Identification of Development Context Patterns – demographic, environmental, economic, socio-cultural, institutional, political as the source of SWOT Rural Organization for Community Activities, Banska Bystrica, Slovakia

Outline of the presentation Background Objectives Method Results and conclusions

Background low capacity of local people to understand what is happening in the area and use it for designing the programme, plan, project, lack of tools to facilitate sound decision making for planning,

Objectives To identify the most important socio- economic factors that influence development activities in selected regions/communities. To develop the SWOT based on findings. To build decision making capacities of local actors

Method participative teaching and development tool, using workshop and working groups to analyse demographic, environmental, economic, socio-cultural, institutional, political issues/situation as base for the SWOT

Description of the tool Target groups: community members, NGO, representatives, citizens, entrepreneurs, local actors etc Length : at the beginning of the planning in community development and than in later stages (in several stages of development cycles) Most important positive outcomes and challenges: outcomes are identified development patterns and awareness of participants of the main issues important to be remembered when leading it. outcomes shall be used for the SWOT analysis and also as the base for further planning of various activities – social, economic, environmental, political, institutional

Description of the tool Procedures/methods used and steps to be taken: Organize the public workshop with development actors Organize separate working groups of participants in the workshop according demographic, environmental, economic, socio-cultural, institutional and political patterns present in the area. List the most important groups of socio- economic development factors – demographic, environmental, economic, socio-cultural, institutional, political. (use key questions to ask participants – see below) Discuss in the plenary the most important factors of each for the further development of the area Mark various factors as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the plenary Develop the SWOT analysis and discuss it in the plenary

Description of the tool Examples of key questions to ask participants of the workshop: What are the main key factors of the environment of the area (water, air, soil, landscape, pollution, waste waters, solid waste, micro-environment etc..), What is happening in relation to them? How local people are contributing to this development? How external factors are influencing trends?

Description of the tool Examples of key questions to ask participants of the workshop: What are the main economic factors in the area? (entrepreneurs, financial resources – both public and private, banks and financial institutions..) What is happening with them? How local people are contributing to this development? How external factors are influencing trends?

Description of the tool Examples of key questions to ask participants of the workshop: What are the main socio-cultural factors of the area (heritage, traditions, relations, networks, groups, etc..) What is happening with them? How local people are contributing to this development? How external factors are influencing trends?

Description of the tool Examples of key questions to ask participants of the workshop: What are the main demographic factors of the area (structure of the population –age sex, education religion..) What is happening with them? How local people are contributing to this development? How external factors are influencing trends?

Description of the tool Examples of key questions to ask participants of the workshop: What are the main key political factors in the area? (political parties, politicians, decision making processes and who is influencing them? Who is outside of power structures, stakeholders..) How local people are contributing to this development? How external factors are influencing trends?

Description of the tool Examples of key questions to ask participants of the workshop: What are the main key institutional factors in the area? (partnerships, associations, public and private institutions and their role..) How local people are contributing to this development? How external factors are influencing trends?

Results and conclusions well thought and sound analysis organised on participatory way and viewed from different angles (looked from the point) of various development patterns the sound SWOT analysis skilled and capable local actors to understand the area and decide on development opportunities

Thank you for your attention!

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