Service-learning - provides students the opportunity to work with The common characteristics of service-learning include the following:

others, gain valuable insights, and acquire different skills. Through

1. It brings good, substantial, and practical results for the participants.
varied community projects, they can apply what they have been taught
in class by formulating appropriate solutions to the problems they 2. It promotes cooperation rather than competition where the skills
encounter in their chosen communities. associated with teamwork and active community involvement and
developed
As enrollees of NSTP-CWTS 2, students can use the insights they
gain in the classroom and provide solutions to real-life problems in the 3. It gives appropriate rather than simplified solutions to problems that
community. They become bona fide members of their assigned seriously affect the community.
communities as they render service and perform acts like the
following: 4. It provides real-life experiences wherein students gain knowledge
from a particular community engagement activity rather than from a
1. Students can analyze the effect of natural disasters and use a kit to textbook. Through these direct experiences, service-learning offers
gather important items during disaster preparation. Elementary great opportunities for students to develop their critical thinking skills
students can design and distribute these kits to the members of the and learn how to identify relevant and emerging issues in community
community. settings.
2. High school students can closely monitor the effects of poor 5. It gives students a deeper understanding of concepts and real-life
nutrition and lack of exercise by organizing health-related activities, situations in the community through immediately observable results.
concoct nutritious recipes, and putting up fruit and vegetable stands in
schools in the community. 6. Through an immediate understanding of a situation in the
community, service-learning becomes a more significant experience
3. Biology majors can study the complexity and diversity of eliminate for students, leading to their emotional and social development and
invasive aquatic species. Streams can also be monito; results may be cognitive learning
presented to the class.

4. University students can help struggling local non-profit ore cope with
difficult economic conditions. Students who are communication-
related courses can provide varied public services with community
partners, develop press kits, and assistance in holding events. on-profit
organization who are enrolled in public relations kits, and provide the
through students growing their de and soc advance enhance

Characteristics of Service-learning
What Service-learning is Not Service-learning Theory

Students have misconceptions about the conduct and value of service- Servicer learning theory is based on the idea that experience is
learning is not: the foundation for learning, and the bases for learning are the different
forms of community service (Morton & Troppe, 1996). Service-
1. An episodic volunteer program
learning, therefore, is a form of experiential education wherein
2. An add-on course to an existing school or college curriculum learning occurs through cycles of action and reflection. Students work
with others in applying what they have learned in class to solve
3. Logging a set number of community service hours in order to community problems while, at the same time, reflecting upon their
graduate experiences as they seek to attain their goals for the community and
to develop skills for themselves (Eyler & Giles, 1999).
4. Compensatory service assigned as a form of punishment by
the courts or by school administrators Legal Bases of Service-learning
5. Only for high school or college students Service-learning is based on RA 8292, also known as the Higher
Education Modernization Act of 1997. This law reiterates Section 2(1)
6. One-sided, that is, beneficial only to the students or the
of Article XIV of the 1987 Constitution by declaring that the "policy of
community
the state is to establish, maintain, and support a complete, adequate,
The distinctive element of service-learning is that it improves and integrated system of education relevant to the needs of the people
the community through the services provided, and it also results in the and the society." This policy can be attained through the HEIs' trilogy
improvement of the students and the other people providing the of functions — academics (teaching-learning), research, and extension
services. Service-learning is rapidly growing and becoming popular (community service) — and their keeping in mind of their legal
because of its powerful impact on people and their development. It is responsibility to act as effective agents of change and development.
a dynamic process, through which the students' personal and social
HEIS on Service-learning
growth are tightly interwoven into their academic and cognitive
advancement. According to Eyler and Giles (1999), the service-learning 'One of the trifocal functions of the university is community extension.
model enhances understanding and leads to more effective action. According to Tariman (2007), its duty to the youth is to make them
literate and functional, so they can make good decisions regarding the
problems affecting their health, families, and duties and
responsibilities to the community. They should be provided with
opportunities for cooperative undertakings affecting the welfare of
the entire community, so they can develop into young men and women 13. Grow a professional network of people, whom they can contact
who look upon their own interests in terms of the welfare of others. later for career growth

