M2: Tip in Working with Community 2.1.

Module Objectives

Introduction:
In the previous module, it was discussed that NSTP 2 is to empower students with the foundation of
community projects, wherein we’ve listed different community service activities that can be utilized in this
course.
In this module, we are to learn the different tips that we can apply while we work with the fulfillment
of the activities that will be later on implemented in our own community/ locality.
  

Objectives:
At the end of the module, the student should be able to:

1. Know what is a community and its different types.

2. Identify the characteristics of a community.
3. Know what is community service and the importance of community service.
4. Choose the best strategy to be implemented while working with the community/locality.
5. Identify the challenges in working with the community.

Community
It is defined as a group of people who share something in common. One can define a community by
the shared attributes of the people in it and/or by the strength of the connections among them. You need a
bunch of people who are alike in some way, who feel some sense of belonging or interpersonal connection.
Communities are technically human beings that share common goal and interest.

Types of Community
 FORMAL COMMUNITIES- engage in joint activities and discussion, help each other, and share
information with each other; they care about their standing with each other.
Examples: Ecovillages, Co-housing communities, Co-ops communities, and Religious communities
 INFORMAL COMMUNITIES- consists of a set of personal relations, social networks, common
interest and emotional sources of motivation.
Examples: Academic communities, Recreation communities and Retirement communities
 URBAN COMMUNITIES- large in terms of land area & population, advanced in science &
technology, with favorable physical environment and & diverse cultures, and the people are engaged in
various occupations.
Characteristics of urban communities:
 Advancement in science and technology, many business establishments, recreational
centers, educational and religious institutions, people are crowded, social heterogeneity, class extremes and
greater pollution;
 Many crimes are committed, Family ties tend to be weak, Limited space, Greater
impersonality among neighbors, Higher standard of living, Shortage of employment, Informal settlers are
rampant;
 A lot of hazards and dangers, a `Greater number of separation of spouses and live- in
arrangements, Major occupations are industrial, administrative and professional, Divisions of labor and
occupational specialization are very much common

 RURAL COMMUNITIES- usually produce their own food for subsistence

Characteristics of rural communities ,
 Greater personal interaction, Deep, long-term relationships, Generally, peace and
order exists, Mutual give and take affairs, Emphasis of shared values, Vernacular is usually spoken, Wider
area;
 Influence of blood relationships in decision making, Homogenous type of culture,
Belief in supernatural and superstitious beliefs, Relationship is more personal and informal, Less pollution,
Few establishments and institutions, Few goods and services

 GLOBAL COMMUNITIES- it is the international aggregate of nation-states.

Global communities or what we refer to as the “World Community” they have common point of view
towards issues of human rights, global warming and climate change, peace and order, socio-economic
conditions as well as disputed issues such as territorial conflict.
 SECTORAL COMMUNITIES-
this include the voluntary sector or non-profit sector
The Voluntary, non-profit and non-governmental sectors, also called third sector (in contrast to public
and private sector), NGOs: Non-governmental organizations
 SOCIAL SPACE COMMUNITIES- based on social spaces
o A social space is a physical or virtual space:
o Physical: social center, gathering place, town squares, parks, pubs, shopping malls;
o Virtual: online social media, websites.
o Characteristics of social spaces- People gather at information grounds for a primary purpose
other than information sharing, Attended by different social types, Social interaction is a primary activity,
Information occurs in many directions, Information is used in alternative ways, many sub-contexts exist;
together they form grand context.

What characterizes a community?

According to Paronen and Oja, there are six main features which characterize a community:

1. A community is typified by the membership; that is its members have a sense of identity and
belonging.
2. A community consists of common symbol systems, such as similar language, religion, and practices.
3. Community members share norms and values.
4. They have a sense of mutual influence, whereby they influence and are influenced by each other
(reciprocity).
5. A community is characterized by shared needs and committed to meeting those needs.
6. Community members typically share an emotional connection, such as common history, mutual
support, and similar experiences.
What Is Community Service?
Community service is any kind of work done either by a person or a group of people with the
objective to benefit others. Typically, this kind of work is done on a volunteer basis, which means there is no
monetary outcome. You are basically volunteering your time and effort to help. There are many different
ways to help your community, focusing on various areas — children, animals, senior citizens, people with
disabilities and the environment are a few examples.
  Usually, such work is organized by a local group, like a school or non-profit. However, you may start
your own community service group and take on projects of your choice.

Why Should You Participate in Community Service?

  There are a number of reasons why one should engage in activities that positively benefit the
community. Most students are required to put in a few hours of community service organized by their school
 or college as a graduation requirement. In some countries, community service is court-mandated — you
have to complete a certain number of hours ordered by a judge.
There are other reasons to participate in community service other than being required, or forced, to
do so. Indeed, volunteering does have numerous personal benefits too. Here are some of the reasons,
apart from benefiting the community, why one should consider engaging in community service:

1. Helps you develop a richer perspective of the world

2. Develop an increased sense of social responsibility
3. Often results in psychological and emotional growth
4. Improves lifelong communication, interpersonal and critical thinking skills
5. Helps students find their passion and interests that could potentially lead career choices they may
have failed to consider otherwise
6. Can help strengthen college applications and resume
7. Can be a great way to meet new people and make friends
8. Provides you with an opportunity to gain work experience
9. Allows you to quickly step up to leadership positions within organizations
10. Provides an opportunity to apply academic learning to real life events
 
The opportunity to see, first-hand, how your work can benefit someone is very important. Moreover,
expanding our worldview by looking beyond what most us of frequently taken for granted leaves a lasting
mark on an individual. Finally, interacting with people who have vastly different backgrounds teaches us
patience and empathy as you develop a global perspective.

