[PDF] Community Development Toolkit - CommDev

Social Baseline Study11continuedWhen to use this toolA baseline study, by definition, needs to beundertaken at the beginning of a project.It is usually conducted at the early stagesof an ESIA or may be conducted as astandalone exercise prior to investment incommunity projects taking place. If anexisting project is acquired, and no baselinestudy was conducted by the previousmanagers, then it is a good idea to do abaseline study from the time you start witha project, something termed a delayedbaseline.The gathering of primary data to completethe baseline survey should commence assoon as possible. The baseline study isnot, however, the end of the process ofknowing your local community. Developmentfacilitators need to update their understandingof local social conditions – to identifyemerging concerns and changing need –throughout the life of the project.Another important time to update baselinesocial and economic data is at mineexpansion or closure – this will help you toplan appropriately for expansion or closureand to provide a baseline against which tomeasure post-closure changes or an adjustedbaseline to measure post-expansionchanges against.Ensure that a regional level of assessmentand data collection is included in the termsof reference for baseline studies of yourproject.How to use this toolA baseline survey is a large undertaking,frequently requiring a large team of fieldsurveyors, and is therefore beyond thecapacity of most companies to conduct within-house resources, and it is often wise tohave an independent party collecting thedata regardless. Usually, consultants areengaged to gather and analyse the baselinedata, including information already availablefrom a variety of sources, such asuniversities and government departments.Ideally, experienced consultants with afamiliarity with international socialassessment standards will team with localconsultants and researchers to conduct thesocial baseline study process. Even better,if time and resources permit, participatoryresearch methods, where communitymembers conduct their own analysis, maybe used. Though participatory methodsare more time-consuming than thedata-gathering efforts of professionalresearchers, they can mitigate againstfuture social impacts. Other participatorymethods (e.g. focus groups) can beeffectively integrated into social baselinedata gathering.STEP 1Desktop social profile – engage researchersto locate available data in co-operation withlocal officials and community leaders todraw up a social profile (this couldincorporate any social data collected as partof a due diligence assessment).STEP 2Decide what further information needs tobe acquired through primary research.Large projects may conduct a social baselineas part of their exploration activities andthen again as the project expands intofeasibility. The level of primary data that iscollected will likely expand as the projectdevelops.ASSESSMENT TOOLSCommunity Development Toolkit129