SOLIDARITY

Community Engagement, Solidarity and

Citizenship
LEARNING COMPETENCY

Recognize the importance of solidarity in

sociopolitical processes in promoting
national and global community
development.

HUMSS_CSC12- IId-g-10
Try to explain the venn diagram below
Differences:
A - Community Engagement
B - Solidarity
C - Citizenship
Similarities:
D - Community Engagement and Citizenship
E - Community Engagement and Solidarity
F - Solidarity and Citizenship
People can get involved in many ways--here
are just a few:

• Get involved in planning processes like creating goals or

defining the problem
• Donate money or help out with a fundraising effort
• Volunteer to staff the office, answer phones, put together
mass mailings, or make phone calls
• Doing research, writing grant proposals, or handling
correspondence
• Attend public events like rallies, community hearings, or
fundraising events
• Serve on committees that focus on specific problems or
activities
• Take leadership roles in a community partnership
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Concepts :
community participation offer one set of explanations
as to why the process of community engagement
might be useful in addressing the physical,
interpersonal, and cultural aspects of individuals’
environments.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
The real value of participation stems from the finding
that mobilizing the entire community, rather than
engaging people on an individualized basis or not
engaging them at all, leads to more effective results
(Braithwaite et al., 1994).
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Simply stated, change

"... is more likely to be successful and permanent

when the people it affects are involved in initiating
and promoting it" (Thompson et al, 1990, p. 46).

In other words, a crucial element of community

engagement is participation by the individuals,
community-based organizations, and institutions
that will be affected by the effort.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

This participation is "a major

method for improving the quality of
the physical environment,
enhancing services, preventing
crime, and improving social
conditions" (Chavis et al., 1990,
p.56).
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
• There is evidence that participation can lead to
improvements in neighborhood and
community and stronger interpersonal
relationships and social fabric (Florin et al.,
1990).
• Robert Putnam notes that social scientists have
recently "...unearthed a wide range of
empirical evidence that the quality of public
life and the performance of social
institutions...are...powerfully influenced by
norms and networks of civic engagement."
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
Moreover, "researchers in...education, urban
poverty,...and even health have discovered that
successful outcomes are more likely in civically
engaged communities" (Putnam, 1995, p.66). For
example, Steckler’s CODAPT model, for "Community
Ownership through Diagnosis, Participatory
Planning, Evaluation, and Training (for
Institutionalization)," suggests that when
community participation is strong throughout a
program’s development and implementation, long-
term program viability, i.e., institutionalization, is
more likely assured (Goodman et al., 1987-88).
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
The community participation literature
suggests that:
 People who interact socially with
neighbors are more likely to know about
and join voluntary organizations.
 A sense of community may increase an
individual’s feeling of control over the
environment, and increases
participation in the community and
voluntary organizations.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

 Perceptions of problems in the environment can

motivate individuals (and organizations) to act to improve
the community (Chavis et al., 1990).
• "When people share a strong sense of community they are
motivated and empowered to change problems they face, and are
better able to mediate the negative effects over things which they
have no control," Chavis et al., (1990, p. 73) write. Moreover, "a
sense of community is the glue that can hold together a
community development effort" (Chavis et al., 1990, p. 73-74).
This concept suggests that programs that "...foster membership,
increase influence, meet needs, and develop a shared emotional
connection among community members" (Chavis et al.,1990, p.
73) can serve as catalysts for change and for engaging individuals
and the community in health decision-making and action.
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

"When people share a strong sense of

community they are motivated and
empowered to change problems they
face, and are better able to mediate
the negative effects over things which
they have no control," Chavis et al.,
(1990, p. 73).
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

Moreover, "a sense of community is the glue

that can hold together a community
development effort" (Chavis et al., 1990, p. 73-
74). This concept suggests that programs that
"...foster membership, increase influence,
meet needs, and develop a shared emotional
connection among community members"
(Chavis et al.,1990, p. 73) can serve as catalysts
for change and for engaging individuals and
the community in health decision-making and
action.
CITIZEN’s SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
1. Community Activists
Work with others on local problems, form a group
to work on local problems, active membership
community organizations, contact officials on
social issues.
CITIZEN’s SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
2. Apathetic Inactive
no participatory activity, not even voting.
3. Passive Supporters
vote regularly, attends patriotic parades, pay all
taxes but don’t indulge in social projects.
CITIZEN’s SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
4. Protesters
Join in public street demonstration, protest
vigorously if a government does something morally
wrong, attend protest meetings, or refuse to obey
unjust laws.
5. Communicators
Keep informed about the state of the nation,
engaged in discussions, write letters to newspaper
editors, send support or protest messages to
national and local leaders.
CITIZEN’s SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
6. Volunteerism
It is an essence of democracy which refers to
the principle or system of supporting or doing
something by voluntary efforts or actions. It comes
from the word voluntariness or the quality of being
free in the exercise of one’s free will; and that such
act or deed is performed without valuable/material
consideration.
ACTIVITY
SOLIDARITY IN THE COMMUNITY

Solidarity is the acceptance of our social nature and

the affirmation of the bonds we share with all our
brothers and sisters.
 UNITY
Social Virtue of Solidarity

