NGO types can be understood by their orientation and level of operation. Such NGOs may also undertake relief activities during a natural or man-made disaster. Service Orientation includes NGOs with activities such as the provision of health, family pplanning or education services in which the programme is designed by the NGO and people are expected to participate in its impementation and in receiving the service. Participatory Orientation is characterized by self-help projects where local people are involved particularly in tht implementation of a project by contributing cash, tools, land, materials, labour etc. In the classical community development project, participation begins with the need definition and continues into the planning and implementation stages.
Cooperatives often have a participatory orientation.
Empowering Orientation is where the aim is to help poor people develop a clearer understanding of the social, political and economic factors affecting their lives, and to strengthen their awareness of their own potential power to control their llives. Sometimes, these groups develop spontaneously aroud a problem or an issue, at other times outside workers from NGOs play a facilitating role in their development. In any case, there is maximum involvement of the people with NGOs acting as facilitators. These can include sports clubs, women's organizations, neighbourhood organizations, religious or educational organizations. There are a large variety of these, some supported by NGOs, national or international NGOs, or bilateral or international agencies, and others independent of outside help.