Community

Engagemen
t, Solidarity
and
Citizenship
Module 1:
The Concept of
Community,
Community
Action and
Dynamics in
Social Sciences
Every community has its own
concept and realities. This
may vary from each situation
that a person experienced.
 Understanding the
definition of community will
give you a clear picture and
a good grasp on the shared
beliefs, traditions, behavior,
rules, and norms that
represents the individual
members of a group
 Being a member, you must know
the community initiatives and
actions in your surroundings. This
implies to the programs and
projects in addressing the needs
of everyone in the community.
 What is a
Community?
Based on the book of (Abenir and Alipao
2016), the word "community" is derived
from Latin and has been used in the
English language since the 14th century.
 The word community is
derived from the Latin
“communitas” (meaning the
same), which is in turn
derived from “communis”,
which means “common,
public, shared by all or
many".
According to (Abenir and
Alipao 2016), there are
many definitions of
community, but it
emphasized seven
definitions on this concept:
1. It is a group of people living
in the same place or having a
characteristic in common such
as norms, religion, values, or
identity.
2. It is a group of people
who share the same
things, such as: where
they live, work and play.
3. It is also a place
where people solve
problems together in a
form of collaboration
and teamwork.
4. It could be characterized by
age group, race, gender,
religion, shared beliefs,
traditions, rules, market
structure and location.
5. It is a durable relation that
extend beyond immediate
genealogical ties also define
a sense of community.
6. It defines as social ties in their
identity, practice, and roles in
social institutions (such as family,
home, work, government, society,
or humanity at-large).
7. It refers on the feeling of
fellowship with others, because
of sharing common attitudes,
interests, and goals.
Why do we need to
study the concept
of community?
 1. It aims to enhance your
sense of shared identity and
willingness to contribute to
the pursuit of the common
good of the community.
2. It enables you to integrate
applied social sciences in
solving social problems and
issues into community-action
initiatives.
 3. It gives you a
holistic
perspective in
which
socialization,
collaboration
and camaraderie
are vital in
improving the
quality of life in
the community.
Different Perspectives of the
Community
Based on the book
of (Melegrito et. al
2016), a community
can also be defined
by describing the
social and political
networks that link
individuals,
community
organizations, and
leaders.
1. Community as a Social
Science Perspective
(Melegrito et. al 2016)
• In the perspective of Social
Science, a community is a
congregation of people
unified by at least one
common characteristic.
 1. Community as a Social Science
Perspective (Melegrito et. al 2016)
• The people can be unified by
geography, shared interests, values,
experiences, or traditions
• It implies that socialization is an
integral part of community wherein
behavior patterns are present.
1. Community as a Social Science
Perspective (Melegrito et. al 2016)
• Socialization - starts at the early
age of a community member in
which it develops knowledge, skills,
and orientation. Also, it happens
during adulthood especially when
the person is placed in a new
environment, and there is a need to
adapt to a new pattern of behavior.
2. Community as an Applied Social Science
Perspective (Abenir and Alipao 2016)
• The study that uses the knowledge-based
theories, principles, and methods of
interdisciplinary disciplines of basic social
science to understand the society and to
help address or solve a social problem or
practical problem in the community.
2. Community as an Applied Social Science
Perspective (Abenir and Alipao 2016)
• The study of society in which influence,
resilience, positivity, and proper
communication among the members of the
community.
2. Community as an Applied Social Science
Perspective (Abenir and Alipao 2016)
• It provides significant benefits to its
members by giving social services that
could contribute to the community.
3. Local and Grassroots Level in the
community (Melegrito et. al 2016)
• Setting for intervention – the community is
mainly defined geographically. It entails that
interventions may be implemented at
various places within community institutions
such as schools, churches, work areas and
community organizations and concerning
with projects of health, education, and other
social services.
3. Local and Grassroots Level in the
community (Melegrito et. al 2016)
• Target for change – the community
denotes the goal of creating a healthy
environment facilitated by policy and
community wide institutions and services.
The community is the target beneficiary of
service intervention and community
development.
3. Local and Grassroots Level in the
community (Melegrito et. al 2016)
• Resource – the community is a good
material for promotion as it has considerable
degree of community ownership and
participation.
3. Local and Grassroots Level in the
community (Melegrito et. al 2016)
• Agent – this refers that communities,
through local institutions, provide resources
for realizing regular needs (Stuart 2003).
4. Ecological Perspective in the community
(Melegrito et. al 2016)
• This perspective defines community is a
congregation of species that occur together
in time and space and have high probability
of interaction.
• The major component of ecological
perspective is the concept of social ecology
by (Bronfenbrenner 1979).
5. Community as Sectoral Perspective
(Melegrito et. al 2016)
• In this perspective, the term community is
perceived as a structure that includes
individuals and sectors with diverse
characteristics and interrelationships
(Thomson et.al 1990 as cited by CDCP and
Melegrito et. al 2016).
5. Community as Sectoral Perspective
(Melegrito et. al 2016)
• This perspective emphasized that every
sector in the community has different roles
within their advocacies or programs to
sustain the requirements of the members or
the beneficiaries.
6. Community as Civil Society Perspective
(Melegrito et. al 2016)
• Civil society – refers as a wide array of
nongovernmental organizations and
volunteer groups that are initiating for
solutions to social problems on the
marginalized sectors of the community.
6. Community as Civil Society Perspective
(Melegrito et. al 2016)
• It highlighted that community as a civil
society perspective which comprises of
people, structures, programs and solving
social issues with positive outcome.
Module 2: What is a Community
Dynamics?
As a member of the community, do
you think your involvement in the
community is important to social
problems or issues? Cite situations
and examples
Community as a concept pertains to
change. Change that refers in giving
certain solutions to the problem that
the community encountered. It is
inevitable for the members to
participate the process of planning
in a form of participative strategy or
open communication that will
initiate a positive social change
among them.
Based on the book of (Melegrito et.
al 2016), there are various
viewpoints in which a community
comprises. One of its components is
called community dynamics wherein
it relates on the distinct perspective
of academic and sectoral orientation
in social sciences.
Dynamic in Social Sciences
• It is the forces or properties that
stimulate growth, development, or
change within a system or process.
• It refers on changing social
relations and patterns in the current
structure.
Community Dynamics
• It is the process of change and
development within communities.
• The goal of this concept is to bring
about positive social change
through community-based projects
and programs.
Importance of Community Dynamics
This concept will help a person to
work with community and to think
creatively and act strategically so
that community can achieve their
goals.
It promotes creative and sustainable
projects that work to raise the
quality of living for that most
vulnerable sector in the community.
Functions of Community Dynamics
in Social Science
Sociologist – they are concerned
about the norms, functions and
planning of social policy of a specific
community.
Example: poverty, gender issues
etc.
Political Scientist – they are involved
in the formulation of policy and
governance in the community.
Example: justice and political
mobilization etc.
Economist – they are involved in the
designing the market structures,
human capital and trade.
Example: unemployment, prices of
goods and services etc.
Anthropologist- they examine
biological, archaeological, linguistic
or sociocultural traditions in the
community.
Example: social and cultural health
issues, language etc.
Demographers – they are concerned
on analyzing the population
including birth and death rates in
the community.
Example: local migration, teenage
pregnancy rate etc.
What is Community Action?
Based on the book of (Abenir and
Alipao 2016), the word community
action is based on doing changes
and accomplishment for the
improvement of the community and
its members.
It is important for the members to
be engaged on the community
development in which community is
action is present.
Action in Social Sciences
• It refers on the people coming together to tackle
an issue, support other people, or improve their
local area.
• It involves people giving their time and other
resources for the common good, in a range of
forms from volunteering to community-owned
services, and peer networks to community
organizing.
• Max Weber a renowned sociologist, emphasized
that action is social if the acting individual takes
account of the behavior of others and is thereby
oriented in its course.
Community action
• It includes a broad range of
activities and is sometimes
described as “social action” or
“community engagement”.
Community action

