Republic of the Philippines

PALAWAN STATE UNIVERSITY

Tiniguiban Heights, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan

ROXAS CAMPUS
National Highway, Barangay New Barbacan (Retac), Roxas, Palawan

HOSPITALITY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT

MODULE IN
NSTP 2: LITERACY TRAINING SERVICE 2

UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY
DYNAMICS

RODERICK A. MANGA
Faculty

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 Module 1

UNDERSTANDING COMMUNITY DYNAMICS

OVERVIEW: Community Dynamics

Community Dynamics is the process of change and development in communities of all living
organisms including plants, microorganisms, and small and large creatures of every sort.
Populations of an organism will appear in an environment as its requirements for establishment
are met. Community Dynamics data gives valuable insight into how people feel about the place
they live in and can shape decisions about which services are offered in particular
neighborhoods.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Define Community
2. Discuss concepts and principles underpinning community/ community participation and
involvement/community organization
3. Conduct community needs analysis
4. Identify community needs
5. Conduct social and resource mobilization planning
6. Seek collaboration with the identified community through networking and linkaging.
7. Organize, delegate, and activate for community action

TOPIC 1: Community Defined

Community is a group of living things sharing the same environment. They usually have shared
interests. In human communities, people have some of the same beliefs and needs, and this
affects the identity of the group and the people in it.

Communities are composed of social relationships that form the basis of communal life, and the
shared perceptions, and common interests of its members are the glue that bonds
the community into a coherent unit. Moreover, these social relationships and shared perceptions
transcend time, structure, and location.

Community is a term for groups of people living in somewhat close area, and usually under
common rules.
 Is a place where people common together to share common interest and resources
 Is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as norms, religion,
values, customs, or identity.

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  Is a group of people who share things in common, who work together towards a common
purpose which they care about and who care deeply about each other. Creating the
conditions for such a community to emerge should be a goal of any organization.

Different Types of Communities

You can classify every type of community by the purpose that brings them together.
a. Interest. Communities of people who share the same interest or passion.
b. Action. Communities of people trying to bring about change.
c. Place. Communities of people brought together by geographic boundaries.
d. Practice. Communities of people in the same profession or undertake the same activities.
e. Circumstance. Is the condition in which something happens.

Three types of community

1. Urban community is something which an individual thought as, an area with high
density of population, an area with the availability of basic requirements, an area of good
resources, the area has lots of opportunity of employment and such an area which can be
considered as life-giving for luxurious desires of human.
2. Suburban areas are lower density areas that separate residential and commercial areas
from one another. They are either part of a city or urban area, or exist as a separate
residential community within commuting distance of a city. As cars became the dominant
way for people to get to work, suburbs grew.

3. Rural area is an open swath of land that has few homes or other buildings, and not very
many people. A rural areas population density is very low. Many people live in a city, or
urban area. Their homes and businesses are located very close to one another. Rural
communities are called “the country” or farmland. There are fewer people, more spread
out from one another. There is lots of open space and natural areas.

All communities have places to work.

Different communities have different jobs.

a. Urban communities may have office workers, store clerks, taxi drivers.
b. Suburban communities may have factory workers.
c. Rural communities may have farmers.

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Evaluation Activity:
Quiz:
1. What are the three characteristics that define a community?
2. How is a Rural community different from an urban community?
3. How are they the same?
4. What might you see in a Suburban?
5. Can you name an example of an….
a. Urban community?
b. A Rural community?
c. A Suburban?

Assignment:

a. Define community dynamics.

b. Define community.

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TOPIC 2: Concepts and Principles

2.1 Concept of community

Concept of community is a group of people who share something in common. You 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.

Community is an important concept for social change because it helps us to see that social
change requires a change in some of the most important stories we tell ourselves. Social change
requires that we rewrite our communal narratives. Social change is change in community.