Benefits of Service-learning 14. Be encouraged in joining public service or social organizations

Service-learning has potential benefits to the students, faculty, There are personal and professional benefits that faculty
and community students in service-learning classes can benefit members can derive from integrating service-learning into the courses
academically, professionally and personally. They will: they handle. Their decision to teach service-learning classes can:

1. Increase their understanding of the class topic 1. Promote interactive teaching as well as reciprocal learning between
them
2. Gain firsthand experience (possibly leading to a future internship or
job) 2. Provide new concepts and subjects that will enrich the class

3. Question or defend values and beliefs 3. Open up new areas of concern for research

4. Have the opportunity to act on values and beliefs 4. Motivate their students to engage in active learning and be exposed

5. Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills 5. Enable their students to learn more and further develop themselves

6. Increase their knowledge of diverse cultures and communities 6. Increase enrollment by giving the proper motivation to highly
engage
7. Learn more about social issues and their causes
7. Enhance the leadership potential of their students
8. Improve their ability to handle difficult situations
8. Expose their students to networking activities with active faculty
9. Be open to change and become more flexible
9. Promote quality relationships between them and the members of
10. Develop or enhance their skills, especially in the areas of
the community or the institution which may facilitate collaborative
communication, collaboration, and leadership
endeavors
11. Test out the skills, interests, and values required in a potential
10. Offer firsthand information or concepts and opportunities for
career path and learn more about their field of interest
community involvement that will help them understand and resolve
12. Connect with professionals and community members who will also issues
learn from the service-learning program
Community partners involved in service-learning can: must be assessed or evaluated. This includes looking into
opportunities to establish partnerships with the local leaders, out-of-
1. Receive additional human resource assistance that can
school youth, businessmen, women leaders, and youth leaders
expedite the achievement of organizational goals
regarding community issues and problems.
2. Inspire a higher level of enthusiasm, perspective, and energy
3. Improve the organization's pool of volunteers as students 2. Establish partnership and linkages.
engaged in service-learning will boost their own morale
Establishing partnerships with different organizations is
prompting them to share their experiences with their
necessary to make the delivery of community services more effective.
classmates and friends
Maintaining and improving existing affiliations and developing
4. Enhance public awareness regarding significant issues
potential partnerships are important in ensuring that an organization's
confronting the community
needs and limitations can be met and worked on.
5. Ensure future support for the organization
6. Make students well informed about issues in the community 3. Indicate the specific learning
and enlighten them regarding common misconceptions
7. Prepare the youth of today, particularly students, to become specific learning objectives should be clear stated in the
tomorrow's responsible community leaders syllabus. It must be a dominant component that can be easily the
8. Establish strong networks with partners in other organizations service-learning organized by community-based organization.
and agencies Assessment tools should be devised and used to evaluate performance
9. Gain access to the -other resources of the university and with regard to the application of the subject. The outcomes may differ
strengthen collaborative ties with its faculty members, from what is initially expected.
students, and staff
4. Initially plan on the chosen program.
The objectives of service-learning provide the stakeholders
In selecting the program, the initial stage of planning is of
especially the implementers of different programs and activities with
utmost importance. Plan according to expected goals. Find out your
opportunities for reflection and the assessment of personal values,
financial, physical, and intellectual resources including the student
skills, and knowledge.
leaders who can assist your group in executing and coordinate the
The following are significant and helpful steps in effectively different activities you have prepared for the community.
implementing service-learning:

1. Assess the community resources.

After selecting a project, the available resources of the

community
5. Plan the details of the program. 9. Assess and evaluate the program.