• It pertains to the role of the

community plays, the types of
activities involved, their scale and
their integration within the council.
Community action

• They involve greater engagement

of local citizens in the planning,
design and delivery of local services
in the community.
Community action

• It refers on accomplishment
among the practitioners in attaining
social change in the community.
Purpose of Community Action
As cited in (Melegrito, et.al 2016),
community action is related with
putting communities at the heart of
their own local services. Thus,
involving communities in the design
and delivery of services can help to
achieve several objectives,
including:
1. Building community and social
capacity – helping the community to
share knowledge, skills and ideas.
2. Community resilience – helping
the community to support itself.
3. Prevention – a focus on early
access to services or support,
engagement in design, cross-sector
collaboration and partnerships.
4. Maintaining and creating wealth –
helping people into employment or
developing community enterprises.
Community Action in Social
Sciences
• Community Development Specialist – this
profession is all about working alongside
members of troubled communities, inspiring
them, supporting them, and offering them
guidance and opportunities for initiating
social change and making improvements to
their own community.
Example: employment and skills training,
supporting indigenous people in the rural
areas, urban planning
• Journalist – they are responsible in
gathering information, write news pieces,
and present the news in an honest and
balanced manner.
Example: newspaper columnist,
documentaries for news and current affairs
• News Correspondent / Broadcaster – is a
member of the media who works in either
radio or television. This individual is usually
responsible for passing along pertinent
information to the community.
Example: Television and radio correspondent
• Counselors- uses counseling methods to
help people manage and overcome mental
and emotional issues. Their duties include
listening to patients, developing treatment
plans, and creating coping strategies.
Example: guidance and career counselor,
marriage and family planning
• Social Work- pertains planning,
coordinating and implementing support
packages to help clients and their families
cope in difficult times and overcome
dependencies.
Example: social services such as poverty
alleviation, disaster relief assistance
Community power structures are hierarchical
interrelationships that govern the interaction
of individuals among each other within a
localized group setting.
Example: In a barangay, the community
power structures can be observed in the
hierarchical interrelationship between
barangay captain and his constituents,
between the elite and disadvantaged
members of the community, or between the
adult and young members of the community.
Factors Affecting Changes
in Community Power
Structures
Community Power Structures

1. Authority – a kind of power that one has

over another by virtue of an elected position
or office appointment that is based on
codified laws and regulations. Often referred
to as formal power structure.
Community Power Structures

2. Influence – a kind of power that a person

possesses over another by virtue of other
people’s positive perception of the former’s
competence and ability.
3. Expertise – attainment of influence by
virtue of possessing hard-earned specific
knowledge and abilities such as being a
lawyer, banker, entrepreneur, accountant
etc.
Community Power Structures

4. Charisma – attainment of influence by

virtue of having unique qualities of personal
magnetism that people naturally follow, often
with blind devotion.
Factors affecting changes in the Composition
of People in the Community
National Service Training Program (NSTP)
Fertility -refers to the actual reproductive
performance that can be expected of a
person, couple, group, or populations during
a woman’s childbearing years.
National Service Training Program (NSTP)
Mortality – refers to the demographic process
relating to death, often summarized by death
rates, survival rates, and life expectancy.
National Service Training Program (NSTP)
Migration- refers to the process of moving
from one place to another. It can be internal,
wherein the movement of people is within
the same geographical area or region or
external, wherein the movement of people is
from a national boundary to another.
Whether migration is internal or external, it
can happen in gradual or sudden waves
which, in time has the capability to change
the composition of people in the community.