Worksheet 15. Designing a Social Assessment.

In social assessment, you obtain a range of perceptions about who will gain and lose because of alternative plans, policies, programs, and projects. Most often, you do this through rapid rural appraisal (RRA) or participatory rural appraisal (PRA). Below is a framework to help you design your assessment. Place check marks to describe issues you will investigate, the type of team to conduct the assessment, and the methods you will use.

1. What Are the Issues You Will Investigate? Increased or decreased use rights on forested lands (tenure and control) Gains and losses in economic livelihood (subsistence agriculture, paid employment, other) Implications for cultural and religious values (tribal homelands, sacred forests, etc.) Working conditions (e.g., in forest industries, plantation projects, etc.) Implications for health and education (e.g., clinics and schools by forest industries) Equity considerations (by region, ethnic group, gender, socioeconomic level) Subjective views on changing quality-of-life (e.g., because of community growth, job training, regional migration, etc.) Working relationships with your agency (level of trust, respect, cooperation) Other issues: ............................................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................

2. Who Will Conduct the Assessment? No fewer than three people (to insure a diversity of perspectives) Both men and women (for the same reason) Mix of backgrounds (social sciences, technical fields) Experienced team leaders (who in turn can teach others) Individuals who personally know the people to be contacted (to establish confidence) Individuals who can work well with outside partners (such as NGOs)

3. What Methods Will You Use? And What Is Your Experience With Them? Key informants (mayors, tribal leaders, association leaders, etc.) Household interviews Open meetings Structured surveys Conflict matrix, community map, land-use transect, rural calendar, etc. Other methods: ............................................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................ ............................................................................................................................................................

Source: Adapted from Karen Schoonmaker Freudenberger, 1994, Tree and Land Tenure: Rapid Appraisal Tools, FAO- Rome. Italy.