The Latin word “communis” means common or shared

It is a social unit compose of people who have something in common- Community

These communities are formed based on needs, ideas, interest, identity, practices and rules and social
institutions such as at home, at work and government, society or the community at large.- Non-
geographical Community

It is any activity that aims to increase the understanding, engagement and empowerment of
communities for the intention of giving services to people.- Community Action

The Concept of Community

* Community is so diverse , it could mean differently to different people. Sociologist find it difficult to
agree on definition due to accumulation of ideas and data about communities.

* George Hillery (1955)) gave ninety-four definitions of the term community which leads him to conclude
that there is no agreement as to the nature of the community.

* Gideon Sjoberg (1964) provided an acceptable definition : a community is a collectivity of actors

sharing a limited territorial area as the base for carrying out the greatest share of their daily activities.

The Different Perspective of Community

For the point of view of Social Science:

* “A community is a group of people whose connections and relations are formed by their shared history,
experiences, geographies and identities. Generally, there is a common pattern of behavior. The course of
embracing the behavior patterns of a community is called socialization

Types of human associations according to Ferdinand Tonnies:

1. Gemeinschaft is a community with a tighter and more cohesive social entity brought about by “unity
of will.”

2. Gesellschaft is a group where individuals participate as members driven solely by selfinterest

Institutions Perspective:

* Institutions are the core establishments that bind people toward a specific advocacy or goal. They are
grand social structures that are made up by individuals which, when viewed as a whole, exhibit patterns
of behavior that create conventions and norms in our society. There are five core institutions that are
pillars of our society.

Examples of Social Institutions:

1. Family Institution

2. Educational Institution

3. Religious Institution

4. Economic Institution

5. Government Institution

Civil Society Perspective:

* Civil Society (CS) is generally defined as a wide array of nongovernmental organizations and volunteer
groups that are fighting for solutions to social issues that continue to worsen the condition of the
disadvantaged sectors of society, especially the poor.
* CS views the community as composed of people, structures and systems endowed with resources but
is confronted with social issues as well. The CS wants that those who are affected by social problems
must organize and band together to pursue and advocate for social change.

The Local and Grassroots Perspective:

* The Local and Grassroots Level, also referred to as Community-Based Perspective, sees the community
as a setting for intervention, target for change, resource and agent as cited by McLeroy (2003) and as
established in the studies reviewed by Merzel and D’Afflitti.

* This perspective, according to McLeroy, et al. (2003), requires vigilance in assessing community
structures and processes before any community interventions. The situation entails a thorough
understanding of the community in order to determine appropriate and strong solutions.

Four Perspectives of Community

1. Systems Perspective

2. Social Perspective

3. Virtual Perspective

4. Individual Perspective

1. Systems Perspective

Community just like a church is similar to a living creature, made up of different parts that represent
individual functions, activities, each operating within specific boundaries to meet the needs of the
community. E.g.

DOH – focuses on prevention & treatment of diseases

DEPED – ensures quality education

2. Social Perspective

Describes the social and political networks that connect individuals, organizations, and its leaders. A
clear understanding of the different networks is crucial in planning how to engage in community
activities.

3. Virtual Perspective

Virtual communities are social groups or groups with a common interest that interact in an organized
fashion using the internet

4. Individual Perspective

Individuals who are living in a community have their unique sense of membership. Some may even have
a sense of belonging to more than one community
Empowerment refers to the development of self – confidence, self-control, relationship with others and the
firmness to gain political power to achieve improved inputs and equality.