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Module 1 - Introduction To Community Engagement: Lesson No. 1.1 - Understanding The Community

This document discusses principles of community engagement. It defines community engagement as the process of collaboratively working with community groups to address issues affecting community well-being. Key principles of community engagement include ensuring community relevance, equitable participation between community members and researchers, and building trust through open communication and collaboration. The document emphasizes understanding community dynamics through immersion and exposure to different community activities and concerns before engaging in community organization work.

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Camille Marapoc
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
125 views4 pages

Module 1 - Introduction To Community Engagement: Lesson No. 1.1 - Understanding The Community

This document discusses principles of community engagement. It defines community engagement as the process of collaboratively working with community groups to address issues affecting community well-being. Key principles of community engagement include ensuring community relevance, equitable participation between community members and researchers, and building trust through open communication and collaboration. The document emphasizes understanding community dynamics through immersion and exposure to different community activities and concerns before engaging in community organization work.

Uploaded by

Camille Marapoc
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Module 1 - Introduction to Community demographics (characteristics of population) tell

Engagement a lot about the movement of the population in the


community that you will serve. History allows you
Lesson No. 1.1 – Understanding the Community to identify certain patterns of change and people’s
What is a community? way of adapting to these changes that can be
useful in plotting your activities. Understanding
A community is usually thought of as all the the economy, culture, and community structures
people living in one specific area. But it can also increases the chances of the success of activities
mean a ‘community of interests’ where members since anyone can provide culture-based and
may not live near each other, but will all have more realistic solutions to community concerns.
something in common about which they respond
as a group (Aslin & Brown, 2004). Noted This pandemic changes our daily lives. Your
community development specialist Arlien home is your immediate community, isn't it. As of
Johnson once wrote that the term ‘community’ this time that vaccine is not yet fully available,
refers to a group of people gathered in any community quarantine protocols are necessary to
geographic area, large or small, who have protect use from Covid-19 virus. Perhaps you
common interests, actual or potentially have adapted by using improvised strategies.
recognized in the social welfare field. What kind of projects do you think you can do by
learning this information already? Based on your
As per concept, a community may be assessment of these elements and by working
categorized as geographical or functional. The with the community, one can already formulate
term geographical community is defined in the plan of actions.
purview of group of persons living in the same
geographical location like in a certain village, Community Engagement as an Important
town, neighborhood, district, area or territory. Approach in Giving Community Service
Meanwhile, community is said to assume the An old adage says that, “Experience is the
functional nature if the aggregate of people best teacher”. Going through the immersion
though not necessarily based on living in the process and conducting community service
same geographical location, is bonded by a activities/projects will enable the trainees to
common end such as fighting for the same cause, understand how the people feel, think, say, and
having the same interests and goals. These are behave as dictated by their conditions and
people who hold common values, share common situations in life as a means to make feel and
functions or express common interests. realize that they are more fortunate than many
A certain type of community has recently others and that the students can do something to
emerged. Some refer to it as just social improve the lives of the marginalized and
movements but its definition points out that it underserved.
surfaced out of the two other types of community. After having explained the significance of the
