PROTOCOL P-05 | Inclusion & Safe Expression

Safe Space Facilitation Protocol

TRIGGER When power imbalances, fear, prior silencing, or low participation depth is detected in formal engagement processes

STEPS

1. Identify the need for a safe space engagement

Review Signal Tracker and meeting records for: consistently low discussion depth despite adequate attendance, concerns expressed informally that are not raised in formal settings, groups that are absent or silent in mixed settings, or signs of fear, deference, or conditional agreement ('we will support whatever you decide').

2. Identify which groups require separate engagement

Common groups: women, fisherfolk, farm workers and tenants, elderly residents, informal settlers, youth. Use the Vulnerability and Exclusion Screening tool. The separation is not about exclusion, it is about creating conditions where different groups can speak without social pressure from other groups or from authority figures.

3. Select the appropriate format

Options: small group discussion (5-12 people), gender-separated session, home or community space visit (not a formal venue), informal conversation during a regular community activity, or a walking consultation in the actual affected area. The format should minimize formality and power signals (no official table, no uniforms, no formal agenda).

4. Select and brief the facilitator

The facilitator should ideally be trusted by the group, have no authority over their livelihood or welfare, and be trained in creating open dialogue. A CSO representative, community health worker, or trained ComRel officer (who is not perceived as a project enforcer) may be appropriate. Brief them on: the group's context, specific sensitivities, what questions to explore, and how to document without intimidating.

5. Set and state ground rules at the start of the session

State clearly: concerns raised here will be documented (with anonymity if requested), input will be shared with the project team and, where relevant, the LGU, responses will be given, and participation will not result in negative consequences. State this in the local language, simply and directly.

6. Use open, non-leading questions

Begin with: 'What questions do you have about the project?' or 'What concerns you most about what is happening?' Do not present project information first, this tends to shift participants into passive reception mode. Start with their questions and concerns.

7. Document concerns raised

Record concerns in the facilitator's own notes during or immediately after the session. If participants are comfortable, a simple flip chart visible to everyone works well. Do not record names unless participants explicitly consent — document the concern, not the individual (unless they want to be identified).

8. Confirm with participants how their input will be used

Before closing: 'Here is what we heard today. This will be shared with [name]. You will hear back about how it was responded to by [date].' This step establishes accountability and begins the feedback loop.

9. Feed documented concerns into Signal Tracker or Grievance Register within 24 hours

Do not let safe space outputs sit in a facilitator's notes. They must enter the system to be acted on.

10. Follow up with the group through the Feedback Closure Protocol

The safe space session is not complete until participants know what happened to what they said. Schedule a follow-up within a defined timeframe (typically 2-4 weeks).

PURPOSE

To create structured conditions where stakeholders (particularly those who are less vocal, structurally marginalized, or afraid to speak in the presence of authority) can express concerns, ask questions, and participate meaningfully. This protocol defines when a separate or differently structured engagement is warranted, how to design it, and what to do with what emerges from it.

Roles and Responsibilities

Primary:

Actor: Facilitator (CSO / trained ComRel)
Responsibility: Designs and conducts the session, documents concerns, briefs ComRel Officer on outputs.

Coordinating:

Actor: ComRel Officer / PCO
Responsibility: Identifies need, selects and briefs facilitator, ensures outputs enter the GRM system, manages follow-up.

Supporting:

Actor: Trusted Community Member / Leader
Responsibility: Helps convene the group, builds initial trust. Should not dominate the discussion.

Excluded from session:

Actor: Project Manager / Developer Representatives
Responsibility: Authority figures from the developer side should not be present. Their presence changes what people are willing to say.

Field Notes and Adaptation Guidance

• Field Note — Forced consent is a real and observable pattern

  In several consultations observed across sites, community members used language that indicated resignation rather than genuine agreement: 'we cannot stop it anyway,' 'we have no choice but to support,' 'what can we do.' This is a direct signal that safe space engagement is needed. Do not record conditional or resigned statements as endorsement.

• Field Note — The venue matters as much as the facilitation

  A session held in the barangay hall, with officials seated at the front and project representatives present, will reproduce the same dynamics as the formal consultation it is supposed to complement. Location is a power signal. Move sessions to neutral or community-controlled spaces: a community member's home, under a tree, at the community garden. The informality of the setting communicates that the usual hierarchy does not apply here.

• Adaptation Guidance — When a CSO facilitator is not available

  In areas with limited CSO presence, consider: a community health worker, a respected teacher, a local religious leader who is trusted across groups, or a women's association leader. The key criteria are trust, independence from both the developer and the LGU, and basic facilitation capability. A one-day facilitation orientation for these local actors can be sufficient for this purpose.

Required Output / Documentation

• Facilitator session notes: concerns raised, questions asked, and participant reactions

• Anonymized concern entries in Signal Tracker or Grievance Register

• Follow-up commitment communicated to participants (what will happen and by when)

• Facilitator debrief with ComRel Officer (verbal or written, same day)