Concepts of Community

Systems Perspective
From a systems perspective, a community is similar to a living creature, comprising different
parts that represent specialized functions, activities, or interests, each operating within specific
boundaries to meet community needs. For example, schools focus on education, the
transportation sector focuses on moving people and products, economic entities focus on
enterprise and employment, faith organizations focus on the spiritual and physical well-being of
people, and health care agencies focus on the prevention and treatment of diseases and injuries
(Henry, 2011). For the community to function well, each part has to effectively carry out its
role in relation to the whole organism. A healthy community has well-connected, interdependent
sectors that share responsibility for recognizing and resolving problems and enhancing its well-
being. Successfully addressing a community’s complex problems requires integration,
collaboration, and coordination of resources from all parts (Thompson et al., 1990). From a
systems perspective, then, collaboration is a logical approach to health improvement.

Social Perspective
A community can also be defined by describing the social and political networks that link
individuals, community organizations, and leaders. Understanding these networks is critical to
planning efforts in engagement. For example, tracing social ties among individuals may help
engagement leaders to identify a community’s leadership, understand its behavior patterns,
identify its high-risk groups, and strengthen its networks (Minkler et al., 1997).

Virtual Perspective
Some communities map onto geographically defined areas, but today, individuals rely more and
more on computer-mediated communications to access information, meet people, and make
decisions that affect their lives (Kozinets, 2002). Examples of computer-mediated forms of
communication include email, instant or text messaging, e-chat rooms, and social networking
sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter (Flavian et al., 2005). Social groups or groups

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with a common interest that interact in an organized fashion on the Internet are considered
“virtual communities” (Rheingold, 2000; Ridings et al., 2002). Without question, these virtual
communities are potential partners for community-engaged health promotion and research.

Individual Perspective
Individuals have their own sense of community membership that is beyond the definitions of
community applied by researchers and engagement leaders. Moreover, they may have a sense of
belonging to more than one community. In addition, their sense of membership can change over
time and may affect their participation in community activities (Minkler et al., 2004).

The philosopher and psychologist William James shed light on this issue in his writings. James
thought it important to consider two perspectives on identity: the “I,” or how a person thinks
about himself or herself, and the “me,” or how others see and think about that person. Sometimes
these two views agree and result in a shared sense of an identity, but other times they do not.
People should not make assumptions about identity based on appearance, language, or cultural
origin; nor should they make assumptions about an individual’s perspective based on his or her
identity (James, 1890). Today, the multiple communities that might be relevant for any
individual including families, workplace, and social, religious, and political associations —
suggest that individuals are thinking about themselves in more complex ways than was the norm
in years past.

The eligibility criteria that scientists, policy makers, and others develop for social programs and
research projects reflect one way that people perceive a group of proposed participants, but how
much those criteria reflect the participants’ actual view of themselves is uncertain. Practitioners
of community engagement need to learn how individuals understand their identity and
connections, enter into relationships, and form communities.

Exercises:

Reflection:

Essay

1. Illustrate Concept of Community your own understand.

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2.2 Principles of community

Principles of community
1. Service-oriented: We seek to advance the goals of the University through responsive and
efficient work practices and communications.
2. Ethical: We practice integrity in every aspect of our work.
3. Open: We believe that the exchange of ideas requires mutual respect and consideration
of our differences.

Types of Principles

A. Respect
We seek to foster an open-minded understanding among individuals, organizations and groups.
We support this understanding through outreach, increasing opportunities for collaboration,
formal education programs and strategies for resolving disagreement.
Consideration goes both ways

B. Purpose
We are encouraged to be engaged in the university community. Thus, we strive to build a
genuine community that promotes the advancement of knowledge, cooperation and leadership.
You are at Palawan State University for a reason

C. Cooperation
We recognize that the mission of the university is enhanced when we work together to achieve
our goals. Therefore, we value each member of the Palawan State University community for
their insights and efforts, collective and individual, to enhance the quality of campus life.
Teamwork makes the dream work

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D. Richness of diversity
We recognize and cherish the richness of diversity in our university experience. Furthermore, we
strive to increase the diversity of ideas, cultures and experiences throughout the university
community.
No two people at Palawan State University are the same - and that is a good thing

E. Freedom from discrimination

We recognize that we must strive to overcome historical and divisive biases in our society.
Therefore, we commit ourselves to create and maintain a community in which all students, staff,
faculty and administrators can work together in an atmosphere free from discrimination, and to
respond appropriately to all acts of discrimination.
Biases. We all have them. Challenge them.

