The value of collaboration and participatory approaches in the Genius of SPACE project

Langrug informal settlement, Franschhoek

The water indaba presentation for Genius of space 16th May 2017

Solomon Sonxi

TODAY’S DISCUSSION1. Introduction2. What is participation (what, why, how, how much)?3. What is a capability analysis?4. Applying Biomimicry principles to social engagement

and participation (retrospectively)5. Participation and capability analysis for Langrug

(Gabriel and Hannalie’s research)6. Story telling – GOS ways of being and doing

participation7. Story telling - Achievements, Challenges8. Learnt and still learning 9. Recommendations and the future of GOS10. Thanks and closure

WHY DO PARTICIPATION?

• For informed decision making that’s driven by democracy• As an attempt to achieve social equality • In South Africa - participation as a democratic right • To solve complex problems by engaging with people most

affected by them• To link research and development realms• To increase the probability of local priorities and needs being

met• Because empowered stakeholders usually generate more

useful knowledge• To give a voice to all participants• To prevent conflicts • BUT unlikely if in a political power vacuum

Source: G Wolfaardt, MPhil thesis, 2016 and H Malan, MPhil thesis, 2016

Source: Malan, H. MPhil Thesis. 2016. After Arnstein. 1969, 220

WHAT IS PARTICIPATION?THE PARTICIPATION LADDER

Placation = to please, calm or control

Ask yourself:1. Are the

stakeholders passive and being fed information?

2. Is information being gathered from stakeholders?

3. Is information being exchanged through dialogue or negotiating?

HOW DO WE MEASURE PARTICIPATION?

Source: G Wolfaardt, MPhil thesis, 2016

HOW CAN WE DO PARTICIPATION?1. Co-design2. Multi stakeholder engagements3. Transdisciplinarity4. Collaboration5. Assets-based participation6. Co-management7. Conflict resolution8. Leadership 9. Field trips10.Events, campaigns11.Capacity building12.Community surveys13.Dialogue14. Focus groups, Interviews etc

SO, PARTICIPATION IN WHAT EXACTLY?

Project planning and milestonesStrategy Design (Technical and landscape)Employment / labour selectionConstructionImplementationOperations and maintenanceDesign of branding and identitiesCommunications / education and awareness / campaignMonitoring and data collectionResearchStakeholder engagementMedia, conferences and tours

MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM

THE PARTICIPATION LADDER IN GOS

Langrug GOS project

Transitioning and cycling

ASSETS-BASED PARTICIPATION FOR UPGRADING –CAPABILITY ANALYSIS

•Amartya Sen (1980’s) - analysing well-being •Capabilities are the means available to someone to fulfill their expectations and achieve their pre-determined goals / outcomes•Capability is made up of shocks, trends, assets, choices, abilities, opportunities, with outcomes of well-beingCapability = Choices + Abilities + Opportunities

WELL-BEING OUTCOMES Source: Malan, H. MPhil Thesis.

2016. After Arnstein. 1969, 220

Source: Malan, H. MPhil thesis. 2016 After Frediani and Hansen. 2015, 8

ASSETS-BASED PARTICIPATION FOR UPGRADING –CAPABILITY ANALYSIS

Human Physical

Financial

SocialNatural

Political

Access to

Assets

opportunities and abilities

Well-being

Outcomes

Clean and safe

water services

Best Practice

results

Community

ownership

Participation

Sustainable

infrastructure

Secure

Livelihoods

Part

icip

ato

ry –

based

urb

an

up

gra

din

g

part

ners

hip

Lan

gru

g

co

mm

un

ity

choices

Capability Space

Innovation

Inte

rven

ing

bo

dy

Source: Malan, H. MPhil Thesis. 2016

CAPABILITY ANALYSIS FOR LANGRUG

BIOMIMICRY, PARTICIPATION AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

EVOLVE:1. Diversity of social engagement techniques used2. Diversity of plans / designs as local context changes quickly3. Plan and respond to challenges / conflict

ADAPT:1. Adjust engagement when feedback

is that it’s not effective2. Flexible infrastructure – discussions

with neighbours for infrastructure positions and additions e.g. as new houses pop up

