MODULE 2: Community Immersion

WHAT IS COMMUNITY IMMERSION

Community Immersion is an intensive study on campus and field experience on becoming a future
leader, community organizer or even a future educator. It would help individuals learn some life “skills”
help them meet others, help them socially and most importantly to help other community members see
them as people with “worth”.

WHAT IS COMMUNITY IMMERSION IN NSTP

To help the students to become better person on having relation to the needy to whom much is given
and much is required. It’s help the youth on how to make people more active in the environment and
lead the country to change and solve problems encounter of our communities, by the youth we
encouraged people to speak up and looking forward on how young generation will work for us.

Community immersion is a version of service learning that is more integrated with student’s
passions and interests, is longer-term and is related to the on-going development of community and
social justice issues. Whereas pulling debris from a river would be classified as community service.

Community immersion learning fulfills many of the school’s goals for students – becoming involved
citizens, learning through worthwhile tasks, and developing leadership, advocacy and problem-solving
skills.

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY IMMERSION

Community Immersion Program a social strategy in education and training designed to bridge the gap
between theoretical instruction and the realities of community work through experiential learning.

BENEFITS OF A COMMUNITY IMMERSION TO THE STUDENTS

It provides another avenue for students to discover new interests and become potential CWTS-
LTS Mentors. Community immersion in service learning is defined as a method in the following:

Under which young people learn and develop through active participation in thoughtfully
organized experiences that meet actual community needs that are coordinated with the school and
community, and it is integrated with specific learning objectives and it provides structured time for
youth to think, talk or write about what they did and saw during the actual service activity.
 It provides young people with opportunities to use newly acquired skills and knowledge in real life
-situations in their own communities. And it also enhances what is taught in school by extending student
learning beyond the classroom and into the community.

This is related to community development and social justice; it also helps to foster a sense of
caring for others through direct involvement and lastly is that is supported by regular assessment to
provide feedback and guide improvement.

VOLUNTEERISM

WHAT IS VOLUNTEERISM?

An act of carrying out tasks or providing services for individuals or community organizations
without financial recompense is generally considered an altruistic activity, intended to promote good or
improve human quality of life. It is considered to be serving the society through one’s own interests,
personal skills or learning, which in return produces a feeling of self-worth and respect, instead of
money.

Volunteering is also famous for skill development, socialization and fun. It is also intended to make
contacts for possible employment or for a variety of other reasons. It takes many forms and can be
performed by anyone with his or her own set of skills. Many volunteers are specifically trained in the
areas they work in, such as medicine, education, or emergency rescue. Other volunteers serve on an as-
needed basis, such as in response to a natural disaster or for a beach-cleanup.

TYPES OF VOLUNTEERISM

1.Skills-based volunteerism – providing specialized skills and talents of individuals to strengthen the
infrastructure of nonprofits helping them build and sustain their capacity to successfully achieve their
missions.

2.Environmental volunteerism – it refers to volunteers who contribute towards environmental

management or conservation. Volunteers conduct a range of activities including environmental
monitoring, ecological restoration such as re-vegetation and weed removal, protecting endangered
animals and educating others about the natural environment.

3.Emergency volunteerism – providing any means of support whether it is by mean of monetary support
or manpower support to all-natural disasters like tsunami, earthquake, flood and typhoon.

4.Community volunteerism – refers to volunteers who work to improve community enhancement

efforts in the area in which they live. Neighborhood, church and community groups play a key role in
building strong cities from the neighborhood up. Supporting these understaffed groups can enable them
to succeed in a variety of areas, which connect social, environmental, and economic boundaries.

VALUE OF VOLUNTEERING

Top reasons to volunteer

Connecting with your community with other people especially those “in need” we receive not only
the praises and compliments but also the feeling of self-worth and respect, by helping others make us
realize that even a simple individual like us is capable of changing the society. In conserving the funds of
charities, nonprofits and faith-based and other community organizations by contributing your time,
helping others brings good feelings to the giver and the receiver of the good deeds, using our special
gifts to help others can be a gift to us as we enjoy a self-esteem boost for making other’s lives better,
and make the world a better place.

