of the people for the resolution of their
exploitative conditions
COPAR
Mary Aretha D. Rocha
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
PARTICIPATORY ACTION
RESEACH (COPAR)
 A social development approach that
aims to transform the apathetic,
individualistic, and voiceless poor into a
dynamic, participatory and politically
responsive community.
 A collective, participatory,
transformative, liberated, sustained and
systematic process of building people
organizations by mobilizing and
enhancing the capabilities and resources
of the people for the resolution of their
issues and concerns towards affecting
change in their existing oppressive and
exploitative conditions.
 A process by which community
identifies its need and objective.
Develops confidence to take action in
respect to them and in doing so extends
and develops cooperative attitudes and
practices in the community.
-Rose,1967
 A continuous and sustained process of
educating the people to understand
and develop their critical awareness of
their existing condition, working with
the people, collectively and efficiently
on their immediate and long term
problems, and mobilizing to pursue to
develop their capability and readiness to
respond and take action on their
immediate needs toward solving their
long term problems.
 A Manual of Experience, PCPD
COPAR
 a collective, participatory,
transformative, liberative, sustained, and
systematic process of building people’s
organizations by mobilizing and
enhancing the capabilities and resources
- National Rural CO Conference, 1994
COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
 a continuous process of awareness
building, organizing and mobilizing
community members towards community
development
IMPORTANCE OF COPAR
 COPAR – is an important tool for
community development and people
empowerment, as this helps the
community workers to generate
community participation and
development activities.
 COPAR – prepares people/clients to
eventually take over the management of
development programs in the future.
 COPAR – maximizes community
participation and involvement;
community resources are mobilized for
health development services
PRINCIPLES OF COPAR
 People especially the most oppressed,
exploited and deprived sectors are open
to change, have the capacity to change,
and able to bring about change.
 COPAR should be based on the interest
of the poorest sectors of the society.
 COPAR should lead to self-reliant
community and society.

Process and Methods Used in COPAR
 a progressive cycle of Action-Reflection-
Action
 Consciousness Raising
 Participatory & Mass- based
 group centered & not leader oriented
 which begins with small, local, and
concrete issues identified by the people
and the evaluation and reflection of
actions taken by them.
Process and Methods Used in COPAR
 a progressive cycle of Action-Reflection-
Action
 Consciousness Raising
 Participatory & Mass- based
 group centered & not leader oriented
 through experiential learning
 is central to the COPAR process because
it places emphasis on learning that
emerges from concrete action and which
enriches succeeding action.
Process and Methods Used in COPAR
 a progressive cycle of Action-Reflection-
Action
 Consciousness Raising
 Participatory & Mass- based
 group centered & not leader oriented
 it is primarily DIRECTED TOWARDS
AND BASED IN FAVOR OF THE
POOR, the powerless and the oppressed
Process and Methods Used in COPAR
 a progressive cycle of Action-Reflection-
Action
 Consciousness Raising
 Participatory & Mass- based
 Group centered & not leader oriented
 leaders are identified, emerge and are
tested through action rather than
appointed or selected by some external
force or entity.
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization-building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
Phases of COPAR Process
 PRE-ENTRY PHASE
 Entry Phase
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 called the Social Preparation Phase
 The initial phase of the organizing
process where the community organizer
looks for communities to serve or help.
 It is considered the simplest phase in
terms of actual outputs, activities and
strategies and time spent for it.
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 ENTRY PHASE
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 The IMMERSION Phase
 This includes the synthesis of the people
on the critical events in their life,
motivating them to share their dreams
and ideas on how to manage their
concerns and eventually mobilizing
them to make collective action on these.
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 ENTRY PHASE
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 This phase signals the actual entry of
the community worker/ organizer into
the community.
 She must be guided by the following:
▪ Integration with the community
▪ Conduct of courtesy calls
▪ Conduct of information campaigns
about the community health
development programs
▪ Conduct of the community study and
social investigation
▪ Provision of health and health related
services
▪ Identification of potential leaders
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 ENTRY PHASE
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
  ENTRY IN THE COMMUNITY
AND INTEGRATION WITH THE
PEOPLE
 before actual entry into the community,
basic information about the area in
relation to the cultural practices and
lifestyles of the people must be known
 establishing rapport and integrating
with them will be much easier if one is
able to understand, accept or imbibe
their community life
 living with the people, undergoing their
hardships and problems and sharing their
hopes and aspirations help build mutual
trust and cooperation
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 ENTRY PHASE
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 Recognize the role of local authorities
by paying them visits to inform them of
their presence and activities.
 Health worker appearance, speech,
behavior and lifestyle should be kept in
low profile and health workers should
always serve as a role model.
 Avoid raising the consciousness of the
community residents
 Work always with community member
to identify potential leaders
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 ENTRY PHASE
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 GUIDELINES IN CONDUCTING
INTEGRATION WORK
 recognize the role and position of local
authorities
 adapt a lifestyle in keeping with that of
the community
 choose a modest dwelling which the
people , especially the economically
disadvantaged will not hesitate to enter
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 ENTRY PHASE
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 avoid raising expectations of the people;
be clear with your objectives and
limitations
 participate directly in production
process
 make house calls and seek out people
where they usually gather
 participate in some social activities
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 CORE GROUP FORMATION PHASE
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 Once the community health nurse
identifies the potential leaders, they are
formed into a core group.
 The core group will be given the role of
community organizer.
▪ Integration with the core group
members
▪ Deepening social investigation
▪ Training and education
▪ Mobilizing the core group
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 CORE GROUP FORMATION PHASE
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 Entails the formation of more formal
structures and the inclusion of more
formal procedures of planning,
implementing, and evaluating
community- wide activities.
Phases of COPAR Process
  Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 CORE GROUP FORMATION PHASE
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 It is at this phase where the organized
leaders or groups are being given
trainings to develop their KSA
(knowledge, skills and attitude,) in
managing their own concerns/
programs.
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 CORE GROUP FORMATION PHASE
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 Other community members are
encourage to join and form a
community organization
 Pre-organization building activities
 Organizing the barrio health
committee
 Setting up community organization
 Training and education for the
organization
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 SUSTENANCE and
STRENGTHENING PHASE
 Phase-out
 Occur when the community
organization has already been
established and the community-wide
undertakings.
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 SUSTENANCE and
STRENGTHENING PHASE
 Phase-out
 At this point, the different committees
set-up 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.
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 SUSTENANCE and
STRENGTHENING PHASE
 Phase-out
 Strategies used:
▪ Education and training
▪ Networking and linking
▪ Conduct of mobilization on health and
development concerns
▪ Implementation of livelihood projects
▪ Developing secondary leaders.
Phases of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 the phase when the health care
workers leave the community to
stand alone
 this phase should be stated during the
entry phase so that the people will be
ready for this phase
 the organizations built should be ready
to sustain the test of the community
itself because the real evaluation will be
done by the residents of the community
itself
Activities of COPAR Process

