NSTP Midterms Reviewer intervention or building a coalition are far more

likely to be successful if they are informed by the

Introduction to Understanding the culture of the community and an understanding of
the relationships among individuals and groups
Community: Community Typology, within it. Taking the time and effort to understand
Description, Needs Assessment, and your community well before embarking on a
Engagement community effort will pay off in the long term.
 Knowing the context of the community so that you
can tailor interventions and programs to its norms
COMMUNITY
and culture and increase your chances of success.
 The word ‘community’ originated from the Latin
 Gaining a general idea, even before an assessment,
word communis which means common, public,
of the community's strengths and the challenges it
general, or shared by all or many.
faces.
 It later develop into its Latin translation
 Capturing unspoken, influential rules and norms. For
communitatem which translates into community,
example, if people are divided and angry about a
society, or fellowship.
particular issue, your information might show you an
 Community is defined in the dictionary as a unified
event in the community's history that explains their
body of individuals such as:
strong emotions on that subject.
a. People with common interest or characteristic
 Having enough familiarity with the community to
living together within a larger society.
allow you to converse intelligently with residents
b. A group of people with a common interest or
about community issues, personalities and
characteristic living together with a larger
geography. Knowing that you've taken the time and
society.
effort to get to know them and their environment can
c. A body of persons of common and especially
help you to establish trust with community
professional interests scattered through a larger
members. That can make both a community
society.
assessment and any actions and activities that result
 While we traditionally think of a community as the
from it easier to conduct.
people in a given geographical location, the word
 Ensuring the security of your group and
can really refer to any group sharing something in
participants. There may be neighborhoods where
common.
staff members or participants should be
 This may refer to smaller geographic areas – a
accompanied by others in order to be safe, at least at
neighbourhood, a housing project or development, a
night. Knowing the character of various areas and
rural area – or to a number of other possible
the invisible borders that exist among various groups
communities within a larger geographically defined
and neighborhoods can be extremely important for
community.
the physical safety of those working and living in the
 In a sociological point of view, the simplest
community.
definition of a community is “an aggregation of
families and individuals settled in a fairly compact
COMMUNITY TYPOLOGY
and contiguous geographical area, with significant
 The main component of a community are its
elements of common life, as shown by behaviors,
members
manners, customs, traditions and modes of speech.”
 Communities can be classified into categories based
on the manner and/or purpose these members are
IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THE
joined and brought together.
COMMUNITY
 Community can be categorized with more than one
 It is important to understand community – what a
typology (hybrid communities)
community is, and the specific nature of the
communities we work in. Anything we do in a
1. COMMUNITY OF PLACE
community requires us to be familiar with its people,
its issues, and its history. Carrying out an
 o These types of communities are formed among
the people living in a commonplace,
geographical location, or physical locality.
o Characterized by a Permanent (or a long period
of time) ‘Place of Residence’.
o Conventional categorization of communities.
o Sub-type of Community of Place
(Way of Life):
- Rural Communities - activities.
traditional/simple/basic living, large
spaces/low population density, presence of
nearby natural environment, conduct of
agricultural activities.
- Urban Communities – city living, center of
large economic activities, advancement of
Science and Technology, highly dense
population, ‘expensive/high cost’ of living.
- Suburban Communities - mix of the urban
and rural.
o Sub-type of Community of Place
(Size / Level of Governance):
- Small/Informal Neighborhood - Small
compound, condominium, small
subdivision, sitio
- Barangay - in the Philippine context, the
smallest unit of community with a
formal/legal structure of governance.
- City / Municipality - governed by its Local
Government Units
- Region / Provinces - governed by the
provincial Governor.
