Development and Scaling-up of Merit Maker Network to Prevent Drowning among children aged under 15 years in Nong Chok District, Bangkok

Abstract

                 This action research uses the PAOR cycle: planning, action, observation, and reflection in 4 steps.               The purpose is to develop the community's potential to prevent and solve the problem of drowning in children under 15 years of age expanding the results of operations to prevent drowning in children under 15 years of age to other communities. The target group is personnel from government agencies: Golden Land Indarul Mina Community and Nong Chok Volunteer Foundation (Ratchaphruek Center) of 22 peoples, Study period was between 18^th October – 22^TH February 2024. The qualitative data was collected by in-depth interview. Data was analyzed according to the 4-step PAOR cycle. The results showed that the development of drowning prevention policies for teachers and related networks were able to expand and applied to the public sectors, including children in other areas. The goal is to build and develop skills for survival in the water providing knowledge on water safety and rescuing victims of drowning in children under 15 years of age, and creating cooperation between the public, private and public sectors with the following characteristics:            1. Having the same goals and objectives. 2. Using resources that are co-dependant. 3. Brainstorming and planning to work together.  4. Sharing or exchanging of data.  5. Structure of coordination and communication flow. 6. Cooperation in organizing activities, and 7. Joint evaluation. The recommendation is the government agencies should support the partnership of local community-level organizations eg. Local foundations, association, religious leaders, community leaders who will be involved in any community agendas that require pooling of resources.