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Booklet #5

Booklet #5

Model Sessions:

PACA Tools

Participatory Analysis for Community Action (PACA) was

developed to provide a set of gender-sensitive tools which

could facilitate the implementation of an approach where

projects and programs are shaped in a participatory process,

with voices of the stakeholders themselves shaping the development process itself. It grew out of the many requests for

materials which could address, simultaneously, the needs for

tools to use in community development, urban and rural

appraisal, gender and socioeconomic analysis, and other participatory methodologies.

Four session plans provide classroom practice prior to community work for Daily Activities, Community Mapping, Seasonal Calendars, and Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking.
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Contents

Community Mapping ............................................................................................. 3

Daily Activities ...................................................................................................... 18

Seasonal Calendars................................................................................................ 27

Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking .......................................................... 43
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Training session Booklet #5

Community

Mapping

Rationale

Community resource mapping is an effective manner of locating different spheres of

activity spatially over the landscape. At the same time, this technique can be adapted to

reflect gender differences in regard to the division of labor, the relative importance of

different resource areas, and relative levels of integration with institutions outside the

community itself. Local populations consistently demonstrate the ability to create graphic

representations of their spatial organization, and this technique often provides a highly

interactive and pleasant introduction to the community.

This technique is more appropriate to small villages or neighborhoods where there is a clear

correspondence between residence and community resources. Large configurations, over

200 households, are not easily accommodated by this technique. It is also an effective

technique to use in work or residential training settings, and classrooms to identify

differences in perception, needs, access to power centers, etc. This tool can be used to

provide a visual record of the community which can be revisited for the purpose of

monitoring and evaluation of a project and changes in the community.

Time

1 1/2 hours - 2 hours

(depending whether classroom practice is included)

Goal and Objectives

Goal

To introduce participants to the PACA technique of Community Mapping.

Objectives

1. To identify the gender differentiated use of and access to community resources as well

as to the institutions external to the community.

2. To compare gender-differentiated perceptions of the relative importance of and access

to different community resources including outside institutions, such as markets,

extension services, health clinics, and so forth.

3. To relate the results of this technique to Peace Corps programming, community entry,

and project development.

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Session Outline

I. Introduction (10 minutes)

II. Demonstration of community mapping technique (45 minutes)

III. Walk through the steps (10 minutes)

IV. Technique debrief (10 minutes)

V. Classroom Practice [optional] (30 minutes)

VI. Application (15 minutes)

Trainer Preparation

This particular technique requires significant skills on the part of the trainer. There is often

either a tendency for the local participants to individualize the technique (e.g., only to locate

their house on the map) or for one participant to dominate both the crayon and the activity.

The trainer must work to assure representative participation and to avoid widespread

confusion. Thus a clear introduction to the exercise is critical to its success. Ideally, this

activity should be carried out by a “lead” trainer and one or more assistants dispersed among

the participants who can facilitate the passage of materials and the participation of different

community members.

Read session plan. Study the examples. Locate and read any references. Identify a second

trainer to assist with the demonstration.

Prior to the session:

1. Determine how you can have your group consider themselves a community. The easiest

situation is if they all live in, or are familiar with, one place, such as the capital city. If it

is a large city, delineate the boundaries of their map, perhaps a central part of the city

where they would visit government and non-government organization (NGO) offices,

utilities, banks, markets. If they are from various places but living or meeting at a

residential training site, they can map the site. (If necessary, you can have them meet and

“create” a common place they can pretend to live. To do this, both men and women need

to meet together for 15 minutes or so to outline the geography, demographics, and

services of the community. They should not map at this point, just discuss what there is

in their community.)

2. Reflect on the gender break out of the group. If there are not representative groups (not

necessarily equal numbers) of men and women, you may use a different manner to

determine two groups: rural and urban dwellers, administrators and trainers, host

nationals and foreigners, etc.

Determine if you will have trainees practice the technique in the classroom. If so, arrange for

some people to come in to be their community, such as training site personnel.

Materials

This activity can be designed in a number of ways with different requirements for materials.

Normally, the activity requires large sheets of paper (newsprint), a number of writing tools,

a large table, and some physical items that can represent differing degrees of intensity or

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Booklet #5

importance. Two separate workspaces with the same materials are required. Local materials

(seeds, drawing sticks, a patch of dirt, etc.) can also be used in the absence of purchased

materials.

• Flip chart paper

• Large markers - several colors

• For relative importance, 3 sizes of colored circles, 1 set for each participant

• For frequency, 50 small pieces of three different colored paper

• For likes and dislikes, 20 additional pieces of two other colors than used for

frequency

• For needs, 2 small pads of sticky notes (Post-Its) or small squares of paper

• Glue stick

• Scissors

• Tape

• Tacks or pins

Handouts

• Community Mapping

• PACA Tools: Roles of Facilitators (if doing practice in class)

• Examples of Community Mapping exercises from different countries, if desired

– Ecuador, Men’s Map

– Ecuador, Women’s Map

– Paraguay, Women’s Map

– Paraguay, Men’s Map

– Poland Map

– Turkmenistan Map

Flip chart

• Technique Debrief

Procedures

I. Introduction (10 minutes)

Explain:

The Community Mapping technique which we are introducing combines elements

you will find in descriptions of participatory analysis. In addition to drawing maps

to show the community, this technique also has community members identify

institutions and show the relative importance of things in their community.

This PACA technique can visually show significant gender differences in how

members view their community, how they locate different activities spatially, and

how they attribute importance to different institutional “sites” such as schools,

clinics, markets, extension offices, and so forth. It can also identify how frequently

persons are at various locations, places they like and dislike, and what they feel is

needed or missing in their community. Once this activity has been done, it is very

difficult to overlook the differences between men’s and women’s views of the

community.

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The essential element of this activity is the identification of two community groups

—one of men and one of women. Each group does the same activity in separate work

spaces.

II. Demonstration of Community Mapping technique (45 minutes)

Introduce the activity as you would in an actual community, by introducing yourself,

learning their names, setting the tone, etc. Explain that they will have an opportunity to

participate in a Community Mapping activity that you think will be interesting for

everyone, and fun as well.

Divide them into gender groups (or other designations previously determined), each

with a work space separate from the other, such as separate sides of the same room or

in adjoining rooms.

In each group, ask them to:

a. Draw the designated area, beginning with some central feature: road, river, or

boundaries that have been predetermined. Encourage everyone to participate, at

least in determining what should be on the map, if not doing the actual drawing.

Watch the time; make sure they begin drawing at least by half-way through the

allotted time.

b. Once their drawing is done, ask them to do two or three (maximum) of the following:

1. Put small pieces of colored paper to identify frequency of where they spend their

time: one color for daily, one for weekly, one for monthly or less frequently. They

use as many of each as they wish. Tape or paste the pieces of paper down after they

have finished.

2. Use two other colors of paper to identify places they like to be and don’t like to

be. They use as many as they wish. Tape or paste the pieces of paper down after

they have finished.

3. Use sets of three graduated circles per person to identify most important, second

most, and least important institutions or resources. Tape or paste down after they

have finished.

