NOTES - NSTP 2 Making a Project Plan in Groups

1 NSTP 2 – Civic Welfare Training Service “MAKING A PROJECT PLAN IN GROUPS” Student Handout (Prelim) NEEDS ASSESSMENT - is a process of getting data from the community (barangay) regarding what they need in terms of different criteria such as the basic human needs of food, clothing, shelter, access to health service, security, education, and livelihood. WHY IS THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT IMPORTANT? 1) It gives a clear picture to the group of the situation/place where their civic welfare service will be conducted

2) The group involved in civic welfare service must not assume what the barangay needs 3) The people of the barangay are the only ones who know what they need 4) If projects done for the barangay are based on needs assessment, then there is a better chance for the CWTS project to succeed NOTE: The main objective of the survey questionnaires that you are going to prepare is to focus on collecting the

data needed to answer the following questions:  What are the (economic) problems of the barangay?  What causes these (economic) problems?  What are the current (livelihood) projects in the barangay? PROBLEM TREE - may be classified as: (1) Causes – which can also be assumed as “roots” (2) Effects – which can also be assumed as “fruits” - Problems or conflict, in its broad sense, should not hinder someone from appreciating life. - Instead, problems should be considered as stepping stones in the process of learning and evolving. EXAMPLE OF A PROBLEM TREE: Increase in morbidity & mortality rate

Effects

Outbreak of serious diseases (e.g. cholera, dengue, leptospirosis)

Flood

Focal Problem

Poor Garbage Control & Management

Lack of available trash bins

Causes

Ineffective implementation of “Waste Segregation Program”

Attitudes of community members toward waste/garbage disposal

Lack of serious penalties embodied in the appropriate city/municipal ordinance

Lack of awareness/knowledge Low-level of educational attainment

2 PROJECT PLANNING - Projects are made to bring social change whether it is in little or big ways. - It is important to have a guide in choosing solutions to the problems. Moreover, the best solutions are the SMART solutions. In project planning, plans must be: S – Specific M – Measurable A – Attainable R – Realistic T – Time-bound PARTS OF THE PROJECT PLANNING MATRIX FORM: o Project Title – it contains the most important words found in the objective. It can be coined into a catchy

fashion if the group can think of one. o Project Leader – it contains the full name of the project leader. o Project Members – it contains the full name of all the members of the project plan. o Project Duration – it must be from the time of preparation to the time of evaluation indicating the actual time

and date of project implementation. o Project Venue – it refers to the specific place of the implementation of the project. o Project Objectives – the objectives must start with the word “to”. In addition, objectives must be clear, concise,

and SMART – indicating the measurements, people, and places involved. o Expected Measurable Outcome – refers to the list of the product or output of the project after it is done.

Moreover, success must be defined as something measurable. o Project Process – refers to the step-by-step procedures of the project. It can be outlined as pre-project

activities, during the activities, and post-project activities. o Project Budget – refers to the specified amount of the implementation of the project. In addition, budget must

be itemized. o Project Monitoring Activities – refers to the steps involved to monitor the project. o Project Evaluation Tools – this section indicates how the project shall be evaluated. This may be a list of criteria. POLITENESS AT THE FOREFRONT

Site ocular inspections may be done discretely or with the community official’s consent. If it is done discretely, it is characterized as just casually looking at the place without pen and paper at hand, the observer gets to see a clearer picture of the neighborhood complete with its positive and negative traits. If the public officials are warned of the inspection, there is a tendency for them to prepare for the scheduled inspection and to clean the place because of the expected visitors which is a very Filipino trait. The class should approach the barangay as CWTS 2 students and not as other kinds of “change agent.” They must approach the Barangay Captain and introduce themselves with proper letters of introduction from school authorities. After meeting the barangay officials, students must inform them of the needs observation and ocular inspection that their group will be doing. They must show the officials some sample questionnaires from which they can derive data that they will use in their project planning. If this first step is done politely, chances are, the Barangay Captain will give them the “key to the barangay.” This means that the Barangay Captain or SK Chairman will gladly assist the group in doing their task. PREPARING FOR THE OCULAR INSPECTION Needs analysis is important in order to know the needs of the barangay and how the CWTS students can

