Strategies to Encourage Community Participation through Communication: Milagro Case Study

The objective of this research is to determine the pattern of communication and its incidence in the processes of community participation in the neighborhood "Las Piñas" in the city of Milagro. This study employed a quantitative-qualitative methodology, utilizing methods of communication and participation in processes. The development of the city was analyzed through interviews and in-depth research, as well as documents and observations of the social situation and situation through the voices of community leaders and a survey of families in the area (Piña Norte and Piña del Sur). As a result of the research, it was found that community participation is characterized by the actions of the inhabitants of the community. The inhabitants of this place do not recognize the implications of their actions and consider participation only as a form of social gathering for a common purpose. This could indicate that this way of thinking is the result of their ignorance of the processes and forms of participation that imply an active development of the conscious. In this context, the social communication variable is considered deficient, lacking community orientation, so that the citizens of Las Piñas do not find an adequate space to present their ideas. Consequently, communication does not serve as a catalyst for participation, which has implications for the advancement of the community. Conversely, during the course of the research, it was discovered that the local government is not perceived in a favorable manner; rather, it is perceived to have a negative image and lacks credibility.