Module 1 4
Module 1 4
1. Be familiar with the provision of the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulation( IRR) of RA
9163;
2. Explain the impact of RA 9163 on community service-learning; and
3. Develop an active role, involvement, and participation of students in community/civic affairs.
OVERVIEW
This chapter deals with the latest IRR of RA 9163, otherwise known as the National Service
Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001, which was issued on the November 13, 2009. The
commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority
(TESDA), and Department of National Defense (DND), in cooperation with other concerned
government agencies, the Philippines Association of State Universities and Colleges (PASUC), the
Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA), non-
government organizations (NGOs), and other well-known organizations, jointly issued, adopted, and
promulgated the aforementioned IRR for the NSTP.
LECTURE
According to Section 9 of Article II of the 1987 Constitution, “The State shall promote a just
and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free
the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full
employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all.”
In line with this, De Leon (2011) explains that a “nation’s social services delivery system,
particularly universal access to education and health care, is central to achieving equality and closing
the wealth and income gap between the rich and the poor.”
Social development aims to reduce poverty and unemployment and create jobs. However,
these obligations should be shouldered not only by the government but also by all Filipinos.
Section 1 of the IRR of the NSTP Law state that “[w]hile it is the prime duty of the government
to serve and protect its citizen, in turn, it shall be the [duty] of all citizen to defend the security of
the state, and in fulfillment thereof, the government may require each citizen to render personal
military or civil service.”
1. ’’In the recognition of the vital role of the youth in nation-building, the state shall promote
civic consciousness among them and shall develop their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual,
and social well-being. It shall inculcate the ideal of patriotism, nationalism, and advance their
involvement in public and civic affairs.’’
The following are the components of the NSTP Law as enumerated in section 5 of the IRR:
1. The Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) institutionalized under section 38 and 39
of Republic Act No. 7077 and designed to provide military training to motivate, train,
organize, and mobilize the youth for national defense preparedness;
2. The Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) which consists of activities that contribute
to the general welfare and the betterment of life of the members of the community or the
enhancement of its facilities especially those devoted to improving health, education,
environment, entrepreneurship, safety, recreation, morals, and other areas; and
3. The Literacy Training Service (LTS) designed to train students to teach literacy and
numeracy skills to school children, out-of-school youth (OSY), and other segments of society
who are in need of such services.
All program components shall emphasize citizenship training and instill patriotism, moral
virtues, respect for the right of civilians, and adherence to the constitution.
1. All incoming first-year students, male and female, starting the academic year (AY) 2002-
2003, enrolled in any baccalaureate degree comprising at least two years of technical-
vocational or non-degree education are required to complete one NSTP component of their
choice as a requirement for graduation.
2. All higher and technical-vocational education institutions must offer at least one NSTP
component.
3. State universities and colleges (SUCs) shall offer the ROTC component and at the least one
other NSTP component.
4. The Philippine Military Academy (PNPA) and other SUCs of similar nature, in view of the
special nature, in view of the special character of these institutions, are exempted from the
NSTP.
5. Private higher education institution (HEIs) and technical-vocational education institution with
at least 350 students-cadets may offer the ROTC component and consequently established
and maintain a Department of Military Science and Tactics (DMST), which, however, will still
be subject to the existing rules and regulations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
The implementation of the NSTP-CWTS by HEIs is mandated by RA 9163 in accordance with its
latest IRR.
Instructions: Relate the following questions to real-life situations and write your answers on the
space provided.
1. If you were given the chance to inculcate the ideals of patriotism and nationalism in people,
what strategies would you adopt or use?
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2. If you were as soldier required to render service to the victims of flash flood, would you
rescue your family members in the same are first or assist the other victims and just let the
other rescuers aid your family instead?
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1. “The state shall promote a just and dynamic social order that will ensure the prosperity and
independence of the nation.” In what ways can the country’s development be promoted?
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2. What is the vital role of the youth in nation-building?