F. Honest and respectful expression of ideas

We affirm the right to and the importance of a free exchange of ideas at Palawan State
University within the bounds of courtesy, sensitivity and respect. We work together to promote
awareness of various ideas through education and constructive strategies to consider and engage
in honest disagreements.
Don't just tolerate others' perspectives. Hear them.
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Exercises: Concept and Principles

Essay:

1. Discuss Concept of community

2. List at least ten (10) Principles

References:

1. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/communityengagement/pce_concepts.html
2. https://www.diversity.iastate.edu/connect/principles

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TOPIC 3: Community needs Analysis

Community Need Analysis

Community Analysis - refers to the process of collecting information about the library and
its community. A survey is not specifically required, but If a survey is conducted, it should be
designed and tested after the community data has been gathered and analyzed.

Community needs assessment identifies the strengths and resources available in

the community to meet the needs of children, youth, and families. ... It provides a framework for
developing and identifying services and solutions and building communities that support and
nurture children and families.

Community Needs Assessments seek to gather accurate information representative of

the needs of a community. Assessments are performed prior to taking action and are used to
determine current situations and identify issues for action. Needs assessments establish the
essential foundation for vital planning?

The Basic needs common needs of community

1. Address homelessness.
2. Affordable access to nutritious food.
3. Affordable housing.

How to Conduct a Community Needs Assessment

Before your organization implements a new internal program, you may want to conduct a
community needs assessment. A needs assessment is a way of analyzing gaps in community
services, as well as the strengths and assets available in your community. Keep reading to
learn how to conduct a community needs assessment and best practices for building your
program around this assessment. Plus, we’ll share valuable resources like a community needs
assessment example.

Assessing community needs

what are community needs?

Local needs are gaps between what services exist in a community and what should exist.
It may be helpful to categorize gaps based on these four types of community needs: perceived
needs, expressed needs, absolute needs, and relative needs.

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Perceived needs:
Perceived needs are based on what individuals feel their needs are. The standard may
change based on each individual’s point of view. It’s important not to dismiss perceived needs as
merely opinion. Taking into account the feelings and concerns of community members should be
an essential component of your assessment.

Expressed needs: defined by the number of individuals who sought help. Individuals may
have felt a need and acted upon it. Be mindful of the false assumption that all people with needs
seek help.

Absolute needs: needs deemed universal, including those for survival (i.e. food, water, safety,
and clothing).

Relative needs: needs rendered necessary based on equity. The standard may vary based on
population differences.

When you conduct your assessment, you will work to identify gaps and make conclusions about
the needs that will ultimately help to fill them. Categorizing needs will help you to prioritize
your actions.

What is a community needs assessment?

“A community needs assessment identifies the strengths and resources available in the
community to meet the needs of community members. The assessment focuses on the
capabilities of the community, including its citizens, agencies, and organizations. It provides a
framework for developing and identifying services and solutions and building communities that
support and nurture children and families.”

Why conduct a needs assessment?

Before you develop your program, you’ll want to have a firm grasp on the gaps that exist
within a community. Programs that address community needs work to fill gaps in resources and
services. But why is needs assessment important to your organization? The assessment plays a
critical role in guiding decision making and priority-setting for your program while involving
community members in the process. By following this method, you’ll build your program around
the services that are most vital for your community members.

Who should be involved in the assessment?

First and foremost, those who feel the effects of a gap in services or resources should play a part
in your decision making. You’ll have the opportunity to hear a myriad of voices and concerns in
your community to better serve them. It’s important to use the expertise of community leaders,
like members of a school board, local government officials, human service providers, and experts

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in the field. Consider gathering a team of stakeholders, including community members, to
oversee and carry out the assessment and guide your program planning.

