Act Together

STEP 3: Monitor community progress.

Monitoring during the Act Together phase is carried out by various actors on several levels using a combination of formal and informal systems, methods, and tools.

First, let’s consider some general monitoring questions appropriate for any group:

• What is our goal? What are our “desired results”?
• How do we currently assess how we are doing related to this goal and our desired results? What formal and informal monitoring processes currently exist to share observations about progress (e.g., monthly community meetings, neighbors meeting at the water pump talking about how things have changed)?
• What indicators do we use to judge our progress, success, or failure?
• What do we want to monitor that we currently do not monitor and how will we do this? What kind of tool and/or process do we need to implement?

Now, let’s look at the different monitoring needs for the major groups involved in most community mobilization programs. You may need to add or omit groups to suit your program. Specific monitoring tools will need to be tailored to your particular health issue and community capacity building goals. This section provides some examples of systems, methods, and tools to monitor progress at each of these levels. It is important to remember that there is always a base of experience upon which to build, and, as with all participatory processes, you need to start from where people are.

Individual and Family Monitoring
Community and Group Monitoring
Program Team Monitoring
Donor and Stakeholder Monitoring