Self-involvement

in Community
Action
CESC: Lesson 6
 Introduction
It is important to
understand the relationship
between the self and the
community.
Every person feels that he
or she is dependent upon
the community.
 Introduction

The success of community

action lies in the
involvement of a person to
his or her social
environment.
 Introduction
As a student, you do not only
live on your own but also you
have moral obligation to
fulfill in the community
process.
This brings us to the classic
saying that no man can live
as an island.
 Objectives:

1. Acknowledge interrelationship of self and community

in undertaking community action;

2. analyze the roles of self in community action; and

3. evaluate a photo and write an insight in involving

self to the community.
We have discussed in the previous topic
about the meaning of community action
and its importance in the development
of society.
We have also tackled that for community
action to happen, we have to recognize
the notion of community engagement,
solidarity, and our civic obligations as
citizens.
To further understand
community action, there is
an interrelationship of our
self and community.
Our self and the community
have connections which
cannot be separated.
1. Am I willing to engage myself in the
community?
2. Do all my community members agree on
certain actions we would like to implement in
the community?
3. Who will benefit if we work together?

These are important questions when we

intend to work for community action.
As an individual, we are
always connected and tied
up to our community.
We tend to make actions
not just individually but
collectively to respond to
the problem we encounter.
Community problems are
problems that concern a
large number of people.
In other words, if there is a
problem affecting the
community, we are the ones
directly experiencing the
problem.
We create and make
solutions instead of being
silent about it.
We involve ourselves as an
individual through engaging
in the community and be a
part of the solution.
However, in trying to
engage in the community, it
is important for you to
understand yourself first
because you are continually
influencing and shaping the
process of helping those
most affected by a problem.
Ask yourself:

What motivates me?

Why am I participating?
What do I want to achieve?
How will I react to different people and
situations?
How committed am I?
How much am I willing to do?
If these questions are clear to you, then you
have no worries to get yourself involve in the
big picture of community engagement.
As discussed previously, it is essential to note
the value of solidarity in undertaking
community action.
It is the one that will unify your interest to help
with what the community wants to attain.
For example, a barangay wanted to end
malnutrition rate among children.
Our interest to help the barangay to end
malnutrition rate is not only the concern of few
people but of a large number of constituents.
We have to unite people affected by the
problem to get involved in making solutions.
This enable to fasten the implementation of
intervention projects to malnutrition problem
and see its impact.
Hence, solidarity creates an environment in
which mutual service is encouraged.
To show solidarity in the community, here are
some of the roles you can have to involve yourself:

Get involved in planning processes like creating

goals or defining the problem. 
Donate money or help out with a fundraising
effort.
Doing research, writing grant proposals, or
handling correspondence.
To show solidarity in the community, here are
some of the roles you can have to involve yourself:

Volunteer to staff the office, answer phones,

put together mass mailings, or make phone
calls.
Attend public events like community hearings,
or fundraising events. 
To show solidarity in the community, here are
some of the roles you can have to involve yourself:

Serve on committees that focus on specific

problems or activities. 
Take leadership roles in a community
partnership
Involving yourself to community action can be
complex.
Every community is different, with diverse
social and cultural backgrounds.
This brings you to a challenging task on how to
involve more people to participate in
community engagement aside from ourselves.
There are two important ways to involve
people affected by a problem in helping them
to be aware and solve the problem.
First, you can listen to them so that you have a
better understanding about the causes of the
problem.
Second, they can become involved through
participation in the program initiatives that are
being developed by empowering them to
tackle the problems they confront.
The spirit of volunteerism is also an important
aspect that you have to consider to engage in
the community.
Volunteerism is a basic expression of human
relationships.
It is about people’s need to participate in their
societies and to feel that they matter to others.
Volunteers have come to the forefront in
helping with natural disasters, advancing
human rights, and touching lives to eliminate
poverty and improve basic health and
education.
We all need to serve our community.
Although you may initially see doing service as
restrictive or as a sacrifice, the reality is that it
is liberating and fulfilling.
You become part of something bigger and
better; creating an environment in which the
members can be successful.