Community Needs Assessment Steps

As you continue to learn how to conduct a community needs assessment follow these steps to
help you formulate a more comprehensive plan:

Define your community

Defining your community can give you a sense of why gaps may exist. It will also help you
identify the group(s), or sub-communities, that tend to feel the effects most.

Population: While the lives of those in your community are unique, needs are often felt by
groups of individuals. Your goal is to understand the culture and social structure of your
community to better target your program. If your program’s aim is to address homelessness rates
among veterans, you may want to analyze those who are the most at-risk for homelessness. This
will help you delve deeper into the systemic issues that contribute to a need felt by the
community. Demographics can be broken down into age, gender, race, income level, ethnicity,
and more.

Place: Communities and sub-communities tend to center around place: where people live, play,
work, and gather. Places can include schools, senior centers, shelters, parks, religious
establishments, and other infrastructure. Consider the physical places and attributes that matter to
members. How will your program address and respect the places that are important? What
infrastructure exists? Is there an attribute of the place that should be addressed or improved?

Attitudes and Values: This is really about what drives your community. What do the people you
serve care about? What beliefs are important to consider and respect? What are the local attitudes
toward certain issues? What biases may some hold?

Defining the places and values that are important to the populations that make up your
community is an imperative first step in the assessment process. You’ll form a context around
the needs that exist; you’ll increase awareness of the driving forces behind your community; and
you’ll be able to approach community members with sensitivity and respect for their needs.

Decide on scope
Community needs are often interconnected and complicated (i.e. homelessness has many
underlying causes and effects). The types of community needs you choose to address will
ultimately depend on your organization’s expertise. Does your organization address gaps in
community health? In education? You may want to address homelessness and its many causes,
or you may focus your resources on a smaller group who are disproportionately affected by a gap
in services.

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It can be tempting to want to assess and address all needs in your community. But by identifying
community needs based on your available expertise and resources, and narrowing your scope
accordingly, you’ll ensure you’re concentrating your efforts to achieve the most impact. That’s
why it’s important to define the intended reach of your program from the outset.

Your scope should largely depend on the resources available in your community (more available
resources tend to allow for a wider scope). While it is helpful to set big goals, it’s also important
to set achievable goals and seek growth as your program becomes more established.

Identify assets
Identify the assets, also referred to as resources that are necessary for your program’s success.
Assets can include organizations, people (volunteers, community members, and experts),
funding, and policies. Start by identifying those resources that are readily available to you; this
may include community organizations and individuals who already provide services or financial
support to assess needs and address them. Nonprofits that are developing new programs will
often look to other communities with similar demographics that have successfully addressed
similar needs. Look at the resources that drove their progress and consider taking a similar
approach.

Make connections
Some of your greatest assets are people, from students to governors. Gather your contacts and
reach out to community leaders. Let’s say your organization is looking to develop programming
for veterans. Visit the gathering places of your community’s veterans, contact the congressional
affairs office, and get in touch with a VA health center. Use your connections to help you to both
assess needs, and then address them. It’s important to have resources, support, and expertise
available to you before implementing a program.

Collect data
Your data will include statistics, but also the thoughts and knowledge of community members.
Considering qualitative data in conjunction with quantitative data will give you a broader sense
of the types of gaps in the community. You’ll be able to better identify whether needs are
perceived or relative, for example, and therefore shape your program more effectively.

Methods of gathering data

The main take away from your assessment should be a clear understanding of the impact,
intensity, and distribution of services. Collect qualitative and quantitative data that will inform
your decision making. Here are the types of information you’ll want to collect:

 Interviews, focus groups, and surveys: Speak to those at ground level, experts, and
community leaders about what they observe and experience in the way of needs.

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  Listening sessions and public forums: Listening and participating in community
gatherings like town meetings are a great way to learn about perspectives on local issues.
 Direct or participatory observation: Visit your community’s spaces, like senior centers,
shelters, and schools to observe, speak with those at the ground level, and participate in
programs that already exist.