Prepare the program with all the important things in mind like It is imperative to include the active involvement of the
rationale, timeline, budget, and list of assignments. The partners must community or institution in assessing community service outcomes.
involve in this process. The community project must have the follow The active participation of individual students and organizations in the
components: a thorough plan, schedule or time frame, benchmark service-learning program must also be properly documented. This
budget evaluation and assessment, and tools and processes to identify signals a readiness for future community projects.
document, and address problems and issues that can potentially takes
10. Celebrate the achievement.
place.
Appreciating and recognizing the students' active involvement in
6. Look for funds.
community projects will develop their life-long interest in service
It is necessary to look for adequate funding sources such as tie- involvement. Student names can be posted in bulletin boards. The
LIF with local businessmen, national corporations, faith-based presence or attendance of community leaders in recognition programs
organizati01E, NGOs, government agencies (GAS), and other local is necessary for inspiring students and other active participants in
community organizations. community projects.

7. Implement and manage the program. Guidelines and Procedures

The plan of action must be properly implemented. The right A. Preparatory Stage
intervals for assessment must be set and partners must be involved in
Faculty members interested in conducting service-
the process This, in turn, will enhance the program.
learning must see to it that the service-learning program (SLP) is
8. Organize reflection activities. indicated in the syllabus.

Carefully design activities that give students the chance to 1. The students and faculty members are both responsible for
better understand community service. Through this, the students' the selection of the community or institution. However,
knowledge and perceptions will continuously be reinforced. Students institutions or communities with already existing
must permit to record all their experiences, including their assignments Memorandum of Agreements with the school/university are
journal. This also helps in further improving the program. the most appropriate choices.
2. The faculty member must submit a letter of intent to the 2. The students and faculty respective transportation, communication,
college dean through the chairman or the head of the SLP. The and meal expenses d the period. other logistical requirements shall be
letter should come with the program/activity design indicating based indicated in the approved activity design of the college dean.
the rationale, objectives, time frame, the evaluation process
3. The faculty member or the assigned group leaders shall
(rubrics and reflection papers), and the schedule of activities.
responsibility for all communications and coordination with partner
community or institution in relation to the SLP. They charge of ensuring
3. The faculty member will write a letter of intent and request for
the safety and security of the students while community.
permission to conduct a SLP to the selected community or
institution. The letter must be noted by the dean through the 4. The college dean or the head of the program will conduct spot
program coordinator or head. monitoring or follow-up of students involved in the SLP to the actual
and current status of the program.
4. 4.The students who will join the SLP must secure a waiver from
the office of student affairs (OSA) to be signed by their parents 5. In case the faculty member in-charge will be absent, he or she must
or guardians. The faculty member will collect the waivers a day inform and ask permission from the college dean to find faculty
before the actual activity. Students without signed waivers will member as substitute to supervise the students. Any activity without
not be allowed to join the SLP. the supervision of an assigned faculty member shall be considered
unofficial.
5. The faculty member must conduct a classroom briefing about
C. Post-activity Evaluation Stage
the program/activity before the implementation of the SLP.
1. The students must submit a narrative report with pictorial
documentation and reflection paper to the faculty member. The report
B. Implementation Stage
must be hard-bound, follow the required format, and be submitted
1. The students and the supervising faculty member of the SLP are fifteen days (15) after the SLP activity.
required to wear the prescribed school identification card (ID) and
2. The faculty member will evaluate the students' narrative report
college T-shirt and observe proper decorum while in the community or
using the assessment tool that is designed for this activity. The
institution. Smoking and engaging in other forms of vices while in the
performance of the students will be evaluated using the same rubrics.
community or institution, whether before, during, or after the SLP are
The two evaluation results will be added and then divided by two. Its
strictly prohibited for both faculty members and students.
average will be the SLP grade of the student, representing ten percent
(10%) of the total computed grade for the term.
3. The college or university through the chairman or head of the issues in their assigned communities. They may also reflect on their
program must conduct an exit conference with the community or future personal and career interests whether these be in the field of
institution beneficiaries and leaders to assess the SLP implemented. natural sciences, behavioral sciences, public administration, values
clarification and formation, environmental studies, public policy, or
4. A certificate of SLP completion shall be issued by the college or
other related areas. Through service- learning, both the students and
university upon the written request of the faculty member in charge•
the community undergo a transformative experience.
5. The college or university shall issue a certificate of appreciation to
the cooperating community or institution upon the completion of the
service-learning activities. LECTURE