 PRE-ENTRY PHASE
 Entry Phase
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase out
Preparation of the staff:
✓ Statement of objectives and
realization of COPAR guidelines
✓ Development of criteria for site
selection
✓ Site selection
✓ Setting of issues/ considerations
related to site selection
✓ Preliminary Social Investigation
(PSI)
✓ Community consultations/ dialogues
✓ Networking with LGU’s, NGO’s and
other departments
Activities of COPAR Process
 PRE-ENTRY PHASE
 Entry Phase
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase out
CRITERIA FOR SITE SELECTION:
 Is the community in need of assistance?
 Do the community members feel need to
work together to overcome a specific
health problem?
 Are there concerned groups and
organizations that the nurse can possibly
work with?
 What will be the counterpart of the
community in terms of community
support, commitment and human
resources?
Activities of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 ENTRY PHASE
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase out
 Courtesy call to mayor, or the local
government leader of the selected site.
 Courtesy call to the barangay level.
 Meeting with the “will be” foster parents
of health care students.
 Appreciating the environment.
 Coordination/ dialogue/ consultation with
other community organizations
 Self-awareness and Leadership training
(SALT), action, planning  General
assembly.
 Preparation of survey forms.
 Actual survey.
 Analysis of the data gathered.
Activities of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 Core Group Formation Phase
 ORGANIZATION -BUILDING PHASE
 Sustenance and Strengthening Phase
 Phase Out
 Identifying problems.
 Spreading awareness and soliciting
solution or suggestion.
 Analysis of the presented solution.
 Planning of the activities.
 Organizing the people to build their own
organization.
 Registration of the organization.
 Implementing of the said activities.
 Evaluation.
Activities of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization-building Phase
 SUSTENANCE & STRENGTHENING
PHASE
 Phase Out
 Meeting with the organizational leaders.
 Evaluation of the programs.
 Re-implementing of the programs. (For
unmet goals)
 Education and training.  Networking
and linking.
 Implementation of livelihood projects. 
Developing secondary leaders
Activities of COPAR Process
 Pre-entry Phase
 Entry Phase
 Core Group Formation Phase
 Organization- building Phase
 Sustenance and strengthening Phase
 Phase-out
 Leaving the immersion site
 Documentation
Summary of Phase and Activities
I. Pre-entry ▪ preparation of the staff ▪
site selection
II. Entry ▪ integration with the
community
▪ courtesy call;
information
▪ campaigns;
identification of potential
leaders
III. Core-group ▪ integration with core
formation & group
mobilization
IV. ▪ organizing barrio health
Organization- committee
building
▪ setting up the
community organization
v. Consolidation &
expansion phase
▪ networking &
establishing linkages
▪ implementation of
livelihood projects
 Groundwork
 Meeting
 Role Playing
 Mobilization of Actions
 Evaluation
 Reflection
 Organization
 a community organizer becoming one
with the people in order to:
• immerse himself in the poor community
• understand deeply the culture,
economy, leaders, history, rhythms and
lifestyle of the community.
 INTEGRATION
 Social Investigation
 Tentative Program Planning
 Groundwork
 Meeting
 Role Playing
 Mobilization of Actions
 Evaluation
 Reflection
 Organization
Methods of Integration includes:
 Participation in direct production
activities of the people
 Conduct of house visits
 Participation in activities like
birthdays, fiestas, wakes, etc
 Conversing with people where they
usually gather such as stores, water,
walls, washing streams, or churchyards
 Helping out in the household chores
like cooking, washing the dishes, etc