Using existing quantitative data

Gathering quantitative data can be especially time-consuming. Luckily, there are plenty of
community-based data available to you already. You may look for statistics regarding
demographics, as well as incident rates, prevalence rates, and growth over time specific to the
needs that emerge. The following resources are great places to start:

 U.S. Census
 Public health data
 School district records
Many local libraries house a wealth of information specific to your community. Whether you’re
looking to address graduation rates or community health, quantitative data can support
qualitative findings and validate anecdotal evidence.

Analyze your findings

Gather notes from your interviews, surveys, and observations and look for patterns and trends.
Separate your key findings into the following groups to help plan your program:

Strengths
Example: Robust community partnerships serving low-income youth. Graduation rate increased
22% over 5 years.

Gaps
Example: Youth programs tend to halt after graduation; there is a lack of follow-up support for
low-income women above school age.

Challenges
Example: Time constraints for working individuals leads to disinterest in public programming.

Opportunities
Example: Programs directed toward low-income women in similar communities experienced an
increase in funding last year.

PRESENT YOUR FINDINGS

After conducting a needs assessment, organizations typically produce a community needs
assessment report. This report is used to demonstrate findings and make the case for program
funding. The report generally includes the following sections:
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 1. Key Players: Overview of needs assessment participants and program partners involved.
2. Methodology: Description of the methods used to collect data.
3. Participation: Describe the demographic and number of individuals represented in the
data collected, i.e. How many individuals responded to your survey? How many focus
group sessions were held?
4. Strengths and Limitations: What are the strengths of the needs assessment and its
results? How is the needs assessment and its results limited? What challenges were faced
during the process of conducting a needs assessment?
5. Key Findings: This section should make up the bulk of your report. Discuss the gaps,
strengths and challenges discovered in the community needs assessment. Present data and
case studies. What opportunities did you uncover?
6. Recommendations and Next Steps: Based on key findings, what are your
recommendations for addressing community gaps and needs? How will your proposed
program address these needs? What information do you want to communicate to
stakeholders?

Exercises:

Conduct a community needs assessment.

Define five (5) basic steps of a community needs analysis.

1. Define your community.
2. Decide on scope.
3. Identify assets
4. Make connections
5. Collect data.

References:

1. https://www.galaxydigital.com/blog/conduct-community-needs-assessment/

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TOPIC 4: Social and Resource Mobilization

Overview Social Mobilization is the process of bringing together all societal and personal
influences to raise awareness of and demand for health care, assist in the delivery of resources
and services, and cultivate sustainable individual and community involvement. Involves planned
actions and processes to reach, influence, and involve all relevant segments of society across all
sectors from the national to the community level, in order to create an enabling environment and
effect positive behavior and social change.

Social Mobilization

1. Mobilization - a Military terminology

2. To Mobilize - prepare forces for action
3. A process of motivating communities to organize in a cohesive group for an active
participation towards their own development.
4. An integrative process where stakeholders are stimulated to become active participants in
social change, using diverse strategies to meet shared goals
5. A comprehensive planning approach that emphasizes
- Political coalition building
- Community action
6. The process is concerned with mobilizing human and financial resources through five
main approaches:

a. Political Mobilization
b. Community Mobilization
c. Government Mobilization
d. Corporate Mobilization
e. Beneficiary Mobilization

Key Elements of Social Mobilization

1. partnership building and networking

2. community participation
3. media and special events to raise public awareness
4. advocacy to mobilize resources and effect policy change

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Resource Mobilization

Resource mobilization - refers to all activities involved in securing new and additional resources
for your organization. It also involves making better use of, and maximizing, existing resources.
Resource mobilization is often referred to as ‘New Business Development’. The figure below
shows how New Business Opportunities – which are intended to mobilize resources – form part
of an organization’s overall functioning.

Figure 1: Resource Mobilization and its Role in an Organization’s Functioning

Importance of Resource Mobilization.

