1. Attitudes, Behaviours and Ethics
Relationships between
facilitators and communities
Unit 2 of Module 2 is on relationships between PGIS facilitators and the communities with which they work and serve.
By: Wendy Miles, Miguel Castrence and Jefferson Fox
Unit: M02U02
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2. Relationships between facilitators and communities
Presentation outline
key concepts: community, stakeholder, participation, facilitation
ways to help enable participation
ethical duties and responsibilities of PGIS facilitators before, during and after the project
Presentation outline
We will begin by discussing some of the key concepts used in participatory mapping: community, stakeholder, participation, facilitation.
We will talk about ways to help enable participation.
We will address the ethical duties and responsibilities of PGIS facilitators before, during and after the project.
This Unit serves as an introduction to relationships between PGIS facilitators and communities. This subject will be discussed in more depth in:
Module 3: Fundamentals of training delivery and facilitation
Module 4: Community groundwork and processes
Module 5: Enabling and disabling environments
Module 6: Choice of participatory mapping method based on purpose, environment and resources.
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3. Key concepts: community
Perception: A “community” is a unified group of people who:
live in a common location;
have a shared set of values, norms and rules;
communicate and interact with one another.
Reality: “Communities” are composed of individuals who share similarities and differences.
People’s perception of a “community” is usually a unified group of people who:
live in a common location;
have a shared set of values, norms and rules;
communicate and interact with one another.
In reality, “communities” are composed of individuals who share similarities and differences.
Ask the participants, “What are some differences that exist among members in a community?”
Differences can include:
political views;
native language;
economic class;
religion;
education;
ethnicity.
Source: Agrawal & Gibson 1999
Support the spread of “good practice” in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information

4. Key concepts: community
Inequality, power struggles and tensions exist in communities.
“Representatives” from a community may not be speaking on behalf of the entire community.
Seek out people to talk to from different stakeholder groups.
Within communities, inequality, power struggles and tensions exist at varying levels.
When talking with “representatives” from a community, it is important for community facilitators and PGIS specialists to realise that these individuals may not be speaking on behalf of the entire community.
It is important to seek out people to talk to from different stakeholder groups within the community in order to better understand how a mapping project will impact the community as a whole.
Support the spread of “good practice” in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information

5. Key concepts: stakeholder
Stakeholders include organisations or people who:
have authority to make important decisions;
might be impacted by the project;
have the ability and power to stop a project.
Why is it important to involve stakeholders?
Stakeholders are individuals or organisations that have influence over the outcome of a project or process; they also may be affected by it.
Stakeholders include organisations or people who:
have authority to make important decisions (e.g. village council);
might be impacted by the project (i.e. people who farm the land that is being mapped);
have the ability and power to stop the project from being implemented (i.e. higher levels of government).
Ask the participants: Why is it important to involve stakeholders?
In a participatory mapping process, it is important to identify stakeholder groups, develop a process that responds to their needs and expectations and notify them about the mapping process and the importance of their participation.
Mapping can affect many people in different ways. There are primary stakeholders (i.e. those key to the process of map-making due to their power, status, position or responsibility) and secondary stakeholders. Primary stakeholders may be involved more in the process than secondary stakeholders, but both need to be informed and given opportunities to contribute.
Source: University of Hawaii, Program on Conflict Resolution Training Files, undated.
Support the spread of “good practice” in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information

6. Key concepts: participation
Participation: The act of taking part or sharing in something
There are many ways to participate.
There are many levels of participation.
What are some ways that community members can participate in mapping?
Participation is the act of taking part or sharing in something.
There are many ways to participate.
There are many levels of participation.
Ask the participants: What are some ways that community members can participate in mapping?
Community members can participate by providing the information they want to go into the map.
Community members can provide invaluable feedback on the map so that it best meets their needs.
Community members can participate in a very technical way, by helping with plotting points and taking data. However, this is often not the most beneficial use of their time. This kind of involvement is usually reserved for those community members interested in becoming involved in the technical aspects of GIS. For example, there might be a young adult who is interested in becoming a GIS specialist or assisting more actively with the project. This person would benefit from the hands-on training and experience.
There are many ways for community members to participate in the map-making process, but what is key is that the community be given the power to make decisions regarding the purpose, use and ownership of the map.
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7. Ladder of Citizen Participation
Citizen control
Partnership
Consensus
Joint planning
Define issues
Consult
Educate
Inform
Increasing Public Participation
A Ladder of Citizen Participation:
This “Ladder of Citizen Participation” demonstrates that “community participation” can mean very different things. The bottom rung of the ladder might be considered non- participation because there is no public contribution to the project. The ‘participants’ are being informed of what will happen. On the opposite end of the ladder is “citizen control”, where citizens have full authority over a project.
Not every project necessitates the same level of community participation. When a PGIS project is being planned, a decision will need to be made about what level of citizen participation is desired.
Ask the participants: What are some PGIS projects that you think might require a high level of citizen participation? What projects might not require as much citizen participation?
Source: Arnstein 1969, Schlossberg & Shuford 2005, Thomas 1995.
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8. Key concepts: Facilitation
Facilitation: making something easier to do
Facilitator: someone who enables a process to happen and encourages people to find their own solutions
The role of PGIS facilitators
Facilitation: making something easier to do
Facilitator: someone who enables a process to happen and encourages people to find their own solutions
The role of PGIS facilitators is to assist in the planning and implementation of mapping projects and help guide the group process towards the agreed mapping objectives.
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9. Ethical Duties & Responsibilities of PGIS Facilitators
This next section is on the ethical duties and responsibilities of PGIS facilitators.
Support the spread of “good practice” in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information