"Experience is the best teacher." It is the simplest way to

describe the necessity of community immersion among college
CONCLUSION
students today, particularly for NSTP- CWTS 2 students who study how
Service-learning is applied in a wide variety of settings, community, in different aspects, functions and develops. Community
including schools, universities, and community- and faith-based immersion inculcates civic consciousness and defense- preparedness
organizations. It can involve a group of students, a classroom, or an in the youth. They should be ready to engage in different community
entire school. Students build character and become active participants activities in order to be aware of community concerns, dynamics, and
as they work with others in their school and community in various lifestyles. It is only through immersion in an actual community that one
service projects designed for the development of education, public gets to know the social, political, and economic situation of people
safety, and the environment. belonging to the community. When students go to a community, they
associate with the people whom they intend to work with as their
For example, student-volunteers collecting trash or dredging an partners or allies in the community. Forms of community immersion
urban or rural river, stream, or waterway render a valuable service to include home visits, living with selected families, informal discussions
the community. If students also analyze their findings to determine the with individuals or groups; sharing in household and community
possible sources of pollution and share the results with the residents activities, attendance in social gatherings, and assistance in production
of the neighborhood also engaged in service-learning, they will be work.
doing the community much good.
Community immersion is a strategy that goes beyond
Service-learning provides an important service to the acquainting students with community concerns but makes possible
community. Students develop an understanding of actual social, their participation in their resolution. It is also devised as a strategy in
political, economic, and environmental molding students to become socially aware and responsible citizens.
This type of activity transforms the lives not only of the students but
also of the members of the community. As students providing solutions 2. Identifying the community needs, interests, and other concerns
to problems encountered by the community, the also shows and
3. Gaining personal development through acquiring additional
shares its way of living that allows students to see the world a different
knowledge on real-life situation and giving importance to good values
perspective.
and life skills
Students gain benefits from their participation in community
4. Recognizing people's dignity by letting students participate in
immersion. They are given an opportunity to comprehend people's
community programs and help in determining appropriate course Of
lives as they see situations; gain social acceptance derived from
community relations; develop in conducting asset mapping and other 5. Realizing that student participation yields contribution to the
life skills; and imbibe social awareness and consciousness of the welfare of the community, and that community participation, in turn,
pressing conditions faced by certain communities. Community gives meaning
immersion offers students an avenue to identify and understand issues
that will help solve problems in the communities affecting the entire Service-learning from Community Immersion
nation as a whole.
Labuguen et al. (2009) describes how the community immersion aspect
Community Immersion of NSTP-CWTS 2 benefits not only the communities served but the
students Who are accorded the following advantages:
One of the strategies of community organizing is community
immersion. It involves extensive exposure of the students to various 1. Have he opportunity for the students to appreciate other
community activities so that they may become responsible members peoples lives through living, identifying, and associating with
of the society where they belong. Students are also trained to the people.
becoming socially, morally, and civic conscious individuals on the areas 2. Gain social acceptance derived from community relations
of sports, literacy, health, livelihood, environmental services, values, coupled with the appropriate community services and
and other social welfare services. activities.
3. Enhance experience in conducting resources and community
Community immersion, as a voluntary and participatory inventory mapping such as identifying geographic coverage,
approach in developing a wholesome and ideal society, is reflected on pointing out resources and their uses, and determining
the following student learning activities: relationships of people with the existing resources.
4. Establish rapport and relationships with different people who
1. Determining the economic, psychosocial, and political status of
may be of help to them at some future time.
the people as students immerse in actual community life
5. Develop conscience that makes them realize how their ability
to solves problems in the community and how indifferences
people affect communities.
6. Acquire first-hand experiences in dealing with community building of social capital is important in solving community
intervention and services. problems, as the people who live, work, and interact in a particular
7. Have the chance to learn life skills that will enrich and better community enable their own community to function effectively.
them as persons.
Community development works operate on two
Community Development Work models. The first model refers to efforts that develop from within
the community and are led by community members. The second
One might think that the community is something external to
model refers to efforts that are instigated and run by professionals
life, something extra like that of having a car, owning a home,
from outside the community.
having a stable job, working with supportive coworkers, or having
thoughtful neighbors. Community is every connection One has with Approaches in Community Development Work
the world around that sustains the way of life. A community does
Community works are often confused with community-based
not include only those people who live next door or who work same
work. The similarity is that they fall under the discipline of
office, but also those people who constructed the reads, who work
community development approaches. To differentiate, community
at markets, factories and malls, and even those who plant wheat,
work requires the efforts of the people in greater or larger degree
grow crops, and livestock. The people upon whom we rely on for
whereas community-based work involves the community but in a
our living are often invisible or sometimes living thousands of miles
smaller scale from what is essential in community work.
away. These people constitute the work of community.
For instance, a group of young students selling homemade
Community development work is the process by which efforts
cookies to families in the neighborhood and using the profit to fund
of the people at the grassroots level are united with those of the
for extra books to donate to their school library is likely to be typed
government to improve Socioeconomic and cultural conditions of
as community-based work. A whole community of parents aimed
the community. Community development works can be referred to
to provide donations to local orphanages and thus held a local
as efforts to improve the economic or Structural conditions of a
garage sale to earn extra funds is considered community work.
community. Such efforts may focus on business or job creation and
physical or infrastructure development. It must be emphasized Community development approaches are defined by the
community development work in general is a social learning following:
process that empower individuals and involve them in collective
activities aimed at socioeconomic development. 1. Sustainability (long or short-term)