- The Philippines as a Nation - The
Community of Filipino People
- International Communities - ASEAN, EU,
Middle East, Global Community
2. COMMUNITY OF INTEREST
o People who share a common interest, hobbies, or
passion.
o Also called, “virtual communities”
o Interest-based communities or communities of
interest are groups of people with one or more
common interests. The people exchange
information about the passion they share, but
they may know little about each other outside of
this area (or they may not care).
o Examples of Community of Interest
- Yamaha NMAX Owners group
- BTS Fan Club
- Basketballers Community
- Mobile Legends: Bang Bang FB Group
- Vintage Car Collectors Community
- Drama Club
3. COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
o Groups of people who practice the same
profession/livelihood or engage in the same
o A group of people formally/informally bounded
together by shared expertise.
o Unlike interest, community of practice is more
on a permanent/long-term basis, most of the
time as a source of livelihood.
o Examples of Community of Practice
- Philippine Medical Association
- National Association of Environmental
Professionals
- Philippine Institute of Certified Public
Accountants
- Integrated Bar of the Philippines
- Professional Association of Diving
Instructors
4. COMMUNITY OF ACTION
o Group of People trying to bring about change in
society.
o Also referred to as, Community with a common
line of action.
o Most of the time, Advocacy-Based / Belief-
Based.
o A community with a goal to use collective
power to make a change in the world.
o Community of action exists in a situation that is
structurally more open, where actors have the
opportunity to influence change.
o They have some characteristics common to
associative relationships, such as the
"voluntary" character of association, and regard
"common goals" as an important factor in
organizing collective activity.
o Examples of Community of Action
- The United Nations
- Greenpeace Philippines
- Red Cross Volunteers
- Oblates of Mary Immaculate
- Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption
- Habitat for Humanity
5. COMMUNITY OF CIRCUMSTANCE
o Groups of people undergoing similar
circumstances.
o A community for people united by a common
situation or challenge.
o Most of the time, Involuntary (not of their own
making).
o A community focus on support for dealing with
the situation.
o Examples of Community of Circumstance
- Families of Victims of a Plane Crash
- Share Group of Widows
- Victims of a Major Disaster
- Diabetic Patients undergoing Hemodialysis
- Parents of Children with Cancer
6. HYBRID COMMUNITIES
o Circumstance + Place = Drug Rehabilitation
Center, Prisons/Correctional Facilities
o Practice + Interest = Professional Gamers,
Buy-and-Sell Antique Collectors
o Practice + Action = Volunteer Doctors
Advocating for a HIV-Free Community, Drivers
for Road Safety Advocates
o Place + Action = Barangay Volunteers for
Peace and Order (Volunteer Barangay Tanods),
City Fire Fighters Volunteers (to respond
quickly in case of emergency within their
vicinity)
o Place + Practice + Action = Group of
Engineers, Architects, and other Construction
Practitioners living in the same Subdivision
Volunteering to build an Earthquake-Proof
Multi-Purpose Sports Complex for the Youth
COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION
 Understanding the community entails understanding
it in a number of ways. Whether or not the
community is defined geographically, it still has a
setting – whether physical or digital it exists in.
Getting a clear sense of this setting may be key to a
full understanding of it. At the same time, it's
important to understand the specific community
you're concerned with. You have to get to know its
people -- their culture, their concerns, and
relationships -- and to develop your own
relationships with them as well.
 The following are common Aspects on how to
describe the Community. But Community
Description can be as creative as you’re capable of
making it. The more important thing is that you
capture the important information depending on the
purpose why you are making the description.
 ASPECTS FOR COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION
1. PHYSICAL ASPECTS - Every community has
a physical presence of some sort. Most have a
geographic area or areas they are either defined
by or attached to. If the community, is one
defined by its population, then its physical
properties are also defined by the population:
where they live, where they gather, the places
that are important to them. The characteristics of
those places can tell you a great deal about the
people who make up the community. Their self-
image, many of their attitudes, and their
aspirations are often reflected in the places