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_______1. What section in the ’’Declaration of Principles and state Policies’’ (Article II of the 1987
Constitution) orders the state to promote a just and dynamic order of the nation?
a. Section 6
b. Section 7
c. Section 8
d. Section 9
_______ 2. RA 9163 is also known as the ____________________.
a. National Service Training Program Act of 2001
b. National Service Training Program Act of 2002
c. National Service Training Program Act of 2003
d. National Service Training Program Act of 2004
_______ 3. Which section of RA 7077 institutionalized the Reserve Officers Training Corps program
component of the NSTP?
a. Section 36 and 37
b. Section 38 and 39
c. Section 37 and 38
d. Section 35 and 36
_______ 5. The principal duty of the government is to serve and protect its _________.
a. Citizens
b. Natural resource
c. Civilians
d. Youth
_______ 6. Higher education institution (HEIs) are mandated to implement the NSTP , except for
the ______________________.
a. University of Sto. Tomas
b. University of the Philippines
c. Philippine Normal University
d. Philippine Military Academy
_______ 7. Private HEIs and technical-vocational education institution must have ____ student-
cadets before they can offer the ROTC.
a. 350
b. 300
c. 200
d. 250
_______ 8. When was the Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of NSTP issued?
a. November 12, 2009
b. November 10, 2009
c. November 13, 2009
d. November 11, 2009
______ 10. Which of the following is NOT an area of concern of the CWTS?
a. Health
b. Safety
c. Governance
d. Recreation
OVERVIEW
LECTURE
Service-Learning provides students the opportunity to work with others, gain valuable
insights, and acquire different skills. Through varied community projects, they can apply what they
have been taught in class by formulating appropriate solutions to the problems they encounter in
their chosen communities.
As enrollees of NSTP-CWTS, 2 students can use the insights they gain in the classroom and
provide solutions to real-life problems in the community. They become bona fide members of their
assigned communities as they render service and perform acts like the following:
1. Students can analyze the effect of natural disasters and use a kit to gather important items
during disaster preparation. Elementary students can design and distribute these kits to the
members of the community.
2. High School students can closely monitor the effects of poor nutrition and lack of exercise by
organizing health-related activities, concoct nutritious recipes, and putting up fruit and
vegetable stands in schools in the community.
3. Biology majors can study the complexity and diversity of wetlands to eliminate invasive
aquatic species. Streams can also be monitored and the results may be presented to the
class.
4. University students can help struggling local non-profit organizations cope with difficult
economic conditions. Students who are enrolled in communication-related courses can
provide varied public relations services with community partners, develop press kits and
provide assistance in holding events.
Characteristics of Service-Learning
Students have misconceptions about the conduct and value of service-learning. Service-learning is
not:
The distinctive element of service-learning is that it improves the community through the
services provided and it also result in the improvement of the students and the other people
providing the services. Service-learning is rapidly growing and becoming popular because of its
powerful impact on the people and their development. It is dynamic process, through which the
students’ personal and social growth are tightly interwoven into their academic and cognitive
advancement. According to Eyler and Giles (199), the service-learning model enhances
understanding and leads to more effective action.
Service-Learning Theory
Service-learning theory is based on the idea that experience is the foundation for
learning, and the bases for learning are the different forms of community service (Morton & Troppe,
1996). Service-learning, therefore, is a form of experiential education wherein learning occurs
through cycles of action and reflection. Students work with others in applying what they have
learned in class to solve community problems while, at the same time, reflecting upon their
experiences as they seek to attain their goals for the community and to develop skills for themselves
(Eyler & Giles, 1999).
HEIs on Service-learning
One of the trifocal functions of the university is community extension. According to Tariman
(2007), its duty to the youth is to make them literate and functional, so they can make good
decisions regarding the problems affecting their health, families, and duties and responsibilities to
the community. They should be provided with opportunities for cooperative undertakings affecting
the welfare of the entire community, so they can develop into young men and women who look
upon their own interests in terms of the welfare of others.
Benefits of Service-learning
There are personal and professional benefits that faculty members can derive from
integrating service-learning into the courses they handle. Their decision to teach service-learning
classes can:
1. Promote interactive teaching as well as reciprocal learning between them and their
students
2. Provide new concepts and subjects that will enrich the class
3. Open up new areas of concern for research
4. Motivate their students to engage in active learning and be exposed to varied teaching
styles
5. Enable their students to learn more and further development themselves
6. Increase enrollment by giving the proper motivation to highly engaged and active
students
1. Receive additional human resource assistance that can expedite the achievement of
organizational goals
2. Inspire a higher level of enthusiasm, perspective, and energy
3. Improve the organization’s pool of volunteers as students engaged in the service-learning
will boost their own morale prompting them to share their experiences with their
classmates and friends
4. Enhance public awareness regarding significant issues confronting the community
5. Ensure future support for the organization
6. Make students well informed about issues in the community and enlighten them regarding
common misconceptions
7. Prepare the youth of today, particularly students, to become tomorrow’s responsible
community leaders
8. Establish strong network with partners in the organizations and agencies
9. Gain access to the other resources of the university and strengthen collaborative ties with
its faculty members, students and staff
The following are significant and helpful steps in effectively implementing service-learning:
After selecting a project, the available resources of the community must be assessed
or evaluated. This includes looking into opportunities to establish partnerships with the local
leaders, out-of-school youth, businessmen, women leaders, and youth leaders regarding
community issues and problems.