Moreover, community development works are actions that 2. Area of concentration (local, national, global, and overseas)
seek to build social capital, promote interaction, and empower
3. Field or specialization (e.g., education advancement or
community residents to alleviate their living conditions. The
religion affairs)
4. Objectives, vision, and mission (e.g., social security or rural involve the process of constructing infrastructures that meet
domination with the use of kindness) human needs or expectations. It can also be an understanding of
the multiple and intersecting forms of oppression that occur at
The categories listed are not guaranteed absolute, for
personal, cultural, and structural levels, with each level influencing
community development works itself is still broad. So are the lists
oppression on the others.
that will be specified below as the different approaches to
community development work, nonetheless, these are the 5. Social justice and human rights approach focus on the
random, more specific lists of approaches. behavioral, cultural, ethnical, and social affairs as a leading
target for communal development in or outside the
1. Technical assistance approach is involved in the efficient
community. The concept of social justice involves finding the
delivery of improving programs or services that allow communities
optimum balance between people's joint responsibilities as a
to access outside experts in areas that may be highly technical or
society and people's responsibilities as individuals to contribute
that may demand credentials for further funding or
to a just society. Human rights provide an internationally
implementation.
agreed set of principles and standards by which to assess
2. self-help approach encourages people within the community to inequality. The two concepts are correlated in a sense that
work together, empowering communal independence. Individuals human rights clearly define and authorize what is globally and
who are vulnerable, voiceless, and powerless can develop legally accepted from the various contexts on social justice.
enormous strength ill that involve a visioning and goal setting
process. 6. Ecological or environmental approach targets crises as major
focal point for developmental, radical alternatives to address
3. Con approach deals with confronting the forces that are blocking the natural make-up of the earth. The approach focuses on the
efforts to solve problems by building human capacity to address ecological or environmental protection and advancement.
local issues and concerns and altering the structure of the
community in terms of engagement. The practices under this
approach value confrontations in a sense that conflicts provide 7. Multi-method approach combines methods that will most
impetus for improvement and encourages critical thinking and the likely ensure the progress and success of communal work goals
individual thought. that are inherently unheard of. A multi-method approach crams
more than one kind of approaches into one-of-a-kind, hybrid-
4. Structural or brick-and-mortar approach is more concerned
like approach, which has been unconsciously practiced today by
with the foundation of the community members in terms of
many organizations.
constitution. It may
Community Building

Approaches in community work are vast and still growing. How Community building is directed towards the creation of
the communities interpret the meaning of these approaches is up community composed of individuals within an area or with a
to them. What is more important is how they express those common interest. The building of social networks within a
interpretations into values that will lead to outcomes to better the community fosters collaborative work and hone problem solving
community and society. skills.