where they choose -- or are forced by
circumstance or discrimination -- to live, work,
gather, and play.
2. DEMOGRAPHICS - the facts about the
population that you can find from census data
and other similar statistical information. Some
things you might like to know, besides the
number of people in the community:
a) Gender
b) Racial and ethnic background
c) Age
d) Marital status
e) Family size
f) Education
g) Income
h) Employment and Location
3. COMMUNITY HISTORY – The long- term
history of the community can tell you about
community traditions, what the community is,
or has been, proud of, and what residents would
prefer not to talk about. Recent history can
afford valuable information about conflicts and
factions within the community, important issues,
past and current relationships among key people
and groups -- many of the factors that can trip up
any effort before it starts if you don't know about
and address them.
4. COMMUNITY LEADERS, formal and
informal - Some community leaders are elected
 or appointed – Barangay Officials, Chairman,
Kagawad, Mayors, Councilors. Others are
considered leaders because of their activities or
their positions in the community -- community
activists, corporate CEO's, college presidents,
doctors, clergy. Still others are recognized as
leaders because, they are trusted for their proven
integrity, courage, and/or care for others and the
good of the community.
5. COMMUNITY CULTURE, formal and
informal - This covers the spoken and
unspoken rules and traditions by which the
community lives. It can include everything from
community events and slogans -- “Matira
matibay sa Barrio Dalisay” -- to norms of
behavior -- turning a blind eye to alcohol abuse
or domestic violence -- to patterns of
discrimination and exercise of power.
6. EXISTING GROUPS - Most communities
have an array of groups and organizations of
different kinds -- service clubs (Lions, Rotary,
etc.), faith groups, youth organizations, sports
teams and clubs, groups formed around shared
interests, the boards of community-wide
organizations, as well as groups devoted to self-
help, advocacy, and activism. Knowing of the
existence and importance of each of these
groups can pave the way for alliances or for
understanding opposition.
7. EXISTING INSTITUTIONS - Every
community has institutions that are important to
it, and that have more or less credibility with
residents. Colleges and universities, libraries,
religious institutions, hospitals -- all of these and
many others can occupy important places in the
community. It's important to know what they
are, who represents them, and what influence
they wield.
8. ECONOMICS - Who are the major employers
in the community? What, if any, business or
industry is the community's base? Who, if
anyone, exercises economic power? How is
wealth distributed? Would you characterize the
community as poor, working, class, middle
class, or affluent? What are the economic
prospects of the population in general and/or the
population you're concerned with?
9. SOCIAL STRUCTURE - Many aspects of
social structure are integrated into other areas --
relationships, politics, economics -- but there are
also the questions of how people in the
community relate to one another on a daily
basis, how problems are (or aren't) resolved,
who socializes or does business with whom, etc.
This area also includes perceptions and
symbols of status and respect, and whether
status carries entitlement or responsibility (or
both).
10. ATTITUDES AND VALUES - Again, much of
this area may be covered by investigation into
others, particularly culture. What does the
community care about, and what does it ignore?
What are residents' assumptions about the proper
way to behave, to dress, to do business, to treat
others? Is there widely accepted discrimination
against one or more groups by the majority or by
those in power? What are the norms for
interaction among those who with different
opinions or different backgrounds?
 There are many more aspects of community that can
be explored, which are not included in this
enumeration. The assumption here is that as part of
an assessment, you'll aim for a general
understanding of the community, and also assess,
with a narrower focus, the specific aspects you're
interested in.
COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT
 Community assessment is the process of identifying
the strengths, assets, needs and challenges of a
specified community.
o ASSETS refer to the skills, talents and
abilities of individuals as well as the
resources that local institutions contribute to
the community.
o LOCAL INSTITUTIONS may include
political, religious, educational, recreational
and youth organizations; community, civic
and service groups; local businesses;
nonprofit organizations and volunteer