Resource mobilization is critical to any organization for the following reasons:

1. Ensures the continuation of your organization’s service provision to clients

2. Supports organizational sustainability
3. Allows for improvement and scale-up of products and services the organization currently
provides
4. Organizations, both in the public and private sector, must be in the business of generating
new business to stay in business

What are the steps in resource mobilization?

1. 1 PLAN ƒ Designing a Resource Mobilization Strategy and Action Plan 21.

2. 2 Key Elements of a Resource Mobilization Strategy.
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3. 3 ACT ƒ Practical Steps to Implementation.
4. STEP 1: IDENTIFY.
5. STEP 2: ENGAGE.
6. STEP 3: NEGOTIATE.
7. STEP 4: MANAGE AND REPORT.
8. STEP 5: COMMUNICATING RESULTS.

Sustainability

Sustainability - is often identified with having sufficient funds to cover an organization’s

activities, it is actually a broader concept. There are three fundamental streams of sustainability:
institutional, financial and programmatic. Each is vital to the survival of an organization. Below
are the definitions of these three areas of sustainability:

Programmatic sustainability - the organization delivers products and services that respond to
clients’ needs and anticipates new areas of need. Its success enables expansion of its client base.
Institutional sustainability - the organization has a strong, yet flexible structure and
accountable, transparent governance practices. Its structure and good governance allows it to
respond to the shifting priorities of its supporters and to new responsibilities toward its clients,
while creating a positive work climate for its staff.
Financial sustainability - the organization draws on various sources of revenue, allowing it to
support its ongoing efforts and to undertake new initiatives.

Figure 2: below shows how all of these streams of sustainability are exercised in an organization.
The strategic plan is the anchor, in which an organization’s programs, structure and systems, as
well as financials are reviewed and new business opportunities are identified. These new
directions or new business opportunities are then pursued using a distinct resource mobilization
strategy, such as writing proposals, submitting grant applications, or drafting business cases or
business plans. All of these instruments are designed to showcase an organization’s programs,
institutional structure, and financial health.

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Figure 2: The Strategic Plan and Resource Mobilization
10 truths about Resource Mobilization:
1. Organizations are not entitled to support; they must earn it.
2. Successful resource mobilization requires a lot of work and takes a lot of time.
3. If your organization needs additional revenue one year from now, start today!
4. Be ready, willing and able to sell your organization and the programs for which you are
raising money.
5. Resource mobilization efforts should align with your organizational mission, objectives
and strategic plan.
6. Resource mobilization is also about the needs of the (prospective) funder.
7. Understand the needs of your clients (target population/funders).
8. Be prepared to provide evidence-based results.
9. Your organizational performance today impacts your ability to generate resources
tomorrow.
10. You must establish and maintain organizational credibility and reputation.
Exercises:
Reflection:

1. How Social mobilization is conducted?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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Exercises:

Define and discuss.

1. What are some impacts of Resource Mobilization?

2. Discuss the five steps on the Resource Mobilization.
3. Defined the value and importance of Resource Mobilization.

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TOPIC 5: Linkages and Networking

Linkages and Networking - are different in the degree of commitment by the partners.
In Linkage, the relationship between partner organizations is quite loose, while in networking, it
is much stronger is usually because the groups and agencies have common objectives and
beneficiaries.

Significance of having linkages and networks to education.

Important to have linkages in education - It can help the teachers give better service to students
and to other education stakeholders in the community. They can help us motivate in teaching and
provide more information to share with our students.

Need community linkages.

When families, community groups, business and schools band together to support learning,
young people achieve more in school, stay in school longer, and enjoy the experience. Linkages
can help teachers in molding our learners to be better persons in this globally demanding world.

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TOPIC 6: Overview of Community Service

Community service is work done by a person or group of people that benefits others. It is often
done near the area where you live, so your own community reaps the benefits of your work. You
do not get paid to perform community service, though sometimes food and small gifts, like a t-
shirt, are given to volunteers.

The essence of community service.

