National Service Training Program

1. N S T P 1 0 2 3 ( N A T I O N A L S E R V I C E
T R A I N I N G P R O G R A M 2 )
M O D U L E 2 :
C O M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E A N D
S E R V I C E L E A R N I N G P R O G R A M

2. TOPICS
• Community Service
• Strategies in Working with communities
• Service Learning

3. LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this module, you are expected to:
• Know what community service is and its importance;
• Choose the best strategy to be implemented while working with the
community/locality;
• Identify the challenges in working with the communities;
• Identify the characteristics ad ways of doing service learning

5. WHAT IS COMMUNITY SERVICE?
• Community service is any kind of work done either by a person or a group of people
with the objective to benefit others. Typically, this kind of work is done on a volunteer
basis, which means there is no monetary outcome. You are basically volunteering your
time and effort to help. There are many different ways to help your community,
focusing on a various area — children, animals, senior citizens, people with disabilities
and the environment are a few examples. Usually, such work is organized by a local
group, like a school or non-profit. However, you may start your own community service
service group and take on projects of your choice.

6. THE NEED FOR PARTICIPATION IN
COMMUNITY SERVICE
• There are number of reasons as to why one should engage in activities that positively
benefit the community. Most students are required to put in a few hours of community
service organized by their school or college as a graduation requirement. In some
countries, community service is court mandated — you have to complete a certain
number of hours ordered by a judge.
• There are other reasons to participate in community service other than being required,
or forced, to do so. Indeed, volunteering does have numerous personal benefits too.
Here are some of the reasons, apart from benefiting the community, why one should
consider engaging in community service:

7. THE NEED FOR PARTICIPATION IN
COMMUNITY SERVICE
1. Helps you develop a richer perspective of the world
2. Develop an increased sense of social responsibility
3. Often results in psychological and emotional growth
4. Improves lifelong communication, interpersonal and critical thinking skills
5. Helps students find their passion and interests that could potentially lead career
choices they may have failed to consider otherwise
6. Can help strengthen college applications and resume
7. Can be a great way to meet new people and make friends
8. Provides you with an opportunity to gain work experience
9. Allows you to quickly step up to leadership positions within organizations
10. Provides an opportunity to apply academic learning to real life events

8. THE NEED FOR PARTICIPATION IN
COMMUNITY SERVICE
• The opportunity to see, first-hand, how your work can benefit someone is very
important. Moreover, expanding our worldview by looking beyond what most us of
frequently taken for granted leaves a lasting mark on an individual. Finally, interacting
with people who have vastly different backgrounds teaches us patience and empathy
as you develop a global perspective.

9. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAMS FOR
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
The following elements have been identified as important aspects of programs that aim to
build stronger communities:
1. Connecting the social, cultural, environmental and economics spheres in the
community.
2. Improving the quality of life of community populations and gaining mutual benefit
among community members.
3. Creating opportunities and encouraging community members to participate in
community activities, from employment to social events to civic duties.
4. Empowering communities, helping them to take advantage of opportunities and to take
shared responsibility for their wellbeing.
5. Recognizing the diversity of interests within a community and how that may affect
capacity building.
6. Engaging people from the community, government, and private sectors to work
together to address community issues, solve problems in their community and achieve

10. TIPS FOR WORKING TOGETHER AND
INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY
1. Set The following elements have been identified as important aspects of programs that
aim to build stronger communities:
- goals and monitor your performance. Make sure you define realistic goals and decide how you will measure
the outcome and your success.
2. Create effective plans for reaching those goals. Now that you know what to accomplish,
you need to identify the steps you need to take to achieve the goal, dedicate tasks
according to skills, and manage time wisely.
3. Communicate clearly. Every team member should keep others updated on their progress.
Clear and straightforward communication leads to more productivity.
4. Solve problems together. The team needs to work together to solve unexpected
problems. Addressing conflict before it becomes a more significant problem is also
important.
5. Be open. Teams need to be honest with each other. There is a willingness to listen to
others and to work through stressful situations constructively.
6. Respect individuality. Remember that each group is composed of different skills and
personalities. Understanding what each person can bring to the table is critical to

11. HOW TO POSITIVELY BENEFIT YOUR
COMMUNITY AS A STUDENT
• One very effective way for you to benefit and improve your community greatly is
through community service. In the process, community service will also help you
acquire skills and knowledge, and gain essential experience that you can include on
your resume. Although the sole purpose of benefiting your community positively
shouldn’t be an updated resume. Engaging in community service as a student helps
you become an active part of your community, which will certainly serve to make a
positive impact. Some of the skills you are likely to gain through social work include:

12. LEADERSHIP
• What is leadership, anyway? Can you see yourself more of a leader or as a follower?
• The following are definitions of the three well known personalities on leadership.
Warren Bennis: "Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.”
Bill Gates: "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.“
John Maxwell: "Leadership is influence - nothing more, nothing less."
Leadership is a process of social influence, which maximizes the efforts of others, towards the
achievement of a goal (Kruse, 2013)

13. PROBLEM-SOLVING
Are you a problem solver or the problem itself?
• It is a mental process that involves discovering, analyzing, and solving problems. A
problem solver focuses on the possible solutions and strategies on how to handle
such, that eventually leads to personal growth and maturation.

