Forming a Community Care Coalition (CCC)At the end of the workshop, the way forward that most communities choose is to form a broad-based
community care coalition (CCC) for OVC. The CCC model is intended to be highly flexible and
responsive to local realities. ‘CCC’ is an umbrella term intended to describe a widely inclusive
community structure. This may also be called a Mutual Aid Society, a Village AIDS Committee,
community OVC committee, or preferably a term in a local language.This coalition can grow out of support groups that have already been formed, such as church groups,
support groups for PLWHA or women’s groups. The coalition should be as broad-based as possible,
including representatives from all the local organisations working to help OVC, men and women
currently visiting or caring for OVC, and also OVC themselves.Members of the coalition may be elected, volunteer, or be nominated by the community, depending
on community members’ preferences. The following qualities for CCC members and leaders have
been recommended by existing CCCs:
A commitment to caring for others, ideally demonstrated by the person already working
voluntarily to visit, care for and protect OVC
A willingness to put the benefit of others above his or her own benefit
A strong sense of responsibility and high level of integrity
A willingness to listen to other people’s points of view
The ability to commit time and energy to the coalition.When the CCC has been formed, the mobiliser may wish to facilitate the coalition’s election of a
leadership team. This is likely to include a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, a secretary and treasurer.
The leadership can then facilitate the development of an action plan for the CCC.STAGE 3
Key Roles of the CCC may include:
Mobilise the community to form community OVC care committees
Develop OVC assessment criteria
Identify OVC based on these criteria
Develop criteria for identifying home visitors
Identify home visitors and select candidates for home visitor training
Conduct local-level advocacy for policy, practices and resources to benefit the OVC
and their guardians
Mobilise resources to support OVC, their guardians and home visitors.(^10) Unit 1, Module 1 Guide to Mobilising and Strengthening Community-Led Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children