This down-to-earth book is aimed at Third World development staff involved in working with the rural poor and draws on the author's own field experience in Africa and Asia. The book is also relevant to non-field staff and, indeed, students of development generally, who want to understand what participatory development is, how it differs from the more conservative process of simply trying to involve people in already decided development projects, and the practicalities of how a non-government organisation (NGO) can go about its work without taking over and manipulating the local people.

People First presents a coherent methodology for achieving development based on principles of conscientisation, local control, co-operation and self-reliance. It emphasises the importance of women participating fully, and of getting the economics of a project right, if it is to be of real benefit to local people and successfully sustained. The author also believed that field experience and theoretical understanding must be integrated so that change agents and development workers can situate their work in an awareness of both the nature of poverty and competing views of the development process.

Conscious of the frequent co-option of the idea of participation by official development agencies, and of the other pitfalls that participatory development can run into, the author provides a hard-headed and practical education about the role of change agents; their recruitment training and support; how to get started; working with groups; handling relations with government officials and local power holders; and a full range of other relevant issues.