Community Immersion

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Community Immersion

At the end of this unit, the student must be able to:


1. Explain the concepts and principles underpinning community and community immersion.
2. Realize the importance of understanding the dynamics of a community and community immersion as
a way to realize the objectives of NSTP.
3. Practice the standard operating procedures and establish protocols governing community immersion.

Understanding the Concepts and Principles of Community Immersion

People involved in community immersion must be knowledgeable on the basics of community, its
meaning, concepts underpinning principles and nature of problems and issues arising therefrom. This
will enable the trainees to have a good grasp of the local situation thereby preparing them to
appropriately respond to the multifarious concerns in the community and property carry out immersion
projects and activities that is so conceived to bring about long-term amelioration, and not just over-
night solutions of the social menaces and ills.

Structured Learning Exercise


ACTIVITY 1: "Build A Community"
Materials:
1. Any scrap materials like ice drop/barbecue sticks, drinking straws, plastic spoons and forks, plastic
bottles, box cartoons, yarn , etc. (as many as you can)
2. manila paper
3. adhesive tapes
4. glue
5. cut-out pictures from old newspapers or magazines illustrating the problems, issues and concerns in
our community today.
6. scissors
7. any art materials

Mechanics:
1. Go to your respective NSTP groups.
2. Each group will bring and prepare their own materials.
3. Using the materials mentioned, the group will construct in 20 minutes or less, a diorama that will
portray an ideal community they envision.
4. A representative from each group will present their output to the class guided for maximum of 5
minutes by the following questions in the worksheet given.

ACTIVITY 2: "COMMUNITY PAPER COLLAGE"


1. Guide Question:
Based on the current situation, what gap exists between the ideals of the community people and the
reality?
2. Each group will prepare a collage, for a period of 15 minutes, using cut-out pictures from out old
newspapers, magazines, and craft papers illustrating the problems, issues, and concerns in the
communities of the contemporary times that impede the goals of the people in a locality.
3. A rapporteur from each group will be asked to explain the groups output highlighting the extent of
the problem and how these concerns affect the community in general.
4. Each group will be given 15 minutes ‘buzz’ session for them to tackle the relevance of community
immersion to the national development through local student initiatives under NSTP.

WHAT IS A COMMUNITY?
"Community" refers to a group of people gathered together in any geographic area, large or small, who
have common interests, actual or potentially recognized in the social welfare field.
-Arlien Johnson

As per concepts, a community may be categorized as geographical or functional.


Geographical Community is defined in the purview of group of persons living in the same geographical
location like in a certain village, town, neighborhood, districts, area or territory,

Functional Community if the aggregate of people though not necessarily based on living in the same
geographical location, is bonded by a common end such as fighting for the same cause, having same
interests and goals. These are people who hold common values, share common functions or express
common interests.

WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A COMMUNITY?


1. Demographics
-includes population distribution and density
2. History
-invents of the past that contributed to the development of community
3. Culture
-ways of living of the people
4. Economy
-income level, occupation of people
5. Structures
-physical, political and social structures

WHY IS IMMERSION AN IMPORTANT APPROACH (STRATEGY) IN GIVING SERVICE TO THE


COMMUNITIES?
Through community immersion, trainees will be exposed in further and other realities of life which they
may or may not belong to.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY IMMERSION?


Community immersion is a strategy that goes beyond acquainting us with community concerns but
makes possible our participation in their (re)solution.
Community immersion in NSTP is devised as a strategy in molding and ‘conscientizing’ students just so
that they may be socially aware and responsible to their communities.

PRECEPTS OF COMMUNITY IMMERSION


1. Trainees should immerse in actual community life to get to know the social, political and economic
situation of the people.
2. Trainees may also undergo certain changes like increase in knowledge about the social realities,
development of good values, empathy towards other people, improvement of social skills, among
others.
3. Trainees should identify the community people’s interest and aspirations.
4. Trainees must recognize people’s resiliency and does not rob them of their right to have community
participation and determination of appropriate courses of action.
5. Trainees should be aware of the gain-negotiated sanction-the acceptance derived from community
relations coupled with the right to conduct immersion activities.
6. Trainees must reflect on how their social analysis of the current situation is concretized in community
people’s lives. The analysis should have as much meaning for the trainees as for the community.

FORMS OF INTEGRATION IN COMMUNITY IMMERSION


1. Home visits
2. Living with selected families preferably with key informants
3. Informal discussions with individuals or groups
4. Sharing in household and community activities (cooking with the community host, clean-up drive)
5. Attendance in social gatherings (fiesta weddings, etc.)
6. Assistance in production work (selling, farming, etc.)

WHOM DO YOU IMMERSE WITH IN THE COMMUNITY?


Community based service projects must be premised on the principle of people improvement and not
the ‘dots cut’ mentality teach people how to fish so that they will live for a lifetime.

WHAT CONDITIONS MAY QUALIFY ONE TO GO INTO COMMUNITY IMMERSION?


As for NSTP, students enrolled in NSTP-CWTS 2 are mandated to undergo community immersion for a
period covering a minimum of 54 hours to a maximum of 90 hours as cited from CHED- prescribed
Program of Instruction (POI), 2007 edition.

WHAT PERSONAL GAINS MAY A STUDENT GET FROM COMMUNITY IMMERSION?


1. Opportunity for the trainees to comprehend people’s lives because of the chance given to them to
see real life situations, live, identify and associate with the people therein;
2. Gain social acceptance derived from community relations Coupled with the right to offer services;
3. Enhance experiences in conducting asset mapping such as identifying geographic coverage, point out
resources and the use, and the relationships of people with the existing resources;
4. Establish rapport and relationship with different people who may be of help to them at some future
time;
5. Develop their conscientization ability. It helps them realize issues that will help solve problems in the
community. It is important for them to do something that can change their situation.
6. Acquire first-hand experiences in dealing with community works; and the
7. Chance to learn life skills that will enrich and better their persons.

WHAT YOU SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT DO IN COMMUNITY IMMERSION


Before the conduct of community immersion:
1. Familiarized yourself with the basic information and theories regarding community life.
2. Secure a waiver from the NSTP Office prior to the visit and have it signed by your parents.
3. Always inform your faculty in-charge of your destination, time able and plan of action.
4. Be armed with background information about the area for immersion.
5. Pay courtesy call to community leaders whether formal or informal.
6. Secure documents like a letter of acceptance from the community.
7. Bring your own personal provisions like water, snacks and extra shirt.

During the Actual Community immersion period


8. Be courteous to everyone whether to a vendor or a community official.
9. Act properly and discreetly. YOU ARE REPRESENTING YOUR SCHOOL AND YOUR FELLOW STUDENTS.
Be RESPONSIBLE WITH THE WORDS YOU SAY.
10. Wear proper uniforms and identification card.
11. It is highly advised to keep your valuables secured.
12. Always document your visit.
13. Always ask for permission from concerned people when you have to take pictures.

After community immersion


14. Validate and evaluate if the programs and activities were conducted appropriately and as planned.
15. Provide copies of your final documentation output to the NSTP Office and to the community where
you conducted your immersion for records purposes.

Most importantly, enjoy your time with the community people. Mother Teresa puts it,“ Love cannot
remain by itself- it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action; and that action is service.”
“Community immersion is vital to the development of the trainees’ knowledge, skills, values and
attitudes in realizing the penultimate ends of NSTP...”

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