In selecting the program, the initial stage of planning is of utmost importance. Plan
according to expected goals. Find out your human, financial, physical, intellectual resources
including the additional student leaders who can assist your group in executing and
coordinating the different activities you have prepared for the community.
Prepare the program with all the important things in mind like the rationale, timeline,
budget, and list of assignment. The partners must be involved in this process. The community
project must have the following components: a through plan, schedule or time frame,
benchmark budget evaluation and assessment, and tools and processes to identify,
document, and address problems and issues that can potentially take place.
It is necessary to look for adequate funding source such as tie-ups with local
businessmen, national corporations, faith-based organizations NGOs, government agencies
(Gas), and other local community organizations.
The plan of action must properly implemented. The right intervals for assessment
must be sent and partners must be involved in the process, this, in turn, will enhance the
program.
Carefully design activities that give students the chance to better understand
community service. Through this, the students’ knowledge and perceptions will continuously
be reinforced. Students must be permitted to record all their experiences, including their
assignments, in a journal. This also helps in further improving the program.
A. Preparatory stage
1. The students and faculty members are both responsible for the selection of the
community or institution. However, institutions or communities with already existing
Memorandum of Agreements with the school/university are the most appropriate choices.
2. The faculty member must submit a letter intent to the college dean through the chairman
or the head of the SLP. The letter should come with the program/activity design indicating
the rationale, objectives, time frame, the evaluation process (rubrics and reflection
papers), and the schedule of activities.
3. The faculty members will write a letter of intent and request for permission to conduct a
SLP to the selected community or institution. The letter must be noted by the dean
through the program coordinator or head.
4. The students who will join the SLP must secure a waiver from the office of student affairs
(OSA) to be signed by their parents or guardians. The faculty member will collect the
waivers a day before the actual activity. Students without signed waivers will not be
allowed to join the SLP.
5. The faculty member must conduct a classroom briefing about the program/activity before
the implementation of the SLP.
B. Implementation Stage
1. The students and the supervising faculty member of the SLP are required to wear
prescribed school identification card (ID) and college T-shirt and observe proper decorum
while in the community or institution. Smoking and engaging in other forms of vices while
in the community or institution, whether before, during, or after the SLP are strictly
prohibited for both faculty members and students.
2. The students and faculty member on the SLP shall cover their respective transportation,
communication, and meal expenses during the period. Other logistical requirements shall
be based on those indicated in the approved activity design of the college dean.
3. The faculty member or the assigned group leaders shall take responsibility for all
communications and coordination with the partner community or institution in relation to
the SLP. They are also in charge of ensuring the safety and security of the students while
in the community.
4. The college dean or the head of the program will conduct spot monitoring or follow-up of
students involved in the SLP to determine the actual and current status of the program.
5. In case the faculty or the member in-charge will be absent, he or she must inform and
ask permission from the college dean to find another faculty member as substitute to
supervise the students. Any SLP activity without supervision of an assigned faculty
members shall be considered unofficial.
1. The students must submit a narrative report with pictorial documentation and a reflection
paper to the faculty member. The report must be hardbound, must follow the required
format, and be submitted 15 days after the SLP activity.
For example, student volunteers collecting trash or dredging an urban or rural river, stream,
or waterway render a valuable service to the community. If students also analyze their findings to
determine the possible sources of pollution and share the results with the residents of the
neighborhood also engaged in service-learning, they will be doing community much good.
Instruction: Relate the following questions to real-life situations, then write your answers on the
spaces provided.
1. What public awareness campaigns or programs are needed to resolve the issues and problems in
your community?
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2. If you were given a chance to organize students to participate in a three-year strategic planning
for an SLP, how would you lead your team?
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1. What real-life experiences have you gained after a particular community engagement?
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Instructions: Write the letter that corresponds to the correct answer on the space provided before
each number.