4. Use small sticky pads or small squares of paper to draw or write things they need

or want in their community. They use as many as they wish. Tape or paste down

after they have finished.

c. Ask the group to look at their map and the patterns of frequency, likes and dislikes,

importance, or whatever they have identified. Why have they identified these places?

What do they think they need? Why?

d. Select a reporter who will describe their map and their analysis to the other group.

e. Bring groups together. Have them post their maps where everyone can see them.

f. Process by:

1. One member from each group describes their group’s map and what they

discovered about the patterns of frequency, likes and dislikes, importance, or

whatever they have identified.

2. Look at similarities and differences in the maps. Why might they be?

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Booklet #5

3. Opportunities presented, such as available resources, location of resources or

potential resources, etc.

4. Constraints, such as lack of knowledge, places not usually frequented, resources

unused, distance to needed service, etc.

5. Places liked and disliked; why? Does this raise any needs or problems that need

to be addressed?

6. Needs they perceived. Were they the same for men and women? If not, why might

that be?

7. As a community, what did we learn from this exercise? How might we use this

information? What might be some next steps?

Thank community groups. If they created a community and played roles, ask them to

step out of their roles and become participants again.

III. Walk through the steps (10 minutes)

Distribute the handout “Community Mapping.”

Review the steps of conducting a Community Mapping activity, using the demonstration they just participated in and the points on the handout.

IV. Technique Debrief (10 minutes)

Lead a discussion of the technique, as it was demonstrated, using “Technique Debrief”

flip chart. Discuss ways they might want to modify what happened to make the

technique more comfortable to them to use.

Technique Debrief

Trainer preparation

Building rapport with group

Introduction of technique to group

Getting started

Problem areas encountered

Group sharing of their work

Discussion among men and women

Conclusion

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V. Classroom Practice [optional] (30 minutes)

Have Trainees conduct the Community Mapping technique with a small group of

participants, such as site personnel. Use the flip chart points above to discuss their

practice.

VI. Application (15 minutes)

Discuss how this technique could be useful to them, such as working with a community

or an agency, assigning a development worker to the community, and leading to a

community action plan relevant to the Peace Corps programming process, as appropriate to the training group.

Discuss applications of the tool described in the Field Insights and Adaptations, if

desired.

References

1. Implementing PRA: A Handbook to Facilitate Participatory Rural Appraisal, Chapter 3, [ICE

– AG259].

2. Tools of Gender Analysis: A Guide to Field Methods for Bringing Gender into Sustainable

Resource Management, pages 18-19, 24-25, [ICE – WD112].

3. Rapid and Participatory Rural Appraisal Notes, No. 21: Special Issue on Participatory Tools and

Methods in Urban Areas, page 37, [ICE – WS119].

4. Tools for the Field: Methodologies Handbook for Gender Analysis in Agriculture, Chapter 8,

[ICE – WD114].

Notes

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HANDOUT Booklet #5

Community Mapping

Objectives

1. To identify the gender-differentiated use of and access to community resources as well as

to the institutions external to the community.

2. To compare gender-differentiated perceptions of the relative importance of different

community resources including outside institutions, such as markets, extension services,

health clinics, and so forth.

3. To identify gender-differentiated needs in their community.

Materials

• Flip chart paper

• Large markers - several colors

• Glue stick

• Scissors

• Tape

• Tacks or pins

• Pads of stick-on notes, smallest size, any color

• Two or three (maximum) of the following:

1. For relative importance, three sizes of colored circles, one set for each

participant

2. For frequency, 50 small pieces of three different colored papers

3. For likes and dislikes, 20 additional pieces of two other colors than

used for frequency

4. For needs, two small pads of sticky notes (Post-Its) or small squares of

paper

Procedure

1. Group men and women in separate work areas. Each person should contribute to the

map.

2. Begin by explaining that they will be drawing a map of their community. Ask them what

a good reference point might be, such as a road or river, to give them a starting point.

3. Have them locate some or all of their houses and land, if appropriate.

4. Ask them to add other places or objects such as residence areas, fields/irrigation ditches,

schools/churches, points of contacts or institutions such as markets, health centers,

recreational areas, police stations and contact persons.

Community Mapping Handout (Page 1 of 2)
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5. Once their drawing is done, ask them to do two or three (maximum) of the following:

a. Put small pieces of colored paper to identify frequency of where they spend their

time: one color for daily, one for weekly, one for monthly or less frequently. They use

as many of each as they wish. Tape or paste the pieces of paper down after they have

finished.

b. Use two other colors of paper to identify places they like to be and don’t like to be.

They use as many as they wish. Tape or paste the pieces of paper down after they have

finished.

c. Use sets of three graduated circles per person to identify most important, second

most, and least important institutions or resources. Tape or paste down after they

have finished.

d. Use small sticky pads or small squares of paper to draw or write things they need or

want in their community. They use as many as they wish. Tape or paste down after

they have finished.

6. Then ask the group to analyze their map, looking at the resources they have, discussing

where they like to be and why, and where they do not like to go and why. They may also

point out what they feel is missing from the community which they feel they need. This

discussion will help them summarize their information which will be presented by one

member to the other groups in the next step.

7. Bring the groups together and post the maps side by side where everyone can see them.

8. Assist them to discuss their work using the following:

a. One member from each group describes their group’s map and what they discovered

about the patterns of frequency, likes and dislikes, importance, or whatever they have

identified.

b. Look at similarities and differences in the maps. Why might they be?

c. Opportunities presented, such as available resources, location of resources or potential resources, etc.

d. Constraints, such as lack of knowledge, places not usually frequented, resources

unused, distance to needed service, etc.

e. Places liked and disliked; why? Does this raise any needs or problems that need to be

addressed?

f. Needs they perceived. Were they the same for men and women? If not, why might

that be?

g. As a community, what did we learn from this exercise? How might we use this

information? What might be some next steps?

9. Thank the participants.

Community Mapping Handout (Page 2 of 2)

HANDOUT
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Booklet #5

PACA Tools:

Roles of Facilitators

I. Introduction to the community

A. Introduce facilitators and their purpose.

B. Have community members introduce themselves.

C. Do an icebreaker, unless it will be done in separate groups.

D. Describe the tool(s) to be used.

E. Divide into groups and send them to their work locations.

II. Facilitation of separate work groups (in each group)

A. Do an icebreaker, unless done above.

B. Make name tags and put them on, if the group members and facilitators don’t

know each other.

C. Facilitate the technique: Daily Activities, Seasonal Calendar, Community Mapping, or Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking.

D. Prepare the group to share their work with the others.

III. Facilitation of large group meeting

A. Ask each group to present their work to the others and answer questions.

B. Encourage a group member to facilitate, or you facilitate, the discussion questions

related to the technique.

