Introduction – setting the scene, e.g. describe the encounter or interaction that led to the initial relationships between the community development (CD) practitioners and the person who is at the centre of the story. What is the issue that emerges from that initial conversation – their personal issue, or an issue in a locality/neighbourhood? What is a rationale for why the CD practitioner decides a participatory approach is appropriate
Part 1 – micro-level work – explain how in the story the CD practitioner works to ‘see what the people sees’, aware of the difficulties of doing that; is conscious of their ways of seeing; is able to enter into dialogue drawing on Buber’s theory of dialogue; includes a sample transcript of 1st, 2nd and 3rd movements, and identification of ‘key-words/heurisms’ that become the basis for dialogue (aka Freire). This transcript should not be long but could – for example – include three columns, the first with the CDW/person; the second with ‘words used in the dialogue’, and third, reflection/analysis of 1st, 2nd, 3rd movements and keywords. Include in Part 1 an explanation of how the dialogue leads to an assessment that the issue is a public concern (and can therefore legitimately be addressed through CD) and an indication that the person wants to take some action alongside the CD practitioner (or be accompanied by the CD Practitioner).
Part 2 – mezzo-level work – explain how in the story there is a movement from the 0-1 micro-level agreement to take action (which happens in micro-level work), towards finding a small participatory group (a minimum 0-1-3) – and how this group is the basis of moving the initial private concern to participatory public action. Discuss how the CD practitioner facilitates a group process in meeting form (e.g. using the spiral model, or the 7-steps of mezzo-method, or another that you find in your reading/research), and how that meeting leads to agreed action.
Part 3 – macro-level work – explain how the actions of the participatory group (mezzo) are structured into macro-level work, e.g. does it become an association or a cooperative, or is a partnership formed with an existing organisation; and why the pressures that led to this kind of structuring (e.g. lots of people, funding, insurance). Be sure to include discussion about the risk of this kind of structuring work.
Conclusion
Include what you have learned from creating/telling this story through the lens of the unit framework.
