LESSON1:

INTERRELATIONSHIP OF SELF AND

COMMUNITY IN UNDERTAKING
COMMUNITY ACTION
 It has been known from previous module that the three community
action modalities are Community Engagement, Solidarity and
Citizenship. One must be able to understand these modalities as these
are the ways for community members to fully get themselves involve
into making their community a harmonious and progressive one. When
one understands their role, he/she will definitely engage, unite with
members and be a responsible citizen.

There are a lot of ways to invite people to participate and one of that
is to build rapport with them first. Let them see the whole picture of
where the community is leading them. There is evidence that
participation can lead to improvements in neighborhood and
community and stronger interpersonal relationships and social fabric
(Florin et al., 1990).
Service is the main core of a community and it is the people who will be
served. When understood, volunteerism would come into picture and here
are some self-involvement ways to be involved in community engagement
listed by Chris Hampton and Eric Wadud of Community Tool Box.

Get involved in planning processes like creating goals or defining the problem
Donate money or help out with a fundraising effort
Volunteer to staff the office, answer phones, put together mass mailings, or
make phone calls
Doing research, writing grant proposals, or handling correspondence
Attend public events like rallies, community hearings, or fundraising events
Serve on committees that focus on specific problems or activities
Take leadership roles in a community partnership
 Defining Community Members' Roles

A community is expected to have diverse members. Each

member is unique. Everyone could bring anything on the
table. Contacts and connections made in a diverse, multi-
sector group lead to new community relationships. And these
relationships can speak new community initiatives that might
never have otherwise existed.
(Community Tool Box)

The basic component parts of a community is called

community sectors. Below is a list of sectors present in
a community by Community Tool Box.

Social Institutions (five key sectors):

Schools Churches
Media Government - town or city
Businesses
Other Common Organizations:
Clinics Service associations
Day Care Centers (the Rotary, etc.)
Ethnic clubs or associations Neighborhood groups
Hobby groups Religious groups
Housing authorities and housing group Social service agencies
Libraries Veterans groups
Parent-Teacher organizations
Professional Organizations
Professional Schools
Recreation groups
Specialized groups
Sectors are important for identification. People with the same
interest would most likely form a group and that group could be a
medium for actualizing any possible potentialities set for
community development. This categorization of talent and
interest will pave the way of those people who are unable to see
their roles in their own community. And once roles are
established, people will become the backbone of a harmonious
and progressive community. They become obliged to serve their
fellowmen and that desire starts with their intention to be part of
a movement.
Dynamic Social Development Model

Community Virtues: Resilient, Vigilant,

Progressive, Adaptable, and
Accountable Five-Point Initiative:
Engagement, Planning, Implementation,
Development, and Sustainability

The figure represents an ideal holistic

development paradigm. Any community
that has these initiatives and embodied
virtues of community members would
definitely succeed.
 COMMUNITY VIRTUES
1. Resilient Communities
Countless challenges are faced by almost everyone every day. Only resilient people
become successful after facing each challenge. As Filipinos are known to be resilient
people, it is also hoped that our communities should be resilient, as well.
Based in a tropical country, we are experiencing different seasons that could harm
our crops and livestock. Drought, floods, heat waves, earthquakes, forest fires, and
tsunamis are just a few of the challenges from Mother Nature that our communities
face (Delos Santos, D. 2017). Aside from that, challenges can be in the form of
corruption, red tape, crime, terrorism, and human rights abuses (Delos Santos, D.
2017). It is expected that despite all these, people and communities should rise from it
all and continue to live and exist. As these challenges are already expected, for they
come on an annual basis or as a precedent from other communities, contingency
plans must be crafted.
 COMMUNITY VIRTUES
2. Vigilant Communities
As we take extra careful in securing our door locks at night, communities must
also be vigilant to possible threats. Securing the safety of its members is one of
the main focus of any community. Laws are already in existent to make sure that
everybody will get to enjoy their freedom in its utmost sense. It serves as a
deterrent but will be used when someone tries to break the status quo.
However, upholding dogma of the past might seem a standard, but communities
must also be ready to adapt if there are new trends that are beneficial for the
community's growth. Anything, also, that could be the cause of a community to
fall, be it its economy or the welfare of its people, must be eliminated. Being alert
and awake will always give a head start.
 COMMUNITY VIRTUES
3. Progressive Communities
Change is the only constant in this world. One who is afraid of change can never
go to places. From what we have learned from the previous virtue,
safeguarding our belief system is important but so as keeping with
development. Protecting our culture and history will always be everybody's goal
but our world right now is advancing drastically and if we cannot keep up, we
will be left at the bottom. Progressive communities know when to change and
when not to adapt. The role of community leaders are very critical in this
matter. Synergy is important for ideas to flourish and take root. Ideas that are
arbitrary made without the consultation of the community will be hollow and
will not connect to their target beneficiaries. (Delos Santos, D. 2017). It will
always be a risk in advancing to the current trends but not trying to do so will
result in not wanting to grow.
 COMMUNITY VIRTUES
4. Adaptive Communities
Progressive community is more likely the same with Adaptive Community.
However, the former is more into looking for long-term changes. Its target is
growth from what is already present. The latter deals with the present condition.
Innovative and creativity are two of the requirements in order step up with the
current trends. Korean fashion is very trending now in the Philippines. Teenage
girls are at the peak of copying the way how Koreans dress. Even with Korea's skin
care products are always present in the Philippine cosmetics shops. This is one
example of trying to change a bit, to look trendier, to adapt. But an adaptive
community is more into the changes occurring in order to survive whenever our
environment demands it. With this Covid 19 pandemic, if our community won’t
adapt to the new normal guidelines, then it is expected that more people will get
infected by the virus.
 COMMUNITY VIRTUES
5. Accountable Communities
Accountable communities have the best people who knows their role in
their community. They have the sense of ownership. They know that
they have to take part in planning, execution, solution and sustaining
community goals and programs.The sense of ownership empowers
people and in result, gives people confidence and will to act. People
become committed and be more productive. Beautiful ideas spring from
people who are accountable. They study, research and dissect
information or proposals before putting it on the table, for fear that it
will result in failure if not looked into thoroughly. Accountable people do
not just look after their own advantage but the benefit of all the
members of the community.
 COMMUNITY VIRTUES
5. Accountable Communities
Accountable communities have the best people who knows their role in
their community. They have the sense of ownership. They know that
they have to take part in planning, execution, solution and sustaining
community goals and programs.The sense of ownership empowers
people and in result, gives people confidence and will to act. People
become committed and be more productive. Beautiful ideas spring from
people who are accountable. They study, research and dissect
information or proposals before putting it on the table, for fear that it
will result in failure if not looked into thoroughly. Accountable people do
not just look after their own advantage but the benefit of all the
members of the community.
 Five-Point Community
Initiatives

The five-point community initiatives are the processes or mechanisms that a

community undergoes in order to develop and realize its goals.

1. Engagement - connecting to the community and its people

2. Planning - converting ideas into blueprints through meetings and discussion
3. Implementation - action and realization of the set plans
4. Development - enhancing process for continuous implementation
5. Sustainability - meeting needs of stakeholders; pursued as a goal