WEEK 4: Typologies of Community:

Formal and Informal Communities

The table below details the differences between formal and informal community. An example of
a formal community is a business firm, where people are assigned positions based on their job
descriptions and functions. One example of an informal organization is a group of jogging
enthusiasts who meet once a week at the city park.

Formal

The group is created as per official authority, fulfill certain goals or objectives

The group Possesses a systematic hierarchical structure

The position of the member defines his/her importance in the group

There is a professional relationship among members

he flow of communication is restricted due to the chain of command

Informal

The group is formed according to the likes, interests, and attitudes of the members

The group has a loose structure, and the members join to satisfy their social needs

Every member is important as any other member

There is a personal relationship among among members

The flow of communication stretches in all directions

 Social Space is defined as a physical or virtual space which members of the community
visit or where they stay. Some examples of social space include the social center, online
social media, or other gathering spaces where people gather or interact.
 Some social spaces are owned by the government, such as town squares, parks, and
beaches. These are spaces generally open and accessible to people. Private social
spaces, on the other hand, are owned and regulated regularly, such as shopping malls.
These social spaces may be used by community residents for their gatherings or simple
recreation activities.
Rural-Urban Communities

Communities may be located in either rural or urban areas. These areas have distinct
characteristics.

The following are the three general characteristics of rural areas:

1. Population density is found to be low, meaning few people populate the entire
community, and they tend to live far apart from each other.
2. The area is situated geographically distant from larger urban areas.
3. Each area typically specializes in a particular form of livelihood, such as farming.

Characteristics of urban areas are as follows:

 There is higher population density, with more diverse subgroups (ethnic, racial cultural,
age, sexual orientation)
 Various industries and businesses are found in the areas.
 A large portion of people lived in rented apartments or homes.
 Transportation is readily available although this may be costly
 Urban areas are highly developed with many buildings and structures
 Traffic and noise levels are high in these areas
 The large population gives rise to close interactions among many people as well as
more intense political involvement among citizens.

There are also various sectors in different communities. Community sectors are

various groups or subdivisions of the larger community divided based on characteristics such as
political, economic, cultural, and religious beliefs. The various sectors that exist in all
communities may be categorized according to the following sectors with their inclusions:

1. Health

-medical and mental health professionals; pharmacists and pharmacies; hospitals and other in-
patient facilities, clinics, non-traditional health practitioners; public health agencies and systems

2. Education

- public and private preschools, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, school committees,
school administrators, teachers, other educational institution employees; parents, students,
state board of education; adult basic education (ABE) and English as Second or Other
Language (ESOL) programs

3. Law Enforcement

-the local and state police, the court system- judges, probation officers, prosecutors, court-
appointed defense lawyers, court-mandated program for offenders.
4. Government

- regional, provincial, state, local, and tribal government bureaucracies, agencies, and officials,
both elected and appointed.

5. Business

- from the self-employed carpenter to the multinational corporation with a local facility.

6. Youth

- youth themselves (generally viewed as ages 18 and younger) and those who work directly with
them (youth violence prevention and outreach programs, Big Brother/Big Sister, Boys’ and Girls’
Clubs, scouting, etc.) parents, human service, culture, and sports/recreation sectors.

7. The Media

- newspapers and magazines, radio, and TV, vast array of blogs, videos, online news, and other
materials available on the internet.

8. Human Services

- non-profit professional and volunteer organizations that provide free and affordable services
such as job training, food, shelter, elder services, services for individuals with physical or mental
disabilities, support and advocacy for immigrants, among others.

9. Religion

- places of worship and their members, religious organizations (e.g. Knights of Columbus,
CBCP) of all faiths, may include the hierarchy of a national church as well (a Roman Catholic
archbishop, for instance)

10. Service/Fraternal Organization

- the Lions, Masons, Rotary, Kiwanis, and other local and national or international service
organizations, college fraternities/sororities or other local and national social clubs, as well
veterans’ organizations and the like.

11. Community Activist Volunteer Groups

- individuals for or against political issue, supportive of existing institutions (“Friends of” the local
park, a school playground volunteer corps), oriented toward economics (groups that volunteer to
help non-profit and small business owners with financial and business plans), or more generally
concerned with the quality of community life (e.g. organizers of community festivals)

12. Culture

- artists such as musicians, dancers and choreographers, writer, actors and directors, designers
and visual artists, as well as arts organizations, theaters, orchestras, museums, galleries, and
those who work as support staff in the arts- stagehands, cameramen, electricians, set builders,
etc. ; regular consumers and supporters of the arts.

13. Housing Development

- both public and private non-profit housing agencies and organizations that provide rent
subsidies and/or affordable housing, as well as developers who build market-rate and upscale
residential and commercial properties.

-may include everyone from fair housing advocates to those who own and/ or manage urban
real estate worth millions of pesos.

14. Sports and Recreation

- sports clubs, town or county recreation departments, amateur and professional athletic
associations, public and private sports and recreation facilities, gyms, coaches, personal
trainers, recreation leaders, and camp directors, as well those who participate in these groups
as athletes, spectators, or supporters.

15. The Environment

- individual environmentalists, international, national, and local environmental organizations,

16. Agriculture

- confined to rural areas, may also include dairy farmers, cheesemakers, winemakers and
vineyards, and food processors and packers, including all consumers of the food produced.

Local and Global Communities

A local community is characterized by close social integration and physical proximity. Moreover,
a local community is defined as a group of people sharing the same environment and conditions
intent, belief, resources, preferences, and needs and risks. These factors may affect the
identities of the individuals as well as the community’s degree of cohesiveness.

In addition, a local community may consist of business operators, public agency staff, residents
with interactions that may include sharing of resources, information, and assistance.
Commercial relationships may also be present between local businesses and consumers.

The global community, on the other hand, is a system characterized by integration and
interaction between individuals and groups away from each other in time or space or both. The
word “global” refers to the nation of the world considered closely connected by modern
telecommunication, though they are economically, socially and politically independent
(Sebastian, 2009, and dictionary.com)

The domains and certain aspects of the local and global communities intertwine.
Establishments, programs, and other events that started in the local setup may eventually grow
to have a global presence, such as the Jollibee fast food chain.

Proposed plans and programs in the local community, when implemented successfully, may
reach the global community, and gain traction there as well such as outreach activities,
programs during calamities etc.

GROUP TASK: DIORAMA:

Materials: Illustration board, coloring materials, marker, adhesive, etc.

Make a community map which would reflect the following:

 Describe your community in a way that you show its location, if it is a rural or urban
o community and its characteristics.
 Out of the sixteen (16) community sectors, choose at least ten (10) prominent sectors
o in the community. Put Label on the chosen sectors. Ex. Recto memorial
(Education).
 Make use of a symbol e.g. cross at the roof of a church refers to Catholic Church

Rubrics for the Community Map (DIORAMA)

Required Elements (10 pts)

The community map includes all required elements as well as additional information

Graphics- Relevance (10pts)

All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand

Content - Accuracy (10pts)

At least 8 accurate facts are illustrated on the community map

Attractiveness (10pts)

The community map is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness

TOTAL= 40 points