Community Self Help

What will you do without resources needed? Will you give up your idea of doing something without the required resources? Will you start implementing your idea only if resources are available? Many people will not do anything unless resources are available. It proved me wrong after visiting few residents groups in conjunction with the PJ Sustainable Community Award evaluation process last week.

Through self help programme, they managed to construct their own community hall and office. Proactively to set up a fund for helping the members in need of financial and kind assistance. All these have been done because they believe it is right thing to do and many of them share the same believe. I think it is lacking in our community development simply because no such common vision was created for a community. I personally witnessed the up and down of a residents group. A residents group was established due to development pressure but dissolved later as the issue was solved. Issue-based community group is very vulnerable compared to vision driven group as the issue is normally required short term solution.

Thereby, for the purpose of sustainability, we should encourage vision-based community groups to establish. For that to happen, a community plan as guidance would be of great help. We should engage every residents to voice their opinion on their neighbourhood and the future that they envision to have for themselves or children. Once they agree to the actions they have identified and agree to undertake, the chances for these actions to realise is greater and, of course to success is better.

Sustainable Community is created over years of trying, adapting and adopting. No short cut is available. It is no harm of being innovative.