14. COLLABORATION WITH OTHERS
• Collaboration means to work with another person or group in order to achieve or do
something. It means application of what was conceived in the mind during the
planning stage and performing the expected outputs.

15. TIME MANAGEMENT
• Time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time
between specific activities. Good time management enables you to work smarter – not
harder – so that you get more done in less time, even when time is tight and pressures
are high. Failing to manage your time damages your effectiveness and causes stress.

16. COMMUNICATION
• Communication is the act of giving, receiving, and sharing information -- in other
words, talking or writing, and listening or reading. Good communicators listen
carefully, speak or write clearly, and respect different opinions.

17. THINGS TO PONDER
If you want to be more relevant to a community you already engage, there are a few
questions you should ask yourself. Answering these questions will help you figure out
what you feel most passionate towards. It is important to compare tasks based on their
perceived importance.
• Recall the quote above, no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
1. What do you already know about the people within it?
2. Do you know how connected people feel to each other?
3. Are there identifiable leaders or representatives you can talk with about their shared issues, goals, and dreams?
4. Who and/or what are you passionate about?
5. Is there a particular activity you enjoy doing that you could do to help in some way? Like, baking or drawing.
6. Do you want a long-term activity, something that you can do for short amount of time or a one-time activity?
7. Why do you Is there a particular activity you enjoy doing that you could do to help in some way? Like, baking or drawing.
want to do this?
8. What is the impact you would like to have?
9. If your impact is quantifiable — an “amount raised” for instance — what is your goal?
10. What do you wish to learn?

18. IDEAS ON HOW TO BENEFIT THE
COMMUNITY:
1. Pick up some trash. Head out and spend a few hours beautifying your surroundings.
Start small in your own neighborhood
2. Start a violence protection group in your community
3. Participate in a charity walk or run
4. Host an Earth Day event
5. Create and distribute a list of hotlines for people who might need help
6. Teach a home-alone safety class for children
7. Gather a group of friends or talk to one of the on-campus clubs to package meals for the
homeless in the surrounding city
8. At the end of the semester, create a textbook donation drive so students can donate used
textbooks to redistribute to low-income students for free
9. Create a summer reading program
10. Teach classes for a skill you have

19. CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT:
1. Attitudes and expectations: There may be a feeling in the community that they cannot
provide constructive input, won’t be taken seriously or cannot influence the decision-
making process. It may be difficult for them to contribute skills, resources and time
because of geographic or cultural barriers.
2. Characteristics of urban communities: Close communities are common in rural areas. In
urban areas, the members of the community may not know each other, so communities
may be more fragmented. Urban communities are very mixed, with diverse backgrounds
and needs that can make it difficult to accommodate different people’s interests.
Communicating technical information in an understandable manner is also made more
difficult if local residents speak different languages or have conflicting priorities.

20. CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT:
1. Attitudes and expectations: There may be a feeling in the community that they
cannot provide constructive input, won’t be taken seriously or cannot influence the
decision-making process. It may be difficult for them to contribute skills, resources
and time because of geographic or cultural barriers.
2. Characteristics of urban communities: Close communities are common in rural areas.
In urban areas, the members of the community may not know each other, so
communities may be more fragmented. Urban communities are very mixed, with
diverse backgrounds and needs that can make it difficult to accommodate different
people’s interests. Communicating technical information in an understandable
manner is also made more difficult if local residents speak different languages or
have conflicting priorities.
3. Commitment to the future: Higher levels of community engagement continue
beyond the initial planning stage to project management and maintenance. This
requires a continuing commitment from all stakeholders. Preparing plans for the
future and identifying possible challenges that may arise can help with preparations

21. SERVICE LEARNING PROGRAM
Students “serve to learn” and “learn to serve”
• Service-Learning is a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful
community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience,
teach civic responsibility and strengthen communities (Billig & Eyler, 2003). It is a form
of experiential education where learning occurs through a cycle of action and reflection
reflection as students. seek to achieve real objectives for the community and deeper
understanding and skills for themselves.
• In the process, students link personal and social development with academic and
cognitive development experience enhances understanding; understanding leads to
more effective action (Giles Jr., 1999).

22. HOW IS SERVICE-LEARNING DIFFERENT
FROM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT?
Community engagement is a process by which an individual or an organization
participates in meaningful and collaborative relationships with a community to address
socio-political-economic-cultural issues to develop awareness and critical consciousness
towards contributing to social and structural transformation. Service-learning is just one
form of community engagement. Service-learning is a course requirement for students
while community engagement is for faculty or group of faculty participating in
community activity. Below matrix is an illustration of its similarities and differences.

