SHS

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,
SOLIDARITY AND
CITIZENSHIP
Second Quarter – Module 5:
FORMULATE A COMMUNITY ACTION

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Community Engagement, Solidarity and Citizenship
Quarter 2 – Module 5: Formulate A Community Action

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represent nor claim ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Alma Theresa D. Diaz

Evaluator: Raymund S. Briones

Editor: Divina M. Diaz, Ph.D.

Marita H. Mendoza

Illustrator:

Layout Artist: Edsel D. Doctama

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INTRODUCTION

"Formulate a Community Action", is one of the competencies of Community

Engagement, Solidarity, and Citizenship, a course which comprises the knowledge,

skills and attitudes required for a HUMMS graduate to possess. This module

contains topics and activities related to the study on community action and its

purposes and issues as well discussions on the development and formulation of a

community action plan.

OBJECTIVES

Learning is fun and engaging! After

studying this module, you are expected to:

1. recognize the role of the youth in community action;

2. identify the major issues existing in the community;

3. formulate community action plan that will address the community issues.

VOCABULARY LIST
To prepare you on this module, you need to unlock some concepts to give you

COMMUNITY – from the Latin word communitas meaning “fellowship”. Its Latin

roots, communis, means common. Com translates to “with” or “together”; whereas

munire translates to “to strengthen”, “to fortify”, or “to defend”

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – refers to the process of working collaboratively with

and through groups of people affiliated by geographic proximity; special interest, or

similar situations to address issues affecting the well- being of those people

INSTITUTIONS – are established rules that ensure the regular and predictable

behavior of actors within a community.

INFORMAL INSTITUTIONS - are practices, norms, traditions, culture, conduct and

belief systems of a community.

SOLIDARITY – refers to the idea of unity or feeling of agreement among individuals

with common interest.

PRE-TEST Are you ready now? If so, please answer the pre-test

True or False. Write T if the statement is correct and F if it is wrong.

1. Community action are activities that is within the community.

2. Action Plan are the steps on how to implement an activity.

3. The Youth should not be part of a community action.

4. There is no solidarity during community action.

5. Resilience of the community is important so that it can support itself.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES
In the previous module, you learned about the methodologies and approaches in c

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COMMUNITY ACTION

Community organizing and action had and still has major role and

contributions in the development of a community as a practice and discipline. It is a

constitutive dimension and a core process in the community development and in

social change. We cannot fully develop or transform society without considering the

organization of small communities and sectors, especially the poor, deprived,

oppressed, exploited, marginalized, discriminated, and other excluded sectors

(people with special needs, elderly, indigenous people, and others).

What is Community Action?

Community action includes a broad range of activities and ii is sometimes described

as ‘social action' or ‘community engagement'. These activities can vary according to

its objective, role that community plays, the types of activities involved, the scale and

the integration within the council. What they have in common is that they all give

opportunity to a greater engagement of local citizens in planning, designing and

delivery of local services.

Purpose of Community Action

Community action is about putting communities at the heart of their own local

services. Involving people and their community in the design and delivery of services

that can help achieve a number of objectives, such as:

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Building community and social capacity – helping the community to share knowledge,

skills and ideas. BIG IDEA

There are steps to follow whenundertaking Commun
Community resilience – helping the

community to support itself.

Prevention – a focus on early access to

services or support, engagement in design,

cross-sector collaboration and partnerships.

Maintaining and creating wealth – for example helping people into employment or

developing community enterprises.

MAJOR ISSUES AFFECTING POOR AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES

Causes of Poverty

—Low to moderate economic growth

—Slow poverty reduction growth

—Low employment and quality of work

—Lack of fully developed agriculture

—Inflation occurs when crisis happens

—Overpopulation

—High level of inequality in income

—Exposure to risks

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Marginalization

The process whereby something or someone is pushed to the edge of a group

and accorded lesser importance. This is predominantly a social phenomenon by

which a minority or sub-group is excluded and their needs or desires ignored.

- Immigrants, Refugees, and - Physically Disabled, or Mentally

Migrants ill people
- Women and Girls
- Incarcerated People (and their
- Victims of Human Trafficking
families)
- Mentally Ill
- People Released from Incarceration
- Children and Youth
- People of Low Socioeconomic Status
- People of Differing Sexual
- Unemployed.
Orientation (LGBT community)
- People of Low Socioeconomic Status
- People of Differing Religions
- Unemployed People
- Developmentally Delay...
- People of a Particular
- People of Differing Religions
Ethnicity/Country of Origin
- Developmentally Delayed,
- People with a Differing Political

Orientation

You learn now the very purpose of community action from all the issues affecting our communities. As

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 The Role of the Youth in Community Action

"KABATAAN ANG PAG-ASA NANG BAYAN"

Ways Youth can Change the World through Community

Development

Youth as Community Organizers - When youth is not engage by the government,

in a community organization, other community groups and non- profit can step in to
create youth as community organizers. Through training and empowerment they can
develop a unique powerful campaigns that will engage many people, including
children, youth, adults and families.