C. Summarize the technique and learnings, talk about next steps, thank the community.

PACA Tools Handout (Page 1 of 1)

HANDOUT
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Community Mapping – Ecuador

Community Mapping – Ecuador Handout (Page 1 of 2)

Handout
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Community Mapping – Ecuador Handout (Page 2 of 2)

Community Mapping – Ecuador

Handout
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Community Mapping – Paraguay Handout (Page 1 of 2)

Community Mapping – Paraguay

Handout
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Booklet #5

Community Mapping – Paraguay Handout (Page 2 of 2)

Community Mapping – Paraguay

Handout
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Community Mapping – POLAND

Community Mapping – Poland Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
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Booklet #5

Community Mapping – Turkmenistan

Community Mapping – Turkmenistan Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
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Rationale

At one level, this technique is meant to identify the routine labor demands of men and

women in their daily lives. This information provides valuable insights into both the labor

constraints of each group as well as the areas where labor-saving technologies might be

readily adapted. At another level, this technique demonstrates the gender-based perceptions

of the work load of each group. In this sense, the technique helps to raise awareness with

regard to the contribution that different groups make to overall household welfare. Finally,

the information developed can serve as baseline data to return to as a way to monitor the

impact of project activities on people’s time allocations.

Time

1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hours

(depending whether a demonstration is included)

Goal and Objectives

Goal

To introduce participants to the technique of representative Daily Activities.

Objectives

1. To learn how to develop representative Daily Activities with community groups.

2. To use representative Daily Activities as the basis for discussion of differing perceptions

of daily workloads

3. To use the schedules to identify labor constraints and opportunities for labor-saving

technologies for men and for women.

4. To relate these results of this technique to the development of a community action plan

that incorporates gender realities.

5. To use as baseline information for monitoring project impact on labor allocations.

Training session

Daily

Activities

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Session Outline

I. Introduction (5 minutes)

 II. Demonstration [optional] (30-45 minutes)

III. Talk through the technique (15-30 minutes)

IV. Practice the technique (30-45 minutes)

V. Debrief the practice (20 minutes)

VI. Application (10 minutes)

Trainer Preparation

Read the session plan and study the examples in the Field Insights (Booklet #8). Read any of

the references listed at the end of the session plan.

This is a straight-forward PACA tool which can be easily understood from a description of

the steps. Therefore, a demonstration of the technique is listed as optional. It is easy to arrange

for trainees to practice it in the training classroom. A number of possibilities exist for groups

to use for practice.

If the session is used in pre-service training (PST), potential practice groups include:

1. language instructors,

2. other training staff,

3. representative host family members, or

4. Peace Corps staff, such as APCDs.

At in-service trainings (ISTs) or staff training, groups for practice include the Volunteers

themselves, counterparts, other participants, or training site personnel.

The demonstration and practice groups need to be identified and invited, prior to the session.

Consider whether the entire session will be presented at one time, or if the practice and

debrief will be scheduled for another time.

Shadowing is a related activity, but focuses on individually accompanying someone through

their daily routine. This technique may be helpful for understanding roles and responsibilities of men and women as individuals. It can contribute to a larger picture of gender roles if

a number of Trainees each shadow a different person, and then meet in groups by the gender

of the person they shadowed to develop a composite profile.

This is a technique that can be used during PST, with Trainees shadowing one of their host

family members, then meeting together with other Trainees to develop profiles. Comparison

of the representative daily schedules of men and women is a good introduction to culturally

determined gender roles and responsibilities, and a good lead into the session “Introduction

to a Systems Approach” (Booklet #3). See the Field Insights (Booklet #8) sections for a

description of how this was done.

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Materials

• Blank flip chart paper

• Large marking pens

• Tape

• Tacks or pins

Handouts

• Daily Activities

• PACA Tools: Roles of the Facilitators

• Any sample Daily Activities you wish to distribute.

(See Field Insights, Booklet #8.)

Flip chart

• Technique Debrief

Procedure

I. Introduction (5 minutes)

Explain:

Daily Activities is a technique used to identify the routine labor demands of men and

women in their daily lives. This information provides valuable insights into both the

labor constraints of each group as well as the areas where labor-saving technologies

might be readily adapted. At another level, this technique demonstrates the genderbased perceptions of the work load of each group. In this sense, the technique helps

to raise awareness with regard to the contribution that different groups make to

overall household welfare. It can also be used as baseline data to return to as a way

to monitor the impact of project activities on people’s labor allocations.

This technique requires two groups—one representing the men in the community

and another, the women—located in separate areas with their respective sets of

session materials. These groups must be chosen carefully and with attention to

representativeness of the group selected. If only the men of a dairy cooperative or the

women with migrated husbands are selected, the routine activity schedule may not

be representative of the community, though they will represent their particular

segment of the population. Once the groups are formed, the facilitators explain that

the purpose of this exercise is to trace a routine day from the time of rising to the time

of retiring at the end of the day.

iI. Demonstrate the Daily Activities technique [optional]

(30-45 minutes)

Conduct a demonstration, using the steps described in Section III.

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III. Talk through the technique (15-30 minutes)

Distribute the handout “Daily Activities.”

Talk through the steps, using the additional notes provided here and any experiences

gained through the demonstration, if done.

1. Divide the participants into groups of women and men and move them to separate

work spaces.

2. Ask the group to consider a routine day during the year. (If there are great differences

by season or work period [for example, teachers, agricultural workers], they may

need to repeat the exercise twice, once for each period). Then, beginning with the time

that the day begins, the group is asked to reconstruct a normal day. The level of

specificity should be determined by the nature of the activity: bathe or wash and eat

breakfast, go to the fields, bring in the cows, prepare dinner, etc.

3. These activities should be associated with rough estimates of the time block. Multiple

tasks during one time period are not uncommon, especially for women, e.g., cooking,

child care, and helping a child with school work.

4. After each group has developed its routine day, they are asked to reconstruct the

typical day of the opposite sex, going through the same process as above. This may

be difficult for some groups, but the discussion of what they think the opposite

gender does is useful.

5. The typical “man-days” and “woman-days” are recorded on flip charts. Each group

should select someone to explain their schedules to the other group.

6. The two groups are then rejoined, and the schedules are posted. Each group reports

out their results. Then the assembled community is asked to interpret the differences

in labor demand and in perceptions of work loads, using questions such as:

a. What are the differences in labor demands? Their perceptions of work loads?

b. What would reduce some of the work load? (Closer source of water, machinery,

child care, etc.)

c. When would be the best times of days for meetings? Training?

d. Other?

Ask the participants:

What experiences have you had with this technique? If none, what kinds of differences do you anticipate there will be between men’s and women’s schedules?

Distribute and examine some of the samples, if desired.

IV. Practice the technique (30-45 minutes)

Tell the Trainees that they will have an opportunity to actually practice this technique.

Describe who will be in their practice group.

Distribute handout “PACA Tool: Roles for Facilitators.” Talk through the different roles

that need to be played in presenting the technique. Have Trainees determine who will

take which responsibilities. Encourage them to divide up the tasks so that as many of

them as possible have some role during the practice.

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Give Trainees preparation time, or break the session and reconvene at a designated time

and place when the practice group is assembled.

The Trainees address the group as they might a community group, explaining what they

are going to do, establishing the sub-groups, and conducting the exercise as described

above.

At the end of the practice session, Trainees and staff should thank the participants and

dismiss them. If the Trainees, themselves, have played the role of group members, ask the

participants to change their seats and get out of their roles.