Community Development Project A wide variety of practices can be utilized for community
building, ranging from simple events like potlucks and food bazaar,
Community development project is the term applied to any
to larger-scale efforts such as barangay or city festivals and
community- based project that covers a wide variety of different
construction projects that involve local participants rather than
areas within a community or a group of networking entities.
outside contractors.
Projects can cover almost anything, including the most obvious
section of concern to any community, the welfare element. Community Building Practices
Welfare community projects cover locally run and locally funded
1. Community gardening helps •improve neighborhood, build a
orphanages or even a Christmas dinner kitchen for the homeless
sense of community, and connect to the environment by planting
Charitable projects in the community may include, but are not
and harvesting fresh produce and plants.
limited to, ecological charities concerned with either the
maintenance of green spaces, for example, or in some cases, the 2. Community technology centers may help bridge the digital
prevention of the reduction or removal of green spaces. old clothes divide among generations. They may also help foster connections
of projects' unity projects are designed to create some sort. to the environment through the re-use of technology and proper
electronic waste stewardship.
All community projects are different in some way; the size and
these is firstly by the community they cater to. The of problems and 3. Sharing of skills or knowledge in music, dance, craftsmanship,
the project designed to address those problems should be mechanic, and the likes provides excellent opportunities for
supplemented by community assessment that determine include community-building. Service-oriented activities invite people to
focus groups, nominal group process, and survey research. strengthen relationships and build camaraderie as they help one
Community building is directed towards the creation of another. This lays a foundation for future successes in the
community. community's endeavors due to the Overall well-being and unity
produced.
4. Social activism involves the banding of communities taking Sociological Concept of a Community
action to produce
Sociologically speaking the family is the smallest unit of
5 Community organizing refers to the gathering of people to the society. It is composed of the immediate and n on-immediate
solve a problem' Unlike activism, at does not involve a strategy for members, while a community posed of different families who live
building power or for making specific social changes. Community in the same place and share the same the activities of a family that
immersion is one of the strategies under community organizing. are also conducted by a community include sharing common
resources, working for the common good, and building harmonious
relationships. These central qualities of a family are also the basic
Knowing the Community building blocks of any community. It is believed that stronger
families help develop stronger communities. An individual person
Community is simply defined as people with common can form a family, a family can form a community, and a community
interests living together in the same place. This term is derived can form a nation.
from the old French word comunité and the Latin term communitas
which are broad terminologies for fellowship; commonness, Aesthetic and Moral Values of a Community
unstructured society, or organized society, The most common and
The aesthetic and moral values of a community consist of the
simplest definition of community is that it is an aggregation of
guiding and sometimes paradoxical ideas that its members hold,
families and individuals who have settled in a compact and
e.g., how they know what is good from bad, beautiful from ugly,
contiguous geographical area and share significant elements of
and right from wrong. The justifications for the set values of
common life as shown in their manners, customs, traditions, and
communities are necessary in explaining their actions. As a
modes of speech. For Manalili (2009), a community refers to an
community develops, its values change. A change in values may
organization of people who are able to undertake projects based
result from innovations in technology or the social hierarchy.
on its members' experience, resiliency, motivation, and willingness
Examples of values include solidarity, commitment, mutuality, and
conceptualize, Implement, and evaluate a program (Bunagan but
trust. It was Greek philosopher Aristotle who first postulated the
certain commonalities are "Vice-learning and m explaining ald
concept of community as a group established by people with
describing the concepts (Norman, 1998).
shared values. That initial definition has been refined and
In Genesis 1:27 of the Old Testament, the word community all expanded throughout the years. It has been recognized, for
in the universe, to dominion over all living thin in His own ironic. He example, that people can belong to different types of communities:
allowed them Garden of Eden so it could be guarded and cultivated.
(1) communities of place, in which people are linked in the
Man and woman are of a community concentrates on the
geographical sense;
relationship of the Lord with His creation.
(2) communities of memory, in which people who may 4. Evaluate current programs and policies.
technically be strangers share a morally significant history; and (3)
5. Speculate on what the people are thinking and what they
communities of face-to-face personal interaction 'in which people
may really
are governed by sentiments of trust, cooperation, and altruism