groups.
 Seek to gather accurate information representative
of the needs of a community. Assessments are
performed prior to taking action and are used to
determine current situations and identify issues for
action. Needs assessments establish the essential
foundation for vital planning.
 Provides community leaders, workers and
volunteers with a snapshot of local policy, systems,
and environmental change strategies currently in
place and helps to identify areas for improvement.
With this data, communities can map out a course
for improvement by creating strategies to make
positive and sustainable changes in their
communities.
 Identifies the strengths and resources available in
the community to meet the needs of community
members. The assessment also focuses on the
capabilities of the community, including its citizens,
agencies, and organizations.
NEEDS AND RESOURCES
 Needs can be defined as the gap between what is and
what should be. A need can be felt by an individual,
a group, or an entire community. It can be as
concrete as the need for food and water or as
abstract as improved community relationship. It is
helpful to categorize the gaps based on these FOUR
TYPES OF COMMUNITY NEEDS: perceived
needs, expressed needs, absolute needs, and relative
needs.
o PERCEIVED NEEDS: perceived needs are
based on what individuals feel their needs are.
The standard may change based on each
individual’s point of view. It’s important not to
dismiss perceived needs as merely opinion.
Taking into account the feelings and concerns of
community members should be an essential
component of your assessment.
o EXPRESSED NEEDS: defined by the number
of individuals who sought help. Individuals may
have felt a need and acted upon it. Be mindful of
the false assumption that all people with needs
seek help.
o ABSOLUTE NEEDS: needs deemed universal,
including those for survival (i.e. food, water,
safety, and clothing).
o RELATIVE NEEDS: needs rendered necessary
on equity. The standard may vary based on
population differences.
 Resources, or assets, can include individuals,
organizations and institutions, buildings, landscapes,
equipment -- anything that can be used to improve
the quality of life.
 Community Resources are resources in an area that
accommodate satisfy some requirements for those
around them. These resources may include people,
sites or buildings, and population assistance. Public
schools, parks, community centers are some of the
examples of community resources.
GUIDELINES IN CONDUCTING COMMUNITY
NEEDS ASSESSMENT
 Form a planning group that represents all
stakeholders and mirrors the diversity of the
community.
 Design an evaluation process for the Assessment.
 Determine what data is already available.
 Figure out what other information you need.
 Decide what methods you'll use for gathering
information.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
 Community engagement is frequently considered as
the mutual interaction between government and
community members to increase information and
community input for policy formulation; in turn, to
support government services to facilitate consensual
government and community goals (Cavaye 2004,
Meikle & Jones 2013).
 Community engagement is a process, not a
project. It’s about inviting community members into
the decision-making process to assess, plan,
implement, and evaluate solutions to issues that
affect their daily lives and environments. As such,
community engagement centers around trust,
communication, and collaboration.
 Community participation should focus on—and
result from— the needs, expectations, and desires of
community members. (Community engagement
guidebook. Minneapolis 2013)
 Community engagement is the process of working
collaboratively with and through groups of people
affiliated by geographic proximity, special interest,
or similar situations to address issues affecting the
well-being of those people. It is a powerful vehicle
for bringing about environmental and behavioral
changes that will improve the health of the
community and its members.
LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT
 There are several degrees of engagement. The
International Association for Public Participation
has developed a popular model that describes a
spectrum of public participation using five distinct
phases of higher-level community engagement—
meaning that individuals are actively involved in the
development of solutions to problems and issues in
their community.
 IAP2’s Spectrum of Public Participation was
designed to assist with the selection of the level of
participation that defines the public’s role in any
public participation process. The Spectrum is used
internationally, and it is found in public participation
plans around the world.