V. Debrief the practice (20 minutes)

Lead a discussion of the technique, using the points on the “Technique Debrief” flip chart.

Encourage participants to think through what was difficult, what they might want to do

differently when working in a community.

Technique Debrief

Trainer Preparation

Building rapport with the group

Introduction of technique to the group

Getting started

Problem areas they encountered

Group sharing of their work

Discussion among men and women

Conclusion

Vi. Application (10 minutes)

Discuss how this technique could be useful in working with a community or an agency,

assigning a development worker to a community and leading to a community action

plan, or its relevancy to the Peace Corps programming process, depending upon the

Trainees.

As appropriate, share some of the Field Insights (from Booklet #8).

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Booklet #5

References

1. Implementing PRA: A Handbook to Facilitate Participatory Rural Appraisal, Chapter 3, [ICE

– AG259].

2. Tools of Gender Analysis: A Guide to Field Methods for Bringing Gender into Sustainable

Resource Management, pages 18-19, 24-25, [ICE – WD112].

3. Rapid and Participatory Rural Appraisal Notes, No. 21: Special Issue on Participatory Tools and

Methods in Urban Areas, page 37, [ICE – WS119].

4. Tools for the Field: Methodologies Handbook for Gender Analysis in Agriculture, Chapter 8,

[ICE – WD114].

Notes

T

Daily Activities (Page 6 of 6)
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Daily Activities

Objective

To identify routine labor demands of men and women in their daily lives.

Materials

• Flip chart paper

• Tape

• Large markers

Procedure

1. Group men and women in separate work spaces.

2. Ask them to consider a routine day during the year. (If there are great differences by

season or work period [example: teachers, agricultural workers], they may need to repeat

the exercise twice, once for each period. Children, for example, do one schedule for school

days and another for a weekend day.) Activities do not necessarily need to be elaborated:

get up, bathe, eat breakfast, walk to work, etc.

3. The activities should be associated with rough time estimates, or blocks of time. Multiple

tasks done during the same time period are not uncommon, especially for women. For

example, they may be cooking a meal while feeding, washing, or minding the children,

or doing handiwork while visiting with friends.

4. After each group has developed its own typical day, they are asked to reconstruct a

typical day of the opposite sex, going through the same process above.

5. The typical days are recorded on flip charts. Each group should select someone to report

their daily schedule to the other group.

6. Both groups are brought together and their schedules are posted where they can be seen

by everyone. They are discussed:

a. Someone from each group describes their own day, and their perception of the others’

day. They answer questions from the other group.

b. What are the differences in labor demands? Their perceptions of work loads?

c. What would reduce some of the work load? (Closer source of water, machinery, child

care, etc.?)

d. When would be the best times of days for meetings? Training?

e. Other?

Handout

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7. Close the discussion by asking: What did you learn? Is there anything you might do

differently now?

8. Thank the group for their participation. Explain any follow-up or next steps, as

appropriate.

Handout

Daily Activities Handout (Page 2 of 2)
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PACA Tools:

Roles of Facilitators

I. Introduction to the community

A. Introduce facilitators and their purpose.

B. Have community members introduce themselves.

C. Do an icebreaker, unless it will be done in separate groups.

D. Describe the tool(s) to be used.

E. Divide into groups and send them to their work locations.

II. Facilitation of separate work groups (in each group)

A. Do an icebreaker, unless done above.

B. Make name tags and put them on, if the group members and facilitators don’t

know each other.

C. Facilitate the technique: Daily Activities, Seasonal Calendar, Community Mapping, or Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking.

D. Prepare the group to share their work with the others.

III. Facilitation of large group meeting

A. Ask each group to present their work to the others and answer questions.

B. Encourage a group member to facilitate, or you facilitate, the discussion questions

related to the technique.

C. Summarize the technique and learnings, talk about next steps, thank the community.

PACA Tools Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
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Training session Booklet #5

Seasonal

Calendars

Rationale

This technique traces seasonal variations in household labor supply and demand, income

flow, and expenditure patterns. It has been demonstrated that household well-being fluctuates seasonally during the year in terms of food and income availability and the demand on

household resources. Many households experience a “hungry season” or periods of economic stress, and these variations may have differential impacts on different gender groups.

Some times of the year are busier for one group or the other. This technique is designed to

identify these seasonal variations in household well-being from the perspective of both men

and women. An understanding of these seasonal variations is important to the development

and implementation of a community action plan.

Time

2 hours

Goal and Objectives

Goal

Introduce the PACA technique of eliciting gender-differentiated Seasonal Calendars.

Objectives

1. To demonstrate the utility of this technique in identifying gender-based patterns of

control over income and expenditures, seasonal labor bottlenecks, and overall shifts in

household welfare

2. To practice the technique.

3. To discuss its application to the Peace Corps Volunteers’ assignments and the programming process.

Session Outline

I. Introduction (5 minutes)

II. Demonstration of Calendar technique (20 minutes)

III. Walk through the steps (20 minutes)

IV. Practicing the technique (45 minutes)

V. Debrief the practice (20 minutes)

VI. Application (10 minutes)

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Trainer Preparation

This session involves the visual comparison of several different spheres of

household activity and experience. The challenge of this technique is to elicit

and graphically organize disparate forms of information on a single plane so

that the participants clearly perceive the seasonal relationships between labor

supply and use, the flow of income, the variations in expenditures, and overall

household welfare. There is a danger here for visual cluttering, which weakens

the effectiveness of the presentation. A further challenge to trainer skills is to

maintain participant attention on the linear logic of the focus group interview,

which is to begin with labor at the start of a significant activity cycle (e.g., the

rainy season for farmers or the school year for teachers, then to follow this

activity sphere throughout the entire year in a linear fashion. If the trainer

jumps vertically between activity spheres (for example, if the question becomes: “what happens in January?”), confusion will soon set in.

The linear nature of this visualization may be more logical to the trainer than

the participants. Being able to carry a particular activity through its cycle is

necessary for this visualization (and later interpretation), even though many

people don’t think of different aspects of their life in this way. It may be

necessary to talk through the activities first, and construct the visual representation later.

It saves time and, thus, does not break the flow of the discussion, if the sheets

of paper are lined in pencil in advance with 12 monthly segments. Once the

beginning month is determined by the group, the trainer can quickly fill in the

months and be ready to continue. It is possible, however, that the people may

see their lives in longer cycles, 18 months for example, rather than 12. Be

prepared to add months, if necessary.

This technique is more complicated than it sounds. It is helpful for Trainees to

see a demonstration. The trainer selects a couple of people to interview to

develop a calendar as a demonstration. The people being interviewed do not

need preparation, just a brief example of what they’ll be doing and agreement

to share information about the seasonal activities of a place they currently live,

or lived in the past. Other training staff members can be used for the demonstration. Former Volunteers can relate information about their posts. They do

not need to remember all details. (If only one person is used as the source of

information, make it clear to the Trainees that this is out of necessity; the

development of a Seasonal Calendar should be a group activity.)

Several options are possible to practice developing calendars within the

classroom setting.

1. Members of the training group can use their own lives and communities as

models. This is especially effective if there are two or more people from the

same community within the training group. One can be an informant for

each of the groups, men and women.

