Personal Characteristics of Social Mobilisers

Graham Boyd, October 2004
Caledonia Centre for Social Development

In this short note the personal characteristics, leadership qualities and critical variables of success for social mobilisers are presented. The term social mobiliser is used in this note however in the development literature they are sometimes referred to as: community agents, community assistants, community workers, local catalysts, change agents, social workers, animators or facilitators.

They must have integrity, passion, and commitment to people.

In addition to these qualities they also must have the ability to:

• Recognise that everyone has a role to play and to create the space for people to fulfil that role
• Accept that contradictions are part of leadership
• Work skilfully and with modesty
• Know where to get the facts
• Match theory with practice
• Be accountable and work in a transparent way
• Be clear about one’s strengths and weaknesses
• Keep learning
• Know when to follow
• Listen deeply
• Have a sense of humour

Strategies for Building the skills and knowledge of Social Mobilisers

A three-pronged approach called the POT leadership development framework is vital:

P – personal empowerment;

O – organisational development;

T – transparency and knowledge.

This is a social change analysis and holistic approach to leadership issues through addressing the personal, political and contextual basis that individual activists face within their communities.

• Needs assessments: to understand what social mobilisers require out of leadership training

• Cascade training: training of trainers and using peer groups to train participants

• Linking theory to practice: to challenge existing leadership paradigms and popularise, analyse, and synthesise social and cooperative concepts.

• Promoting: intergenerational dialogue and organising

• Linking: local, regional and global issues and initiatives

• Follow-up programmes: with social mobilisers and their organisations

• Strengthening: networks and partnerships of social mobilisers and others working in the social and cooperative economy

• Residential training methodology: having social mobilisers periodically spend some of their training period together in one location, away from their day-to-day responsibilities, is very important for building their confidence, self-esteem, solidarity and lasting friendships.

• Using information and communication technology strategically.

Five Critical variables for success

These are:

	Awareness - how we see ourselves
	Visibility – how others see us
	Professionalism – working effectively as individuals
	Organisational quality – working effectively as an organisation
	Networking – working effectively to build partnerships between organisations

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