Community Programmes Facilitation

During a site visit to the Kota Damansara Community Forest, Section 10 last Thursday to inspect the venue for hosting this coming Earth Day Celebration, I have an interesting discussion with partners from the Friends of Kota Damansara on the role of MBPJ in Local Agenda 21 Implementation. While LA 21 PJ is advocating partnership and participation amongst various stakeholders, the pre-requisite for this to realise is optimising and making use of pool resources from different partners. The NGOs and community are obviously come with rich experience and expertise as well as the ability of mobilising the mass. The local authority is equipped with resources and of course the authorities. The private sector might be able to chip in with financial resources and expertise. This combination, I think will make thing happen, and in this case community programmes will be blossomed in Petaling Jaya.

MBPJ as the social custodian of Petaling Jaya is entrusted to develop the physical, social and environmental aspects of the city and society. Towards that, we used to organise many community development programmes on our own. However, with the mature of the organisation and aging staff, we are not able to continue this role. To some, it is too tiring.

With the implementation of LA 21 PJ, the role is slightly changed from a pure service provider to also include the role as development facilitator and catalyst. Becoming a facilitator simply mean trying to get others to work by providing incentives or make it easy for others to organise, if it is a programme. For example, providing logistic support or resources to the community groups organising a programme that will benefit the community at large. If the community group can mobilise the residents to take part in a gotong royong exercise for instance, then we should make possible the request for equipment be made and not to fail the enthusiasm by rejecting the request or providing less than enough equipments to them after all getting people to come forward is not an easy task. Many involved in the community development programmes will agree that mobilising mass is the most difficult task.

Of course having said this, we must also create consensus on the gap expectation. While MBPJ as facilitator is duty bound to provide support, the Council is also constrained by the lack of resources and staff. For example, it is always a headache when it comes to provision of canopy, tables and chairs, PA system, stage and others. The shortage is definitely becoming a hindrance to effective community development as many community organisations are hoping to get support for their activities.

Inculcating good community value means we need to continue organising community sustainable initiatives, either by our own or collaborating with community groups or supporting others to do it. We should provide sufficient support in fulfilling our role as developmental facilitator and encouraging more community initiatives to take off. Towards this, we should invest in building up our capacity and be resourceful. For example, providing logistic support as much as possible through smart partnership in organising an event. Believe it or not, in collaborating with other partners might have save MBPJ a lot of energy, time and resources in organising an event with less impact most of the time. At the same time, involving the community groups will enable greater empowerment and ownership at the grass root level.

Facilitation is not mere lip service by putting our name in the list of organisers or just to endorse a programme, but more than that through other supports especially the logistic support as this is where the major portion of organising cost of community programmes have gone.