2. Subgroups based on Volunteer assignment or staff position can develop

calendars relevant to their work and typical communities. For example,

educators, health workers, youth development workers, might each develop a calendar.

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3. You may use a case study or scenario, or the trainees may create their own situation. This

will take more preparation time than the other options, however, as they need to do the

creative work before they can try and put it on a calendar.

Read this session plan, study the examples, and read any references available in the Incountry Resource Center to fill in any knowledge gaps in this technique. Also, read the Field

Insights in Booklet #8 of this manual. The sample calendars showing both men’s and

women’s tasks on the same calendar are usually reconstructed later from the two separate

calendars.

Materials

• Flip chart paper

• Large marking pens – several colors

• Small marking pens – several colors

• Scissors

• Glue stick

• Tape

• Tacks or pins

• 40 small rectangles of paper (2" x 3")

Handouts

• Seasonal Calendar

• PACA Tools: Roles of Facilitators

• Examples of seasonal calendars from various countries:

Seasonal Calendar – Mbusyani

Seasonal Calendar – Philippines

Seasonal Calendar – Turkmenistan

Your Vegetable Garden – Malawi

Seasonal Calendar – Eritrea

Flip chart

• Technique Debrief

Procedure

I. Introduction (5 minutes)

Explain the rationale of this technique:

This technique traces seasonal variations in household labor supply and demand,

income flow, and expenditure patterns. It has been demonstrated that household

well-being fluctuates seasonally during the year in terms of food and income

availability and the demand on household resources. Many households experience

a “hungry season” or periods of economic stress, and these variations may have

differential impacts on different gender groups. Some times of the year are busier for

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one group or the other. This technique is designed to identify these seasonal

variations in household well-being from the perspective of both men and women. An

understanding of these seasonal variations is important to the development and

implementation of a community action plan.

II. Demonstration of Calendar technique (20 minutes)

Introduce the guests to the group. Explain that you are going to be asking a number of

questions to elicit a seasonal calendar of a place they have lived.

Ask the guests to explain where they live(d) and briefly describe the location (weather,

common foods, occupations of people).

Then, following the steps in Section III of this session plan, develop a Seasonal Calendar

on flip chart paper, using information they supply to you.

Stop after about 20 minutes, whether or not you have finished. Ask your demonstration

partners what they learned by doing this: Did any new relationships or ideas emerge as

you saw the information formatted this way?

Thank them for their help.

III. Walk through the steps (20 minutes)

Distribute the handout “Seasonal Calendar”, which describes the steps of the techniques

for the participants.

Use the handout, the additional notes below, as well as what happened in your

demonstration to clarify the steps of creating a calendar with community groups.

1. Group men and women into separate groups.

The Seasonal Calendar technique emphasizes that during the course of any year,

households face different levels of difficulty and demand on their resources. Furthermore, these demands may be felt differentially by different members of the household. Thus, the session begins by forming two groups—men and women—who meet

in separate areas.

2. Ask them to identify some of their daily and seasonal tasks which are aimed at

earning money and maintaining the home and family. (Include productive, reproductive, and integrative [social] work, paid or unpaid.)

3. Ask the group when they consider that the year begins. It does not necessarily have

to be January. Based on their decision, label the months of the year across the top of

the page.

Asking participants what are some spheres of activity that are common to all

households, such as agricultural production or the school year, may elicit the cultural

(rather than the calendric) beginning of the year, such as the rainy season. This can

become the reference time period for defining the entire year. Or, based on the

activities mentioned, the trainer may ask, “When do you consider the year starting?”

Use the participants’ notion of the beginning of the year to start the calendar.

4. Have them draw or write each task on small pieces of paper or write them directly on

a large piece of paper.

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5. Discuss various aspects of each task and draw a horizontal line across the appropriate

month when different phases take place.

Two different methods for entering the activities on the calendar have been used

successfully:

a. The trainer (or one of the participants) enters, in a linear fashion, all the tasks and

activities associated with a sphere of activity (e.g., land preparation, planting,

weeding, harvesting, etc.), as the community members describe them.

The trainer elicits another sphere of activity (such as domestic work) and begins

a second linear entry of the relevant tasks throughout the year. This process

continues until all the labor demands on the household have been recorded.

Seasonal variations in labor demand (or supply) can then be interpreted vertically

on the graph.

b. The community members take the small squares of paper and draw pictorial

symbols of the activities, using colored marking pens. Then one activity is taped

where it belongs and all the related tasks and activities (in pictures or words) are

entered on a line that extends across the calendar months during which there is

activity. Then a second sphere of activity is started, and carried to its conclusion,

etc.

6. Identify which member of the household does each task.

This is optional. You may just have different tasks identified, assuming that each

group is identifying the tasks that they do. In the discussion when both groups are

together, they may further define who does what.

7. After labor, identify, by time of year and sources, when income flows into the

household.

Income sources, eliciting not the quantities but the times of the year when income

tends to flow into community households, is what is important. There can be, of

course, great fluctuation among individual households; however, this technique

seeks more general patterns of income availability that would apply to most, if not all,

households in the community (for example, when teachers are paid, crops or

handicrafts are sold, or the men go to the coast to work on plantations).

8. Indicate variations in household expenses, identifying times during the year of

special expenses, such as school, holidays, religious festivals.

High expenditure periods should be noted on the calendar.

9. Indicate patterns of household health and welfare. For example, are there certain

times of the year when there are illnesses? Are there hungry times?

10. Indicate cultural patterns, e.g., holidays, religious festivals.

11. Each group should analyze its own calendar: looking vertically at patterns of labor

and expenses, etc. (This discussion also helps them summarize the information on

their calendar, which will be presented by one of them in the next step.)

The vertical interpretation of the calendar reveals major periods of difficulty, periods

of relative ease, labor bottlenecks, etc., which permit a more systemic appreciation of

the constraints and opportunities which households face.

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12. The groups come together, posting their calendars where everyone can see them.

a. One person from each group explains their calendar.

b. The groups interpret the information on the calendars with regard to:

• Opportunities, such as free time for other activities, such as

repairs, new projects.

• Constraints, such as periods of high expenditure, intense

labor, illness, or cultural practices.

• Other specific purposes determined by the facilitator or needs and desires of

the community. For example, are there better times than others for women to

be involved in training programs? Are there ways to mitigate or eliminate

illness periods by nutrition or health measures earlier in the year?

Ask:

Have any of you used this technique? If so, what were your experiences?

Distribute and discuss any sample calendars.

Iv. Practicing the technique (45 minutes)

The trainer describes how they will do the practice. Some of the Trainees become the

facilitators and take over the session, beginning with describing what they will be doing,

dividing the Trainees into groups, and eliciting the calendars. They follow through the

steps of the technique, including bringing the groups back together and discussing the

two calendars, and finally bring the session to a close.

V. Debrief the practice (20 minutes)

Lead a discussion of the technique using the “Technique Debrief” flip chart.

