Their Choice or Yours

Abstract

"If community groups are to realize their full potential, with their experience being shared much more widely for policy impact, then the following shortcomings need to be addressed: 1. Limited analytical capability and information about the larger national and, now, global environment; 2. Relative isolation and lack of resources, making them more reactive than proactive in their responses, and therefore vulnerable to the current rapid pace of change; 3. Inadequate attempts to build alliances and networks, and to overcome suspicions that such linkages may compromise independence; 4. Insufficient focus on how to influence local government, and to obtain representation and power at that level; 5. Inadequate understanding of the ability (sometimes unconscious) of global forces to negate the impact of group efforts; 6. Little energy and imagination devoted to ways of campaigning and lobbying at national and international levels. Actions required to meet the formidable challenges of the future Taking into account these internal and external challenges to community-based and volunteer action, participants saw an urgent need to work towards parallel forms of collaboration, global integration between local groups for social inclusion across national borders, and for dealing with the state, market and the new international order. This has to be based on: 1. Better and more sophisticated understanding of the forces at work, their strengths and weaknesses, and how these may be influenced or handled: action research and analysis, diffusion and communication of information; 2. Building up social cohesion and social defence mechanisms, laying utmost stress on collective self-reliance and eventually taking the lead in promoting positive social change rather than reacting to imposed changes: experimentation and exchange of experiences; 3. Planned attempts at developing alliances with concerned, influential supporters, sympathizers and professionals in strategic positions, willing to commit themselves to helping on a volunteer basis: systematic networking and organizational/institutional development; 4. Working in favour of constituting and strengthening democratic and participatory local government to the lowest possible neighbourhood and village levels, and the progressive devolution of state authority and 4 UNRISD Discussion Paper No. 79 finances to that level; ensuring that these local groups and communities can associate and unite in larger groupings and collaborate internationally, dealing from a position of power, with global economic and political forces: joint workshops, training seminars, and new-vision political movements and participation by local group representatives; 5. Campaigns, public information, advocacy and policy formulation, at all levels from local to international, conducted as a race against time and total domination/subjugation by the forces listed above: the development and dissemination of coherent strategies, in turn based on extensive use of new data bases, communication networks, volunteer interchange, publications, and alternative media coverage for all of which new forms of international co-operation will be needed. The above observations may be taken as recommendations to the international community, national governments, well-wishers, and other volunteer supporters who believe in the worth of local community and volunteer action. The two organizations that have taken the first step by helping to collect these voices (UNV and UNRISD) should themselves take the lead in following up where they can. These are areas where support can be readily absorbed by the groups without taking away their leadership and self-reliance."(pg 4-5)