Community-based approaches to MHPSS

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has identified seven different levels of community engagement in MHPSS programmes. In the first three levels, where communities do not have decision-making power, information is either shared with communities or gathered from them, or they are merely consulted. The next two levels are firstly where communities are involved in activity planning but their power remains limited (known as ‘functional’ community engagement) and secondly where communities are completely involved in decision-making processes (‘interactive’ engagement). The last two levels are characterised as community ownership, in which communities control decision-making and agencies act as facilitators; and empowerment, where communities are able to respond to existing needs with limited external support. While MHPSS programmes should always aim for empowerment levels of community engagement, staff should be clear about their limitations.