It is called a relevant community that defines a community engagement requirement of NSTP in
group of people having similar interests and goals the purview of the educational perspective, let us
as the communities around them. These succumb to the legal basis such. The basic
populations have common interests in changing question as “What is relevancy of the
existing institutions to their advantage in order to engagement part of the NSTP?” and “Why would
achieve redistribution of resources. It is geared trainees need to study the behavior of the people
towards organization of the poor. in and that which composed the community
Elements of a Community where they serve?” Answer to this sort of
questions is provided for in NSTP Act and has
As a trainee, one should be aware of served as the mandate and core of recognizing
elements of a community in order to understand the role of the youth in nation building. Young
the dynamics thereof. The important elements people are vested with the obligation “to defend
are demographics, history, culture, economy, and the security of the State and in fulfillment thereof,
structures (Labuguen, et al., 2018). The the government may require each citizen to
render personal military or civil service,” (Section plunging into community organization. Venture
2, NSTP Act of 2001) whether in times of peace undertaken may be integrated or specialized
or war. Simply put, aside from becoming socially activities which entail entering, familiarizing and
aware of the strengths, weaknesses, involvement of the self in the conduct of the
opportunities and threats of their communities, activities for community development.
trainees are believed to possess the qualities and
energies that, if properly channeled and directed, Good community engagement refers to
will yield results towards arresting, if not totally participation mechanisms and activities in which
annihilating, the innumerable dilemmas of man. a diverse variety of individuals work together to
accomplish a joint purpose, led by a commitment
The next question that a trainee is bound to to a similar set of ideals, beliefs and standards
ask is the first step of the process of immersion (Aslin & Brown, 2004).
is,” Are trainees, young as they are, capable of
responding to the stringent requirements of the The Centers for Disease Control and
community building and meeting the skills and Prevention (1997) provided a working definition of
knowledge criteria of transforming communities?” community engagement in its first edition of
Definitely, yes. The role of the youth in “Principles of Community Engagement”:
national/local development cannot be "The process of working collaboratively with
overemphasized. To reinforce this are the very and through groups of people affiliated by
words of our national hero. “The youth is the hope geographic proximity, special interest, or similar
of the fatherland.” situations to address issues affecting the well-
being of those people. It is a powerful vehicle for
bringing about environmental and behavioral
LESSON NO. 1.2 – PRINCIPLES OF changes that will improve the health of the
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT community and its members. It often involves
partnerships and coalitions that help mobilize
Lesson Summary resources and influence systems, change
A principle is based on the rule or theory that relationships among partners, and serve as
explains or controls how community engagement catalysts for changing policies, programs, and
happens or works. Strong community practices. The goals of community engagement
engagement offers the strongest platform for are to build trust, enlist new resources and allies,
incorporating local community awareness, create better communication, and improve overall
viewpoints in area, and local beliefs and attitudes health outcomes as successful projects evolve
into decision-making processes. Early into lasting collaborations."
participation in planning and delivery, Guiding principles (Ochocka & Janzen, 2014):
incorporation of stakeholder experience,
accountability and availability of information, Community relevance refers to the practical
dialogue and collaborations with government, significance of the research to communities.
industry, and non-governmental organizations Research is relevant when community members,
are all key components (Baybay & Hindmarsh, especially those most affected by the issue under
2019). study, gain voice and choice through the research
process and when researchers draw on the ways
Discussion of knowing that people agree are valuable to
What is community engagement? them.

