How to organize residents’ social activity? How to combine the potentials of local governments, entrepreneurs and NGOs in activities aimed at the common good of local communities?
You can find the answers to these and many other questions related to local community animation in “The Method of Local Community Animation for the Common Good. Theory and Practice” published by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland as part of the “Polish-American Freedom Foundation Local Partnerships” Program.
The publication is a monograph on the method of local community animation for the common good. That original method of animation has been created and implemented under the “PAFF Local Partnerships” Program managed by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland and targeted at initiating and developing cooperation of various PAFF programs participants who are encouraged to establish partnerships and implement projects important for their local communities. It also stems from scientifical theories of the common good, especially the concept created by American Nobel Prize winner Elinor Ostrom. The core of the method is the assumption that animation activities shall be based on the following five interconnected elements: the community diagnosis, the common vision, the common good, the local partnership, and the social benefits.
Since 2008 the method of animation has been implemented by intersectoral local partnerships. At the turn of 2018 and 2019 its implementation was evaluated and its effectiveness and usefulness were scientifically examined. The publication is based on the results and conclusions of that evaluation, as well as on evaluation and monitoring of PAFF Local Partnerships.
The evaluation showed the effectiveness and usefulness of the method; it proved that the method helps activate local communities and meet the residents’ needs and expectations. It not only helps activate local communities to take up actions aimed at the common good defined by them but also allows to organize these actions in form of partnership and integrate people, institutions and organizations around common goals. Thus the implementation of the method facilitates strengthening the local social capital and development of local communities.
It is a scientific publication which describes essential issues related to the method of local community animation and its implementation, from the genesis, through theoretical and practical basics, to main elements, and experience gained by local partnership in its application. It presents also the conclusions and recommendations from the evaluation.
The attachments include information on the initiators of the method, that is Polish-American Freedom Foundation and the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland, as well as the “PAFF Local Partnerships” Program and projects carried out over its seven rounds.
We recommend that publication to people who are interested in the method of local community animation for the common good or who deal with the theory or practice of community activation and look for ways of strengthening local social capital. Proven effectivity and usefulness of the method of animation are essential rationale for its further popularization in local communities.
The Method of Local Community Animation for the Common Good. Theory and Practice
By:
- Prof. Anna Giza-Poleszczuk
- Agata Komendant-Brodowska, PhD
- Anna Baczko-Dombi, PhD
- Tomasz Schimanek
Published by the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy in Poland, Warsaw 2021
