Mandate of the Department 

Community Based Services involve mobilizing and sensitizing the public to equitably take advantage of empowerment opportunities that are available (as well as nurturing a value system based on national identity, faith, customs and traditions). Community Based Services play a leading role in social mobilization, protection and empowerment of the community for social development in line with the National Development Plan (under the four thematic areas: community mobilization and empowerment, gender and human rights, social protection, and culture for development). 

Strategic Direction

To implement community mobilization and empowerment programs, Gulu City has recruited a Principal Community Development Officer (PCDO) and a Community Development Officer (CDO) at the city head quarter; and Assistant Community Development Officers (ACDOs) at division level. The ACDOs and CDOs support all sectors in mobilization of communities mainly for water and sanitation, health, wealth creation and participatory planning to ensure that government programs respond to community needs and in preparation of division development plans among others. In spite of their enormous contribution, the CDOs and ACDOs have got meagre budgetary resource allocation in both the division and the City Head-quarter. The available community development officers are overloaded to do effective community mobilization in the entire City due to limited staffing. As such there is limited community capacity to demand for services and slow progress in socio-economic indicators in the city as a whole which needs to be addressed.

Core Functions of Community Services Department

1. Building strong connections with Community Partners, Development Partners, CSO’s, Residents and Employees
2. Improving the Lives of Vulnerable Groups,
3. Rebuilding and empowering communities 
4. Promotion of Functional Adult Literacy (FAL) programme 
5. Improving access to quality education services.