Community Immersion Preparation
Community:
Refers to a group of people gathered together in any geographic area, large or small,
who have common interests, actual or potentially recognized in the social welfare
field.
-> [According to Arlien Johnson - a notable community development specialist]
A community is a collective of people with similar interests and goals whether living
in the same geographic location or not.
Categories of a Community
> Geographical Community: area based, meaning a community that is closely
spatially located.
> Functional Community: aggregate of people though not necessarily based on living
in the same geographical location bounded by a common end.
Elements of a Community [c-h-e-d-s]
- Demographics
- History
- Structures
- Economy
- Culture
Community Immersion
- Essential strategy in community organizing work
- Entails understanding of different community concerns, process, dynamics,
and lifestyle through exposure and engaging in different activities.
- Strategy to plunge into community organization
- Specialized activities which entail entering, familiarizing, and involving of the
self in the conduct of the activities
- For community development
- Empowering the people towards development of the locality.
, Community needs assessment
- Also referred to as social analysis or community diagnosis
- Inventory survey instrument developed to collect information
- To identify the needs of the community
- More on children, youth, and families
- Systematic process
- Determines and addresses the needs or gaps between current condition and
desired conditions or wants.
- Find out the most pressing problem that greatly affects the lives of the people
Criteria when identifying community problems [d-e-p-p-s-s]
- Problem occurrences [frequency]
- Duration of the problem [length of time]
- Scope or range [size of people affected]
- Severity of the problem [intensity of effect]
- Equity [deprivation of legal or moral rights]
- Perception [how the problem is perceived]
Types of Community Needs
- Perceived Needs: based on what the individuals feel their needs are.
Standards may change based on each individual’s point of view.
- Expressed needs: defined by the number of individuals who sought help.
Individuals may have felt a need and acted upon it. Not all people with needs
seek help.
- Absolute Needs: needs deemed universal, including those for survival.
- Relative Needs: needs rendered necessary based on equity. Standards may
vary based on population differences.
> When you conduct your assessments, you will work to identify gaps and make
conclusions about the needs that will ultimately help to fill them.
> Categorizing news will help to prioritize actions.
Community:
Refers to a group of people gathered together in any geographic area, large or small,
who have common interests, actual or potentially recognized in the social welfare
field.
-> [According to Arlien Johnson - a notable community development specialist]
A community is a collective of people with similar interests and goals whether living
in the same geographic location or not.
Categories of a Community
> Geographical Community: area based, meaning a community that is closely
spatially located.
> Functional Community: aggregate of people though not necessarily based on living
in the same geographical location bounded by a common end.
Elements of a Community [c-h-e-d-s]
- Demographics
- History
- Structures
- Economy
- Culture
Community Immersion
- Essential strategy in community organizing work
- Entails understanding of different community concerns, process, dynamics,
and lifestyle through exposure and engaging in different activities.
- Strategy to plunge into community organization
- Specialized activities which entail entering, familiarizing, and involving of the
self in the conduct of the activities
- For community development
- Empowering the people towards development of the locality.
, Community needs assessment
- Also referred to as social analysis or community diagnosis
- Inventory survey instrument developed to collect information
- To identify the needs of the community
- More on children, youth, and families
- Systematic process
- Determines and addresses the needs or gaps between current condition and
desired conditions or wants.
- Find out the most pressing problem that greatly affects the lives of the people
Criteria when identifying community problems [d-e-p-p-s-s]
- Problem occurrences [frequency]
- Duration of the problem [length of time]
- Scope or range [size of people affected]
- Severity of the problem [intensity of effect]
- Equity [deprivation of legal or moral rights]
- Perception [how the problem is perceived]
Types of Community Needs
- Perceived Needs: based on what the individuals feel their needs are.
Standards may change based on each individual’s point of view.
- Expressed needs: defined by the number of individuals who sought help.
Individuals may have felt a need and acted upon it. Not all people with needs
seek help.
- Absolute Needs: needs deemed universal, including those for survival.
- Relative Needs: needs rendered necessary based on equity. Standards may
vary based on population differences.
> When you conduct your assessments, you will work to identify gaps and make
conclusions about the needs that will ultimately help to fill them.
> Categorizing news will help to prioritize actions.
