Community Participation in Development in Oyom Village

Abstract

Oyom Village, Lampasio District, Tolitoli Regency, faces challenges in optimizing community participation at every stage of village development. Although regulations mandate full community involvement, the reality on the ground shows a gap in participation caused by geographic factors, accessibility, and minimal socialization. Communities from remote hamlets such as Ogodudu and Ogobangga are often not optimally involved in the Village Development Planning Meeting (Musrenbangdes) due to travel distances of up to 30 minutes and limited transportation. This study used a descriptive qualitative method with observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation techniques. Data analysis used the interactive model of (Miles, 2014). Research informants included the Village Head (Moh. Saswi), the Head of the BPD (Arham A.r), a Traditional Leader (Lulu Akim), and community members (Suwandy and Riskawati). The theory used is from Ericson (in Yunus, 2023)) with three indicators: participation in the planning, implementation, and utilization stages. The results show that community participation in Oyom Village during the planning stage is quite good but not evenly distributed due to geographical constraints. In the implementation phase, participation was very strong through mutual cooperation activities, labor contributions, and expertise in physical projects such as village roads and clean water systems. In the utilization phase, communities have been actively maintaining infrastructure, forming management groups such as PANSIMAS and BUMDes, and utilizing village facilities for social and economic activities. Key recommendations include: (1) institutionalizing transportation or rotating deliberations in each hamlet; (2) providing training in budget planning and monitoring for communities; and (3) strengthening campaigns to maintain development outcomes to ensure more equitable, quality, and sustainable participation.