develop a livelihood project that will be effective. Data must give proof to this in order to pinpoint the needs such as lack of medical services or facilities. For instance, if data gathered shows that there is a high incidence of diarrhea in children, the reason for this high incidence must be explained and gathered as well. If the reason is lack of clean water, a project to bring water to the households may be projected. However, if water is available, then maybe the parents do not appreciate the importance of cleanliness. Therefore, an information campaign may be more effective than a medical mission intended for curing minor diseases. Ocular inspections are like detective work. Students can employ gadgets like digital cameras or at least be able to draw a rough sketch of the barangay after visiting it.

3 Going from house to house will help you make a map of the barangay. Data gathering can be facilitated by bringing prepared questionnaires. Usually, the barangay would have the data that you might need like number of households, number of family heads, number of children schooling and etc. However, updating the data will help you make your project more effective. Below is a list of information that can help the CWTS students decide on a SMART community project. The students may describe the status of these community infrastructures/facilities (before preparing their survey forms for Needs Assessment). Housing Facilities:      

How many are rented? How many are owned? How many are informal settlers? How are housing facilities maintained? What materials are the houses made of? Are the homes safe? How are they safe?

Community Centers Available:     

Senior Citizens Center Youth Center Child/Day-Care Center Health Center Barangay Hall

Community Facilities:        

Parks & Recreational Facilities Parking Facilities Healthcare Facilities Sanitation Facilities Solid Waste Recycling Facilities Floodwater Facilities Sewer Facilities Sidewalks

Socio-Economic Programs:           

Employment Training Education Counseling Crime Awareness & Prevention Programs Drug Abuse Prevention Programs Domestic Violence Prevention Programs Assistance for Small Businesses Programs Education Attainment of Population 25 Years of Age or Older Family and Non-Family Households Families with Children Labor Force & Unemployment

Demography& Statistics:          

Persons Attending School Persons Residing in Group Quarters Persons per Household Place of Birth & Primary Home Language Population by Age Population by Age Under & Over 18 Population Density & Racial/Regional/Ethnic Mix Map Population & Housing Density Poverty Status of Families Poverty Status of Individuals

Community Buildings & Infrastructures:  Condominium Conversions and New Construction  Housing Sales  Slum/Remote Areas

4 GUIDELINES IN THE PRESENTATION OF PROJECT PLANNING ACTIVITY

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As a first step, CWTS students may brainstorm on the perceived needs and problems of their assigned community using the Needs Assessment survey forms, with focus on economic aspects and sources of the constituent’s incomes.

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After conducting their Needs Assessment surveys in their respective places, each group will be given 30 minutes to make a project plan based on the results of their survey using the Project Planning Matrix Form.

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When they’re through, the Instructor asks the members of each group to draw their project planning matrix on a Manila paper or on the board. Afterwards, each group will be given an opportunity to present their plans. The following may be presented as an example of a project planning matrix to the class but this should not limit the originality and spontaneity of each group.

GUIDELINES IN SYNTHESIZING THE PROJECT PLANNING ACTIVITY



The final session will be focusing on the synthesis of the project planning activity. The synthesis will be facilitated by the CWTS instructor/coordinator.



The instructor instructs the groups to post their Project Planning Matrix Form on the board.



The instructor uses the following guide questions to synthesize the project planning activity. Guide Questions:

 Looking at all the Manila papers on the board and considering the written reports, how are these project plans the same? How are they different?  Whose group is well-organized (based on the enlarged Project Planning Matrix Form)?  Whose group has the SMARTest plan?  What obstacles did the group go through to achieve their project plan?  What parts of the project plan did you find easy and what parts were difficult?  What did you learn while doing your project plan?  What did you learn from looking at other group’s project plans?