Youth and Government - Participation in regular and sustained government

position, roles and activities can allow youth community developers to change the

world. Roles should be rule voting and frequent, and focus on engaging diverse

young people

Youth as Planners — Young people can participate as community planners in

community development work through education and training and equipped them of

skills and knowledge that they can impart among their peers, young people as well

as adults

Processes to undertake in Community action

A. Identification and Prioritization of issues, problems, and concerns.

B. Formulation of an action plan indicated in a comprehensible

objectives, methodologies or strategies, time frame/time duration,

needed resources, and responsible persons, committees, or groups.

C. Evaluation of the process.

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Important Things to Consider in Community Action

It is good to start with the basics. In the process of strengthening community

organization, it is better to first gain small successes. A systematic community must

have education and formation; a creative and sustainable community reflection-

action-reflection; a consistent and regular planning, implementation, monitoring, and

evaluation; an effective communication systems; a proper and organized research

and documentation; a well-managed resource mobilization; a continuous leadership

formation and development; and a sustained network, linkages, and solidarity work

with other groups can assist the community organization in the challenge of

sustainability. In other words, community organization must establish an

organizational culture.

COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN

What Is a Community Action Plan?

The community action plan is one of the participatory tools used to build the

capacity of community members in taking action in accordance with the problems,

needs, and potential of the community.

The community action plan is a road map for implementing community

change by clarifying what and how it will be done and who will do it. The plan

describes what the community wants to achieve, what activities are required during a

specified time/period, what resources (money, people and materials) are needed to

be successful.

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 The community action plan should become a framework for implementing the

activities that are decided by the community itself. The focus is more on the process

of understanding and overcoming problems in order to rebuild the people's lives

rather than just physical development such as building houses, providing clean water

or toilet facilities. It is important to understand that the community should be the main

actors in preparing their own community action plan. Producing the action plan helps

people to take realistic and concrete steps toward participatory development

planning in order to improve not only sanitation and water system but what is

essential in the community development by bringing everyone together to think and

discuss about resources and group involvement, this tool increases awareness

about the skills and resources already available in the community.

General Principles of Community Action Plans

 It is a process for action; not a blueprint for future

development.

 The solution for problems comes from the

community itself, while the role of the facilitator is

more on formulating the problems in the

 It is not determined from outside the community but grows/emerges from the

affected community.

 Avoid activities such as lecturing or teaching the people; but concentrate more

on workshops as a form of discussion with the community.

 Guarantee that all relevant groups participate in the activities, particularly the

women and other community groups that are often forgotten.

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  Facilitate input from all groups; do not allow one group or leader to dominate

the discussion.

 Remember that one issue might appear to be not very important for one group,

but is important for another group.

 Avoid too many pictures and text; it is better to absorb and remember several

points rather than make a long list.

 Use simple language and avoid difficult terms.

 Make the material as simple as possible.

The development and formulation of a community action plan consists of

several standard measures that are generally applicable. However, in practice, the

specific context and nature of community needs in a specific or chosen community

action plan will add uniqueness to those measures.

Stages in formulating a community action plan can be described as follows:

 Opening: Introduction and Socialization: This first stage intends to provide

a common understanding of the importance of having a good action plan, and

a common understanding of why an action plan is needed.

 Social and Environmental Mapping financing: This stage is meant to gain

an understanding of the latest conditions in the community life that is the

social, economic, as well as environmental conditions. By developing a map,

the community will be able to get a better picture of problems and priorities.

 Identifying the Problems, Needs, and Resource Potential: This

stage defines the problems that are actually faced by the community, the

needs

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 that must be fulfilled in order to overcome the problems, and the financial

resources available to accomplish the needs. This process of identification

should be done carefully in order to avoid becoming just a task of making a

“wish list”, and should be viewed as a process of understanding the current

situation and what must be done to overcome the situation as fast as possible.

 Determining the Priority in Problems and Needs: In this stage the problems

and needs are ranked by the community members according to their level of

urgency, their importance for the development of community life, and the

opportunity to overcome and to fulfil.

 Formulating the Choice of Strategy: In this stage, the strategy is developed

and the approach chosen that is the most feasible to be used in overcoming the

problems and fulfilling the needs on the priority list.

 Formulating the Choice of Action: In this stage, it is determined which action

has to be taken in implementing the chosen strategy and approach.

 Formulating the Implementation Plan: This stage is used to formulate a

schedule and the division of tasks in carrying out the action chosen.

 Formulating the Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This stage is used to

formulate a plan and system of monitoring and evaluating the execution of

activities.

 Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation: This final stage consists of

carrying out the action, and at the same time monitoring and evaluating.

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Considerations for Completing a Community Action Plan

The following points should be taken into consideration in completing a community

action plan:

 Partnerships among people. In order to accomplish the goals and objectives

in the plan, many people will have to be integrated and have to fully

participate

in doing the work. It is important that the involved people develop good relations

and trust among each other.

 Budget. Financial resources are usually necessary to develop and carry out a

community action. Therefore, it is important to develop a budget that describes

the expenses for carrying out the action plan. What you include in the budget

should match the proposed strategies and activities.

 Close alignment with the community’s mission and vision. The vision that

was developed during the community assessment process reflects where the

community wants to be headed. The mission is the purpose of your group.

During the writing of the action plan, the writers work from the vision and the

mission to identify several major goals (priority or strategic) that must be

reached. These, in total, work toward the vision and the mission.

 A feasible plan does not have to be “perfect”. More important than a

“perfect” action plan is one that is feasible for the community partnership to

complete within a reasonable period of time. The action plan is a working

document that can be reviewed as the group implements it. It is a starting

point that people can continue to update and revise as community groups

learn over time and through their evaluation, how to accomplish their goals.

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 How is your readings? Were you able to recognize the role of the youth in community action?

Practice Task 1:
Identify at issues, problems, and concerns in your community. List them down

From the list you created choose the top three most priority and the 3 least

important. List them down.

MOST IMPORTANT LEAST IMPORTANT

Practice Task 2
From the most important issues identified, who do you think are the persons

that needs to be involved in the solution and what are the resources you need?

Issue Persons to be Involved Resourced Needed

1.

2.
3.

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Practice Task 3
Below is a sample community action plan in tabular form. Fill in the box with

corresponding data. Some of the data are already provided.

Program/Project Development of Day Care Center facilities

Specific 1. Assessment of Day Care Center Facilities

Activities: 2.

3.

Specific Period of 1. June 1-30 2020 for the Assessment of Day

Time Care Center Facilities

2. July 1 to August 31, 2020 for

3.

Expected Output At Least 85 % of the day care center building is repaired,

rebuilt, and maintained.

Responsible 1. Fathers of the day care students

Persons/ 2.

Committees/ 3.

Groups

1. Carpentry tools, and construction labor skills will be

Resources provided by the volunteer parents

Needed 2.

3.

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 Good job! You are done with your practice tasks. Now, answer the post test. Let

POST TEST
A. IDENTIFICATION

Direction: Identify what the statement is about.

1. The process whereby something or someone is pushed to the

edge of a group and accorded lesser importance

2. Helping the community to share knowledge, skills and ideas.

3. Young people can participate as community planners in

community development work.

4. A broad range of activities and is sometimes described as ‘social

action' or ‘community engagement'.

5. Helping the community to support itself.

B. MATCHING TYPE

Match Column A with the appropriate description on column B.

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 Column A Column B

1. Community Action Plan A. One of the participatory tools used to build the
2. Determining the Priority capacity of community members in taking action in
in Problems and Needs accordance with the problems, needs, and potential of
the community.
3. Partnership among people
B. Problems and needs are ranked according to
4. Budget their level of urgency, their importance for the
development of community life, and the opportunity
5. Formulating the Choice to overcome and to fulfil.
of Strategy
C. Financial resources are usually necessary to
develop and carry out a community action

D. People will have to be integrated and have to

fully participate in doing the work

E. The strategy is developed and the approach

chosen that is the most feasible to be used in
overcoming
the problems and fulfilling the needs on the priority
list.
ASSIGNMENT
Using the sample table above, create a short community action plan.

The project and activities should be anchored in the observed issues and problems

in the community.

Program/Project

Specific Activities:

Specific Period of Time

Expected Output

Responsible Persons/

Committees/Groups

Resources Needed

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ANSWER KEY
Pre-Test

1. True
2. True
3. False
4. False
5. True

Post Test

A. Identification
1. Marginalization
2. Building community and social capacity
3. Youth as Planners
4. Community Action
5. Community Resilience
B. Matching Type
1. A
2. B
3. D
4. C
5. E

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REFERENCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Community Engagement, Solidarity, and Citizenship by DIWA Publishing.

Accessed: June 18, 2020

Online Sources:

https://prezi.com/p/flzdcxkdplfk/purpose-of-community-action/

Accessed: June 25, 2020

https://sswm.info/sswm-solutions-bop-markets/improving-water-and-sanitation-
services-provided-public-institutions-1/community-action- plan#:~:text=The%20plan
%20describes%20what%20the,decided%20by%20the%20 community%20itself.

Accessed: July 10, 2020

Cover photo credit: Melody D. Legaspi (Rizal Integrated National School, Sorsogon City)