NSTP Topic 4 - Computer science student\'s guide PDF

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TOPIC 4THE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY IMMERSIONCOURSE OUTCOME (C0):CO 1 Describe the National Service Training Program. Its goals and objectives, and its importance, to the students in nation building.CO 2 Integrate values education and transformational leadership.CO 3 Identify the various social problems...

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TOPIC 4 THE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY IMMERSION

COURSE OUTCOME (C0): CO 1

Describe the National Service Training Program. Its goals and objectives, and its importance, to the students in nation building.

CO 2

Integrate values education and transformational leadership.

CO 3

Identify the various social problems and express responsibilities as individuals towards mankind and the environment.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this unit, the student should be able to: a. Verbalize the process of immersion as a guide for rendering service to the communities; b. Design a community immersion plan of implementation following the process; and c. Internalize the importance of carrying out the steps of community immersion series. Community immersion generally takes on different overlapping phases, similar to performing community organizing strategies called preparation phase, integration, social analysis, program implementation, evaluation and report writing, and termination of the project. THE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY IMMERSION The community immersion process is a series of interrelated and intertwined phases which commences with the Pre-immersion followed by entering the Community, Community integration, Community Needs assessment, Program or Project implementation and Termination of the Project. Phase I: Pre-Immersion This phase regards the identification of the community where the students will be immersed at. Trainees will have to prepare themselves physically, mentally and spiritually for many task ahead. Trainees must have waivers from their parents or guardians stating that they are informed of the mandate to undergo the NSTP community immersion. The school also needs to organize its own manpower, resources and other technical needs. According to many who have undergone immersion, the activities could be both exciting and exhausting. Aside from preparation of the trainees and the school, the community is primarily the one to be prepared and informed. With this, trainees must set up criteria in selection of an area for immersion.

Area Selection Factors to be considered in area selection: 1. Select our areas The marginalized sectors are your target clients because they are the ones needing your assistance more than any other groups in the society. Example of marginalized groups are the youth, women, slum dwellers, the differently-abled, among others. 2. Local partners must be willing to work and support community project. This goes to say that we should start with the people and work with the people. 3. Consider needs and resources within the capability of the students and community partners. You cannot extend what you do not have in the first place. 4. Places that is not saturated by other agencies. Supporting agencies are probable resources waiting to be tapped that can provide additional financial assistance when it comes to projects that are also within their type of service. Soliciting their support will also prevent duplication of services and activities. You have to identify if their schedule of activities coincides with yours so that you will not confuse the people with your separate identity. There is a danger that people will not support you if the schedules of your activities overlap with those of an agency that has long existed in the community before you came. Through appropriate communications and relations with these agencies, they can most likely be the source of other updated baseline of that data you will need to understand the community. 5. Stable peace and order situation You have to put into consideration your own safety when you conduct your immersion. Some of salient questions you need to ask are that, “Are the roads and work area secure to travel on?” Am I not putting myself and other members of the immersion team in danger if we conduct our immersion in this venue?” “Will I and my school be compromised if I continue to work in this area?” Sometimes despite the community leaders’ commitment to work with the trainees, when the community in general does not regard their area as having stable peace and order situation, they themselves will not cooperate because their community issues go beyond what you can respond to. Remember, you are also a student and that one of your main objectives is to learn and experience community living without disregard to your own safety. 6. Accessibility Successful community immersion also relies on how quickly and how often you can visit the community. If you live in Cavite and you happen to have chosen Bulacan as an immersion area, would be easy for you to conduct, monitor and evaluate your projects in the latter area mentioned? You have to take into account how much time you spend traveling; how much money you spend for transportation or lodging. There is a chance that you will spend extra effort on tasks like carrying training materials on the field, etc. that could otherwise be prevented if you have chosen a much accessible venue for immersion. If you have been able to select an area for immersion based on the foregoing factors, you can now proceed to entering the community.