Engaging in community service provides students with the opportunity to become active
members of their community and has a lasting, positive impact on society at large. Community
service or volunteerism enables students to acquire life skills and knowledge, as well as provide
a service to those who need it most.

BENEFITS OF COMMUNITY SERVICE

Benefits of volunteering #1: Volunteering connects you to others

One of the better-known benefits of volunteering is the impact on the community. Unpaid
volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together. Volunteering allows you to
connect to your community and make it a better place. Even helping out with the smallest tasks
can make a real difference to the lives of people, animals, and organizations in need. And
volunteering is a two-way street: It can benefit you and your family as much as the cause you
choose to help. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your
network, and boost your social skills.

Volunteering helps you make new friends and contacts

One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a
shared activity together. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people, especially if you are
new to an area. Volunteering also strengthens your ties to the community and broadens your
support network, exposing you to people with common interests, neighborhood resources, and
fun and fulfilling activities.

Volunteering increases your social and relationship skills

While some people are naturally outgoing, others are shy and have a hard time meeting new
people. Volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice and develop your social skills, since
you are meeting regularly with a group of people with common interests. Once you have
momentum, it’s easier to branch out and make more friends and contacts.

Volunteering as a family
While it might be a challenge to coordinate everyone’s schedules, volunteering as a family has
many worthwhile benefits. Children watch everything you do. By giving back to the community,

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you show them firsthand how volunteering makes a difference and how good it feels to help
other people and animals and enact change. It’s also a valuable way for you to get to know
organizations in the community and find resources and activities for your children and family.

Benefits of volunteering #2: Volunteering is good for your mind and body
Volunteering provides many benefits to both mental and physical health.
 Volunteering increases self-confidence.
Volunteering can provide a healthy boost to your self-confidence, self-esteem, and life
satisfaction. You are doing good for others and the community, which provides a natural
sense of accomplishment. Your role as a volunteer can also give you a sense of pride and
identity. And the better you feel about yourself, the more likely you are to have a positive
view of your life and future goals.
 Volunteering combats depression
Reducing the risk of depression is another important benefit of volunteering. A key risk
factor for depression is social isolation. Volunteering keeps you in regular contact with
others and helps you develop a solid support system, which in turn protects you against
stress and depression when you’re going through challenging times. Working with
pets and other animals has also been shown to improve mood and reduce stress and
anxiety.
 Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy
Volunteering is good for your health at any age, but it’s especially beneficial in older
adults. Studies have found that those who volunteer have a lower mortality rate than
those who do not, even when considering factors like the health of the participants.
Volunteering has also been shown to lessen symptoms of chronic pain or heart disease.

I have limited mobility—can I still volunteer?

Whether due to a lack of transportation, time constraints, a disability or other reasons, many
people prefer to volunteer via phone or computer. There are many projects where you can help.
Writing and graphic design lends itself to working at home, and in today’s digital age many
organizations might also need help with email and websites.
If you think home-based volunteering might be right for you, contact organizations you like and
ask what some of the possibilities might be. Some volunteer organizations may require you to
attend an initial training or periodical meetings. You also want to make sure that you are getting
enough social contact, and that the organization is available to support you should you have
questions.

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Volunteering: The happiness effect
Helping others kindles happiness, as many studies have demonstrated. When researchers at the
London School of Economics examined the relationship between volunteering and measures of
happiness in a large group of American adults, they found the more people volunteered, the
happier they were, according to a study in Social Science and Medicine. Compared with people
who never volunteered, the odds of being “very happy” rose 7% among those who volunteer
monthly and 12% for people who volunteer every two to four weeks. Among weekly volunteers,
16% felt very happy—a hike in happiness comparable to having an income of $75,000–$100,000
versus $20,000, say the researchers.
Adapted with permission from Simple Changes, Big Rewards: A Practical, Easy Guide for
Healthy, Happy Living, a special health report published by Harvard Health Publications.

