Step 4 Establishing a local responses support team at district level

A local responses support team should be set up at the decentralized level , whether urban or rural, with support from the facilitator. The team should be technically well-equipped and have the moral support of local communities. A team may develop out of existing structures, or may be created by the communities themselves. Its members may include people such as district officials, religious and traditional leaders, representatives of NGOs, community-based organizations and the private sector, and people living with HIV or AIDS. A team needs to be self-confident, with the ability to define priorities, develop a plan of action and implement the plan.

A team's working style should be participatory, interactive and based on consensus. It will take on situation analyses and analyse the outcome of interventions, and it will identify and set priorities, determine strategies, and plan, coordinate and monitor activities.

A team will seek to expand local partnerships against HIV/AIDS and enhance the resources of local communities.

Documenting and building on the experiences of community projects are core functions for every team.