Introduction to

COPAR

Module 2
What is
COPAR?
Different Definitions of COPAR
Jimenez (2008)
● COPAR is a widely used framework in public
health nursing that aims to empower
marginalized communities by giving them the
opportunity to engage in the research process
where they play an active role as participants
Ross (1967)
● A process by which a community identifies
its needs and objectives, develops
confidence to take action in respect to
them and in doing so, extends and
develops cooperative and collaborative
attitudes and practices in the community
National Rural Conference (1994)
● A collective, participatory, transformative,
liberative, sustained and systematic process of
building people’s organizations by mobilizing and
enhancing the capabilities and resources of the
people for the resolution of their issues and
concerns towards effecting change in their
existing oppressive and exploitative conditions
A manual of experience (PCPD)

● A collective, participatory, transformative,

liberative, sustained and systematic process of
building people’s organizations by mobilizing and
enhancing the capabilities and resources of the
people for the resolution of their issues and
concerns towards effecting change in their
existing oppressive and exploitative conditions
 is a vital part of public
health nursing. COPAR
COPAR according to: aims to transform the
apathetic, individualistic
Nurselabs.com and voiceless poor into
dynamic, participatory
and politically
responsive community.
 COPAR is a social
development approach
COPAR according to: that aims to transform the
apathetic, individualistic
nursingclient.blogspot.com and voiceless poor into
dynamic, participatory and
politically responsive
community.
Pre-Entry Phase
is the initial phase of the organizing
process where the community organizer
looks for communities to serve and help.
Activities include:
Preparation of the Institution

● Train faculty and students in COPAR.

● Formulate plans for institutionalizing
COPAR.
● Revise/enrich curriculum and immersion
program.
● Coordinate participants of other
departments.
Site Selection

● Initial networking with local government.

● Conduct preliminary special investigation.
● Make long/short list of potential
communities.
● Do ocular survey of listed communities.
Criteria for Initial Site Selection

● Must have a population of 100-200

families.
● Economically depressed.No strong
resistance from the community.
● No serious peace and order problem.
● No similar group or organization
holding the same program.
Identifying Potential Municipalities

● Make long/short list of potential municipalities

● Do the same process as in selecting
municipality.
● Consult key informants and residents.
● Coordinate with local government and NGOs
for future activities.
Choosing Final Community
● Conduct informal interviews with community
residents and key informants.
● Determine the need of the program in the
community.
● Take note of political development.
● Develop community profiles for secondary data.
● Develop survey tools.
● Pay courtesy call to community leaders.
● Choose foster families based on guidelines
Choosing Final Community
● Conduct informal interviews with community
residents and key informants.
● Determine the need of the program in the
community.
● Take note of political development.
● Develop community profiles for secondary data.
● Develop survey tools.
● Pay courtesy call to community leaders.
● Choose foster families based on guidelines
Identifying Host Family
● House is strategically located in the community.
● Should not belong to the rich segment.
● Respected by both formal and informal leaders.
● Neighbours are not hesitant to enter the house.
● No member of the host family should be
moving out in the community.
 ENTRY PHASE

Sometimes called the social preparation phase. Is

crucial in determining which strategies for organizing
would suit the chosen community. Success of the
activities depend on how much the community
organizers has integrated with the community.
 Guidelines for Entry
•Recognize the role of local authorities by paying them visits to
inform their presence and activities.
•Her appearance, speech, behavior and lifestyle should be in
keeping with those of the community residents without disregard
of their being role model.
•Avoid raising the consciousness of the community residents;
adopt a low-key profile.
Activities in the Entry Phase
• Integration. Establishing rapport with the people in continuing effort
to imbibe community life.
• living with the community
• seek out to converse with people where they usually congregate
• lend a hand in household chores
• avoid gambling and drinking
• Deepening social investigation/community study
• verification and enrichment of data collected from initial survey
• conduct baseline survey by students, results relayed through
community assembly
Core Group Formation
•Leader spotting through sociogram.
• Key Persons. Approached by most people
• Opinion Leader. Approached by key persons
• Isolates. Never or hardly consulted
ORGANIZATION-BUILDING
PHASE
What is Organization-building Phase?