3. Fix snags with input from construction team and leadership

BE LOCAL & RESPONSIVE:1. Work with local

residents2. Local

construction and maintenance labour

3. Forum (LCPC) is local leadership -cooperative

4. Work with leaders for fast feedback and communication channels

BIOMIMICRY, PARTICIPATION AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

GROW IN MODULES:1. LCPC expanding

responsibilities as their capabilities and skills develop

2. Construction team could extend infrastructure as they know how to build it

BE RESOURCE EFFICIENT:1. Work with local leaders2. Select local labour from pilot area –

done by Forum (LCPC)3. Use local suppliers e.g. local

catering4. Recycle materials from construction

e.g. pavers, shadecloth

BE LIFE FRIENDLY:1. Learning by doing –

skills infiltrate community

2. Create a brandidentity and be recognised

3. Using biodegradablesoaps where possible in maintenance

WAYS OF BEING AND DOING PARTICIPATION – GOS SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

CO-DESIGN

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING, THINKING AND PLANNING

GENIUS OF PEOPLE AND PLACE

NEIGHBOURHOOD SCALE

COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMMUNITY…

Formed Project Steering Forum (PSF) – done by CORC PSF later became LCPC (representative leadership) LCPC assist with community employment - spinning Meetings (Co-design) Campaigns

• Door-To-Door visits• Newsletter• Posters• Events (Involving school)• Clean-ups

Workshops - Meza2Meza (residents from block S and T)… Experiences and field trips - Agri-Protein, Ywaste, SEED Celebrations

COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT

MEZA 2 MEZA CAMPAIGN

INFRASTRUCTURE IS PEOPLEINFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS PEOPLE

Project Steering

Forum (LCPC and project

team)

FLOW AGENT BRANDING

Designs by: Warren Turner (in collaboration with Langrug LCPC members)

OPS & MAINTENANCE – COMMUNITY MANAGED

LOCAL FLOW AGENTS AND FORUM

NEIGHBOURS AND SHARING

NEIGHBOURS AND GREENING

SCHOOLS AND GETTING DIRTY

FLOW AGENT MAINTENANCE DATA COLLECTION

• Snapture and SeeTell (See/Saw)

– Provide airtime and data for flow agent.

• Checklist sheets

• Allows community members to be involved and to take ownership of the infrastructure systems

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Formation of forum (LCPC and full PSF)• A strong leadership• Community surveys• A working technical system• Community participating and generally following

guidelines• Provides employment• Sharing knowledge• Better lives - health of kids• Understanding different cultures/backgrounds• Celebration of achievements in teams e.g. braais• 4 masters students – case study of Langrug

CHALLENGES• Conflict

– Politics– Age– Consistency– Language barrier

• Disruptions of the system– Vandalism– Theft

• Behaviour Change difficult• Communication channels can sometimes be unclear• Assumptions - complexity• Residents think we ARE the municipality / gov• Lack of local pride?• Red tape, paperwork, delays, beaurocracies

LEARNT AND LEARNING

• How to communicate more clearly with each other, using our words and understanding

• Communication channels - who, what, when, how• Understand different behaviour patterns• How to deal with different and difficult personalities• How to deal with emergencies• How to handle conflict• How to recognise if something is worth following up

on or not• How to deal with moving targets, and be flexible and

adaptive e.g. with changing funding and deadlines (G Wolfaardt)

LEARNT AND LEARNING cont.

• It’s about work, it’s not personal• Patience for “new” technologies• Trust – how to build it (this needs time)• It’s like a romantic relationship!• Building a strong relationship takes lots of hard work• Technical intervention can enable social cohesion• Building on existing community work and leadership is

the key to successful implementation• Agency in informal sector is an untapped resource (G

Wolfaardt)• Everything takes TIME!

TO DO LIST

• Continue to work on clear communication of mission, goals and objectives of project and its phases

• Discuss management hierarchy and that of leadership structures to support the LCPC in future of project

• Continue building capacity in LCPC and municipality (eventual authorities for project)

• Ensure LCPC has resources needed to maintain project (hard and soft)

• Develop habit of continuous evaluation of physical infrastructure and of capabilities of stakeholders

(from: H Malan, MPhil thesis, 2016)

THE FUTURE OF LANGRUG

TEAM REFLECTIONS

THANK YOU

• Solomon Sonxi – solomonsonxi@outlook.com

Twitter: #GeniusofSPACE@WCGovEADP@WCGov110%Green

The Genius of SPACE project is supported by a partnershipincluding:

WC DEA&DP, WC DHS and WC DEDATMOU with Stellenbosch Municipality

REFERENCES:

• H Malan. MPhil thesis (Urban Infrastructure, Designand Management). 2016. The role of intermediaryorganisations in facilitating the sustainability ofparticipatory-based urban upgrading interventions.UCT Department of Civil Engineering.

• G Wolfaardt. MPhil thesis (Sustainable DevelopmentPlanning and management). 2016. A Case Study ofTransdisciplinarity and Biomimicry: The Restoration ofWater Systems using Eco-machines within the InformalBerg River Community. Stellenbosch University(Department of Economics and Management Sciences)