Key mechanisms of a gender and socially inclusive community engagement and participatory design approach in the RISE program in Indonesia and Fiji
Francis, N., Batagol, B., Meo-Sewabu, L., et al, 2023, Participatory Design
Within community development work, ‘participatory approaches’ are increasingly promoted, as participants are experts on their own experiences, and because people should determine what takes place in their homes and communities.
But the ways in which participatory approaches engage diverse people is not well-documented. This research project set out to document the key participatory activities and approaches the RISE program used to engaged diverse people, specifically women, men, children, older people and those with a disability, when planning water and sanitation infrastructure for their neighbourhoods.
The research team hoped that by documenting these activities and approaches, future programs similar to RISE might be better-informed about how to include diverse people in their programs.
Our research identified four mechanisms that are key to engaging diverse people in RISE, and could be applicable to similar programs:
Engaging with residents at multiple levels, from the community to the household and individual level. Community-level events are great for visibility, while household-level interactions allow for more personalised and tailored communication styles that build trust and rapport, and allow for everyone to feel included and heard at the pace, and in the communication style that suits them.
Incorporating flexibility and adaptability throughout the program, to be responsive to community needs and interests. One example was RISE distributing food during COVID lockdowns. This was not part of the official intervention, but RISE staff were able to identify specific community needs. It served to build community trust in RISE staff and commitment to the RISE program.
Having a diverse team, for example having male and female staff members of different ages and who could speak the language(s) that residents were comfortable with. This meant it was easier for the staff andresidents to communicate with each other, trust each other, and for a wider range of residents to feel included.
Maintaining regular contact and positive rapport between staff and participants. RISE staff are frequently in the communities, so are familiar faces who are known and trusted. Importantly, the staff do not just arrive in a community, collect data, and leave. They spend time with people and have real conversations, which contributes to rapport and trust.
An important contribution that this study made was through the use of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). This framework is typically used to document the key elements of interventions that take place in medical settings, such as hospitals or clinics. Our research applied this to the context of informal settlement communities. We demonstrated that CFIR is applicable to these research settings, with some adaptations.