23. Service-Learning Community Engagement
Main Participant Students Faculty or Organization
Type of Program Curricular Co-curricular
Nature
Course Requirement & Credit-
bearing
extension of Academic Functions
Focus Service & Learning Service
Purpose
Address community needs
utilizing students' talents and
skills
Address community needs using the faculty's
talents, skills, and expertise

24. WHAT IS THE GOAL OF SERVICE-
LEARNING?
The primary goal of service-learning is to provide service to the less privileged
community and, equally, enhance student learning through rendering service.

25. CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL
SERVICE-LEARNING
Students can learn about environmental and social issues in a real-world setting by
incorporating service-learning into the curriculum. A successful service-learning project
entails students applying their knowledge and talents to create a positive impact in their
communities. There are six crucial characteristics that contribute to successful service-learning
(SL):
1. Meaningful Service - Make sure your idea meets a real-world need in the community.
2. Curriculum Connections - Connecting academic information to practical tasks allows
students to learn by doing.
3. Student Leadership - Assist students in taking ownership of the project through student
leadership.
4. Reflection- Make sense of SL experience through reflection.
5. Community Involvement - Involve people from all walks of life.
6. Demonstration and Celebration - Tell people about the SL experience.

26. SIX CRUCIAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL SERVICE-
LEARNING (SL):
Meaningful Service
Meaningful service fills a void in the community. Devising a strategy to plant trees and
other native flora in order to counteract soil erosion, construct wind barriers, give wildlife
habitat, and provide shade for residents is an example of a service of importance. SL is
meaningful when-
• The service responds to an actual community need that is recognized by the
community.
• The service is age-appropriate and well organized.
• The service is designed to achieve significant benefits for students and the community.

27. SIX CRUCIAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL SERVICE-
LEARNING (SL):
Curriculum Connections
Educators must make a clear distinction between community involvement and service-
learning. When young people participate in service-learning, they do more than just show up
at a soup kitchen or a park and serve food or clean up. It all starts with research and
preparation for the specific problem or situation that the service experience will address,
which should ideally be related to the academic subject matter being studied. This promotes
integrated learning; hence, the following.
• The service-learning project substantiates the course content.
• The course content guides the service-learning program.
• The course objectives and competencies were met by the service-learning program.
• The service-learning project provides an avenue for the development of life skills.
• Life skills learned outside the classroom are integrated back into classroom learning.

28. SIX CRUCIAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL SERVICE-
LEARNING (SL):
Student Leadership
Allow students to take on leadership roles from the start and engage in (nearly) every
aspect of the project. For instance, students will look for funding to support their SL.
Students will work together to create a difference in their neighborhood, alongside
school leaders and community partners. They will communicate effectively, have a strong
work ethic, and make good use of their resources. SL intensifies students' voice; thus-
• Students take roles and tasks that are appropriate to their age, subject, and course.
• Students participate actively in planning the service-learning activity.
• Students are involved actively in planning and implementing the reflection sessions,
evaluation, and success of the activity.

29. SIX CRUCIAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL SERVICE-
LEARNING (SL):
Reflection
Reflection is commonly acknowledged as a hallmark of high-quality service-learning.
Reflection is guided, can occur in a variety of modalities, is often shared, and entails
recalling components of the service experience. It should also connect those experiences
to previous events, beliefs, and learning, as well as ask questions and solve issues, as well
as examine the meaning of involvement. Students who take the time to reflect on their
service-learning activities will gain a greater benefit from them. Below are the two key
characteristics of SL reflection.
• Reflection establishes connections between students' service experiences and the
academic curriculum.
• Reflection occurs before, during, and after the service-learning project.

30. SIX CRUCIAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL SERVICE-
LEARNING (SL):
Community Involvement
Involving and partnering with the local community directly not only encourages
community members to help with the project but also guarantees that the ultimate result
result meets actual community requirements. There has to be collaboration among
stakeholders for a successful SL. The following are key features of SL where the
community is involved.
• The service-learning program is a collaboration of potential partners which may
include students, parents, community-based organizations, local businesses, public
libraries, school administrators, teachers, and recipients of service.
• All partners benefit from the project and contribute to its planning and
implementation.

31. Demonstration & Celebration
Demonstrations and celebrations should always be included in service learning so that
participants can share their experiences with others. Students' learning is deepened as
they prepare to share with others. The following are learnings deepened through SL.
SIX CRUCIAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT
CONTRIBUTE TO SUCCESSFUL SERVICE-
LEARNING (SL):

32. • Adapting varied roles and responsibilities.
• Working effectively in a climate of doubt and changing priorities.
• Monitoring one’s understanding and learning needs.
• Defining, prioritizing, and completing tasks without direct oversight.
• Utilizing the time for the service-learning activity efficiently.
• Demonstrating commitment to learning as a lifelong process.
• Working appropriately and productively with others.
• Using different perspectives to increase innovation and quality of work.
• Setting and meeting high standards and goals for delivering quality work on time.
• Demonstrating diligence and a positive work ethic (e.g. being punctual and reliable).
• Using one’s interpersonal and problem- solving skills to influence and guide others in
attainment of the goals of Service-Learning Activity.
• Learning to care for others and contribute to the community.
• Understanding how one’s actions could impact the community.

33. THANK YOU!