Working with people:

IFORAP uses a ‘strengths based approach’ to all community activities. It looks to build upon the inherent skills within individuals and communities, advancing their capacity to build peaceful kinships that provide sustenance in our everyday lives. Healthy individuals in turn produce families and communities that have hope and a means for the future with dignity, self-respect and respect for others. Working in collaboration with existing services and traditional practices, IFORAPs projects will draw out and amplifylocal resources.

IFORAP acknowledges the different roles played within a community, encouraging the validation of gender roles, elders, youth and individuals that may experience disability. Participation in meaningful roles in one's family, community or workforce creates a sense of self-worth in addition to a sense of belonging.

Working with principle:

As a result of countervailing forces when working within and between communities, there can be a ‘re-enactment’ of contextual issues within programs or organisations. For example mistrust, discrimination and isolation experienced by communities during times of conflict can emerge or be projected by individuals when in contact with an organisation. This is recognised and described as a ‘parallel process’. (McAllister, 2003, p.6) IFORAP is aware of this process and therefore upholds its principles of non-discrimination and equal access to its programs for all individuals or communities. IFORAP is not based in religious ideation nor holds any political affiliation: it is an independently orchestrated organisation.

Working with programs:

When individuals or communities work together for a common goal and make use of the resources in ways that benefit each other and their environment, they build trust and community esteem. Working together provides an avenue through which one can cross social barriers of power, age, status, culture, language and so on.IFORAP acknowledges the importance of promoting sustainable local land development and resource management, shifting the entire responsibility from governments or external corporations to communities and individuals.

Providing pathways for working together toward a goal produces social capital and the acknowledgement of commonality. As the community gathers resources, it too accumulates knowledge and wisdom. Consequently communities build cohesive relationships, with improved support networks that maintain safer and healthier lifestyles.