The willingness to practice participation while striving

for social justice in the community.
SOLIDARITY IS MORE THAN UNIONS
• Solidarity is about more than Unions. Its about
working with people on the things that matter to
them. It is also about removing the boundaries that
prevent us from working together. It is about
believing that what hurts my neighbour also hurts
myself, that when I need a neighbour I have no right
to expect help if I have not first helped others. It is
both an emotion and a goal, a process and a state of
being. I try to tear down the fence that prevents
others from experiencing the wealth and
opportunities I experience, but I also act for them
here and now.
SOLIDARITY IS MORE THAN UNIONS
• It’s certainly true that when Solidarity goes wrong, it
usually ends in patronisation or some kind of
corruption. If I say I’m acting in Solidarity with the
First Nations most directly affected by Tar Sands, by
way of an example, am I first and foremost asking
them what they think the priorities are? There is
room for initiative, but to show solidarity, one must
meet as equals and listen. There is Solidarity with
those closest to me, but this is merely helping out
my friends; to misquote Jesus, even the Tories do
that .
SOLIDARITY IS DEFYING BOUNDARIES
• These boundaries that get in the way can be race,
nation, gender, wealth, indeed anything upon which
a segregation can be created. These walls create
several effects. First, that people on one side cannot
experience the privileges that are largely arbitrarily
awarded to people on the other side. Second, that
those on the latter side cannot appreciate life on
the first side, and therefore feel they are justified in
their current position. Third, it creates resentment,
often both ways.
SOLIDARITY IS FROM COMMUNICATION TO
ACTION.
• So Solidarity can flow from communication, but it requires action
to become a real and present force.

• Sometimes that action needs to be confrontational, to improve

the lot of one group relative to another, and sometimes it needs
to be conciliatory, taking down the walls and bringing people
together as equals. I can’t claim to be an expert in deciding which
is which. What I do know is that without Solidarity, without
considering the needs of the other, without looking at what I have
and realizing there are few valid reasons that I should have so
much when others have so little, is a necessary step towards
creating a more civilized world. The endless pursuit of profit at the
expense of others, or the maintenance of these divides simply
prevents us from relating to each other properly as humans. As
such, they prevent us from experiencing life in all its fullness.
SHORT AND LONG TERM
COMMUNITY ACTION
INITIATIVES
FEEDING PROGRAM
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
CLEAN UP DRIVE
LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS
 DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN SHORT-
TERM & LONG-TERM
PROJECTS
• short-term projects take a few hours, days or weeks
to complete.
• Long-term projects take months or even years to
finish. Typically, companies require more
documentation and infrastructure for longer-term
efforts. Decisions about project governance usually
depend on budget, resources required, business
impact, and the scope the project.
 Effective project managers start by assessing the
project need and determining how much time is
needed to meet the desired outcomes:

a. Budget
b. Resources
c. Impact
d. Scope
Budget
Short-term projects typically require less money to
complete than long-term efforts. An exception
might occur for a short-term disaster recovery
effort or other unplanned event that requires
immediate, all-out attention. Because short-term
projects typically cost less, they usually require
fewer approvals to get started and completed.
Short-term project leaders may simply keep track
of expenditures in a spreadsheet, while larger,
more complex projects might require the use of
more sophisticated accounting software packages
to track and monitor forecasting and spending
Resources
The number of resources required for a short-term
project typically depends on the type of product or
service being developed. Short-term projects
usually require specialized expertise. For example,
you might institute a short-term project to analyze
a recurring product problem and devise a solution.
Large, complicated T development projects
typically require numerous resources over the
course of the project life cycle to initiate, plan,
execute, control, and close the project.
Impact
Short-term projects typically have a limited impact.
You may initiate a project to handle a specific
problem or react to a situation. Once the problem
is solved, the project team disbands. Longer-term
projects tend to have a larger impact on the
business, community or employees. For example,
you might institute a long-term project to analyze
complex problems and make sweeping changes
that affect your entire company. Project team
members typically commit to working on the
project for the duration of the effort. This ensures
consistency and continuity.
Scope
Long-term projects tend to be complex. Project plans
describe multiple objectives, business needs and
interdependent requirements. Long-term projects may
be divided into smaller projects to make them more
manageable and to produce more immediate results.
Short-term projects typically focus on a single goal.
Evaluating short-term projects requires less effort and
analysis than larger projects. Your company may
require a formal scope statement for projects that last
more than a month. Establishing this type of
governance ensures that the number of features and
requirements of the project is documented early on to
prevent miscommunication, misunderstandings and
cost overruns later.
CHARACTERISTICS SHORT TERM LONG TERM COMMUNITY
COMMUNITY ACTION ACTION INITIATIVES
INITIATIVES

BUDGET LOCAL FUNDS NATIONAL FUNDS

RESOURCES COMMUNITY OFFICIALS BUREAUS/GOV’T

AGENCIES

IMPACT SPECIFIC NEEDS OF THE COMMON NEEDS OF THE

COMMUNITY COMMUNITIES

SCOPE LIMITED LARGER