So the last blog made me reflect on community mapping experiences and if it would be a good idea to share a way to do it. I decided that it would be.
So here is a way to do it based on previous projects. I’ve broken it down into 7 steps. In Step 4 there are two examples that might help. At SCAT we’ve done community mapping in workshops with grantees, but this is a way to do it in your community or organisation.
Step 1 – Assemble a Project Team
Depending on your focus and needs your team might have a variety of people, volunteers or paid professionals.
You may want to consider people who are passionate about the issue you want to map
You may need people with different skills, e.g. IT skills, community organising, video skills, people who can frame good questions, writing skills etc. This is an opportunity to reach out to people who want to volunteer at your organisation. With volunteers it is important to provide an orientation to your organisation. This is as important as building their capacity to work on the mapping project.
Step 2 – Build the Capacity of the Project Team
Depending on your focus and needs your team might have a variety of people, volunteers or paid professionals. You may want to consider people who are passionate about the issue you want to map. You may need people with different skills, e.g. IT skills, community organising, video skills, people who can frame good questions, writing skills etc. This is an opportunity to reach out to people who want to volunteer at your organisation. With volunteers it is important to provide an orientation to your organisation. This is as important as building their capacity to work on the mapping project.
Step 3 – Clarify the Objective and the Vision of the project
Clarify how you will do the mapping – at least initially as this may change. You could start with questionnaires, using your volunteers going door to door, and then move on to hosting community workshops.
Step 4 – Develop your questionnaire or your workshop
So here are two examples to illustrate this step:
| Example 1 | Example 2 |
| Objective: Build Community in tangible ways through skill sharing opportunities | Objective: Investigate who is active in GBV initiatives in our municipality and district and how can we collaborate to reduce the incidence of GBV |
| What is one gift (e.g. singing, drawing etc.) you have that you are willing to share with people in the community. What is one skill (e.g. facilitation, coding, fixing electrical things in the home, hanging shelves, writing, sewing etc.) you have that you would like to share with others. What is one thing you would like to learn in order to make your life easier (e.g. how to hang shelving or fix a broken kettle or bike)Which day of the week or weekend would you be free to participate in skill sharing opportunities | Who is working in this space that you know ofAre their emerging initiatives that we should know aboutWhere exactly are they locatedWho leads the initiativeIs anyone in our project connected to any of the other stakeholdersWhat kind of resources or assets are available in the municipality and district e.g. victim support room at the police stationWhat are their values and is their a match? – this may need a conversation with the other stakeholders. Are they keen on collaboration or is it just talk? |
Step 5 – Do the mapping – Gather and assemble the data
This is where you gather your data – interviewing people one on one, in a workshop or both.
In a workshop the data could be on big sheets of newsprint pasted on the wall, everyone gets a koki and on the different sheets write down their talent, skill, need and availability. Workshops also offer the opportunity for people to craft a new question that might help and to spot opportunities as they emerge.
In example 1 above your map could be a block map indicating by way of a symbol the type of skills that are available (e.g. green for technical, blue for people skills, yellow for craft) and it could be backed up with data in a spreadsheet or newsprints that you’ve photographed.
In example 2 the map could be the geographical outline of the district with symbols and drawings of the various stakeholders, resources and links showing possible collaborators.
Step 6 – Analyse and tabulate the data
Do a visual map and a spreadsheet with the data
As you proceed, check if you need to adapt the questionnaire or make changes to your workshops
Step 7 – Share the data and Next Steps
Share the data and of course implement or decide on next steps. If you are not implementing immediately remember to tell people when you plan to or what else needs to happen before you can do anything with the data. This important step tells people you value their time and respect their contribution.
And lastly put the map on your office wall so that everyone coming to visit you is reminded of the project and you are reminded to implement your plan of action.
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