1. Key activities of the Strategic
Planning and Community
Mobilisation Stage
SECTION II: OVERVIEW
The first stage of a community-based approach seeks to
understand the broad, physical, social, cultural and political
environment in which the program occurs. Community
mobilisation follows, culminating in the formation of a school
management committee that is broadly representative and
committed to safer schools.
• Performing diagnostics. A diagnostic assessment of the
education, construction and development sector helps
ground projects in local realities and identify champions of
school safety.
• Identifying tools. Tools for risk awareness, disaster risk
reduction and construction training may already exist.
Identifying them ensures the program supports existing
community activities.
Burmese monks identifying risks in their local community.
Photo: Sam Lu/Save the Children.
• Raising awareness. Before communities commit to
building safer schools or retrofitting existing ones, they
need to understand the risks and believe in the project.
• Forming a school management committee. The school
management committee oversees the process. They
ensure community needs are met and safety is prioritised.
Stage 1. Strategic planning and community mobilisation
Advantages
Challenges
Strategies
• Builds community risk
awareness
• Inaccurate understanding
of risks or ineffective risk
communication
Risk communication is a two-way dialogue.
It’s important to understand stakeholder
perspectives but it’s also essential to share
good practice and lessons learnt in risk
communication.
• Increases knowledge of risk
reduction strategies
• Lack of short-term benefit
caused by a focus on future
risks
Awareness campaigns should emphasise
tangible and effective strategies for reducing
risks and not focus too much on hazards
and community vulnerability.
• Provides community oversight
of the safe school construction
project
• Cost, aesthetics or other
concerns may be more highly
valued than school safety
Build a commitment to comprehensive
school safety at the formation of the
committee while also recognising the
importance of other community priorities.
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