▪ developing secondary
leaders  Integration
 SOCIAL INVESTIGATION
 Tentative Program Planning
 Groundwork
 Meeting
CRITICAL STEPS IN THE BUILDING  Role Playing
PEOPLE ORGANIZATION  Mobilization of Actions
 Evaluation
Activities in building People’s Organization  Reflection
 Organization
 A systematic process of collecting,
Critical Steps in Building People collating, analyzing data to draw a clear
Organization picture of the community.
 Also known as community study.

 INTEGRATION
 Social Investigation Pointers for the conduct of SOCIAL
 Tentative Program Planning INVESTIGATION
 Use of survey or questionnaires is  Integration
discouraged  Social Investigation
 Community leaders can be trained to  Tentative Program Planning
initially assist the community  GROUNDWORK
worker/organizer in SI  Meeting
 Data can be more effectively and  Role Playing
efficiently collected through informal  Mobilization of Actions
methods-house visits, participating in  Evaluation
conversations in jeepneys and others  Reflection
 Secondary data should be thoroughly  Organization
examined because much of the  Going around and motivating the people
information might already be available  on something or an issues.
SI is facilitated if the CO/ community  A time to spot and develop potential
worker is properly integrated and has leader.
acquired the trust of the people  The entry phase or sometimes called the
 Confirmation and validation of social preparation phase.
community data should be done regularly
Critical Steps in Building People
Pointers for the conduct of SOCIAL Organization
INVESTIGATION

 SI is facilitated if the CO/ community  Integration

worker is properly integrated and has  Social Investigation
acquired the trust of the people  Tentative Program Planning
 Confirmation and validation of  Goundwork
community data should be done regularly  MEETING
 A systematic process of collecting,  Role Playing
collating, analyzing data to draw a clear  Mobilization of Actions
picture of the community  Evaluation
 Also known as the COMMUNITY  Reflection
STUDY  Organization
 Core group formation.
 People collectively ratifying what they
Critical Steps in Building People have already decided individually.
Organization  The meeting gives the people the
collective power and confidence. 
Problems and issues are discussed.
 Integration
 Social Investigation Critical Steps in Building People
 Tentative Program Planning Organization
 Groundwork
 Meeting
 Role Playing
 Mobilization of Actions  Integration
 Evaluation  Social Investigation
 Reflection  Tentative Program Planning
 Organization  Meeting
 Community organizer to choose one  ROLE PLAYING
issue to work on in order to begin  Mobilization of Actions
organizing the people.  Evaluation
 Reflection
 Organization
Critical Steps in Building People
Organization
 To act out the meeting that will take
place between the leaders of the people
and the government representatives.
 It is a way of training the people to
participate what will happen and prepare
themselves for such eventually
 dealing with deeper, on-going concerns
to look at the positive values CO is trying
to build in the organization
 It gives the people time to reflect on the
stark reality of life compared to the ideal.

Critical Steps in Building People

Critical Steps in Building People Organization
Organization

 Integration
 Integration  Social Investigation
 Social Investigation  Tentative Program Planning
 Tentative Program Planning  Meeting
 Meeting  Role Playing
 Role Playing  Mobilization of Actions
 MOBILIZATION OF ACTIONS  Evaluation
 Evaluation  Reflection  Reflection
 Organization  ORGANIZATION
 Actual experience of the people in  the result of many successive and similar
confronting the powerful and the actual actions of the people.
exercise power.  Occurs when the community
organization has already been established
and the community members are already
Critical Steps in Building People participating in a community wide
Organization undertaking.

 Integration
 Social Investigation
 Tentative Program Planning
 Meeting
 Role Playing
 Mobilization of Actions
 EVALUATION
 Reflection
 Organization
 determines whether the goal is met or not
 The people reviewing the steps 1-7, so to
determine whether they were successful
or not in their objectives.

Critical Steps in Building People

Organization

 Integration
 Social Investigation
 Tentative Program Planning
 Meeting
 Role Playing
 Mobilization of Actions
 Evaluation
 REFLECTION
 Organization