Community Engagement

1. Defining Community
with its Various
Perspectives

2. Systems Perspective
Virtual Perspective
Social Perspective
Individual Perspective

3. Systems Perspective
From a systems perspective, a community is similar to a living creature,
comprising different parts that represent specialized functions, activities, or
interests, each operating within specific boundaries to meet community needs.
For example, schools focus on education, the transportation sector focuses on
moving people and products, economic entities focus on enterprise and
employment, faith organizations focus on the spiritual and physical well-being of
people, and health care agencies focus on the prevention and treatment of
diseases and injuries (Henry, 2011). For the community to function well, each
part has to effectively carry out its role in relation to the whole organism. From a
systems perspective, then, collaboration is a logical approach to health
improvement.

4. Social Perspective
A community can also be defined by describing the social
and political networks that link individuals, community
organizations, and leaders. Understanding these networks
is critical to planning efforts in engagement. For example,
tracing social ties among individuals may help engagement
leaders to identify a community’s leadership, understand its
behavioural patterns, identify its high-risk groups, and
strengthen its networks (Minkler et al., 1997).

5. Virtual Perspective
Some communities map onto geographically defined areas, but today,
individuals rely more and more on computer-mediated communications
to access information, meet people, and make decisions that affect their
lives (Kozinets, 2002). Examples of computer mediated forms of
communication include email, instant or text messaging, e-chat rooms,
and social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter
(Flavian et al., 2005). Social groups or groups with a common interest
that interact in an organized fashion on the Internet are considered
“virtual communities” (Rheingold, 2000; Ridings et al., 2002). Without
question, these virtual communities are potential partners for
community-engaged health promotion and research

6. Individual Perspective
Individuals have their own sense of community
membership. Moreover, they may have a sense of
belonging to more than one community. In addition,
their sense of membership can change over time
and may affect their participation in community
activities (Minkler et al., 2004).

7. Individual Perspective
The philosopher and psychologist William James shed light on this issue in
his writings. James thought it important to consider two perspectives on
identity: the “I,” or how a person thinks about himself or herself, and the
“me,” or how others see and think about that person. Sometimes these two
views agree and result in a shared sense of an identity, but other times they
do not. People should not make assumptions about identity based on
appearance, language, or cultural origin; nor should they make
assumptions about an individual’s perspective based on his or her identity
(James, 1890). Today, the multiple communities that might be relevant for
any individual — including families, workplace, and social, religious, and
political associations — suggest that individuals are thinking about
themselves in more complex ways than was the norm in years past.

8. Individual Perspective
The eligibility criteria that scientists, policy makers, and
others develop for social programs and research projects
reflect one way that people perceive a group of proposed
participants, but how much those criteria reflect the
participants’ actual view of themselves is uncertain.
Practitioners of community engagement need to learn how
individuals understand their identity and connections, enter
into relationships, and form communities.

9. Instructions: Identify the type of community perspective showed
in every number. Write A for Systems Perspective, B for Social
Perspective, C for Virtual perspective and D for Individual
Perspective. Make use of your activity notebook.
____1. The “I” view how a community views itself
____2. Computer mediated forms of communication
____3. Social links of people
____4. Community as a living creature
____5. Political networks
____6. Social media communities
____7. Understanding personal identity
____8. Roles of different organizations
____9. Tracing social ties
____10. Netizens in Facebook and YouTube

10. Analyze functions of
communities in terms of
Structure, Dynamics, and
Processes

11. This Learning Module is crafted with the hope that you will be able to
maximize your full potentials and improve your social skills.
 This course introduces social network in micro level, looking at
individuals and their local community.
 We will also understand how an individual plays a significant role in the
society.
 you shall be able to demonstrate competencies in interacting and relating
with other individuals, groups, and communities
 apply practices, and tools to real life situations.
 prepare you so that you could offer help, support, understanding, and
possible alternatives for the problems in your community.

12. COOPERATION

13. • Cooperation is important because it allows people and various groups to work
together in achieving a common goal or derive mutual benefits.
• Cooperation allows participants to exchange valuable information that helps both sides
improve their knowledge bases and work in a time- and resource-efficient manner.
• Cooperation between and among parties is often referred to as a cooperative
relationship. Participants in these relationships often share vital resources and
knowledge as well as staff and personnel to accomplish a specific task.
Ex. of cooperation is demonstrated through the coordination of a local school
and a community soup kitchen to provide basic services to area residents in
need.

14. • Cooperation between and among parties is often referred to as a cooperative
relationship. Participants in these relationships often share vital resources and
knowledge as well as staff and personnel to accomplish a specific task.
Ex. of cooperation is demonstrated through the coordination of a local school
and a community soup kitchen to provide basic services to area residents in
need. The school might provide basic supplies, such as student volunteers and
food, while the soup kitchen provides a facility and furniture. The two parties
work together to set up tables with food, staffed by student volunteers, who
greet and serve clients as they walk in the door. This act of cooperation
benefits the students with experience, the soup kitchen with a day of business
and the clients with food. Cooperative relationships can result in a one-time
collaboration between parties to achieve a goal or can involve recurring
meetings and events to allow the parties to continue working with each other.

15. Community is a social, religious,
occupational, or other group sharing
common characteristics or interests
and perceived or perceiving itself as
distinct in some respect from the
larger society within which it exists.

16. WHAT COMPRISES THE
COMMUNITY?

17. Early Joiners
Information Specialists
Conversationalists
Persuaders
Connectors
Laggards
Temporary Members

18. Early Joiners are
frontrunners that lay down
the norms for what can be
deemed as acceptable
behavior in the community
and ensure that it is
adhered to.

19. Information Specialists
are the ones who
members look to for
getting connected new
information.

20. Conversationalists are the
ones who mainly contribute to
discussions that have been
initiated by other members but
normally don’t initiate
discussions on their own.

21. Persuaders are the
ones who are powerful
advocates of the
community message
and spread the word.

22. Connectors are the
people who have a big
network of friends and
acquaintances they can
introduce to the
community.

23. Laggards are the
late joiners.

24. Temporary Members are
the members that might be
there in the community only
for the achievement of a
specific objective.

25. THANK YOU!