UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY IMMERSION PDF

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FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev. 0 10-July-2020 Study Guide in NSTP 2

Module No.1

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. ___ UNIT 2- UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES OF COMMUNITY IMMERSION MODULE OVERVIEW People involved in community immersion must be knowledgeable on the basics of community, its meaning, concepts, underpinning principles, and nature of problems and issues arising there from. In this unit, we will understand what community immersion is and how important it is in nation building. MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES At the end of this unit, the student should be able to:  Explain the concepts and principles underpinning community and community immersion;  Realize the importance of understanding the dynamics of a community and community immersion as a way to realize the objectives of NSTP; and  Practice the standard operating procedures and establish protocols governing community immersion. LEARNING CONTENTS WHAT IS A COMMUNITY? According to development specialist Arlien Johnson, the term ‘community’ refers to a group of people gathered together in any geographic area, large or small, who have common interests, actual or potentially recognized in the social welfare field. To paraphrase the words of Johnson, a community is a collective of people with similar interests and goals whether living in the same geographic locality or not. The meaning of community may actually vary depending on the objectives of a program to be conducted there at. As per concept, a community may be categorized a geographical or functional: a. The term geographical community is defined in the purview of group of persons living in the same geographical location like in a certain village, town, neighbourhood, district, area, or territory. b. Meanwhile, community is said to be functional nature if the aggregate of people through not necessarily based on living in the same geographical location, is bonded by a common end such as fighting for the same cause, having the same interests and goals. A certain type of community has recently emerged. Some refer to it as just social movements but its definition points out that it surfaced out of the two other types of community. PANGASINAN STATE UNIVERSITY

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It is called relevant community that defines a group of people having similar interests and goals as a communities around them. These populations have common interests in changing existing institutions to their advantage in order to achieve redistribution of resource. It is geared towards organization of the poor. ELEMENTS OF A COMMUNITY As a trainee, one should be aware of elements of a community in order to understand the dynamics thereof. The important elements of community are: demographics, history, culture, economy, and structures. -

The demographics (characteristics of population) tell a lot about the movement in the community that you will serve. History allows you to identify certain patterns of change and people’s way of adapting these changes that can be useful in plotting your activities. Understanding the economy, culture, and community structures increase the chances of the success of activities since anyone can provide culture- based and more realistic solutions to community concerns.

IMMERSION AS AN IMPORTANT APPROACH IN GIVING COMMUNITY SERVICE 

An old age says that “Experience is the best teacher”. Going through the immersion process and conducting community service activities/projects will enable the trainees to understand how the people feel, think, say, and behave as dictated by their conditions and situations in life as a means to make feel and realize that they are more fortunate than many others and that the students can do something to improve the lives of the marginalized and underserved.

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As a Holy Scripture tells us “To whom much is given, much is required”. Since students have been given the rare opportunity and the distinct privilege of being schooled that they are supposed to better the living conditions of those whom were not as auspicious as they are.

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As one of the objectives of this book expounds, trainees will be exposed in further and other realities of life which they may or may not be used to.

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After having explained the significance of the community immersion requirement of NSTP in the purview of the educational and religious perspectives, let us succumb to the legal basis of such. The basic questions as: -

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What is the relevancy of the immersion part of the NSTP? Why would trainees need to study behaviour of the people in and that which composed the community where they serve?

Answers to these sort of questions is provided for in NSTP Act and has served as the mandate and core of recognizing the role of the youth in nation building.

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Young people are vested with the obligation “to defend the security of the State and in fulfilment thereof, the government may require each citizen to render personal military or civil service” (Section 2, NSTP Act of 2001) whether in times of peace or war.

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The next questions of the trainee is bound to ask is the first step of the process of immersion is: “Are trainees, young as they are, capable of responding to the stringent requirements of community building and meeting the skills and knowledge criteria of transforming communities?”

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The answer for that question is definitely YES! The role of the youth in national/local development cannot be overemphasized. To reinforce this are the very words of our national hero, “The youth is the hope of the Fatherland.” WHAT IS COMMUNITY IMMERSION?

COMMUNITY IMMERSION -

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It is an essential strategy in community organizing work that entails understanding of the different community concerns, process, dynamics and lifestyle through exposure and engaging in different activities. It is different from the actual organizing work. Immersion is just one of the strategies into community organization.