 Physical activity programs for community development

The following elements have been identified as important aspects of programs that aim to build stronger
communities:

1. Connecting the social, cultural, environmental and economic spheres in the community.
2. Improving the quality of life of community populations and gaining mutual benefit among community
members.
3. Creating opportunities and encouraging community members to participate in community activities,
from employment to social events to civic duties.
4. Empowering communities, helping them to take advantage of opportunities and to take shared
responsibility for their wellbeing.
5. Recognizing the diversity of interests within a community and how that may affect the capacity
building.
6. Engaging people from the community, government, and private sectors to work together to address
community issues, solve problems in their community, and achieve common goals.

Tips for working together and increasing productivity

1. Set goals and monitor your performance. Make sure you define realistic goals and decide how you
will measure the outcome and your success.
2. Create effective plans for reaching those goals. Now that you know what to accomplish, you need to
identify the steps you need to take to achieve the goal, dedicate tasks according to skills, and manage time
wisely.
3. Communicate clearly. Every team member should keep others updated on their progress. Clear and
straightforward communication leads to more productivity.
4. Solve problems together. The team needs to work together to solve unexpected problems.
Addressing conflict before it becomes a more significant problem is also important.
5. Be open. Teams need to be honest with each other. There is a willingness to listen to others and to
work through stressful situations constructively.  
6. Respect individuality. Remember that each group is composed of different skills and personalities.
Understanding what each person can bring to the table is critical to success.

How to Positively Benefit Your Community as a Student

One very effective way for you to benefit and improve your community greatly is through community service.
In the process, community service will also help you acquire skills and knowledge, and gain essential
experience that you can include on your resume. Although the sole purpose of benefiting your community
positively shouldn’t be an updated resume. Engaging in community service as a student helps you become
an active part of your community, which will certainly serve to make a positive impact. Some of the skills you
are likely to gain through social work include:

1. Leadership
2. Problem-solving
3. Collaboration with others
4. Time management
5. Communication

REMEMBER!
If you want to be more relevant to a community you already engage, there are a few questions you
should ask yourself. Answering these questions will help you figure out what you feel most passionate
towards. It is important to compare tasks based on their perceived importance. Recall the quote above, no
act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

1. What do you already know about the people within it?

2. Do you know how connected people feel to each other?
3. Are there identifiable leaders or representatives you can talk with about their shared issues, goals,
and dreams?
4. Who and/or what are you passionate about?
5. Is there a particular activity you enjoy doing that you could do to help in some way? Like, baking or
drawing.
6. Do you want a long-term activity, something that you can do for short amount of time or a one-time
activity?
7. Why do you want to do this?
8. What is the impact you would like to have?
9. If your impact is quantifiable — an “amount raised” for instance — what is your goal?
10. What do you wish to learn?
After assessing, then you may start tapping people to help you materialized your goal. Present to them
the objectives of your project, involve them in the planning up to the decision making processes, so they
may feel that they are really into it.

Ideas on How to Benefit the Community

1. Pick up some trash. Head out and spend a few hours beautifying your surroundings. Start small in
your own neighborhood
2. Start a violence protection group in your community
3. Participate in a charity walk or run
4. Host an Earth Day event
5. Create and distribute a list of hotlines for people who might need help
6. Teach a home-alone safety class for children
7. Gather a group of friends or talk to one of the on-campus clubs to package meals for the homeless
in the surrounding city
8. At the end of the semester, create a textbook donation drive so students can donate used textbooks
to redistribute to low-income students for free
9. Create a summer reading program
10. Teach classes for a skill you have

Challenges of community engagement:

1. Attitudes and expectations:

There may be a feeling in the community that they cannot provide constructive input, won’t be taken
seriously or cannot influence the decision-making process. It may be difficult for them to contribute skills,
resources and time because of geographic or cultural barriers.

2. Characteristics of urban communities

Close communities are common in rural areas. In urban areas, the members of the community may not
know each other, so communities may be more fragmented. Urban communities are very mixed, with
diverse backgrounds and needs that can make it difficult to accommodate different people’s interests.
Communicating technical information in an understandable manner is also made more difficult if local
residents speak different languages or have conflicting priorities.

3. Commitment to the future:

Higher levels of community engagement continue beyond the initial planning stage to project management
and maintenance. This requires a continuing commitment from all stakeholders. Preparing plans for the
future and identifying possible challenges that may arise can help with preparations to avoid them and
should improve sustainability of the project.

References:
 [Link]
 Ariola, M. (2017). Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship. Manila: Unlimited Books
Library Services & Publishing Inc. 45
 [Link]
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