____2. Which Republic Act is also known as the Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997?
_____3. Which is a form of experiential education wherein learning occurs through cycles of action
and reflection?
_____4. Which would best complete the statement, “Securing a/an _________ from the office of
student affairs is necessary. It must be signed by the students’ parents or guardians as a part of
the protocol in program implementation”?
A. Program C. Syllabus
B. Activity D. Waiver
_____5. Which of the following aims to transform the lives of both the recipients and the providers
of the service?
_____6. Which of the following is based on the idea that experience is the foundation of learning
and that it is the basis for learning the different forms of community service?
A. Legal Bases Theory
C. Service-learning Theory
D. Experiential Theory
____7. Which of the following is not a significant and helpful and step in the effective
implementation of an SLP?
A. Community Engagement
C. Community Extension
D. Community Motivation
____9. What is the second stage in rendering an SLP according to its guidelines?
A. Implementation C. Evaluation
B. Preparation D. Activation
____10. Develop appreciation and recognition of the students’ active involvement in community
projects by posting congratulatory greetings for students on bulletin boards. Which step in
implementing an SLP describes the aforementioned statement?
____11. Which step in the implementation of SLPs involves the plan of action being properly
implemented?
____12. Which step in the implementation of SLPs involves preparing the programs with all the
important things in mind, such as the rationale, timeline, budget, and list of assignments?
____13. Which step in the implementation of SLPs involves finding out the human, financial,
physical, and intellectual resources need, including the additional student leaders who can provide
assistance?
____14. Which step in the implementation of SLPs involves looking for opportunities to establish
partnerships with local leaders, out-of-school youth, and businessmen?
____15. Which of the following is also known as the Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997?
“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but something I know; the ones among you who will be
really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve”,
-Albert Schweiltzer
Below are sample pictures of a community immersion, try to look at the picture carefully and answer
the following questions below:
COURSE OVERVIEW
In this lesson, you would be able to learn about the basic information of Community
Immersion. In this way, the NSTP trainees will gained a better understanding and realization of the
different community concerns through the exposure on actual life condition in the community
specifically in the deprived communities.
More specifically the NSTP trainees are required to initiate community-based programs in the
form of projects and events that resolve a variety of issues and concerns as well as needs
assessment/ analysis study that points out the issues that abstract the community’s important goals
in the field of service.
The trainees contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of the people in the service
areas in their own small way while also developing their service ethics imbued with the good
citizenship principles of makadiyos, Makabayan, makatao and makakalikasan, thus better training
them as reservists in responding to the call of the times.
The myriad of problems in the community can be addressed by the immersion projects and
activities specifically designed to improve the different aspects of human development like
economic, social, spiritual, etc. these aspects cannot and should not be defined singly and
separately, but must be viewed interdependently and I totality. However, for purposes of delineation
the economic aspect suggests financial management while social aspect is focuses on people
interactions and relationship building. On the other hand, the spiritual aspect is associated with
religion and our religion and our relationship with the Supreme Being regardless of whatever name
we call our God.
Translating the aforementioned aspects of human existence, NSTP had contextualized the
said concepts by determining the various dimensions of development along the CWTS component
of the program as per guidelines of the NSTP law to wit:
Education
Health
Safety and Disaster management
Sports and Recreation
Environmental Services
Entrepreneurship and livelihood and moral of citizenry and other social/ general welfare
concerns
Moreover, generation of resources must be given as an equal amount of attention and forging
of collaborative partnership with the community and organization is deemed necessary in forgoing
a successful community immersion program for NSTP students.
Assessment:
9. The prescribed minimum and maximum number of training and implementation hours required
of the trainees to fulfill their community immersion requirements in the NSTP law and its
implementing rules and regulations is ______.
a. 36-72 hrs.
b. 54-90 hrs.
1. Explain the concepts and principles underpinning community and community immersion.
2. Realize the importance of understanding the dynamics of the community and community
immersion as a way to realize the objectives of NSTP; and
3. Practice the standard operating procedures and establish protocols governing community
immersion.
Before going through the pages try to look or search for a photo showing the different kinds
of volunteerism. Cut and paste it in a separate journal or notebook.
Philippines the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP)
2011-2018
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 people’s welfare and security towards gender-responsive and right-based
sustainable development. It outlines the activities aimed at strengthening the capacity of the
national government and the local government units (LGU’s) together with partner stakeholders to
build the disaster resilience of communities and to Institutionalize arrangements and measures for
reducing disaster risks, including projected climate risks and enhancing disaster preparedness and
response capabilities at all levels.
