Presented during Tshikululu Social Investments' second annual Serious Social Investing workshop, which took place on 17 and 18 March 2011. Mothomang Diaho (Head of dialogue programme: Nelson Mandela Foundation) believes that most companies and organisations have very clear policies that spell out their commitment to community engagement and community development. Unfortunately, the manner in which communities are engaged and consulted have often lacked inclusiveness and structure. The risks associated with this are farreaching and specific methodologies should be used for the success of structured and strategic community engagements. Dr Diaho shows how.

1. The Community Capacity
Enhancement Process
(CCE)
Through Community Conversations
(CC)
“Community Consultation that works”
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2. Social Investing & Community Investment
For most organizations, whether business or
civil society, the key objectives for community
engagement are to understand community
concerns and guide expectations; plan and
manage community development projects; and
encourage community self-reliance, governance
and skills development.
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3. History of Methodology
• “The Community Capacity Enhancement” programme,
or CCE, is an integral part of UNDP’s community work
• Adaptation to various settings and social issues,
including
Aids
Post-tsunami interventions
Bird Flu interventions
Conflict resolution in Northern Ireland, Africa etc.
• Not unlike old traditions in many societies - Imbizo
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4. NMF Adaptation to SA
• Pilot programme commenced in 2008
• HIV/AIDS a key focus
• Broader ‘social cohesion’ framework
• Underlying issues explored
• 100 facilitators trained
• Involved NGO partners
• 300 ‘conversations’ in 9 Provinces

5. Community Conversations-Philosophy
Facilitation rather
than intervention by
experts
Influences policy Community-based
and legislation dialogic approach
Promoting Creating safe spaces
Engages a human Social for listening,
rights approach
Cohesion inclusion agreement
Replicable: Meaningful
transferable to any participation within
issue cultural contexts
Builds on local family
and community
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experiences

6. Change Process

7. A Community Transformation Approach
Individual
(change)
Community
Community Community
Transformatio Social
Mobilisation Capacity
n Cohesion
(Outreach) Enhancement
“TOOLS”
Structures,
Systems Change
Thinking
Cohesively
Governance –
Partners
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8. At the Conversation…
Galeshewe, Northern Cape 387 (mainly young people who
attend regularly)
Khakhala, Limpopo 564 (mixed audience of youth and
the elderly with many people
attending regularly)
Thaba Nchu, Free State 553 (mainly school-going learners
who attend every conversation)
KwaMakhutha, KZN 939 (mixed audience of school-going
learners, stakeholders and parents.
Recently out-of-school youth has
been recruited)

9. Reach of community conversations
Reach of community conversations in four areas between March to
September 2010
Galeshewe, Northern Cape 387 (mainly young people who attend
regularly)
Khakhala, Limpopo 564 (mixed audience of youth and the
elderly with many people attending
regularly)
Thaba Nchu, Free State 553 (mainly school going learners who
attend every conversation)
KwaMakhutha, KZN 939 (mixed audience of school-going
learners, stakeholders and parents.
Recently out-of-school youth has been
recruited)

10. Case Studies
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11. Case Study 1
• Galeshewe (NC) conversations encourage mainly youth
participation.
• Young people have taken a lead and responsibility of
making change in their communities (e.g. forming of task
teams to mobilize community members and police to clean
up and secure the public park)
• This intervention reduces crimes and violent attacks
towards mainly women & youth

12. Case Study 2
There have been many things that have changed in this
community. We really need to give credit to the community
conversations facilitators for initiating a clinic
committee….crime has also been raised and highlighted. I
found out about (i) wunga (a drug mixed with ARVs) in
these conversations. The learners told us about it and how
people get it. The focus on crime has been so integral in this
community, because that’s what is affecting our community
the most...
[Mr Zithulele Ntuli, Concilor of KwaMakhutha Township,
KZN]

13. Into the future
For Anglo American, society is an inclusive concept. It embraces our
workforce, the communities in which they live, the citizens of host
countries and the implications of what we do for the wider population for
generations to come.
The communities where we operate are crucial to Anglo American's success;
they provide and house our employees, and are often a valuable part of
our supply chain. At the same time, we are often vital to their growing
prosperity. Mutual dependence makes it only natural that we want to
make positive and enduring contributions to our hosts. Being a good
neighbour is good business.
Anglo American

14. Community Conversations
Story Telling/Video
(Group Work)
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15. 15

16. General Discussion
THANK YOU
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