• Entails the formation of • It is at this phase where

more formal structure the organized leaders
and the inclusion of more or groups are being
formal procedure of given training (formal,
planning, implementing, informal, OJT) to
and evaluating develop their style in
community-wise managing their own
activities. concerns/programs.
KEY ACTIVITIES involved in
Organization- Building Phase:
● Community Health Organization
(CHO)

○ Preparation of legal
requirements

○ Guidelines in the organization

of the CHO by the core group

○ Election of officers
• Research Team Committee

• Planning committee

• Health Committee Organization

• Others

• Formation by-laws by the CHO

 Tab 01 X +

GOOGL
GOOGL
Al
l
EE
WHAT IS COPAR?
Community Organizing Participatory Action Research (COPAR) is a widely used framework in public health
nursing that aims to empower marginalized communities by giving them the opportunity to engage in the research
process where they play an active role as participants (Jimenez, 2008).

OJECTIVES:
COPAR aims to transform the apathetic, individualistic and voiceless poor into dynamic, participatory and
politically responsive community
 Tab 01 X +

SUSTENANCE AND STRENGTHENING PHASE GOOGL

GOOGL
Al
l
Titl
e
Team Contents Table Closing EE Search Tool

DEFINITION:
❑ It is the end portion of COPAR but the most important phase. It is during this phase by which the
community and its people are being developed to be self- reliant.
❑ Part of our role in the provision of nursing care is to encourage the client’s ability to be
independent and to resume his functions with less assistance. This was emphasized, too by
Virginia Henderson in her theory. Thus, it could be delved with that caring also does not only
involve the physical caring touch that we offer to the sick ones in the four corners of an institution
but also providing care outside it – making much more impact on the needy and the oppressed
individuals.
 Tab 01 X +

SUSTENANCE AND STREGHTENING

PHASE
GOOGL
GOOGL
Al
l
Titl
e
EE Search Tool

❑ Occurs when the community organization has already been established and the
community members are already actively participating in community-wide
undertakings. At this point, the different communities setup in the organization
building phase are already expected to be functioning by way of planning,
implementing and evaluating their own programs with the overall guidance
from the community-wide organization.
 Tab 01 X +

STATEGIES MAY
INCLUDE:
GOOGL
GOOGL
Al
l
EE Search Tool

1. EDUCATION AND
TRAINING
Training of CHO for monitoring and implementing of community health program.

2. NETWORKING AND
LINKLAGING
Networking is defined as the organization is working with other organizations without any formal contracts.
A linkage is defined as organization is working with other organizations with the formal contract. This can
be partnerships or mergers.
 Tab 01 X +

Welcome to my Presentation GOOGL

GOOGL
Al
l
Titl
e
Team Contents Table Closing EESearch Tool

3. Conduct of mobilization in health and development concerns

1. Identify and Access Communities.
2. Select and Train Community Spokespeople and Mobilizers.
3.Establish a Formal Structure for Effective Information Flow.
4. Identify and Implement Community Mobilization Activities.
 Tab 01 X +

Welcome to my Presentation GOOGL

GOOGL
Al
l
Titl
e
Team Contents Table Closing EESearch Tool

4. Implementing of livelihood
projects
Livelihood projects help community members generate additional,
and often vital, streams of income. We listen to ideas in the
community and provide support through skills and business-planning
training. Training is available for technical skills like rug weaving,
organic farming and more.
Tab 01 X +

Welcome to my Presentation GOOGL

GOOGL
Al
l
Titl
e
Team Contents Table Closing EESearch Tool

5. Developing secondary leader

Community is a fundamental building block of society.
Leadership development enhances leaders. People have the
capacity to collectively chart their future by creating, developing
and building their community. The most effective community
development requires building relationships among people.