Community Immersion
Each community needs to find its own solutions to its own problems. There are no easy or
"universal" answers that can be brought in from the outside. Human factors (more than technical
How Important a Community Immersion? We thought it would be boring and just a matter
of wasting time. For some it is, but for others it is not. For poor people it’s significant and valuable,
but for the rich one, most of them will consider it worthless. Being in a community immersion is a
great challenge because you need to compromise with those matters that the Indigenous people
are used to. You need to show up that everything is fine and smoothly moving. You need to adjust
and maximize your understanding. You need to accept and embrace the things you met along the
way. You should avoid offending your poster families, like showing that you don’t like what’s going
on, instead show love and care for them. Eve realized many things when I was in the situation of
community Immersion. Eve realized things which awakened my senselessly as an Individual. Can
you imagine a 6 yr. Old child walking for about 6 km everyday just to go to school? Just to learn!
That’s how blessed we are! We just ride In a car and eventually we’re on school. But them they
suffered a lot because they Alma for a simple goal, to finish their studies.
1. Community
Geographical Community is defined in the purview of group of persons living in the same
geographical location like a certain village, town, district, area, or territory.
Functional Community is defined as the aggregate of people though not necessarily based on living
in the same geographical location, is bounded by a common end such as fighting for the same
cause, having the same interests and goals.
1. Home Visits
2. Living with selected families preferably with key informants
3. Informal discussions with individuals and groups
4. Sharing in household and community activities
5. Attendance in social gatherings
6. Assistance in production work
Elements of a Community
1. Parents
2. The Youth (In-school or out of school)
3. Differently-abled Constituents
4. Professionals
5. Members’ of Peoples’ Organizations
When one goes to a community, he/ she associates with the people whom intends to work
with as partners, allies Community-based service projects must be premised on the principle of
people empowerment and not the dole out mentality. The parent’s youth, the differently-abled
constituents, professionals, members of people’s organizations and other formal and informal group,
and others who can be potential collaborator or your project or activities. 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 for a day: teach him
how to fish and he will for a lifetime. “Community immersion is empowering the people towards
development of the locality.
It is desired one fundamental pre-requisite qualification among those who intend or are
tasked to undergo community immersion is 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 primordial condition. This is so because this endeavor requires a great deal of know-how and
skills in facilitating interventions planning and managing community service projects among others.
Training-wise community developers/organizers and social workers are most qualified because it
assumed that they have more or less formal background on carrying out these kinds of undertaking.
As for NSTP students enrolled in NSTP-CWTS/ LTS 2 are mandated to undergo community
immersion for a period concerning a minimum of 54 hours to a minimum of 90 hours as cited from
CHED prescribed Program of Instruction (POI) 2007 edition.
It is basic rule that trainees must be well-versed with the area, skilled to communicate with
community people and disciplined to keep yourself from responding indifferently towards diverse
types of personalities.
Hereunder is a guide prepared by Dr. Florida C. Labuguen and Ms. Emily Rose M. Bautista in
manuscript form entitled “Essential Protocols when Visiting Community”.
4.Be armed with background information Do not go directly to the community who
about the area of immersion determining it background info.
5. Pay courtesy call to community leaders,
whether formal or informal.
4. Keep your valuables secured. Never bring out your valuable things like
cellphones, jewelry, and money in public
places.
5. Always document your visit.
Application:
Direction: Answer the following questions as guide in portraying a community you envision.
Assessment:
As a way to familiarize the student-trainee with the structure/institutions in the community, one tool
known as community map comes in a handy. Community mapping illustrates the community
indicating the locations of the church, school, market, hospital/clinics, etc. specifying the number of
residential lots, idle lots and others. Make mapping of your respective community/purok.
The community immersion process is a series of interrelated and intertwined phases which
commences with the Pre-immersion follows by entering the Community integration, community needs
assessment, Program or Project Implementation and Termination of the Project.
Phase 1: Pre-Immersion
This phase regards the identification of the community where the students will be immersed for many tasks
ahead. Trainees must have waivers from their
Aside from preparation of the trainees and the school, the community is primarily the one to be prepared
and informed. With this, trainees must set up criteria in selection of an area for immersion.
Area Selection
The marginalized sectors are your target clients because they are the one’s needing your assistance
more than any other group in the society. Examples of marginalized are the youth, women, slum
dwellers, the differently- abled, among others.