Community engagement is an essential Equitable participation emphasises that


strategy in community organizing work that community members and researchers equitably
entails understanding of the different community share control of the research agenda through
concerns, process, dynamics and lifestyle active and reciprocal involvement in the research
through exposure and engaging in different design, implementation and dissemination. This
activities. It is different from the actual organizing domain acknowledges that, when people are
work. Immersion is just one of the strategies in conscious of their situation and the power that
oppresses them, they can collectively work entrepreneurship, morals of citizenry and other
towards a better future. social welfare concerns.

Action and change has an emphasis on social In view of the fact that engagement is a major
change through successive reflective action concern in development work, trainees may find
cycles. It stresses that the process and results of it significant to be guided by the following
research should be useful to community concepts;
members in making positive social change and in
promoting social equity  Trainees should immerse in actual
community life to get to know the
Community engagement and models of social, political and economic
knowledge flow situation of the people.
 Trainees may also undergo certain
Community engagement can delivered on one-
changes like increase in knowledge
way or two-way approach. Weerts and
about the social realities,
Sandmann (2008) provide an informative
development of good values, empathy
comparison of the approaches.
towards other people, improvement of
The Role of NSTP in the National Disaster Risk social skills, among others.
Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP  Trainees should identify the
2011 to 2028 community people’s interest and
aspirations.
A plan which serves as the national guide on  Trainees must recognize people’s
how sustainable development can be achieved resiliency and does not rob them of
through inclusive growth while building the their right to have community
adaptive capacities of communities; increasing participation and determination of
the resilience of vulnerable sectors; and appropriate course of action.
optimizing disaster mitigation opportunities with  Trainees should be aware of the gain-
the end in view of promoting people’s welfare and negotiated sanction-the acceptance
security towards gender-responsive and right- derived from community coupled with
based sustainable development. It outlines the the right to conduct immersion
activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of activities.
the national government and the local  Trainees must reflect on how their
government units (LGU’s) together with partner social analysis of the current situation
stakeholders, to build the disaster resilience of is concretized in community people’s
communities and to institutionalize arrangements lives. The analysis should have as
and measures for reducing disaster resilience of much meaning for the trainees as for
communities and to institutionalize arrangements the community.
and measures for reducing disaster risks,
including projected climate risks and enhancing Whom Do You Immerse Within the Community?
disaster preparedness and response capabilities
at all levels. When one goes to a community, he/she
associates with the people whom intends to work
Community engagement in NSTP is devised with as partners or allies. Community-based
as a strategy in molding and ‘conscientizing’ service projects must be premised on the
students just so that they may be socially aware principle of people empowerment and not the
and responsible to their communities. This ‘dole-out’ mentality. The parents, youth, the
manner of transformation is bent on training he differently-abled constituents, professionals,
youth to becoming civic conscious and defends members of people’s organizations, and other
prepared individuals. The nature of immersion formal and informal group, and others who can be
efforts done is along the dimensions of, but not potential collaborator of your projects or activities.
limited to, education, health, safety education, We do not just work for and serve the people but
sports and recreation, environmental services, rather we encourage their participation. This
practice of enjoining people’s support is adherent
to the Confucian’ philosophy of “give man a fish  enhance experience in conducting asset
and he will live for a day; teach him how to fish mapping such as identifying geographic
and he will live for a lifetime.” Community coverage, point out resources and the
engagement is empowering the people towards use, and the relationships of people with
development of the locality. the existing resources;
 establish rapport and relationship with
Conditions in a Community engagement
different people who may be of help to
It is so desired that one fundamental pre- them at some future time;
requisite qualification among those who intend or  develop their conscientization ability, it
are tasked to undergo Community engagement is helps them realize issues that will help
a full understanding of the concepts and theories solve problems in the community, it is
behind the dynamics of groups and community. important for them to do something that
In the same breath, knowing the very process of can change their situation.
immersion is a primordial condition. This is so  acquire first-hand experiences in dealing
because this endeavor requires a great deal of with community work; and
know-how and skills in facilitating interventions,  the chance to learn life skills that will
planning and managing community service enrich and better their persons.
projects, among others.
Succinctly, community engagement improves
Training-wise,community developers/organizers the trainees’ understanding of himself in relation
and social workers are most qualified because it to others. And by understanding others, the
is assumed that they have more or less formal trainees can be able to give a part of himself to
background on carrying out these kinds of help others.
understanding. Volunteers in social organizations
and movements also undertake immersions. Most important of all, community engagement
They undergo professional training in is in consistent with the innate and ultimate
development work. Such immersion typically intention of helping people as immortalized in the
proceeds to organizing work. words that spell the extension creed by Dr. Y. C.
James Yen of the International Institute of Rural
As for NSTP, students enrolled in NSTP- Reconstruction.
CWTS/LTS 2 are mandated to undergo
community engagement for a period covering a The Extension Creed
minimum of 54 hours to a maximum of 90 hours Go to people.
as cited from CHED-prescribed Program of
Instruction (POI), 2007 edition. Live with people. Learn from them.

What Personal Gains from Community Plan with them. Work with them.
engagement
Start with what they know.
The community engagement aspect of NSTP
Build on what they have.
will be able to benefit not only the communities
served but more so that students-trainees who Teach by showcase but a pattern.
may be accorded with the following advantage:
Not odds and ends but a system.
 opportunity for the trainees to
comprehend people’s lives because of Not piecemeal but integrated approach.
the chance given to them to see real life
Not to conform but to transform.
situations, live, identify and associate
with the people therein; Not relief but release.
 gain social acceptance derived from
community relations coupled with the
right to offer services;

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