Unit 5 COMMUNITY OUTREACH

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1 Unit 5 COMMUNITY OUTREACH Objectives At the completion of this unit, you will be able to: Understand how to conduct community outreach Learn some of the pitfalls and lessons learned from other projects which involve communities The George Washington University Unit 5

2 Community Outreach This section focuses on why and how we should interface with the local communities in which we operate our ecotourism programs. For the why as outsiders in someone else s back yard we need to be sensitive to the local people and behave accordingly. Whether we like it or not we are also partners in the ecotourism program and any viable partnership must involve trust and mutual benefit. This is part of the ethic and definition of ecotourism. There are many options for the ecotourist operator to interface with the locals, ranging from employment through health and education to dignifying and protecting traditions and culture. A better option is to actually help the community itself develop an ecotourism product for themselves. It involves a lot of work, but can be very successful in itself. Several programs have looked at success indicators and winners of the British Airways conservation awards and the Conservation International global competitions give a good idea of some of the criteria used to assess these projects. Some companies and groups even define a set time by which they will turn the project over to the community to run or give a certain percentage of their profits to the community for projects. It is essential that local staff come from the local communities and some of the tourism revenues coming into the area leak into the local communities pockets and funds. Why? Everything is connected ecologically, economically, socially It is important to remember that the natural resources, which attract tourists, are usually under the control of the local people, if these people see an economic incentive (i.e. tourism) in not destroying it, they will be more likely to protect it. From an economic perspective, local people need to feel that they are being treated fairly and that their future is secure. Local economies can have a major impact on how natural resources are used or protected and how local people feel about tourism. How the local and outside cultures interface is a pivotal element in the tourist experience and in the willingness of the native population in participating in sustainable management programs. Good Business More and more tourists want to experience nature and people whose culture is different form their own. Thus, it is good business for us to do all we can to make sure the diversity and abundance of native species are protected and sustainably managed. Likewise, we need to be extremely careful in promoting cultural experiences so as to not undermine the traditions of indigenous people. If implemented properly tourism is a good tool that can be used to steer local peoples and give them an incentive to carry on their cultural activities. Sometimes something The George Washington University Unit 5

3 as mundane to local people as catching fish, making fish pots, or planting rice, riding an elephant or water buffalo can be a unique experience for a local tourist which they are willing to pay for. How? Jobs Historically, employment opportunities for local people in hotels and resorts have been at the bottom of the employment spectrum. Fortunately, with a greater appreciation of culture and nature, indigenous people are being given an opportunity to share their heritage and knowledge with tourists. As tour operators we can enhance this by creating an environment where all employees, even those not directly involved in guiding and interpretation can interact with tourists in a way which dignifies them and gives the outsiders a view of a different way of life. Training Training is an obvious necessity to having effective employee performance. However, we should expand this, using our infrastructure, to help others in the community learn skills relevant to ecotourism such as guiding, other services like massage and local transport (fishermen can be great rowing boat guides, guides for divers and snorkellers etc.). Education This is also a requisite to improving the potential and quality of life for employees but children of employees and others in the community should be assisted in their education and career development. This need not be limited to formal education but knowledgeable staff could also be utilized to teach. If there are problems with the community a good back up strategy should be with the local school children who are much more receptive to new ways of thinking / looking at things. Sponsoring local school students and college students can be a great way to integrate into the community and these scholars can become involved in activities in the local areas. Students can be sponsored to become marine biologists or even tourism managers, this will begin to integrate some of these previously un-needed skills into the community. Sometimes even small photographic displays, poster competitions, local dramas, and other activities can be effective tools for increasing awareness. Likewise, video showings and donation of video equipment to local schools plus a series of videos about the marine ecosystem can be very effective. Some institutes, such as the PADI, sponsor such programs under their AWARE program. There are also a variety of other agencies willing to collaborate and counterpart on initiatives like this. Funding environmental activities Another way to get local people involved are through beach clean ups, mooring buoy The George Washington University Unit 5

4 installation and sponsoring the establishment of a mangrove reforestation program or marine sanctuary As with all these coastal activities the activities must be facilitated slowly and surely, but if done properly then they can do well. Waste recycling and pocket forests / herb gardens are also usually well adopted by local schools and the younger generation. Partnership in Joint Programs Through training and education supported by ecotourism, local people can participate in the development of new programs and projects. Our goal should be that most of the ecotourism programs involve partnerships with local people and ideally much should ultimately come under their ownership. Also always be on the look out for local Non Government Organizations, other private sector / civil society groups who may be willing to counterpart / coordinate and are also very well skilled at community level projects and are well grounded and will know the local situation very well in most cases. Community Based Management Programs Lessons To Be Learned Purpose Vision Goals Strategies Action Results It is important to have a clear idea of purpose from the very beginning in developing a community based management program. This means a vision of how the program will improve the resource sustainability and the quality of people s lives. From this, specific goals need to be defined and then strategies laid out as to how those goals are to be reached. From the strategies must come action with a definition of who is to do what by when. Finally there will be results to be evaluated for program revision and then the process begins anew from wherever point is appropriate, whether it be revising the goals or strategies or action/implementation programs. One cycle is highly unlikely to be enough and in the real world, it is more realistic to consider this as a process, which is never really completed but is constantly evolving. Get To Know the Local Community There are often a variety of different perspectives, interest groups and they need to be understood, and the various groups trust needs to be gained. Many local people have already experienced well-meaning outsiders who are, in the local s eyes, remarkably naive. In fact, the locals are the real experts. We outsiders need to appreciate this and find ways to use their knowledge in ways, which advance our goals and dignify them as experts in their own right. Integration and Education An important challenge is to integrate the outside knowledge gained from science and experience elsewhere with that of the local people to explore how effective management options can be created. It is often the case that the locals have a great degree of knowledge about species harvested yet not appreciate the value of other The George Washington University Unit 5