COLLABORAT
INFORM CONSULT INVOLVE EMPOWER
E

To provide the
public with
balanced and To work directly with To partner with the
objective To obtain public the public throughout public in each aspect of
To place final
Public information to feedback on the process to ensure the decision including
decision-making in
Participation assist them in analysis, that public concerns development of
the hands of the
Goal understanding alternatives, and/or and aspirations are alternatives and the
public.
the problem, decisions. consistently understood identification of the
alternatives, and considered. preferred solution.
opportunities
and/or solutions.

We will work with you

We will keep you We will look to you for
to ensure that your
informed, listen to, advice and innovation
concerns and
and acknowledge in formulating
aspirations are directly
concerns and solutions and
Promise to We will keep reflected in the We will implement
aspirations, and incorporate your advice
the Public you informed alternatives developed what you decide.
provide feedback and recommendations
and provide feedback
on how public into the decisions to the
on how public input
input influenced maximum extent
influenced the
the decisions. possible.
decision.

 Public  Citizen advisory

 Citizen juries
comment committees
 Facts sheets  Workshops  Ballots
Example  Focus groups  Consensus-
 Websites  Deliberative  Delegated
Techniques  Surveys building
 Open houses planning decision
 Public  Participatory
meetings decision-making
The five degrees of the IAP2 Spectrum are:
1. INFORM – To provide the public with balanced
and objective information to assist them in
understanding the problem and proposed
opportunities and/or solutions.
2. CONSULT – To obtain public feedback on analysis,
options and/or decisions.
3. INVOLVE – To work directly with the public
throughout the process to ensure that public
concerns and aspirations are consistently understood
and considered.
4. COLLABORATE – To partner with the public in
each aspect of the decision including the
development of solutions, and the identification of
the preferred solution.
5. EMPOWER – To place final decision-making in
the hands of the public.
THE PLM-NSTP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
PROCESS
3. IDENTIFY THE LEVEL OF IMPACT - The
1. SETTING ENGAGEMENT OBJECTIVES AND
SCOPE - Based on the identified needs of the
community, any Projects / Activities / Programs
(PAP) that requires Community Engagement must
have clear and defined objectives. If any, make sure
to clarify exactly what the decision is, that needs to
be made. Remember to Make your objectives
SMART:
 Specific and able to describe an action;
 Measurable
 Achievable and accessible
 Realistic, recorded and referred to during the
process;
 Time bound
2. IDENTIFY THE STAKEHOLDERS
(Stakeholder Analysis) - Clearly identify the
different community groups, organizations and
individuals that will be affected or may have a
specific interest in the decision to be made. Not all
stakeholders will need to be engaged at the same
level. Highlight the differences and needs of each
stakeholder group to be engaged and determine what
engagement activities might be required and at
which stage of the project. Who do you need to
engagage?
It is important to consider the public’s perception
and general opinion on the issue or topic. This will
help you identify those individuals or sectors of our
communities who need to be specifically encouraged
to be involved in the process. Learn from previous
experiences; consider what may have been done
previously on similar issues, what former feedback
and research may have revealed or been undertaken.
When developing your stakeholder analysis, it is
important to include:
 Who are the key stakeholders (internal &
external)?
 What are the key messages, issues or areas of
interest
 for each particular stakeholder?
 What level of interest will each stakeholder
have?
 Who are the key contacts for each group?
impact of a project or a decision relates directly to
the level of engagement (IAP2’s Public Participation
Spectrum). There are five categories of community
engagement, beginning with the lowest level of
engagement being ‘Inform’ and with ‘Empower’ as
the most important level of community participation
in the decision-making processes.
Based on your stated objectives and identified
stakeholders, the following impact assessment guide
may assist in determining a PAP’s level of impact.
 Low Impact
- No impact on attributes that are of high
value to the community (e.g. lifestyle or
physical environment).
- Low level of interest on the community
members.
- Only a small change, or enhancement to any
service or facility.
 Medium Impact
- Some sections of the community concerned
are likely to have a high level of interest -
There is a medium to low level of
complexity in the issue being considered.
- There is some loss or change to any service
or facility.
 High Impact
 - Likely to have a high level of interest across
all sections of the community - There is a
high level of complexity in the issue being
considered.
- Likely to impact vulnerable sectors of the
community.
- There is significant change to any service or
facility.
4. SELECT THE APPROPRIATE METHODS
FOR ENGAGEMENT – Once a level of impact
and engagement has been assessed in accordance
with the different stakeholders you will need to
ensure you select the most appropriate methods and
tools to engage the community.
Considering each stakeholder group carefully will
assist in determining what level of participation you
should utilize for your project. Not all stakeholders
will require the same level of engagement and the
methods used to engage with them should be
selected carefully based on the needs and
demographics of each group.
school holidays, religious festival, and other major
events.
Budgeting considerations may be required for any
project that is controversial or has the potential to
impact broad sections of our communities and may
require specialized skills to necessitate the
appropriate community participation. An
independent facilitator or consultant may need to be
engaged to ensure there is a (perceived or real)
balanced and unbiased approach which provides a
greater level of credibility and confidence with our
communities.
6. EVALUATION AND MONITORING -
Evaluation and monitoring does not only happen at
the end of a project, but it is also an integral part of
the entire community engagement process.
Evaluation throughout the project will help improve
and modify its approach to community engagement
activities, celebrate success and learn from past
experiences.

5. TIMELINES AND BUDGET - Usually, the higher

the level of impact the more stakeholders need to be
considered and involved and more time and
resources will be required to adequately meet the
needs of community engagement.

Timelines and budget for community engagement

will vary between projects and will depend on
factors such as, the level of impact, the level of
engagement required, and the types of methods and
techniques selected for each stage of engagement
with the different stakeholder groups.

Any projects that have a ‘high’ level of impact it is

recommended to begin the engagement process
early, especially if the project is dealing with issues
that requires the need to educate the communities or
build their capacity to better understand the
complexity of the issues. Projects at this level will
usually require a period of informing the community
about the issues, before consulting, involving and
possibly collaborating.

It is best to avoid community engagement activities

that coincide with key community events, public and