What is Community

Partnership and Linkages?

 Community partnerships refers to how
schools develop and sustain meaningful
interactive relationships with their varied
communities (parent, education, civic, and
business groups). It is indeed essential in the
academe to establish a great deal of strong
relationship with the rest of the stakeholders
in the community. The school and the
community serve as the main sources of
effective and powerful sources that can create
an impact for mutual gains and betterment.
 Willems and Gonzalez-DeHass (2012) described
school–community partnerships as meaningful
relationships with community members,
organizations, and businesses that are committed to
working cooperatively with a shared responsibility
to advance the development of students’ intellectual,
social, and emotional well-being. School–
community partnerships can impact student success
and post-school outcomes as well as positively
influence and benefit the community in return.
Auerbach (2010) characterized authentic
partnerships as “respectful alliances among
educators, families, and community groups that
value relationship building, dialogue, and power
sharing as part of a socially just, democratic school.”
 A non-governmental
organization (NGO) is a non-
profit group that functions
independently of any
government. NGOs,
sometimes called civil
societies, are organized on
community, national and
international levels to serve a
social or political goal such as
humanitarian causes or the
environment (Folger, 2020)
 "The diversity of NGOs strains any simple
definition. They include many groups and
institutions that are entirely or largely independent
of government and that have primarily
humanitarian or cooperative rather than
commercial objectives. They are private agencies
in industrial countries that support international
development; indigenous groups organized
regionally or nationally; and member-groups in
villages. NGOs include charitable and religious
associations that mobilize private funds for
development, distribute food and family planning
services and promote community organization.
They also include independent cooperatives,
community associations, water-user societies,
women's groups and pastoral associations. Citizen
Groups that raise awareness and influence policy
are also NGOs" (The World Bank)
Tips to have Successful Partnership and Linkages
Ensure a broad-based,
inclusive partnership.
Seek partners from a
cross-section of your
community and ensure
that there is mutual
benefit to partnering.
Don’t wait for all partners
to get on board prior to
moving your plans
forward. Most partnerships
expand over time; don’t
lose momentum waiting
on others.
Secure commitments
from partners to
collaborate – don’t leave
it to chance. Ask partners
to designate specific
individuals and assign
responsibilities in
writing.
Seek input from your
partners by collaborating
to create a shared vision
and/or mission. Give
members an opportunity
to develop the vision,
rather than rubber-stamp
it.
Include partners in
decision-making as
needed. This builds a
feeling of ownership and
empowerment among
stakeholders.
Use committees to focus
on areas of specialty.
Conduct cross-learning
exercises to enhance
members’ understanding
of needs.
Develop shared,
measurable goals and
communicate your
progress regularly.
Make information
immediately available
to all of your
community partners.
Listen and be
responsive to key
stakeholders in your
community.
However, don’t try
to be all things to all
people.
Make yourself available
to participate in partner
committees and boards.
That indicates your
willingness to volunteer
your time for mutual
benefit.
Don’t hesitate to think big and
make bold decisions in order to
move the ball forward. Positive
momentum is always a good
predictor of success. As Newton’s
First Law of Motion (the law of
inertia) states, an object at rest
tends to stay at rest, while an object
in motion tends to stay in motion.
Memorandum of Agreement
A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is a
written document describing a cooperative
relationship between two parties wishing to work
together on a project or to meet an agreed upon
objective. An MOA serves as a legal document and
describes the terms and details of the partnership
agreement. An MOA is more formal than a verbal
agreement, but less formal than a contract.
Organizations can use an MOA to establish and
outline collaborative agreements, including service
partnerships or agreements to provide technical
assistance and training (Manning, 2018).
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Defines a “general area of understanding”
within both parties’ authorities and no transfer of
funds for services is anticipated. MOUs often state
common goals and nothing more. Thus, MOUs do
not contemplate funds transfers and should usually
include language that states something similar to:
“This is not a funds obligating document; by signing
this agreement the parties are not bound to take any
action or fund any initiative.” An MOU may be used
to outline the operation of a program so that it
functions a certain way. For example, two agencies
that have similar goals may agree to work together
to solve a problem or support each other’s activities
by using an MOU. The MOU is nothing more than a
formalized handshake (Manning, 2018).
Action Plan
An action plan is a document that
lists what steps must be taken in order to
achieve a specific goal. The purpose of
an action plan is to clarify what
resources are required to reach the goal,
formulate a timeline for when specific
tasks need to be completed and
determine what resources are required
(Rouse, 2013)
Ten Steps for Starting a Successful Community
Service Project
1) Find Out What Is Needed in Your Community
2) See What You Have the Ability to Do
3) Choose a Project
4) Develop a Plan
5) Recruit Your Volunteers
6) Make a Budget
7) Make a Timeline
8) Raise Money
9) Do the Project
10) Evaluate the project
Activity: Making an Action Plan

1. Please see the example below.

2. Make an action plan which is good for at least 10
Sundays in the community.
3. Each program should be implemented within three
hours every session.
 Action Plan
Materials Persons Estimated Expected
Programs Objectives Strategies Target Date
Needed Involved Budget Outcome
- Enumerate
-Prayer
the steps in
-Discussion
segregating Participants will
about Steps in
waste be able to:
segregating waste
materials - Enumerate
materials
- Appreciate the steps in
- Games allowing
the segregating
the participants
significance waste
segregate waste - Teaching
of proper materials
materials Paraphernalia - Php 500.00
waste - RTU Students February 14, - Perform
Environmental - Art Contest - Art Materials - Breakdown
management - Children ages 8- 2021 segregation
Awareness (portraying clean - Sound system of projected
by 12 (10:30-1:30PM) of waste
environment) (if applicable) expenses
performing materials
-Intermission
the - Draw
number
segregation representatio
- Eating Time
of waste n of a clean
- Prayer
materials environment
- Reminding
- Draw a - 98 %
students for next
representatio Successful
session’s
n of clean
activities.
environment