In sharing your skills and gain new ones, by utilizing our skills for the better and while doing these
sorts of stuffs we will gain new skills and talents that beneficial to others and to ourselves as well. By
developing the self- esteem and self-confidence in volunteerism, a charitable act that requires
confidence and self-esteem on the part of the doers, by participating regularly it boost our confidence
through constant interactions and socialization with the other volunteers and clienteles. And in meeting
new people from all walks of life, in helping others means meeting others.

MODULE 3: COMMUNITY ORGANIZING

What is Community Organizing?

Community organizing is sometimes focused on more than just resolving specific issues.
Organizing often means building a widely accessible power structure, often with the end goal of
distributing power equally throughout the community.

Community organizers generally seeks to build groups that are open and democratic in
governance. Such groups facilitate and encourage consensus decision-making with a focus on the
general health of the community rather than a specific interest group. The three basic types of
community organizing are grassroots organizing, “(also called” broad-based community organizing,” an
example of which is faith -based community organizing, or Congregation – based Community
Organizing).

If communities are developed based on something they share in common, whether that be
location or values, then one challenge for developing communities is how to incorporate individuality
and differences.

COMMUNITY SERVICE

Community Services promotes safely and well-being of children and young people and works to
build stronger families and communities.

Community service is usually performed in connection with a nonprofit organization, but it may
also be undertaken under the auspices of government, one or more businesses, or by individuals. It is
typically unpaid and voluntary. However. It can be part of alternatives sentencing approaches in a justice
system and it can be required by educational institutions.

TYPES OF COMMUNITY

A number of ways to categorize types of community have been proposed; one such breakdown is:

GEOGRAPIC COMMUNITIES: ranging from the local neighborhood, suburb, village, town or city, region,
nation or even the planet as a whole. These refer to communities of location.
COMMUNITIES OF CULTURE: ranging from the local clique, suburb, ethnic group, religious, multicultural
or pluralistic civilization, or the global community cultures of today. They may be included as
communities of need or identity, such as disabled persons, or frail aged people.

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS: ranging from informal family or kinship networks, to more formal
incorporated associations, political decision- making structures, economic enterprises, or professional
associations at a small, national or international scale.

THE IMMERSION PROCESS

Pre-immersion

Once you have applied and been selected for an immersion trip, you will meet with your immersion
group 4 times a week. Participants commit to attending all of these meetings. During these meetings,
the group will get to know one another, you will learn more about the community you will be visiting,
the current issues facing the community, history, and culture, and you will be given details on travel,
packing lists,etc.

THE IMMERSION

On your immersion you will be accompanied by a student Immersion Facilitator and NSTP Faculty.
Your immersion group will be hosted by a local organization that takes care of the logistics during your
stay. Each immersion varies in terms of what activities you will embark, be open and flexible. You will
have the opportunity to immerse in the local community and issues, as well as connect with the other
immersion participants and reflect on the experience.

Post immersion

While the community immersion experience has ended, the full experience is a journey that never
truly ends. We see the immersion experience itself as just one aspect, and more as a starting point then
the end goal. In light of this, participants commit to meeting at least 10 meetings in the community.

WHAT ARE THE PRELIMINARY REQUIREMENTS

1.Learner”s Profile- this area presents the learners personal information, educational background, and
character references with the learners verified signature. The data keep records of the learners who
have undergone community immersion.

2.Parents Permit- this part provides the letter from the parents granting or allowing the participation of
their children in the community immersion. There are two copies of the Parents

Permit:1 for the parents copy and for the NSTP departments file copy. These copies are duly signed by a
parent / guardian prior to submission.

3.Barangay/ School Permit- this section gives the information a barangay needed to allow the conduct of
the community immersion in its place. A barangay/ school permit is duly signed by the name of the
faculty handling the program and the CWTS / LTS coordinator.

4.Organizational Structure- this segment deals with the structure of the organization from both parties
(school and barangay) which takes a view on the officials concern regarding the immersion.
5.Survey Questionnaire-this portion offers a sample survey instrument to assess the needs of the
community before the conduct of the immersion. A copy of the survey instrument is available at the
Department of Extension Services in the university’.

Activity:

Draw the geographical area of your barangay and show location of the social services provided by the
local government, private and non- government sectors.