Basic Elements of Community Project Planning, Design and Implementatio

Introduction Community projects are vital for community development, as they enhance social cohesion
and address local needs. Effective community project planning, and the subsequent implementation,
monitoring and evaluation has many benefits. This unit will explore th e key principles and strategies
essential for successful community development initiatives. It will focus on a number of different
approaches to community project planning, design and implementation. The two approaches that will
be covered include the Community – Visioning, and the Vision, Mission, Objectives, Strategies and
Action plans (VMOSA) approach. 1.2 Learning Outcomes (LOs) At the end of this unit students should: 1.
Understand the importance of community project planning and design. 2. Identify the key elements of
community project planning and design. 3. Explain diverse approaches to community project planning
design and implementation. 1.3 Main Content 1.3.1 Importance of Community Project Planning &
Design Community planning offers a range of benefits, including educating and engaging the public,
which fosters vibrant rural and urban communities. It promotes economic development and ensures the
efficient use of local services and infrastructure. Community pl anning provides a framework for
community members and local governments to work together to decide the function and development
of their community. Stakeholders in the community use this to make informed decisions about land use,
economic development, environmental protection, and community revitalization and regeneration. Click
on the link for more information on Community Project Planning and Design
https://youtu.be/ZHNJkbAaXpQ?si=ityF34k22M-uJB6E 104 1.4 Approaches in Community Project
Planning & Design An important way to tackle emerging community challenges is for community
workers to implement ongoing initiatives and devise new projects. One of the first steps is to make a
plan. A plan is an essential element of a community project. A plan serves as a document with a
roadmap and instructions to accomplish the intended objectives of a community project. 1. Community
–Visioning Approach There are different approaches to community project planning. One approach is
through the community-visioning model (Okubo, 2009). This approach is primarily a collaborative
process that brings together every sector of a community to recognise issues, ass ess community
conditions, and develop collaborative strategies to enhance the quality of life in the community.
Community members and stakeholders need to establish a shared understanding of what constitutes a
community. Community-visioning efforts are carried out by citizens of all stripes who are concerned
about their communities' future – they are the stakeholders. In effective community-visioning initiatives,
a diverse range of political, regional, ethnic, and economic perspectives are represented among the
stakeholders. Community visioning leads to an improved quality of life and also provide residents with
fresh perspectives on overcoming obstacles and resolving issues as a community. According to Okubo
(2009), a community-visioning process involves two phases, the initiation phase and the stakeholder
phase. These phases encompass five major steps. They include: Discovering the Community's Future:
This step involves engaging residents in discussing and identifying the kind of future they want for their
community, including their objectives and values. Vision Statement: The vision is the key element of this
process. Once the community's vision is discovered, the next step is to formalize it into a comprehensive
and representative vision statement that reflects the goals, objectives, and values of the community.
105 Stakeholder Engagement: The vision statement is used to guide strategic planning, decision making,
and the actions necessary to achieve the community's goals. This step involves bringing together
decision-makers and citizens to create shared goals and a larger plan for the community's future. The
first phase is the initiation phase, where several essential tasks must be undertaken. The initial step
involves forming an initiating committee, a small group comprising 12 to 15 people who represent
diverse areas of the community. Their responsibilities include selecting a stakeholder group that mirrors
the community's interests, b. designing a process to achieve desired outcomes, creating subcommittees
for important roles, and addressing logistical concerns such as staffing, siting, scheduling, and
fundraising. Creating a Strategic Action Plan: After the community vision is established, the next step is
to develop a Strategic Action Plan with defined priorities and achievable targets to work towards the
vision. Implementing the Community Vision: This step emphasizes that achieving the community's
future goals requires great effort, determination, and teamwork. The community-visioning process is a
means to bring together all sectors of a community to identify problems, evaluate, and work towards
achieving the desired future. 106 The next stage is to design the process. First, the stakeholders are
recruited, and must be empowered to make decisions. The process timetable is then set, and a structure
is designed to coordinate the project. A coordinating committee is then formed, and the project is
staffed. Funding sources are identified and pursued. Community and outside resources will be needed to
implement the action plan. The successful implementation of the community project requires the
creation of an implementation framework, to supervise and guarantee that the following are covered: i.
Goals and intended outcomes should be made clear to the implementation committee and
implementers. ii. Project prioritisation criteria, which will be determined by the implementation
committee or stakeholders. Project priorities must be according to the agreed criteria. iii. Determining
implementation obstacles and developing strategies to get over them. iv. A comprehensive schedule
determined by the resources, obstacles, and goals that are prioritized. v. The coordination of all actions
taken in accordance with the action plan. vi. Constant sharing of ideas and results with the community.