Technique Debrief

Trainer Preparation

Building rapport with group

Introduction of technique to the group

Getting started

Problem areas they encountered

Group sharing of their work

Discussion among men and women

Conclusion

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V. Application (10 minutes)

The facilitator leads a discussion of the relevance of this technique for the work they are

doing or might do, for Peace Corps programming and project identification, assigning a

Volunteer to a community, and monitoring and evaluation, according to the needs of the

participants.

Discuss any relevant examples from the Field Insights (Booklet #8).

References

1. Implementing PRA: A Handbook to Facilitate Participatory Rural Appraisal, Chapter 3, [ICE

– AG259].

2. Tools of Gender Analysis: A Guide to Field Methods for Bringing Gender into Sustainable

Resource Management, pages 22-23, [ICE – WD112].

3. Rapid and Participatory Rural Appraisal Notes: No. 21— Special Issue on Participatory Tools

and Methods in Urban Areas, pages 37-38, [ICE – WS119].

4. Tools for the Field: Methodologies Handbook for Gender Analysis in Agriculture, pages 49-50,

Chapters 11, 12, 13, [ICE – WD114].

Notes

T

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aaaa aaaaaa aaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaa

Seasonal Calendar

Objective

To identify gender-based patterns of labor, income and expenditure patterns, shifts in

household health and welfare, and free-time.

Materials

• Flip chart paper

• Large markers – several colors

• Small markers – several colors

• 2" x 3" rectangles of white paper (40)

• Glue sticks

• Scissors

• Tape

• Tacks or pins

Procedure

1. Group men and women in separate work spaces.

2. Ask them to identify their daily and seasonal tasks which are aimed at

earning money and maintaining the home and family. (Include productive,

reproductive, and integrative [social] work, paid or unpaid.)

3. Ask the group when they consider that the year begins. It does not necessarily have to be January. Based on their decision, label the months of the year

across the top of the page.

4. Draw or write each task on a small piece of paper or directly on the large grid

representing the months of a year.

5. Discuss various aspects of each task and draw a horizontal line across the

appropriate month when different phases take place.

Example (see coding on next page):

 -- wet -- --------- d r y s e a s o n -------- ------------- w e t s e a s o n -------------------

 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

ACTIVITIES

best season process market typhoon season

FISHERIES

Seasonal Calendar Handout (Page 1 of 2)

Handout
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Booklet #5

6. Identify which member of the household does which task (see example on preceding page).

7. After labor, identify, by times of year and sources, when income flows into the

household.

8. Indicate variations in household expenses, identifying times during the year of

special expenses (school, holidays, religious festivals).

9. Indicate patterns of household health and welfare. For example, are there certain

times of the year when there are illnesses? Are there hungry times?

10. Indicate cultural patterns, e.g., holidays, religious festivals.

11. Each group should analyze its own calendar: looking vertically at patterns of labor

and expenses, etc. (This discussion also helps them summarize the information on

their calendar, which will be presented by one of them in the next step.)

12. The groups come together, posting their calendars where everyone can see them.

a. One person from each group explains their calendar.

b. The groups interpret the information on the calendars with regards to:

• Opportunities such as free time for other activities, available income for

developing activities.

• Constraints such as period of high expenditures, periods of illness, intensity of

activities, cultural practices.

• Other specific purposes determined by the facilitator or needs or desires of the

community. For example, when during the year might men or women be

available for training? When or how might specific foods be introduced to

reduce the intensity of predictable illness periods?

Coding

Depending upon how the calendar is developed, coding for gender and age, intensity of

work, etc., may be introduced. Alternatively, colors or separate colored pieces of paper

might be used. Examples:

Adult Male Continuous Activity

Male Child Sporadic Activity

Adult Female More Intense Activity

Female Child

aaaaaaaaaaaa

Seasonal Calendar Handout (Page 2 of 2)

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PACA Tools:

Roles of Facilitators

I. Introduction to the community

A. Introduce facilitators and their purpose.

B. Have community members introduce themselves.

C. Do an icebreaker, unless it will be done in separate groups.

D. Describe the tool(s) to be used.

E. Divide into groups and send them to their work locations.

 II. Facilitation of separate work groups (in each group)

A. Do an icebreaker, unless done above.

B. Make name tags and put them on, if the facilitator and group members don’t

know each other.

C. Facilitate the technique: Daily Activities, Seasonal Calendar, Community Mapping, or Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking.

D. Prepare the group to share their work with the others.

III. Facilitation of large group meeting

A. Ask each group to present their work to the others and answer questions.

B. Encourage a group member to facilitate, or you facilitate, the discussion questions

related to the technique.

C. Summarize the technique and learnings, talk about next steps, thank the community.

PACA Tools Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
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Seasonal Calendar – Mbusyani

Source: Participatory Rural Appraisal Handbook, page 38

Seasonal Calendar – Mbusyani Handout (Page 1 of 2)

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Seasonal Calendar – Mbusyani

Source: Participatory Rural Appraisal Handbook, page 39

Seasonal Calendar – Mbusyani Handout (Page 2 of 2)

Handout
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Seasonal Calendar – Philippines

Source: Tools of Gender Analysis, page 23

Seasonal Calendar – Philippines Handout (Page 1 of 1)

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Seasonal Calendar – Turkmenistan

Seasonal Calendar – Turkmenistan Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
41

Booklet #5

Your Vegetable garden – Malawi

Seasonal Calendar – Malawi Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
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Seasonal Calendar – Eritrea

At a Gender and Public Health Education In-Service Training for English Teachers in

Eritrea, teachers used participatory exercises with a group of 11 to 13 year-old boys and

girls. The children were from both rural and urban, boarding and non-boarding schools.

They created Seasonal Calendars in single-sex groups. Following the presentation of the

two calendars, they discussed the two calendars in a single group.

Boys’ Seasonal Calendar

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

--------------------------------------------------- ? **************************** ?

 '''''''''''''' rainy season ''''''''''''''' @ Harvest @@@@

Wed 24th

25th Independence Day

Exam

Vacation 20th-Martyr’s Day

Ramadan 20th-Exam

Eid Alfitir School

-- Zom Arbaa -------- Fee

? ++++++++ Difficult Time +++++++++

 +++++++++ Diarrhea +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

@ Saal @

Girls’ Seasonal Calendar

Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec

=========== help in the home ======================================

Wed Dig Sow

Exam Women’s Water

Day ++ Cold Season +++++++++++++ + Harvest +

Exam Exam ^^^ Holiday ^^^^^ Christmas

Holiday Holiday School School

Fees Starts

---- Christian Holiday ---------------------- ___ summer rains ___ ? ___ ------

Seasonal Calendar – Eritrea Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
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Rationale

This Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking technique, as it has been adapted for PACA,

has direct application to the Peace Corps programming and project identification process. A

gender-differentiated ranking tool, it provides the means to identify principal constraints

and to elicit opportunities for project intervention based on community preferences. It can

serve as an initial community planning tool as well as a monitoring and evaluation tool. This

session will describe the technique in detail, provide practice in the classroom setting, and

discuss the relevance to community action planning.

Time

1 1/2 - 2 hours

Goal and Objectives

Goal

To introduce participants to the PACA technique of Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking.

Objectives

1. To describe the value of this technique in identifying the gender patterns in how

communities interpret their needs and establish their preferences for action.

