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their resolve to be catalysts for developing local engagement. These people are poised to become pivotal agents of change in their living environment. The size of each group differs by region, but it is estimated that at most 25 percent of members typically assume such proactive roles.
Two full days are recommended for the length of the orientation workshop. If led by a single facilitator, the group should not exceed 25 individuals. Ensuring that the workshop environment is optimized for group activities is essential. Creating an atmosphere conducive to networking and interaction is key, hence incorporating interactive engagement is advisable.
The orientation workshop aims to achieve the following objectives:
• Clarify for the initiative group members the goals and anticipated outcomes of the planned activities, and how these results will be utilized.
• Acquaint the participants with the survey questions, ensuring clarity on the intentions behind each inquiry.[57]
• Conduct a briefing on the questionnaire process.
• Engage in a practical run-through of a sample questionnaire, mirroring what will later be conducted in their respective communities. Participants may pair up and conduct mock interviews amongst themselves during the workshop. This exercise will help pinpoint any challenging questions and clarify any ambiguities.
• Provide guidelines on how to analyze the gathered information and consolidate it into an aggregate table. It has been shown that initiative work flows more smoothly when a group member is pre-designated to handle the compilation of data from all surveys into a table. This approach will minimize errors or at least standardize them, making them easier to identify and rectify.
• Prepare a comprehensive analytical report from the initiative group on their data collection methodology.[58]
IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU; IT’S FOR THE COMMUNITY: THE IMPORTANCE OF NOT OVERLOOKING THE SURVEY
After the workshop, it is critical to avoid immediately jumping into social design activities and instead prioritize the collection of data about the territory’s residents. This is an essential consideration since leaders may have their vision for the community, which could differ significantly from the members’ perspectives. The aforementioned questionnaire, as discussed in the orientation workshop, will assist in this regard.
The interview questionnaire should be adaptable for use across all territories where the organizer is active. This facilitates not only the consolidation of data from a specific area but also enables comparative analysis across different territories. It is advisable to limit the questionnaire to 25–30 items to avoid complicating the process excessively. Yet, overly condensing the questionnaire should be avoided to maintain its informativeness.
Obtaining current demographic information about the gender and age distribution within each territory is also essential. This can be achieved by consulting regional statistical offices, local administrative bodies, or requesting information from local self-government entities. Understanding the demographic breakdown is crucial for grasping the resident dynamics of each territory. For instance, if you aim to gather 80 surveys with the demographic split of 53 % female and 47 % male in the area, accordingly, then the task would be to conduct interviews with 42 women and 38 men.
Questionnaires can be tailored by activists in each territory, adding questions they deem significant. Generally, the survey should reflect:
• The residents’ general satisfaction with their territory;
• A priority ranking of urgent and less pressing issues;
• Issues that residents believe they can address with their initiatives;
• Satisfaction levels with key aspects of life;
• Residents’ migration intentions and their attitudes towards their territory;
• A listing of active individuals, community groups, and non-profits active in the territory;
• The potential for civic engagement;
• Any consensus or discord among residents about the importance of local issues.
Subsequent analysis of the survey responses should proceed as follows:
1. Conduct a cumulative analysis of the data across all questions and territories. This process will yield average results.
2. Create graphical representations for the distribution of responses to each question.
3. After aggregating the data, examine the details within individual territories.
4. Identify and note any significant deviations from the average results across studied territories. Survey findings can be utilized in crafting grant applications, detailing projects, and implementing initiatives.[59]
CREATIVITY IN METHODOLOGY: HOW TO CONDUCT AN EFFECTIVE PROJECT SESSION
So, the organizer already has a group of leaders and the qualitative results from the analysis of social life in the community. It is time to focus on social initiatives. Let us look at an example of such an event — a project session. The session comprises eight stages.
Stage 1. Introduction. The primary goal is to initiate a discussion with participants about local problems, needs, and opportunities in an open-dialogue format.
Stage 2. “Meet the People I know”: The main goal is to facilitate introductions among participants. Ideally, create groups of people who are less acquainted with each other; the optimal group size is 5–8 people, with no more than 5 mini-groups.
Each group is tasked with preparing a 10-minute business card-style presentation that captures the group’s name, the average or total age of the members, and unique characteristics. Each group will then present themselves.
During the discussion, you can ask how participants’ moods have changed or if they’ve learned something new about their peers. Take note of the common things and uniqueness that participants highlight.
Stage 3. Focus on the Past: The aim here is to emphasize the importance of acknowledging the past when planning for the future.
This involves the creation and analysis of the “Timeline.”
Participants will reflect on
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