M.A. / The aim of this study was to explore and describe participation in community development projects and the factors that affect participation. Projects experience problems with regard to participation which in turn has an impact on the success and sustainability of these projects. Projects in the far North region, Northern Province were targeted as the population and 30 respondents were interviewed from 3 sampled projects. Purposive sampling, which is a non-probability sampling method, was utilised to select sample. Interview schedule was utilised to collect data from respondents to measure 3 elements, i.e. demographic data, project formulation and role performance, and project management with specific reference to participation. The researcher discovered that participation in development projects is influenced by the level of involvement by project members in decision making and project management and their involvement in project roles and responsibilities. Availability of financial resources and the project's ability to meet abstract and material needs of members also influence participation in projects.

Development is a critical aspect of individuals, groups, communities or nations. Community development is even more critical aspect of development as it purportedly leads to self reliance. Huge amounts of funds, time, and resources, just but to mention a few have been continuously channeled towards communities over time in a bid to facilitate community development. Unfortunately, results of such actions and interventions by NGOs, governments and a host of development agencies have so far largely proved elusive. Contrary to NGO expectations and popular opinion, target communities continuously demand, request and expect increased direct support from development agencies. Solving acute community problems and challenges, the focus of most NGO development interventions has been less successful. Target problems have largely graduated and turned to chronic levels. All this is unfortunately worsening against the background of increased donor and NGO support. Deteriorating and widening community challenges are also taking place against general claims by NGOs to the application of community development ideals in communities as a successful development alternative. Contrastingly, rather than being self reliant, communities have become more dependent on donors. In addition, NGO target communities continue to grapple with short-lived changes, limited participation by the majority, reversal of past successes and dwindling self representation and reliance. Inequalities have widened. This is to the detriment of ongoing NGO claims and efforts at promoting community development. Development is a critical aspect of individuals, groups, communities or nations. Community development is even more critical aspect of development as it purportedlyleads to self reliance. Huge amounts of funds, time, and resources, just but to mention a few have been continuously channeled towards communities over time in a bid to facilitate community development. Unfortunately, results of such actions and interventions by NGOs, governments and a host of development agencies have so far largely proved elusive. Contrary to NGO expectations and popular opinion, target communities continuously demand, request and expect increased direct support from development agencies. Solving acute community problems and challenges, the focus of most NGO development interventions has been less successful. Target problems have largely graduated and turned to chronic levels. All this is unfortunately worsening against the background of increased donor and NGO support. Deteriorating and widening community challenges are also taking place against general claims by NGOs to the application of community development ideals in communities as a successful development alternative. Contrastingly, rather than being self reliant, communities have become more dependent on donors.

The chief purpose of this study was to determine the role of the rural communities in the food security initiatives of the government in alleviating food shortages in the Marange communal area of Mutare district in Zimbabwe. The focus was on local community empowerment; ownership of food security initiatives by the communities; communities‟ independent analysis of needs and priorities; their involvement in designing food security programmes and the role of the government in linking with the communities. The data was gathered using a case study research design with the qualitative method being the main research approach. The primary data was obtained from focus group discussions held in three wards of Marange area and some in-depth interviews conducted with selected key informants. The findings indicate that the government designs food security strategies without considering the input of communities. The communities are introduced and expected to adopt these pre-conceived food security plans at the implementation stage. The results also show that poor community participation in the food security initiatives of the government, specifically during the initial stages, is a significant contributing factor to the continual shortages of food in the communal lands of Marange. It is the view of this study that unless community input in decision making at the planning and designing phases is given preference in the food security interventions of the government in rural Zimbabwe, food security will seldom be achieved. While the government has a significant role to play in food security measures, such interventions can make an important contribution if the use and development of community participation is made central to food shortage alleviation strategies. The principal conclusion of this study is that if food security is an intended ultimate goal in rural Zimbabwe, the communities must participate fully in the conceptualisation, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the government-initiated food security programmes.

Thesis (M. A. (Social Work)) --University of Limpopo, 2017 / Refer to the document

Institute for Rural Development / MRDV

Thesis (M.Dev.(Plannng and Management )) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / The purpose of this study was to analyse the local perception of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of the mining companies on local community development in Fetakgomo-Tubatse Local Municipality, Limpopo, South Africa, adopting a qualitative research method. Interview transcripts and field notes represented the primary data from which thematic analyses, labelling and organising evidence in themes and categories as they emerged out of the data rather than being imposed on research participants prior to data collection and analysis. The findings revealed that mining companies are partially contributing to the development of the communities where they do their operations and their impact is minimal. Their CSR projects lack sustainability and are not primarily changing the lives of the people due to high levels of under-development, illiteracy levels, lack of skills, unemployment and structural abject poverty in their mining communities.

Thesis (M. Dev. (Planning and Development)) -- University of Limpopo, 2021 / In 1997, the South African Government introduced a White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service. This was to re-emphasis on the performance enhancing role of management in the implementation of service delivery mandates. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of management in implanting service delivery initiatives for community development in Vhembe District Municipality, Limpopo Province South Africa. The methodology of this study was largely a qualitative case study and the quantitative approach was also used to augment the qualitative findings. The study was undertaken in the Vhembe District Municipality by engaging various administrative managers, ward councillors and traditional leaders. In sourcing the information for this research, semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 administrative managers, ten traditional leaders and ten ward councillors. The research findings identified the need for the management to take the leading role in service delivery initiatives in order to address the service delivery challenges in local government. Traditional leaders and ward councillors need to enhance the public participation process to ensure the community is on board regarding the progress of their respective projects and planning processes.