Benefits of volunteering #3: Volunteering can advance your career

If you’re considering a new career, volunteering can help you get experience in your area of
interest and meet people in the field. Even if you’re not planning on changing careers,
volunteering gives you the opportunity to practice important skills used in the workplace, such as
teamwork, communication, problem solving, project planning, task management, and
organization. You might feel more comfortable stretching your wings at work once you’ve honed
these skills in a volunteer position first.

Volunteering can provide career experience

Volunteering offers you the chance to try out a new career without making a long-term
commitment. It is also a great way to gain experience in a new field. In some fields, you can
volunteer directly at an organization that does the kind of work you’re interested in. For
example, if you’re interested in nursing, you could volunteer at a hospital or a nursing home.
Your volunteer work might also expose you to professional organizations or internships that
could be of benefit to your career.

Volunteering can teach you valuable job skills

Just because volunteer work is unpaid does not mean the skills you learn are basic. Many
volunteering opportunities provide extensive training. For example, you could become an
experienced crisis counselor while volunteering for a women’s shelter or a knowledgeable art
historian while donating your time as a museum docent.
Volunteering can also help you build upon skills you already have and use them to benefit the
greater community. For instance, if you hold a successful sales position, you raise awareness for
your favorite cause as a volunteer advocate, while further developing and improving your public
speaking, communication, and marketing skills.

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When it comes to volunteering, passion and positivity are the only requirements
While learning new skills can be beneficial to many, it’s not a requirement for a fulfilling
volunteer experience. Bear in mind that the most valuable skills you can bring to any volunteer
effort are compassion, an open mind, a willingness to do whatever is needed, and a positive
attitude.

Benefits of volunteering #4: Volunteering brings fun and fulfillment to your life
Volunteering is a fun and easy way to explore your interests and passions. Doing volunteer work
you find meaningful and interesting can be a relaxing, energizing escape from your day-to-day
routine of work, school, or family commitments. Volunteering also provides you with renewed
creativity, motivation, and vision that can carry over into your personal and professional life.

Activities count as community service.

Helping the Hungry and/or Homeless

1. Build a house with Habitat for Humanity.

2. Donate your old clothes.
3. Volunteer at a soup kitchen.
4. Donate old eyeglasses to an organization that collects that and distributes them to people
in need.
5. Donate non-perishable food to a food bank.
6. Donate blankets to a homeless shelter.

Exercises:

Essay Question

How do you explain community service?

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TOPIC 7: Mobilizing Students for Community Action

Community mobilization is a process through which action is stimulated by

a community itself, or by others, that is planned, carried out, and evaluated by
a community's individuals, groups, and organizations on a participatory and sustained
basis to improve the health, hygiene and education levels so as to enhance the ...

Community mobilization activities.

Community mobilization aims to mobilize and engage community members to address a

particular cause. Community meetings to discuss an issue with community leaders, which may
include traditional, religious and local political leaders, among others

What are the steps of community mobilization?

Basic steps of community mobilization involve the following features:

1. Defining the problem
2. Establishing a community mobilization group
3. Designing strategies, setting objectives and selecting target groups
4. Developing an action plan with a time line
5. Building capacity.
6. Identifying partners.
How community mobilization is important to the community?
Community mobilization is important when tackling health issues because it has advantages such
as: local ownership and the sustainability of the programmed. Motivating the people and
encouraging participation. Building community capacity to identify and
address community needs, and empowering the community.

Enumerate Community Mobilization Activity.

Community mobilization aims to mobilize and engage community members to address a
particular cause. Engagement of community mobilizers needs to happen early and individuals
need to be involved from the definition of the problem through to the generation of adequate
solutions. The level of engagement of individuals may vary depending on their interest and
capabilities. They may just listen to some messages on the radio, participate in meetings and
events, or they can proactively design, organize and implement activities. Below is a list of
activities that can be used to mobilize communities into action. The list below provides some of
the many ways to mobilize community members however use your creativity to think of other
ways to mobilize community members.

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Exercises

1. LIST OF 12 COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION ACTIVITIES?

2. DISCUSS EACH ACTIVITY DON’T COPY?
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