10. Ethical duties of PGIS facilitators
use their specialised training for the benefit of the public;
are responsible for protecting the welfare of those with whom they work;
work with community members under the assumption of trust.
Rationale for why PGIS facilitators have specific ethical duties and responsibilities:
PGIS facilitators have specialised training and thus are more capable of making informed decisions about spatial information technology than the community members with whom they work.
This special knowledge may put PGIS facilitators in a position of authority and power; thus they have a responsibility to protect the welfare of those with whom they work.
Because PGIS facilitators work with community members under the assumption of trust, they have a responsibility to safeguard the community members’ rights, interests and sensitivities.
Source:
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11. Ethical duties of PGIS facilitators
Facilitators must:
explain their role, their employer and who funds the project;
explain and clarify the purpose of the mapping process;
clarify how the project will take place and determine how decisions will be made;
help the community determine how any information generated from the process will be used and managed.
Specific actions:
Explain role, employer and who funds the project.
Explain and clarify the purpose of the mapping process.
Clarify how the PGIS project will take place and determine how decisions will be made.
Work with the community to determine how any information generated from the process will be used and who will own the information.
NOTE TO PRESENTER: Participants will be tested on the first two points of this slide in the exercise, “Introducing yourself to the community”.
Source: University of Hawaii, Program on Conflict Resolution Training Files, undated.
Support the spread of “good practice” in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information

12. Ethical duties of PGIS facilitators
Facilitators must:
ensure the widest representation/participation possible;
work with integrity and be reliable, honest and trustworthy;
serve the community, putting its needs and desires first.
Specific actions:
Ensure the widest representation and fullest participation possible.
Work with integrity. Be reliable, honest, and trustworthy (e.g. keep private any information that is given in confidence).
Serve the community, putting its needs and desires above your own. This requires that you examine your own disposition, opinions, motives and cultural biases and address them so that they do not interfere with your ability to serve the community.
Source: University of Hawaii, Program on Conflict Resolution Training Files, undated.
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13. Responsibilities early in the process
Questions to ask:
Why is this PGIS project needed?
What are the power dynamics?
Who will be included in this PGIS process and who will be in control?
What is the most appropriate time frame for the PGIS project?
How can the quality of participation be increased?
Questions to ask about the community and the project:
Why is this PGIS project needed?
What are the power dynamics in the local community, in the larger regional and national context and in the specific activities planned?
Who will be included in this PGIS process? Whose interests will be affected? Who will be in control of the process?
What is the most appropriate time frame for the PGIS project (including preparation and follow-up)?
How can the PGIS process be facilitated to enable higher quality participation?
Support the spread of “good practice” in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information

14. Responsibilities during the process
Help the community reach consensus on goals and develop strategies towards achieving them.
Be transparent and realistic about the PGIS process and outcome.
Enable participation and representation of stakeholder groups.
Give ownership of the process and its outcomes to the community.
Responsibilities during the PGIS process:
Help the community reach consensus on the PGIS project goals and develop strategies towards achieving them.
Be transparent and realistic with the community about the PGIS process and outcome.
Enable participation and representation of stakeholder groups.
Value people’s time and work within their schedules.
Communicate as effectively as possible, using language and terminology participants understand and examples when possible.
Create a safe environment for participation.
Be aware of and work to overcome power differences among stakeholders.
Give ownership of the process and its outcomes to the community.
Support the spread of “good practice” in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information

15. Responsibilities after the process
Give ownership of the outcomes to the community:
How will access to, use and distribution of the PGIS products be controlled?
How will spatial information be maintained/updated?
Will PGIS facilitators be available for consultation after the project is completed?
Will sufficient training be given to community members to ensure continuity and sustainability?
Give ownership of the outcomes to the community:
How will access to, use and distribution of the PGIS products be controlled?
How will spatial information be maintained/updated?
Will PGIS facilitators be available for consultation after the project is completed?
Will sufficient training be given to community members to ensure continuity and sustainability?
Support the spread of “good practice” in generating, managing, analysing and communicating spatial information

16. Conclusion PGIS is about community empowerment through mapping.
Ethical duties and responsibilities accompany PGIS work.
Some concluding words…
PGIS is about community empowerment
PGIS practice is geared towards community empowerment through demand-driven, user-friendly and integrated applications of geo-spatial technologies.
PGIS facilitators strive to help disadvantaged groups meet their mapping goals and protect their knowledge and resources from external exploitation.
Ethical duties and responsibilities accompany PGIS work:
PGIS facilitators have ethical duties and responsibilities to the communities they serve and they must keep their own attitudes and behaviours in check during their work.
If properly facilitated and utilised, PGIS can contribute towards community empowerment, innovation and social change.
NOTE TO PRESENTER: This presentation is followed by the exercise, “Introducing yourself to the community”.
Exercise: Introduce yourself to the community
Objective:
To prepare participants to introduce themselves and the PGIS process to the communities in which they will work.
Time:
Allow 45 minutes
Materials:
Paper and pens or pencils
Procedure:
Tell the participants: “You will have 15 minutes to write an outline for how you want to introduce yourself and your PGIS team to a group of community members you have not met before. After preparing your introduction, please gather as a group. Everyone will present his or her introduction to the group. When you are listening to others present their introductions, pretend to be community members and asks questions.”
After everyone has presented their introductions, engage the group in a conversation about the strengths and weaknesses of each introduction.
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