Ethnic and religious conflict, and the deepening of capitalism have led to global diaspora at unprecedented levels. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees reported that as of 2015, 1 in every 122 persons worldwide were either a refugee, internally displaced, or seeking asylum. The U.S. currently admits the largest number of refugees worldwide. However, policies fail to reflect the multitude of elements that constitute successful resettlement. Moreover, many refugees come from farming backgrounds and are forced to migrate to a landless urban environment, where their skill sets may not be utilized and farm land is not available. I argue that existing resettlement processes are embedded in logics and practices that alienate humans from nature and from each other through competition, isolation, and placeless environments. Through an exploration in concepts of urban agriculture, place-making, identity, and otherness, and illuminating the experiences of resettled refugees involved in a community gardening project in Fort Worth, Texas, show how the urban refugee garden provides the individual a space to narrate an identity, and to resist industrial agriculture and labor outside their industry. Exploring best practices in resettlement should be a priority to governments, politicians, and communities involved in the process and highlight the reasons to advocate these types of resettlement alternatives.

No description available.

The Cowichan and Chemainus Valleys Ecomuseum is a regional heritage demonstration project initiated by Heritage Canada, B.C. Heritage Trust and the local governments of the Cowichan Valley Regional District in 1988. This thesis used the Ecomuseum as a case study to investigate how and why people participate in public processes, specifically from the perspective of the participants themselves. The study provides a documentation and analysis of individual participatory experiences across a range of public involvement activities. The thesis has two main purposes. The research provides conclusions which may be useful in the design and implementation of the Ecomuseum's future public involvement activities and similar projects. As well, implications from the research are identified which contributes to a better understanding of public participation in context of community development. The study outlines the participatory process of the Cowichan and Chemainus Valleys Ecomuseum, provides a descriptive evaluation of individuals' participatory experiences and summarizes individual reports across different types of participatory activities. The research methods included a general literature review, a review of the documents, materials and organizational files of the Ecomuseum Society, the development of a newspaper survey and personal interviews with 24 participants. A content analysis of the interviews and surveys was used to summarize the research findings. Activities of the Ecomuseum Society are guided by principles of community participation and consensus decision-making in pursuit of three recognized objectives: - To preserve and present the history and living heritage of the British Columbia forest legacy of the Cowichan and Chemainus Valleys; - To increase resident and visitor awareness and appreciation of this heritage through the management of unique resources - To stimulate regional economic growth through appropriate tourism development and marketing of forest related "heritage experiences". With its emphasis on local involvement, the Ecomuseum is pioneering a new approach to community-based tourism and community development in general. Active public participation is the cornerstone of the ecomuseum concept. To date, the only formal evaluation of the Ecomuseum's progress has been a telephone survey to determine the level of resident awareness regarding the Ecomuseum. Given the critical role of public participation in the development of an ecomuseum, additional evaluation of the project was necessary to provide information about local involvement. Research on patterns of public participation suggest that different groups of people participate in different types of activities. As well, these patterns of participation may be identified and categorized by a variety of psychosocial variables perhaps more accurately than by a composition of demographic characteristics. During its five years of operation, the Ecomuseum has developed a wide range of public involvement activities to facilitate local participation. Six general categories of participation can be identified: general, passive participation, such as attending displays, lectures and tours; public forums; educational/ training programs; general volunteer work; working committees and specific Ecomuseum development projects. This study examined the usefulness of developing participant group profiles based on the descriptive experiences of individual participants. As well, the research investigated the hypothesis that different people participate in different types of activities through a comparison of participant profiles in each of the six categories of participation noted above. The research provides information about the experiences of local participants, their preferences and patterns of participation which is useful to the Cowichan and Chemainus Valleys Ecomuseum Society. The findings suggest that the initial reasons for individuals partaking in a particular activity will be common for members of a particular activity, but are different across different types of participation. Regardless of the type of activity people were participating in, most people indicated a common preference for certain kinds of activities. These included activities of a general, passive nature as well as those with an educational component. Within the category of general, passive activities, participants from the entire range of activity types again showed similar preferences. Exhibits/ displays, tours and lectures/ presentations were cited as common preferences although participants gave different reasons for their preference. While the main purpose of the research was to draw out implications for future activities of the Cowichan and Chemainus Valleys Ecomuseum, information from this research can be generally applied to community development public processes in general. Empowering a community to affect change requires developing the skills, capabilities and confidence of individuals to the point where they can take action. Improving the individual participatory experience is a means of increasing people's effectiveness in the collective process of community development. If the intention is to provide people with participatory opportunities which respond to their needs, information about participants' needs and desires is necessary. Research which focuses specifically on the participant's perspective should be encouraged. The development of participant profiles is suggested as a means of generating information which is useful in designing future participatory processes. Ultimately, the purpose is to facilitate the development of effective and satisfying opportunities for participation. The research findings were reviewed for their contribution to better understanding processes which facilitate increased levels of participation, project efficiency, effectiveness and self-reliance through local participation. The study does not provide a blueprint for designing public processes instead, the intention of the research is to stress certain aspects of the participants' perspectives which have implications for public participation processes in general and which should be considered in future research.