The Social Development Commission uses participatory processes to guide communities to effectively plan and develop strategies to achieve their desired future. The participatory framework for the community planning process guides the community to get from where it is to where it wants to go
The Commission’s approach to community planning is influenced by the sustainable development framework that focus’ on economic prosperity, social well being, environmental preservation and good governance. This approach:
- Enable people and communities to make decisions on public services which affect them.
- Develops and strengthens partnership strategies in which key stakeholders meet to plan and design growth and development strategies for their communities and Development Areas
- Links local community initiatives to national priorities and processes
Key to doing this successfully is having an understanding of the specific roles and functions of each partner and their previous and current development initiatives garnering best practices to guide the future model
and our strategy on the way forward.
Why Plan?
Communities plan in the hope that the results will address their priority needs without compromising the future. For transformation to take place, the planning process must be inclusive and responsive to the community realities
A good community plan will answer five (6) broad questions:
1. What do we want our community to become in the next five years and beyond? – Vision
2. What is the present state of affairs in relation to the systems of governance, the economy, society and the natural environment? – Current reality
3. What are all the possible action steps we can take to achieve the desired future? – Process
4. What are the resources available locally and externally to support the implementation of the plan? – Collaboration
5. Who are committed to taking responsibility for different aspects of the plan – Commitment
6. How do we organize and proceed to implement our plan?
So how do communities go about planning?
There are five (5) phases in the CDP process. The following provides information on each phase and the steps involved in completing the overall process.