5 non-target species in ecosystem vitality. For example, showing the vulnerability of coral reefs to various sources of stress (nutrients and sediments) can be important to their protecting the entire ecosystem not only target species. Formation of Management Groups It is essential from the beginning to bring the various interest groups together to arrive at a shared vision and then shared goals. From this stakeholders will find that they do have a lot more in common than they may have believed at the onset when they were finding themselves on opposite sides of the issue. Management groups should be the ones who take ownership of the management strategies. If the local people feel the management programs are imposed on them by outsiders the chances of success will be drastically reduced. Define Management and Strategies for Implementation Here is where the outsiders and the locals really begin to collaborate in a meaningful way. It will be the locals who know what will and will not work and the outsiders can, from good and bad examples elsewhere, suggest a variety of alternatives for consideration. Implementation with Responsibility and Authority Here the management groups will be critical in communicating with the users the importance of implementing the management strategies. It should be the locals who feel ownership of the programs and they are likely to be much more effective in working with their peers than will be the outsiders. On the other hand, the outsiders showing support for the program may reduce some tensions between factions, which might not buy into the management programs. It is also important to work with the local and national government agencies and include them in the activities, as this is their mandate too. Course Correction, Expansion and Replication This is one of the most important aspects of any management program. In fact, it should be made clear from the beginning that the problems may not be solved the first time around and that it may take some time to get it right. Rather than being negative, this is a positive approach because its keeps one from getting stuck in a particular mindset, rather keeping the mind open and receptive to changes. Therefore, the good parts of the program should be retained and expanded upon and the failed aspects dumped and replaced with something else. Therefore, so it will go into the future and if the locals have been motivated and see some successes, they will take. Additional considerations include: Scale of Program Start small and expand as successes allow. The larger the scale of the management The George Washington University Unit 5

6 program, the more complicated and difficult will be implementation. Transparency of Process Community Outreach It is essential that users and everyone involved feel that they have ownership in the management program. Even if some are not participating in the discussions they need to be able to see the process to be convinced it is honest and will benefit them. Secrecy will undermine confidence and thus the success of the program. More transparency will allow participation from many groups and through positive feedback actually improve your program if you are willing to integrate the local comments. Participation The greater the participation of local people, the private sector, government and NGO s the greater the chances of success. Implied in this is that the participation will involve a collaborative working relationship and that this will continue from the beginning to the end where, evaluation and course correction are defined for the next cycle. Flexibility and Commitment Flexibility has been discussed but commitment is very important. Effective management programs can take a minimum of 10 years for implementation and thus outsiders and their supporting organizations need to make a sufficient commitment to see the program to completion. Concentration on Process Since management depends on human behavior, facilitators and management consultants should focus on the process the process of human exchange, the search for consensus and a ultimately a change in behavior to more sustainable resource use. Institution Building The goal is for outsiders to disappear and have community-based management programs function independently. Thus, it is important that local, regional and national institutions be informed, supportive and capable of nurturing the program. Decentralized and Integrated Solutions Remembering that sustainable management is not a static process but one that will be constantly evolving, it is important to insure that the program is directed from a local level and that it reflects all factors, both natural and human, which impact the resource. Respect for Diversity Finally, it is obvious that there are many different perspectives and needs among the user groups. By the fact that they exist means that they must be dealt with and brought into the process to insure that ultimately all participate in the management The George Washington University Unit 5

7 program. Lessons Learned Management is not possible in the absence of community organizations and models of cooperative behavior As mentioned above human behavior and the process need to be viewed as critical aspects of establishing sustainable management programs. Because of this, organizational structures, which promote and sustain cooperative behavior among resource users, must be created. Feedback of results is required to sustain and increase community participation Even if there is a positive initial response from the community, people will tend to lose interest unless they are kept informed and feel progress is being made. Feedback thus becomes critical to continuing the process. Community-based initiatives often need outside linkages and support, but the relationship between the communities and outside agencies and institutions is delicate. Locals often are skeptical of outsiders but input from outside institutions can provide essential support to keep management programs alive. Thus, it is important for linkages to be made between the local community and outside organizations. Obstacles and limits to community-based management must be recognized so that realistic objectives can be set As with the assumption that a management is flawed from the beginning and will need to be changed with time, so must we appreciate the problems involved in developing a program and budget time and resources for overcoming them. Expansion into the larger context of coastal management is easier once initial projects succeed and are sustained This is related to the need to start correctly and address the scale of the program by starting small. Only after we are convinced that we are dealing in the real world should we consider expanding and exporting any management program. The element of time local vs. outsider views and realistic expectations for implementation We who live in the fast paced world outside are biased toward placing great value on time and efficiency. Locals, whose history extends thousands of years into the past with relatively few changes in lifestyle, are less likely to feel the same urgency to get things done quickly or efficiently. This difference in perspectives can lead to exasperation on both sides. It is certain that we will not change this attitude in most local people so we have the The George Washington University Unit 5

8 choice of adapting or giving up. This is one of the reasons why we have emphasized the need for an extended amount of time for a program to succeed. The George Washington University Unit 5