[PDF] Community Development Toolkit - CommDev

Institutional Analysis8DescriptionInstitutional analysis is a process fordiscussing what institutions are present inand around a community, how importanteach institution is, how they relate to eachother and who participates in them.Institutions could be schools, churches,mosques, sports teams, fishing or farmingco-operatives, women’s groups, youthgroups, businesses or companies,government offices and a range of otherorganizations.PurposeTo ask community members to describe theinstitutions that exist in their community,their function, how important they are inrelation to other institutions and how centralor peripheral they are to the community’slife. This exercise is immensely useful forassessment and planning purposes becauseit becomes apparent which communityinstitutions are vibrant enough to play anactive role in development activities andwhich may need strengthening. You will findone of the major benefits is that it shouldreveal who the community membersconsider to be influential, not just thosewho appear to be in charge at first glance.PLANNING TOOLSWhen to use this toolAs part of a series of exercises that may leadup to a community development planningworkshop to develop a Community ActionPlan (see tool 16). This should be donewhen community development programs arebeing considered, so that active communityengagement in the planning process canbe encouraged.Community Development Toolkit97