PROGRAMME PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION2(1+1)
Lesson 17 : Role of Local Leaders in Programme Execution
Introdution
Local leaders are the people chosen among themselves from their own community, who play a key role in programme execution. The village people if they have confidence and respect for their local leaders instead of fear and hatred certainly help in the programme implementation. A leader is one who begins the work, exercises influence over others and work is to be finished by the followers. What their respected leaders say and do have more relevance to the village people than what outsiders, including the gram sevak, might say and do. For this reason, extension workers- particularly the gram sevak must identify the village leaders and work with them so that the programme gets executed as planned.
It is important to develop village leadership and for this the gram sevak should be properly trained in the methods of identifying and working with village leaders such as constantly observing and asking a cross section of villagers to whom they look for leadership. Keen observations can be done during demonstrations, village camps, at times of emergency etc., for identifying local leader who play a key role in programme execution. The functions of local leaders in different extension programmes differ from one place to another and are according to the type of work to be performed. The overall function of local leaders is to lead in different ways under different situations and to set an example for others to follow.
Participants