Livelihood Questions for Community Group Discussions
(Cate Turton: IDL Group) 11 December 2001

How can you get a lively livelihoods discussion going with a community? What are the questions that open up discussions and give you insights in to the real issues people are grappling with? How can you get a dynamic sense of how livelihoods are changing?

Here are some questions that we have found useful in helping us get to grips with these issues. They have worked well in group discussions in a range of countries from Zimbabwe to Bangladesh. Try asking the questions in different ways if you hit a blank wall! For example not all communities relate to the word gossip (though many do - look for the word gossip in the local language). So you could try asking what is everyone talking about in the village shop?

It would be good to great to develop the list further - does anyone have any other questions which spark off interesting livelihood discussions?

• What are the comings and goings in the community?
• Is this a good year or a bad year and why?
• What is the most difficult time of the year for you and why?
• How do you manage during those months?
• What are things that people are talking about in the community at the moment?
• What is the gossip?
• Where do the young people hang out? What do they do/talk about?
• How are relationships with outside institutions these days?
• Who is the most helpful person that comes to the village?
• How is farming going these days? What are the bright spots?
• What is the biggest waste of time for this community?
• What has changed in the last few years?
• Who is getting richer? Can you think of a household that is better (worse) off now than a few days before?
• Why are they richer (poorer) now - what happened?
• Who is the richest person in the village - what makes them rich?
• What are your aspirations for your children?
• If you compare this community to a (insert a nearby community/village name) how is this one different - is it the same, richer, poorer and why?

Ms Cate Turton - Senior Consultant, The IDL Group
P.O. Box 20, Crewkerne, Somerset, TA18 7YW, UK
Tel (main): +44 (0)1460 279 900
Fax: +44 (0)1460 279 911
and
Karen Westley The Shell Foundation (formerly with CARE International)