Table 2 Definitions of seven levels of community participation in the four phases of research project development [51,52,53].
Seven levels of community participation | Four stages of project development | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Diagnosis | Development | Implementation | Evaluation | |
1. No participation | Completely top-down, community is not informed about or asked about issues in their community | Top-down, community is not informed about the development of the project | Top-down, community is not informed about the implementation of the project, only about activities they’re involved in | Top-down, community receives no information about evaluation |
2. Passive participation | Outsiders decide on the issues that need to be addressed, community is informed | Outsiders control development, community is informed, but has no input | Outsiders control the implementation, community is informed, but has no input | Outsiders control the evaluation, community is informed, but has no input |
3. Participation by information | Outsiders have control, community participates by providing information about their community. No feedback to the community and no checking for agreements | Outsiders have control over development, community potentially provides information about what they want, but outsiders don’t necessarily respond to this | Outsiders control implementation, community might provide information useful for implementation, but outsiders don’t necessarily listen to this | Outsiders control evaluation, community provides information through surveys and/or interviews, focus groups. Findings are not shared or checked for accuracy |
4. Participation by consultation | Outsiders define problems and consult with community about their agreement, using outsider defined processes | Outsiders consult with community about potential projects to develop, but outsiders make final decision | Community participates in activities decided upon by the outsiders | Outsiders define evaluation process, community provides information and might make suggestions for improvement and feedback provided |
5. Functional participation | Outsiders have predetermined goals and community assists in defining issues within those goals, outsiders make final decisions | Community works together with outsiders to develop projects decided upon by the outsiders. | Community and outsiders work towards implementation of projects, based on outsiders’ goals and processes | Community and outsiders work together in evaluation, based on goals as set by the outsiders |
6. Interactive participation | Outsiders and community work together to identify the issues in the community and set goals for the project | Outsiders and community work together to develop suitable projects to address the agreed upon goals. | Community and outsiders implement the developed projects together, community has control and uses local resource | Evaluation methods are decided upon together and conducted in partnership |
7. Self-mobilisation | Completely bottom-up, community identifies their own issues and sets their own goals, might contact outsiders to assist them where needed | Bottom-up, community makes decisions about project development, apply for funding and potentially contact outsiders where needed | Community implements projects, contacts outsiders for resources where needed, but remains in control over resources | Community conducts evaluations, potentially contacts outsiders for assistance, but stays in control over evaluation |