Introduction to Participatory Planning & Implementation Leonellha Barreto-Dillon, seecon international gmbh

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Contents Introduction to Participation Participatory Processes Participatory Planning Approaches Planning and Process Tools for SSWM 1 Exploring 2 Demand Creation 3 Participatory Decision Making 4 Implementation 5 Ensuring Sustainability References SOURCE: L. Barreto DilloN

1.Introduction to Participation The latest developments in international cooperation ideology reflect a shift away from top-down planning to strategic bottom-up processes. highly structured processes with written-in-stone rules and methodologies of top-down planning procedures, mostly directed by donors interests SOURCE: NETSSAF 2008 Usually, the priorities, needs, boundaries and conditions of the water and sanitation programmes and projects were defined by authorities and officials based on their own perceptions of what was needed for the target beneficiaries, meanwhile these last could not express their own interests

1.Introduction to Participation Participation of users is now thought to be a pre-requisite for sustainable development.

1.Introduction to Participation What is participation?

...according to the big players participation: 1. Introduction to Participation ...according to the big players participation: “... Is the process through which stakeholders influence and share control over priority setting, policy-making, resource allocations and access to public goods and services”. (The World Bank) “... means that people … are involved in economic, social, cultural and political processes that influence their lives”. (United Nations Development Programme) “... stands for a partnership based on dialogue between the different partners involved…. This requires negotiation rather than the dominance of a project agenda that has been defined from outside. (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)) SOURCE: WERNER, C.; PANESAR, A.; BRACKEN, P.; MANG, H. P.; HUBA-MANG, E. and GEROLD, A. (2003): „An ecosan source book for the preparation and implementation of ecological sanitation projects”. GTZ- ecosan program, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Eschborn, Germany.

1. Introduction to Participation ... Another definition: Participation is a communication process between all the people and groups involved in making a joint decision to ensure that it has been made on the basis of a partnership (WERNER et al, 2003) Participation is therefore not just a process where external agents “inform”, “instruct”, “motivate” and “educate” people to take what they believe to be the correct course of action. SOURCE: WERNER, C.; PANESAR, A.; BRACKEN, P.; MANG, H. P.; HUBA-MANG, E. and GEROLD, A. (2003): „An ecosan source book for the preparation and implementation of ecological sanitation projects”. GTZ- ecosan program, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Eschborn, Germany.

So why should we bother with participation? 2. Participatory Processes ... What are the challenges? -Take a (very) long time -Are complex and complicated -Will cost a lot of manpower to facilitate -Are hard to finance -In an urban context, government support becomes essential -Strong leadership needed -Ensuring that all sections of the community -Might lead to a decision you didn’t want (or none at all) So why should we bother with participation?

Because: 2. Participatory Processes ... But what are the benefits? -Demand-responsive approach (beneficiaries ask for help) -Community mobilisation -To find out the real needs/adapt it to needs -Increase sense of ownership -To educate/involve them to make an informed choice -To make the project sustainable -Empower community – encourage more decision making -To adapt project to local conditions -Share resources, ideas, responsibility

What happens if we don‘t do it! 2. Participatory Processes What happens if we don‘t do it! SOURCE: L. Barreto Dillon

3. Participation Planning Approaches „How can I do it?“

Identify possible solutions 3. Participation Planning Approaches Participatory planning approaches (PPA) in the water and sanitation context are step-wise processes for the planning and implementation of projects and programmes. They make use of interactive methodologies and tools to generate constructive collaboration among stakeholders who may not be used to working together, often come from different backgrounds, and may have different values and interests. Launch of the project Analysis Identify possible solutions Imple-mentation Monitoring& Evaluation

3. Participatory Planning Approaches There are many methodologies… Participatory methodologies can be thought of as packages of participatory techniques and tools. …and many tools Tools / Methods / Techniques are specific ways of completing tasks that add up to a methodology. PLA is an umbrella term for a wide range of similar methodologies (approaches, methods and behaviours), including PRA, RRA, RAAKS, PALM, PAR, FSR, MARP and many others Source: Wageningen International, http://portals.wi.wur.nl/msp/index.php?page=1180

3. Participatory Planning Approaches Purposes of the tools -Gaining ideas -Organising and ranking -Analysing factors -Collecting information -Planning -Monitoring and evaluating PLA is an umbrella term for a wide range of similar methodologies (approaches, methods and behaviours), including PRA, RRA, RAAKS, PALM, PAR, FSR, MARP and many others Tools can be used at different stages in the learning cycle Source: Wageningen International, http://portals.wi.wur.nl/msp/index.php?page=1180retrieved in April 2010 Source: Wageningen International, http://portals.wi.wur.nl/msp/index.php?page=1180

 Use the one you like! 4. Planning and Process Tools for SSWM However, most Planning Approaches have at least the following 5 steps in common: Source: www.sswm.info

4. Planning and Process Tools for SSWM 1. Exploring This is the beginning of the planning process, in which the initiator obtains an overview of the situation. This step allows to collect background information necessary to determine the scope and boundaries of the project from the technical and stakeholders perspective. The sub-steps involved in this first phase are: Preliminary Assessment of Current Status Definition of Boundaries Stakeholder’s Analysis Preliminary Assessment of possible solutions SOURCE: L. Barreto Dillon

4. Planning and Process Tools for SSWM 2. Demand Creation Just providing hardware is not enough. Many water & sanitation programmes have failed because they were supply driven (organisations wanted something, not the people!) People will only use and SSWM-systems properly which they really want them themselves (demand driven). People will only accept solutions when they understand them and see benefits of them.

4. Planning and Process Tools for SSWM 3. Participatory Decision Making Actual participatory decision making process, in which the identified stakeholders undertake a collective action of understanding, deciding and planning a project to reach a common objective. The components involved are: Gathering Ideas Analysing the Situation Deciding Planning SOURCE: L. Barreto Dillon A vision paper, such as a Community Action Plan or a Long Term Strategy should compile the decisions taken in this step.

4. Planning and Process Tools for SSWM 4. Implementation Once a Action Plan has been developed through a participatory process, the objectives are now to be translated into projects. Usually a project covers a reduced and concrete number of purposes, has a define time-plan and its results should add-up to reaching the vision of the community. The phases to be carried out are: Conceptualising (proposal etc.) Financing the Project Project Management Execution SOURCE: L. Barreto Dillon

4. Planning and Process Tools for SSWM 5. Ensuring Sustainability Post-implementation activities are crucial to ensure the sustainability of a project. Without a proper monitoring the projects risk to collapse or be abandoned after the external support has finished. Activities to be carried out after the project completion include: Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation Operation and Maintenance Follow-up of projects SOURCE L. Barreto Dillon

References CONRADIN, K., KROPAC, M. and SPUHLER, D. (Ed.)(2010): SSWM Toolbox. Bassel: seecon gmbh. URL: www.sswm.info [Accessed: 13.09.2010] NETSSAF (2008): NETSSAF Participatory Planning Approach, A tutorial for sustainable sanitation planning. URL: http://www.netssaftutorial.org WAGENINGEN UR, PPM&E Resource Portal (2010): Participatory Planning Monitoring & Evaluation, Managing and Learning for Impact in Rural Development. URL: http://portals.wi.wur.nl/ppme/?Home [Accessed: 27.05.2010] WERNER, C.; PANESAR, A.; BRACKEN, P.; MANG, H. P.; HUBA-MANG, E. and GEROLD, A. (2003): „An ecosan source book for the preparation and implementation of ecological sanitation projects”. GTZ- ecosan program, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Eschborn, Germany.

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