Phase II: Entering the Community To ensure success in entering the community, it is necessary to have community mapping of the target area. This will help you identify the geographic coverage of the project. It will also help point out the resources that may be used by the trainees in the community and the relationship of the people with these resources (Use Worksheet No.6 for the exercise). Angelito G. Manalili in his book Community Organizing for People’s Empowerment (1990), remarked that there are different ways of entering the community. Similarly, immersion begins with the initial steps in community organizing. Anchored on Manalili’s concepts, those planning to conduct community immersion can enter the community thru:  Ostentatious Entry Complete with banner and a general assembly of the people, the community ushers in the people who will undergo immersion or outsiders. People naturally expect more from the outsiders because the latter’s identity is boosted.  Banking on the People’s Weakness Outsiders sometimes enter the community through catching people’s attention. At times when community people are in distress, they usually adhere to outsiders, like during economic crisis, emergency and disaster situations. The outsiders try to find out which aspect is it that the community will need them for and through this, they emphasize on how they could be helpful.  Academic Style of Entry Communities are often called social laboratories because they are a place to test the theories learned in the classrooms. Academic institutions field some students into community to assist the community regarding its concerns. A trialogue between the school, the students and the community is done to identify the terms to which the community service will be fulfilled.  People-Centered Approach This approach ultimately believes on the capacity of the community people to participate and acknowledge whether outsider assistance is really needed. Users of this type of entering the community invest on community relations, believing that both parties are partners to community development. Key to this type of entry is strong linkage with the people in the community. When entering the community, the members of the community immersion team must establish good rapport and relationship with the community people. Gathering information and doing a background investigation about the situation in the community may proved to be of great help in pursuing the goal of establishing linkages in the locality. Ground working can also be an effective mechanism in knowing the community well. Talk to as many people as possible and document or record your conversations. Pay courtesy call to recognized leaders of the community. Make communications ahead of time of entering the community. Write the community leader a letter of intention and in turn you should have a letter of acceptance from them. Whatever type of entry to be used, it is a must to secure a memorandum of agreement between you and the community. This will set your working parameters. It is due respect to them and formalizing a commitment of the helping contract.

Phase III: Community Integration Integration is a continuous process wherein the trainees come into direct contact and become involved with the community people. The trainees should realize that there is an existing concern within the community. As the problems of the community become more apparent, you become aware and validate that you are part of the circle. Integration may be done through: a. Border Style. If provisions allow, the trainees may choose to stay and live-in the community to pursue deeper knowledge about the community. However, the ‘boarder’ or guest status will still be regard of the people toward them unless they integrate themselves fully with community life. b. Elitist Style. Some trainees tend to stay close to key informants and political players during their stay in the community. Due to this, their social circle becomes limited and their interaction is confined to a few people. Immersion activities must always take into account the involvement of the majority. c. But the best way is the People-Centered Method of Living with the People.

PHASE IV: Community Needs Assessment Needs assessment, social analysis or community diagnosis as others refer to, is a concrete base for the formulation of programs. It refers the sentiments, needs, aspirations, and recommendations of the community people. When it is done properly, it will reflect also the trainees’ feeling of oneness with the community. They begin to see that the people’s problems also reflect their own. Needs assessment becomes significant when it is conducted through integration with the people. Our analysis and assessment should be done with the people. Our analysis and assessment should be done with the people. Hence, it does not merely contain our perceptions, but also of the people’s for it to be genuinely pro-people. Analysis of social situation becomes meaningful if it is used as an instrument for conscientization. Those immersing in the community must not just make the people realize their issues but also make them to act on it. Their realization of the problems should help the community realize the relation between their local condition and situation of other communities around them. It is important that the people realize that they can do something to change their situation for the better. Assessing the needs of the community is a prelude to effective program offered to clients. This will ensure solutions to problems, issues and concerns of the people in the locality. This discussion covers the meaning, importance, steps, and exercise in preparing community needs assessment instruments that will equip students to prepare similar tool which they will utilize in measuring the needs of the community assigned to them.

Community Needs Assessment Defined Community needs assessment is the process wherein problems, issues and concerns of the community are identified through the use of several tools for assessment. It encourages the participation of the community, as they are the stakeholders, to the findings in the assessment.

Important of Needs Assessment 1. Gather information about citizens’ attitudes and options in order of importance. 2. Determine how citizens rank issues, problems and opportunities in order of importance or urgency. 3. Give citizens a voice in determining policies, goals and priorities. 4. Evaluate current programs and policies. 5. Provide speculations about what people are thinking. 6. Provide speculations about what people really want. Information to Be Included in Assessing Community Needs 1. Historical Development – refers to data on how the community became what it is today and provides insights into the kind of resources to collect and weed. 2. Geographical and Transportation Information – includes information on community’s patterns and population contributions. 3. Political and Legal Functions – includes strategies for community – based selection [or this may include strategies that community uses for selecting players in the political sphere]. 4. Demographic Data – includes data on age characteristics, size, race, and transience of population. 5. Economic Data – refers to the economic base, social, cultural, educational, recreational 6. organizations. This includes the values and social pattern.

I.