2. To practice the technique.

3. To relate the Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking to the development of a Peace

Corps project or community action plan that incorporates gender realities.

4. To develop baseline information for project monitoring and evaluation.

Session Outline

I. Introduction (5 minutes)

II. Demonstration of the technique (20 minutes)

III. Talk through steps of the technique (20 minutes)

IV. Practice using Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking technique (45 minutes)

V. Debrief of technique (15 minutes)

 VI. Application (10 minutes)

Training session

Needs Assessment and

Priority Ranking

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Trainer Preparation

This session relies heavily on the focus group interview, and the trainer(s) must be especially

sensitive to representativeness of the group response. Some form of group consensus or

majority preference must be achieved, and a high level of facilitator direction may be

required in order to insure the maximum participation. As in the other PACA techniques, the

trainer(s) should be attentive to the human dynamics that underlie each group decision or

voting episode in order to document intra-group variation and to understand the factors that

drive the decisions.

Demonstrating and practicing the technique can be done easily in the training setting. Small

groups can be formed in numerous ways to show differences, by gender or otherwise.

1. Groups of male and female Trainees can develop needs lists related to the training

site, training content, or (in pre-service training) cross-cultural information they feel

they need.

2. Groups of male and female language instructors might discuss “What would make

our lives better?”

3. Groups of different staff members, such as teachers and administrators, could

address a question like “What we need at the training site.” You can think of many

other scenarios, depending on your training situation.

If you will both demonstrate and practice the technique during the session, select different

groups to be the participants in each, e.g., the trainers for the demonstration and other

training staff for the practice.

Determine who will be used for practice, and, if they are not the Trainees, arrange to have

them come to the training location at the appropriate time.

Read this session plan, the Field Insights (Booklet #8), and any references listed at the end that

are available in the ICE Resource Center. Ranking of needs is a critical part of this technique.

If unfamiliar with pairwise ranking techniques, practice the techniques with colleagues or

family members prior to training the session. The matrix is quite complicated and may be

confusing for the participants. You do not have to use the matrix format as long as the

pairwise ranking is recorded somehow. Be sure you are clear about and comfortable with the

technique you choose to use.

Materials

• Flip chart paper

• Marking pens

• Tape

• Scissors (optional)

• Tacks or pins

• Envelopes made from paper to hold votes [optional]

• Objects for voting: corn, small slips of paper, etc. (50) [optional]

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Handouts

• Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking

• Examples of different needs assessment ranking techniques:

Pairwise Ranking Matrix

Mbusyani Options Assessment Chart

• Field Insights (copies of any you wish to distribute) – see Field Insights (Booklet #8)

• PACA Tools: Roles of Facilitators

Procedure

I. Introduction (5 minutes)

Explain:

This session is about determining the needs of a group of people. What have been

your experiences with learning about the needs of a group? How have you found out

what people need? (Take examples.)

The PACA Needs Assessment by rank ordering technique is designed to stimulate a

ranking evaluation of the constraints and opportunities by the members of the

community. The technique assumes that gender differentiation may be significant

and that men and women may not recognize each other’s needs and priorities. As in

the other PACA techniques, the men and women carry out the activity separately,

then meet together to discuss and interpret the results.

II. Demonstration of the technique (20 minutes)

Use the steps described in Section III.

III. Walk through the steps of the technique (20 minutes)

Distribute the handout “Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking” for participants to

follow.

Use the additional notes below as well as examples from the demonstration as you

discuss each step.

1. Introduce the idea to the community that they will be working to decide what their

most important needs are. It is very important that everyone contribute his or her

ideas.

2. Divide into separate groups of men and women, or by other subgroups important to

the development of the lists.

The community is divided into separate gender groups so that more voices can be

heard. In each group it is important that all individuals participate in the consensusbuilding that this technique requires. It is important that the Needs Assessment be

representative (or maximally so) of the group and not of any one individual in the

group.

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3. Ask: What prevents you from having a better life? (or a more appropriate question

for the particular group). Write ideas on the flip chart as they are mentioned.

Allow the participants to question each other and discuss the ideas as they are

presented; this is valuable in clarifying issues. Don’t remove items from the list,

however, unless the whole group wants them removed. Encourage them to list

everything they wish to.

4. Once the list is made, the participants are asked to elaborate further on each issue, as

necessary. For example, there may be one or two items that seem to be the same. They

need to be clarified; if appropriate, two or more ideas can be combined into one issue.

5. Once the list is made, the needs are rank ordered. If there are more than six items on

the list, have the group members vote to get the top five or six items.

Each community participant is given two or three votes to place on those constraints

deemed most critical to him or to her. A tally of votes generates the ranking. If there

is concern that hand-raising voting will be influenced by certain persons, people can

vote by dropping markers (seeds of corn, pebbles, small squares of paper) in

envelopes attached next to each item, or some other way to make voting private.

6. With the top six or less items, conduct a pairwise ranking to get a final ranking. Ask

members to reach a consensus regarding the comparison of each pair of needs they

have identified. In seeking consensus on each pair comparison, watch for the

variability of opinion as it will be important information as you continue to work with

the group.

Two pairwise ranking methods:

a. In chart form, the items are listed both down and across a chart. Each item is

compared to every other. The more important of the two items is noted in the cell

where the two items intersect. The constraint that appears most in the matrix cells

is considered the most critical by the community.

Lack of Poor No

 clinic land market

Lack of clinic Poor land Lack of clinic

Poor land Poor land

No market

b. Pairwise ranking also can be done directly from the list.

original list noted on list

• lack of markets • lack of markets |||

• unfinished school • unfinished school |

• poor soil • poor soil |

• lack of clinic • lack of clinic |

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Begin with the top item, saying “Which is more important, lack of markets or

unfinished school?” Put a hash mark after the item of the pair deemed most

important. “Which is more important, lack of markets or poor soil?” Continue

until all pairs have been compared and notes made. Count the hash marks next

to each to rank them.

c. The pairwise ranking can be done again, based on which items have the most

possibility for action by the community. This second step often helps move the

group to the next stage of project planning.

7. If this activity is being used with a community to develop an action plan, when the

ranking has been completed each group is asked to assess possible responses to these

constraints given resource scarcity. These suggestions constitute the beginnings of a

community action plan. The output of each group is thus a rank ordering of

constraints and a set of strategies to overcome them.

The groups are asked to evaluate these proposed solutions in terms of both financial

and technical feasibility. The handout “Mbusyani Options Assessment Chart” shows

a way of doing this.

See other variations in the Field Insights (Booklet #8).

8. Bring the men’s and women’s groups together. Post their needs lists side-by-side

where everyone can see them. Ask someone from each group to explain their list.

Then facilitate a discussion:

a. What are the similarities and differences? Why might those be?

b. What relationships are there between the items?

A community member can lead the discussion or interpretation, if willing.

Where lists contain different items, why the items appear only on one list might

be discussed, as may the relationship between the items on the two lists.

If this is the first step toward community action, the facilitator attempts to

mediate a consensus on a compromise plan of action for the entire community.

9. Draw session to a close with an indication of what the next steps will be, such as

another meeting to explore the needs further, etc.

