Participatory Development Approach

Participatory development is a process that involves the participation of the beneficiaries from the inception stage to implementation of the development intervention. This approach enables the society to build their own capacity and self-reliance and it also allows grassroots people to become partners in the development process. Participation is used to collaborate information between community members and all stakeholders involved.

Participatory organisation: Community groups themselves initiate and take part in the development efforts.

Participation as empowerment: Participation comes in form of structural changes and access to resources as an empowerment strategy. The community needs to function as a social unit and make use of non-formal education to create awareness of their needs in the development process.

Examples in the SA context, is building of schools, NGOs and other organisations as a way of participation of the community members to help with needs within the society,