This goes to say that with the people and work with the people.
3. Consider needs and resources within the capability of the students and community
partners.
You cannot extend what you do not have in the first place.
Supporting agencies are probable resource waiting to be tapped that can provide financial assistance
when it comes to projects that are also within their type of service.
Soliciting their support will also prevent duplication of services and activities. You have to identify if
their schedule activities coincide with yours so that you will not confuse the people with your spate identity.
There is a danger that people will not support you if the schedules of your activities overlap with those of an
agency that has long existed in the community before you came.
Through appropriate communications and relations with these agencies, they can most likely be the
source of other updates baseline of that data you will need to understand the community.
You have to put into consideration your own safety when you conduct your immersion. Some of the
salient questions you need to ask are that,” Are the roads and work area secure to travel on?” “Am I not
putting myself and other members of the immersion team in danger if we conduct our immersion in this
venue?” “Will I and my school compromised if I continue to work in this area?”
Sometimes despite the community leader’s commitment to work with the trainees, when community
in general does not regard their area a shaving stable peace and other situation, they themselves will not
cooperate because their community issues go beyond what you can respond to.
Remember, you are also a student and that one of your main objectives is to learn and experience
community living without disregard to your own safety.
6. Accessibility
You need to take in to account how much time you spend travelling, how much money you spend for
transportation or lodging. There is a chance that you spend extra effort on tasks like carrying training
materials on the field, etc. that could otherwise be prevented if you have chosen a much accessible venue
for immersion.
If you have been able to select an area for immersion based on the -foregoing factors, you can now
proceed to entering the community.
To ensure success in entering the community, it is necessary to have community mapping of the
target area. This will help you identify the geographic coverage of the project. It will also help point out the
resources that may be used by the trainees in the community and the relationship of people with these
resources.
Angelita g. Manalili in his book Community Organizing for People’s Empowerment (1990), remarked
that there are different ways of entering the community. Similarly, immersion begins with the initial steps in
community organizing. Anchored on Manalili’s concepts, those planning to conduct community immersion
can enter community thru:
Ostentatious Entry
Complete with banner and general assembly of the people, the community ushers in the people who
will undergo immersion or outsiders. People naturally expect more from the outsiders because the latter’s
identity is boosted.
Outsiders sometimes enter the community through catching people’s attention. At times when
community people are in distress, they usually adhere to outsiders, like during economic crisis, emergency
and disaster situations. The outsiders try to find out which aspect is that the community will need them for
and through this, they emphasize on how they could be helpful.
Communities are often called social laboratories because they are a place to test the theories learned
in the classrooms. Academic institutions field some students into the community to assist the community
regarding its concerns. A trialogue between the school, the students and the community are due to identity
the terms to which the community service will be fulfilled.
People-Centered Approach
This approach ultimately believes on the capacity of the community people to participate and
knowledge whether outsider assistance is really needed. Users of this type of entering the community invest
on community relations, believing that both partners to community development. Key to this of entry is
strong linkage with the people in the community.
When entering the community, the members of the community immersion team must establish good
relationship with the community people. Gathering information and doing a background investigation about
the goal of establishing linkages in the locality. Ground working can also be an effective mechanism in
knowing the community well. Talk to as many people as possible and document or record your conversations.
Integration is a continuous process wherein the trainees come into direct contact and become
involved with the community people. This phase is where the immersion phase gets more personal. The
trainees should realize that there is an existing concern within the community. As the problems of the
community become more apparent, you become aware and validate that you are part of the circle.
a. Border Style
If provisions allow, the trainees may choose to stay and live in the immersion area for certain
period of time. They may live in the community to pursue deeper knowledge about the community.
However, the ‘boarder’ or guest status will still be the regard of the people toward them unless they
integrate themselves fully with community life.
b. Etilist Style
Some trainees tend to stay close to key informants and players during their stay in the
community. Due to this, their social circle becomes limited and their interaction is confined to a few
people. Immersion activities must always take into account the involvement of the majority.
Needs assessment, social analysis or community diagnosis as others refer to, is a concrete
base for the formulation of programs. It reflects the sentiments, needs, aspirations, and
recommendations of the community people. When it is done properly, it will reflect also the trainees’
feeling of oneness with the community. They begin to see that the people’s problems also reflect
their own.
