Mobilization Cycle The Process of Strengthening a Community by Phil Bartle, PhD Training Handout The mobilization intervention is a series of steps you take There is a logical and functional social process of strengthening a community. It varies in length and some details, but the pattern remains basic. Your role is to initiate the process and follow it through. The Mobilization Cycle here is just one example, here borrowed from the Uganda Community Management Programme, of the process. Yours will vary from community to community, from time to time, and according to your resources available, your employer's policy, or other circumstances. The essential process is something like this: First you get permission and authorisation to do your work. Then you start raising awareness in the community that there are problems. You caution against people assuming that you will solve the problems but point out that the community has the potential resources to solve its own problems. All it needs is their will and some management skills which you can help them get. You facilitate their community unification, assessment and agreeing on a priority goal. You help them to organize an executive committee, or revitalise an existing one. You help them prepare an action plan and project design. You cheer them on as they, not you, implement it, ensuring that there is transparency, monitoring, reporting. You help them to celebrate its completion, then to evaluate the results. You will come across the mobilization cycle a few more times on this web site. The second assessment starts the process all over again, which is why we call it a cycle. The second time they are stronger and more self reliant, and perhaps you have identified local mobilizers who will help sustain the cycle as you slowly withdraw. You repeat the cycle as appropriate. When you prepare a community to take action, you prepare them to undertake the cycle. If you copy any text from this site, please link it back to http://www.scn.org/cmp/. Updated: 2003 March 23