtesy call to community leaders.
where the community organizer looks for ● Choose foster families based on
communities to serve and help. Activities guidelines
include:
Identifying Host Family
Preparation of the Institution ● House is strategically located in the
● Train faculty and students in COPAR. community.
● Formulate plans for institutionalizing ● Should not belong to the rich segment.
COPAR. ● Respected by both formal and informal
● Revise/enrich curriculum and immersion leaders.
program. ● Neighbors are not hesitant to enter the
● Coordinate participants of other house.
departments. ● No member of the host family should be
moving out in the community.
Site Selection
● Initial networking with local government. 2. Entry Phase
● Conduct preliminary special -sometimes called the social preparation
investigation. phase. Is crucial in determining which
● Make long/short list of potential strategies for organizing would suit the chosen
communities. community. Success of the activities depend on
● Do ocular survey of listed communities. how much the community organizers has
integrated with the community.
Criteria for Initial Site Selection
● Must have a population of 100-200 Guidelines for Entry
families. ● Recognize the role of local authorities
● Economically depressed.No strong by paying them visits to inform their
resistance from the community. presence and activities.
● No serious peace and order problem. ● Her appearance, speech, behavior and
● No similar group or organization holding lifestyle should be in keeping with those
the same program. of the community residents without
disregard of their being role model.
 ● Avoid raising the consciousness of the 4. Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
community residents; adopt a low-key -occurs when the community organization has
profile. already been established and the community
members are already actively participating in
Activities in the Entry Phase community-wide undertakings. At this point, the
A. Integration. Establishing rapport with the different committees setup in the
people in continuing effort to imbibe community organization-building phase are already
life. expected to be functioning by way of planning,
o living with the community implementing and evaluating their own
o seek out to converse with people programs, with the overall guidance from the
where they usually congregate community-wide organization.
o lend a hand in household chores
o avoid gambling and drinking Key Activities
● Training of CHO for monitoring and
B. Deepening social investigation/ implementing of community health
community study program.
o verification and enrichment of ● Identification of secondary leaders.
data collected from initial survey ● Linkaging and networking.
o conduct baseline survey by ● Conduct of mobilization on health and
students, results relayed through development concerns.
community assembly ● Implementation of livelihood projects.

C. Core Group Formation

3. Organization-building Phase
-entails the formation of more formal structure
and the inclusion of more formal procedure of
planning, implementing, and evaluating
community-wise activities. It is at this phase
where the organized leaders or groups are
being given training (formal, informal, OJT) to
develop their style in managing their own
concerns/programs.

Key Activities
● Community Health Organization (CHO)
o preparation of legal requirements
o guidelines in the organization of
the CHO by the core group
o election of officers
● Research Team Committee
● Planning Committee
● Health Committee Organization
● Others
● Formation of by-laws by the CHO