NATIONAL DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN (NDRRMP) 2011-2018 -

It is a plan which serves as the national guide on how sustainable development can be achieved through inclusive growth while building the adaptive capacities of communities; increasing the resilience of vulnerable sectors; and optimizing disaster mitigation opportunities with the end in view of promoting peoples’ welfare and security towards gender-responsive and right-based sustainable development.

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It also outlines the activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of the national government and the Local Government Units (LGUs) together with partner stakeholders, to build the disaster resilience of communities and to institutionalize arrangements and measures for reducing risks, including projected climate risks and enhancing disaster preparedness and response capabilities at all levels.

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The plan highlights, among others, the importance of mainstream disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) and climate change adaptation (CCA) in the development process.

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It also highlights the need for institutionalizing DRRM policies, structures, coordination mechanism and programs with continuing budget appropriation on DRR from national down to local levels.

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Community immersion in NSTP is devised as a strategy in molding and ‘conscientizing’ students just so that they may be socially aware and responsible to their communities.

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The nature of immersion efforts done is along the dimensions of, but not limited to, education, health, safety education, sports and recreation, environmental services, entrepreneurship, morals of citizenry, and other social welfare concerns.

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In view of the fact that immersion is a major concern in development work, trainees may find it significant to be guided by the following concepts: 1. Trainees should immerse in actual community life to get to know the social, political, and economic situation of people 2. Trainees may also undergo certain changes like increase in knowledge about the social realities, etc. 3. Trainees should identify the community people’s interest and aspirations 4. Trainees must recognize people’s resiliency and does not rob them of their right to have community participation and determination of appropriate courses of action. 5. Trainees should be aware of the gain-negotiated sanction. 6. Trainees must reflect on how their social analysis of the current situation is concretized in community people’s lives.

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The following are the forms of integration in community immersion: a. Home visits b. Living with selected families preferably with key informants c. Informal discussion with individuals or groups d. Sharing in household and community activities e. Attendance in social gatherings f. Assistance in production work

Whom do you immerse within the community? 

When one goes to a community, he/she associates with the people whom intends to work with as partners.

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Community-based service projects must be premised on the principle of people empowerment and not the ‘dole-out mentality’. The parents, youth, the differentlyabled constituents, professionals, members of people’s organizations, and other formal and informal group, and others who can be a potential collaborator of your projects or activities.

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We do not just work for and serve the people but rather we encourage their participation. This practice of enjoining people’s support is adherent to the Confucian’ philosophy of “give man a fish and he will live for a day; teach him how to fish and he will live for a lifetime.”

CONDITIONS IN COMMUNITY IMMERSION

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It is so desired that one fundamental pre-requisite qualification among those who intend or are tasked to undergo community immersion is a full understanding of the concepts and theories behind the dynamics of groups and community. In the same breath, knowing the very process of immersion is a primordial condition. This is so because this endeavour requires a great deal of know-how and skills in facilitating interventions, planning and managing community service projects, among others.

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Training wise, community developers/organizers and social workers are most qualified because it is assumed that they have more or less formal background on carrying out these kinds of undertaking.

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As for NSTP, students enrolled in NSTP-CWTS/LTS 2 are mandated to undergo community immersion for a period covering a minimum of 54 hours to a maximum of 90 hours as cited from CHED-prescribed Program of Instruction (POI), 2007 edition.

What Personal Gains from Community Immersion? The community immersion aspect of NSTP will be able to benefit not only the communities served but more so the student-trainees who may be accorded with the following advantages:

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Opportunity for the trainees to comprehend people’s lives Gain social acceptance from community relations Enhance experiences in conducting asset mapping Establish rapport and relationship with different people Develop their conscientization ability Acquire first-hand experiences Chance to learn life skills

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1 Written Activity: 1. Write a three paragraph reflection paper about “What is my ideal community?” 2. What do you think is the most important role of a NSTP-2 student-trainee in the establishment of peaceful and orderly community? 3. How do you assist and relate each community member/participant in terms of the attainment of the common vision of the people thereat? 4. What are the aspirations/interests do the community participants have?

REFERENCES

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Labuguen, Florida C. et al., (2020) Understanding the National Service Training Program

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