If desired and time permits, spend a few minutes talking about how two groups of needs

might be resolved. Ask:

How can we get the community to address both lists? Ideas might include:

• Find common ground

• Get conflict out into open

• Evaluate resources

• Empower each group to speak for themselves; explain their needs

• Look for most immediate needs

• Look for ease in implementation (something easier that will build confidence)

• Consider if an idea is possible: consider the implications and impact

• Seek total involvement: look for a way to meet some needs on all lists

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Look back at the lists and

• Identify something that is common.

• How could you begin to address this?

• What else do we know that impacts on this need?

• Is this the most immediate need? How can we determine that?

Ask:

Have any of you used a participatory Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking

technique? If so, what were your experiences?

IV. Practice using Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking technique

(45 minutes)

Explain to Trainees with whom they will practice. Distribute the handout “PACA Tools:

Roles of Facilitators” and discuss it. Have them determine who will take the different

roles during practice. Have as many Trainees take roles as possible; they can divide up

the steps of the technique. Give them a few minutes of preparation time.

Have the Trainees carry out the Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking process.

V. Debrief of technique (15 minutes)

Using the points on the “Technique Debrief” flip chart, debrief how their practice went.

Discuss ways to improve areas of weakness or confusion.

Technique Debrief

Trainer preparation

Develop rapport with group

Introduction of technique to group

Getting started

Problem areas encountered

Group sharing of their work

Discussion among men and women

Conclusion

VI. Application (10 minutes)

Discuss settings where the Trainees might use this technique.

Provide examples from the Field Insights (Booklet #8) or your own, including how this

can lead to a community action plan as well as be used for the community’s monitoring

and evaluation of a project.

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Booklet #5

References

1. Implementing PRA: A Handbook to Facilitate Participatory Rural Appraisal, Chapter 4, [ICE

– AG259].

2. Tools of Gender Analysis: A Guide to Field Methods for Bringing Gender into Sustainable

Resource Management, pages 12-13, [ICE – WD112].

3. Rapid and Participatory Rural Appraisal Notes: No. 21— Special Issue on Participatory Tools

and Methods in Urban Areas, Reading 5, [ICE – WS119].

4. Women in Community Forestry: A Field Guide for Project Design and Implementation, page 19,

[ICE – WD098].

Notes

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Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking (Page 7 of 7)
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Needs Assessment and

Priority Ranking

Objectives

1. To describe the value of this technique in identifying the gender patterns in how

communities interpret their needs and establish their preferences for action.

2. To practice the technique.

3. To relate the needs assessment and priority ranking to the development of a Peace Corps

project or community action plan that incorporates gender realities.

4. To develop baseline information for project monitoring and evaluation.

Materials

• Blank flip chart paper

• Tape

• Markers

• Objects for voting (optional)

Procedure

1. Introduce the idea to the community that they will be working to decide what their most

important needs are. It is very important that everyone contribute his or her ideas.

2. Divide into separate groups of men and women, or by other subgroups important to the

development of the lists.

3. Ask: What prevents you from having a better life? (or a more appropriate question for

the particular group). Write ideas on the flip chart as they are mentioned. Allow the

participants to question each other and discuss the ideas as they are presented; this is

valuable in clarifying issues. Don’t remove items from the list, however, unless the whole

group wants them removed. Encourage them to list everything they wish to.

4. Once the list is made, the participants are asked to elaborate further on each issue, as

necessary. For example, there may be one or two items that seem to be the same. They

need to be clarified; if appropriate, two or more ideas can be combined into one issue.

5. Once the list is finalized, the needs are rank ordered. If there are more than six items on

the list, have the group members vote to get the top five or six items.

Give each participant two or three votes to place on those constraints deemed most

critical to him or to her. A tally of votes generates the ranking. If there is concern that

hand-raising voting will be influenced by certain persons, people can vote by dropping

markers (seeds of corn, pebbles, small squares of paper) in envelopes attached next to

each item, or some other way to make voting private.

HANDOUT

Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking Handout (Page 1 of 2)
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6. With the top six or less items, conduct a pairwise ranking to get a final ranking. Ask

members to reach a consensus regarding the comparison of each pair of needs they have

identified. In seeking consensus on each pair comparison, watch for the variability of

opinion as it will be important information as you continue to work with the group.

Two pairwise ranking methods:

a. In chart form, the items are listed both down and across a chart. Each item is

compared to every other. The more important of the two items is noted in the cell

where the two items intersect. The constraint that appears most in the matrix cells is

considered the most critical by the community.

Lack of Poor No

 clinic land market

Lack of clinic Poor land Lack of clinic

Poor land Poor land

No market

b. Pairwise ranking also can be done directly from the list.

original list noted on list

• lack of markets • lack of markets |||

• unfinished school • unfinished school |

• poor soil • poor soil |

• lack of clinic • lack of clinic |

Begin with the top item, saying “Which is more important, lack of markets or

unfinished school?” Put a hash mark after the item of the pair deemed most

important. “Which is more important, lack of markets or poor soil?” Continue

until all pairs have been compared and notes made. Count the hash marks next

to each to rank them.

c. The pairwise ranking can be done again, based on which items have the most

possibility for action by the community. This second step often helps move the

group to the next step of project planning.

7. If this activity is being used with a community to develop an action plan, when the

ranking has been completed each group is asked to assess possible responses to these

constraints given resource scarcity. These suggestions constitute the beginnings of a

community action plan. The output of each group is thus a rank ordering of

constraints and a set of strategies to overcome them.

8. Bring the men’s and women’s groups together. Post their needs lists side-by-side

where everyone can see them. Ask someone from each group to explain their list.

Then facilitate a discussion:

a. What are the similarities and differences? Why might those be?

b. What relationships are there between the items?

9. Draw session to a close with an indication of what the next steps will be, such as

another meeting to further explore the needs, etc.

Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking Handout (Page 2 of 2)

Handout
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Pairwise Ranking Matrix

Source: Participatory Rural Appraisal Handbook, page 64.

Pairwise Ranking Matrix Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
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Mbusyani Options Assessment Chart

Source: Participatory Rural Appraisal Handbook, page 65.

Mbusyani Options Assessment Chart Handout (Page 1 of 1)

Handout
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PACA Tools:

Roles of Facilitators

I. Introduction to the community

A. Introduce facilitators and their purpose.

B. Have community members introduce themselves.

C. Do an icebreaker, unless it will be done in separate groups.

D. Describe the tool(s) to be used.

E. Divide into groups and send them to their work locations.

 II. Facilitation of separate work groups (in each group)

A. Do an icebreaker, unless done above.

B. Make name tags and put them on, if the facilitator and group members don’t

know each other.

C. Facilitate the technique: Daily Activities, Seasonal Calendar, Community Mapping, or Needs Assessment and Priority Ranking.

D. Prepare the group to share their work with the others.

III. Facilitation of large group meeting

A. Ask each group to present their work to the others and answer questions.

B. Encourage a group member to facilitate, or you facilitate, the discussion questions related to the technique.

C. Summarize the technique and learnings, talk about next steps, thank the community.

Handout
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