Geographic Profile (Data source may come from barangay or city/municipal hall) a. Physical I. Location/Boundaries (north, east, west south) II. Terrain III. Facilities (like clinic/hospital, school, recreation hall, etc.) IV. Climate V. Basic food b. Cultural I. History of place and people II. Languages being used III. Peace and order situation (Usual community conflict and/or crime rate) IV. Clothing (most applicable to rural setting) II. Social (Data comes from survey) a. Total Population b. Total Number of Household c. Population distribution by Gender (and Age) d. Population distribution by Educational Attainment e. Health and common illnesses f. Recreation III. Economic a. Wage earners in the family b. Employment c. Household monthly income IV. Life Skills a. Abilities b. Interests V. Spiritual Aspect Number of people with active membership in the church VI. Socio-Political Aspect a. Known social programs or projects and other related community efforts (whether existing or planned efforts) b. Expression of satisfaction/dissatisfaction towards current social programs c. Perceived community problems d. Perceived community leaders e. Other agencies, GO’s or NGO’s that are in the area or that serve the community Sample of Community Needs Assessment Framework/Design for Urban and Rural Setting

Methods in Collecting Data for Community Needs Assessment

1. Focused Group Discussion (FGD) with Keyinformants. The keyinformants of the community are people who hold socially responsible positions such as educators, public officials, clergy and business representatives or those who are active in community events. These are the people who can provide good information that will guide and give you better understanding on historical issues needed by the community. 2. Community Forum/Assembly. This involves holding of group events that may include the entire community. It gives visibility to the leaders and raises the status of the community but it requires lots of planning and publicity. This meeting can be a venue where people can express their needs and be immediately validated by the rest of the attendees. Participatory action research effectively uses this method. 3. Public Records. Public records like national census will provide data for social and demographic indicators of the community. Data included are age, gender, educational level, locality, etc. that tend to contribute to library use. 4. Survey. Survey and questionnaires involve asking individuals in the community about their everyday needs. This can be implemented through the following: a. Mailing questionnaires to randomly selected members of the community; b. Performing telephone survey; c. Handing out surveys while people are in an assembly; and d. Posting questionnaires on your public access computer catalog. An example of this is the Minimum Basic Needs (MBN) Form of the DSWD.

Steps in Conducting Needs Assessment

1. Establish a working committee to solicit citizen and community involvement and develop a plan of action. 2. List important aspects that are needed to be looked upon. This may also mean identifying the surveyors’ own capability and strength. 3. Identify the population to be surveyed. This also includes making communications with community leaders and authorities of the identified population to facilitate other procedures. 4. Determine the information that is needed. It may be existing information which must be collected or it may be information gathered using a survey. Information like demographic profile may be readily gathered from the barangay, municipal or city records office. 5. Select a random sample of person to survey. A good number of representative populations to be surveyed will contribute to the validity of the information. 6. Develop and pretest a questionnaire. Afterwards, if the questionnaire was found to be a valid tool for measurement of data, proceed to distributing the questionnaire for community use. 7. Collect and collate the information. 8. Analyze the data. This may be done together with the core group members of the community. Community participate in analyzing gathered data is also important so that they can feel the ownership of the issues and concerns in the community. 9. Go back to the community for validation of information. This may be done through a community group discussion. 10. Finalize the document. Make sure that there are corresponding recommendations for the issues and concerns found.

The Story of the Lone Community Servant

Once there was a community servant who saw that the problem of poverty in his community was related to the low wages that a big-shot company was giving to the residents who works for it. So, the community worker organized a work stoppage until “their” demands were given, including a wage hike. He was successful in gathering 100 community people to picket with him. But on the third night of the strike, he was surprised to find no one behind him in the picket line… apparently the problem, in the eyes of the community people will not be solved through strikes but through a round table discussion with the management. “The community was not consulted of the real method of approaching the problem and so the community servant was left on his own in the picket line.”

Community Assistance in Assessing Needs

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Help identify community groups and citizens to be involved in the working committee. Facilitate group discussion to identify important issues and set priorities. Help select the sample to be surveyed and design a system to identify respondents. Provide tested questions from which the working committees choose questions that address the issues and concerns. Help design a process to distribute and collect survey questionnaires, code, enter and analyze the resulting data. Provide summary reports of data. Suggest programs to report the results and strategies to solicit community involvement. Work with citizens to identify courses of action based on the information.

Phase V: Program/Project Implementation

Project implementation deals with the actual execution of the plans. This phase of project development includes, making the final arrangement with the target clients/community partners, officials involved the activities, right schedule of each event, day to day activities, and needs of the clients, manpower each day of the program, monitoring and evaluation plan and other requirements like social and recreational activities, and the culminating activities of the project. It must be remembered always that the needs of the clients will be the dominant consideration throughout the conduct of the projects. To ensure the success of the NSTP community service projects performed by the trainees during their immersion time, the following must be considered: “…needs of the clients will be  Program must be responsive to the needs of the clients; the dominant consideration  Contribute to the upliftment of the living conditions of the clients; throughout the conduct of the  Maximize the resources available in the community; projects.  Tap the potentials of the clients and give due recognition;  Objectives must be SMART with tangible results that touch the lives of the clients;  Project must be done systematically to ensure significant contributions from pre-planning, planning stage, implementation, and evaluation;  Complete documentation must be observed as basis for reporting and for future studies;

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Projects must be within the capacity and concern of the trainees that will allow them to gain t...