A Guide for Community Mobilizers
by Phil Bartle, PhD
Core Document in the Module
This module asks the questions: "Why?" should reports be written, "to Whom?" do they go, and "What?" should be included, then goes on to discuss the "How?" they can be written well, to be useful.
It is for community development field workers, social animators, facilitators of self help, community management trainers, capacity strengthening trainers and other mobilizers working to encourage and train low income communities to solve their own problems, to identify their own resources, and to plan their own development.
While it is directed towards the field workers or mobilizers, it also discusses how CBOs (Community Based Organizations) whose capacity are being strengthened, how to write community self help project progress reports.
Field workers can use these notes, therefore, not only to write their own reports, but also to train CBOs how to write community progress reports.
Community field workers have the admirable (but not so easy) task of organizing communities to unite, identify their priority community needs, and become organized well enough to identify and mobilize available resources so as to implement community projects.
This document emphasizes the "why" and "how" of narrative reporting, but makes some reference also to the need for financial reports. This appendix has four parts, as follows:
PART A: The "Why" of Report Writing:
Link to Part A: Why Write Reports?
PART B: Who Should Receive Reports?
Link to Part B: Who should Receive Reports?
PART C: How to Write Reports:
Link to Part C: How to Write Reports.
PART D: Writing Better Reports:
Link to Part D: Writing Better Reports.
Remember that writing reports need not be boring, look upon the task as a challenge. Emphasize results over activities. Go beyond description; be analytical.
Know your audience and the needs of your readers. Write in easy to read, simple language. Avoid the passive voice. Write concisely (briefly but completely). Organize your reports by using an outline and by using subtitles. Write several drafts before the final one.
By using these tips and guidelines, you can teach yourself and your community clients to improve your report writing.
Remember, it is not necessary to be bad to get better.
Report Writing Workshop:
© Copyright 1967, 1987, 2007 Phil Bartle