(3) communities of face-to-face personal interaction, in which

people are governed by sentiments of trust, cooperation, and Steps in Conducting a Community Needs Assessment
altruism (Boyles, 1997).
The steps in conducting a needs assessment as follows:
Community Needs Assessment
1. Establish a working committee to solicit community
A community needs assessment is a process in which the involvement and develop plan of action.
problems, issues, d concerns of the community are identified by
using several tools. Needs assessment, social analysis, or 2. List important aspects or areas that need to be analyzed.
community diagnosis is a concrete basis for the formulation of
3. Identify the population to be surveyed.
programs. It reflects the sentiments, needs, aspirations, and
commendations of the community. It becomes significant when 4. Determine the information needed.
conducted as the students get integrated with the people.
5. Select a random sample of people to survey.
Assessing the needs of the community is a prelude to effective
program implementation. It hopes to solve the problems, 6. Develop and pre-test a questionnaire.

In determining the areas for improvement in a community, the 7. Collate the information gathered.
following steps
8. Analyze the data.
should be taken:
9. Go back to the community to validate the results or findings.
1. Gather information about the community's attitudes and
opinions in 10. Finalize the report.

2. Determine how citizens rank local issues, problems, and

opportunities.

3. Give the citizens voice in determining policies, goals, and

priorities.
Gathering Methods for Community Needs Assessment community through personal or telephone interview, online or
face-to-face surveys, or email or written correspondences. The
1. Focus group discussion (FGD) by key informants
following data are gathered in a need’s assessment survey:
They key informants of the community are the people
who hold socially relevant positions such as educators, 1. Historical data
public officials, clergymen, business representative, or
2. Geographical data
volunteer.
2. Community forum / assembly 3. Political and legal data
This involves holding group events which include the
entire community. Such event, give visibility to the leaders 4. Demographic data (e.g., age, size, race, growth patterns, and
and raise the status of the community, however, they population distribution
require extensive planning and publicity participatory
5. Economic data (e.g., the nature of the economic base in
action research uses this method effectively.
relation to social, cultural, educational, moral, and cultural
3. Public records
superstructure)
Public records like the national census provide social
and demographic data of the community. The data include Roles of the Community in a Needs Assessment
the profile of the population such as age, gender,
The roles of the community in a need’s assessment are as
educational level, among others.
follows:
4. Survey
Survey and questionnaires involve asking individuals in 1. Help identify interest groups and citizens who can be a part
the community about their everyday need. These can be of working
implemented through the following:
a. Mailing questionnaires to randomly selected members 2. Facilitate a group discussion to determine important issues
of the community. and priorities.
b. Doing telephone survey 3. select the sample to be surveyed and design a system to
c. Handling out survey during assembles identify
d. Posting questionnaires on the internet.
4. Provide a pool of questions from which the working
Needs Assessment Survey committees draw upon in addressing issues and concerns.
A needs assessment survey is conducted to identify 5. Design a way of distributing and collecting survey
community needs which are necessary for subsequent actions. This questionnaires and encoding and analyzing the resulting data.
survey contains a set question to be answered by people in the
6. Provide summary reports of data.

7. Suggest programs whereby results can be reported and

strategies on community involvement solicited.

8. Work with citizens to come up with well-informed course of

action.

CONCLUSION

A community needs assessment identifies the strengths and

resources available in the community to meet the needs of
children, youth, and families. Community assessment is a
systematic examination of the community status indicators for a
given population that is used to identify key problems and assets in
a community.