Needs Assessment becomes significant when it is conducted through integration with the
people. Our analysis and assessment should be done with the people. Hence, it does not merely
contain our perceptions, but also the people for it to be genuinely pro-people. Those immersing in
the community must not just make the people realize their issues but also make them to act on it.
Their local condition and situation of other communities around them. It is important that the people
realize that they can do something to change their situation for the better.
Assessing the needs of the community is a prelude to effective program offered to clients.
This will ensure solutions to problems, issues and concerns of the people in the locality.
This discussion covers the meaning, importance, steps and exercises in preparing community needs
assessment instruments that will equip students to prepare similar tool which they will utilize in
measuring the needs of the community assigned to them.
Community needs Assessment is the process wherein problems, issues and concerns of the
community are identified through the use of several tools for assessment. It encourages the
participation of the community, as they are the stakeholders, to the findings in the assessment.
1. Historical Development- refers to data on how the community became what it is today and provides
insights into the kind of resources to collect and weed.
2. Geographical and Transportation Information- includes information on the community’s patterns and
population contributions.
3. Political and legal Functions
Includes strategies for community-based selection (or this may include strategies that community
uses for selecting players in the political sphere).
4. Demographic Data- includes data on age, characteristics, size, race and transience of population.
5. Economic Data- refers to the economic base, social, cultural, educational, recreational, organizations.
This includes the values and social pattern.
I. Geographical Profile
(Data source may come from barangay or city/ municipal hall)
a. Physical
I. Location/ Boundaries (north, east, west, south)
II. Terrain
III. Facilities (like clinic/hospital, schools, recreation hall, etc.)
IV. Climate
V. Basic Food
b. Cultural
I. History of place and people
II. Languages being used
III. Peace and order situation (usual community conflict and/ or crime rate)
IV. Clothing (most applicable to rural setting)
II. Social
(Data comes from survey)
a. Total population
b. Total number of households
c. Population distribution by Gender (and Age)
d. Population distribution of Educational Attainment
e. Health and common illness
f. Recreation
III. Economic
a. Age earners in the family.
b. Employment
c. Household monthly income
IV. Life Skills
a. Abilities
b. Interests
V. Spiritual Aspect
Number of people with active membership in the church.
Project implementation deals with the actual execution of the plants. This phase of project
development includes, making the final arrangement with the target clients/ community partners, officials
involved in the activities, right schedule of each event, day to day activities and needs of clients, manpower
each day of the program, monitoring and evaluation plan and other requirements like social and recreational
activities, and the culminating activities of the project.
It must be remembered always that the needs of the clients will be dominant consideration
throughout the conduct of the projects.
To ensure the success of the NSTP community service projects performed by the trainees during their
immersion time, the following must be considered:
The following flow activities will guide you in the implementation of their project:
Trainee-implementers must apprise their target participants of the participants of the projects
undertaken especially in terms of time frame. This will enable their clients or partner community to prepare
for any eventualities should be implementers will terminate the project. Trainees are advised to inform them
with due respect of the status of the project and other details as may be deemed necessary. Nevertheless,
the trainees may decide to continue with the project if the endeavor proves worthy of continuation, follow-
up or replication. If the proponents and implementers have decided to pursue and push through with their
venture, they can seek the assistance and support of the school’s extension services/ community outreach
unit just sustain the project.
If in case trainees lack hours of community immersion or did it not perform well, they are bound to
receive an unsatisfactorily rating, more so, failure of compliance must be noted. If trainees go beyond the
required number of hours in the community in their conduct of the project for failure to conform or comply
with the requirements of the plan of action formulated, then a similar ‘poor’ rating should be accorded.
As trainees, one must learn how to work within the allotted time frame given, for their convenience
and also for the community’s sake. If one stays in the community beyond the agreed time, the action can be
construed by the community for something else like, extending more help (intensified volunteerism) to them
or that they could still ask for their help even beyond their capacity. This might also encourage their
dependency on the implementers.
However, it is not really a problem if trainees want to extend their community services in the
community. In fact, NSTP encourages trainees to continue their community work. This time, their services
will already be regarded as their personal commitment to do voluntary work, separate and distinct from the
NSTP initiated activities. In step with enjoining NSTP students to eventually becoming volunteer workers, the
school may establish volunteer corps either under the auspices of the school’s NSTP unit or extensions
services office to ensure the continuity of the immersion program for volunteers.
Present an illustration that will depict the step-by-step process of project implementation.
Assessment: