A toolkit for - Community development

1 Social developmentDepartment:Social DevelopmentBuilding a Caring Society. Toll free no. 0800 60 10 11 Towards Sustainable Livelihoods: a toolkit for Community development Practitioners in South Africa 1st Edition July 2009 toolkit for Community development Practitioners I Page i ForewordThe legacy of apartheid is pervasive poverty, especially in the former homeland areas of South Africa. To address this negative legacy, the Department of Social development has embarked on a number of programmes. These include the comprehensive and integrated social security, welfare provisions and the development of appropriate interventions to address poverty in the country.

2 This is in line with our mission to ensure the provision of comprehensive, integrated, sustainable and high quality social development services against vulnerability and poverty, and to create an enabling environment for sustainable development in partnership with those committed to building a caring society . The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach (SLA) has been adopted as a framework for promoting self reliance and developing the potential of the poor and marginalized people in the country. The toolkit for Community development Practitioners in South Africa has been crafted by the department for use by any practitioner involved in facilitating Community development as a means through which SLA can be operationalised and thereby ensure coherent Community development process toolkit is aimed at capacitating Community development Practitioners with practical tools to facilitate Community development .

3 It also enables communities to understand their vision, strengths and livelihood opportunities. It is generic and flexible enough to incorporate future policy and programmatic developments in Community development . The toolkit is a step by step manual for Community development Practitioners to enable communities to engage effectively in managing their own development . It will assist Community development Practitioners to facilitate discussions at Community level on livelihood issues, assist communities plan and implement appropriate activities to enhance and maintain their livelihoods; identify projects and/or interventions to improve their livelihoods, undertake participatory monitoring and evaluation; reflect critically on their development situation, learn from it and share their experiences.

4 It will also facilitate the integration and coordination of the interventions of the Department of Social development and other service providers at Community level. The valuable contribution by individuals from government and a wide range of non-government actors at various stages in the development of this toolkit is highly appreciated. Our collective response and commitment to better facilitation of Community development will add value to the fight against poverty and BEE MolewaMinister of Social development Page ii I toolkit for Community development Practitioners AcknowledgementsThis toolkit was developed following a participatory process by a number of people in a series of workshops.

5 This process was initiated by Ms Sadi Luka, Chief Director of Community development , who led the process of embedding sustainable livelihood approaches in the Department of Social development . The people who were involved in the writing of the toolkit are the following: National Department of Social DevelopmentAlfa Mahlako Director Sustainable LivelihoodsMbulaheni Mulaudzi Director Community development : Policy and Service StandardsCollin Mhlongo Deputy Director Sustainable LivelihoodsMondli Mbhele Deputy Director Sustainable LivelihoodsKlaas Baloyi Assistant Director Non-Profit OrganisationEphraim Kgosana Assistant Director Youth DevelopmentMosidi Sekokope Assistant Director Community development .

6 Policy and Service StandardsPatricia Mokwala Assistant Director Sustainable LivelihoodsMlalelwa Mabona Assistant Director Sustainable LivelihoodsMartina Bopape Project Administrator Sustainable LivelihoodsMorwesi Mashilo Project Administrator Sustainable LivelihoodsProvincial departments of social developmentConcern Khomola CDP Manager Sustainable Livelihoods: LimpopoPortia Ramasodi Deputy Manager Sustainable Livelihoods: LimpopoRolly Lerutla Assistant Director Sustainable Livelihoods: LimpopoDorothy Matsuyane Senior Admin Officer Sustainable Livelihoods: LimpopoKgabo Magoro CDP Sustainable Livelihoods: LimpopoKeitumetse Motinyane Senior Admin Officer Sustainable Livelihoods: Free StateLindiwe Mahlangu Deputy Director Sustainable Livelihoods: Free StateEdwina McMaster Programme Manager Sustainable Livelihoods: GautengMbali Ngwane Assistant Director Sustainable Livelihoods: GautengFannie Appelcryn Deputy Director Sustainable Livelihoods: GautengPeter Nonyane Deputy Director Sustainable Livelihoods: MpumalangaSeshoka Nakampe Assistant Manager Sustainable Livelihoods.

7 MpumalangaSibongile Nkosi Deputy Director Sustainable Livelihoods: KwaZulu-NatalMsindisi Mbalo Director Sustainable Livelihoods: KwaZulu-NatalItumeleng Kwenane Programme Manager Sustainable Livelihoods: Northern CapeMarcia Kalebe Deputy Director Sustainable Livelihoods: Northern CapeUthant Siyo Assistant Director Sustainable Livelihoods: Eastern CapeLubabalo Mbekeni Programme Manager Sustainable Livelihoods: Western CapeGodfrey Mathe Programme Manager Sustainable Livelihoods: North WestKhanya-AICDD: Ian Goldman Vincent Hungwe Patricia Masanganise Sam Chimbuya Maserame Moeketsi toolkit for Community development Practitioners I Page iii Table of contentsForeword.

8 IAcknowledgements ..iiList of tools, processes, examples ..viSection 1 ..1 Introduction ..1 Context of the toolkit ..1 Purpose of the toolkit ..2 Principles underlying the toolkit ..2 Aim of the toolkit ..2 Structure of the toolkit ..3 Section 2 ..4 Setting the scene: Community development and sustainable livelihoods ..4 The Department of Social development mandate and vision for Community Mandate for Community Vision for Community development ..4 Indicators for developed Principles underlying Community Understanding sustainable livelihoods.

9 6 What is a livelihood?..6 What makes a livelihood sustainable?..6 What is the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach? ..6 Sustainable Livelihoods Framework and its Sustainable livelihood Governance issues for promoting sustainable livelihoods ..9 Section 3 ..10 Overview of the work of Community development practitioners ..10 Role of a CDP ..10 Competencies required by a Essential basic skills and Desirable skills and experience for a CDP (may be developed on the job)..11 Personal qualities of a CDP ..11 CDPs as Training, mentoring and coaching of CDPs.

10 12 Support and supervision of CDPs ..12 Induction Provision of technical and administrative Regular reviews ..13 Section 4 ..15 Managing interactions with communities and key stakeholders ..15 Entering the Community ..15 Stakeholder linkages ..16 Building stakeholder commitment ..18 Page iv I toolkit for Community development Practitioners Section 5 ..20 Understanding the Community ..20 Participatory Learning for Action methods and Situation analysis ..21 Community Household 6 ..24 Planning for change: Identification and formulation of sustainable livelihood interventions.