COMMUNITY IMMERSION

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 Chapter I: Community Immersion as Requisite on NSTP

Chapter Overview:

One of the salient features of the National Service Training

Program (NSTP), particularly its Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS)
and Literacy Training Service (LTS) components, is that it focused on
the promotion of the general welfare of the Filipinos via responsive
and altruistic community-based projects by students-trainees as they
undergo community immersion in fulfilment of the requirements of
NSTP. Toward this, end, this chapter will introduce students the
salient features of community immersion as a requisite of the
National Service Training Program (NSTP).

General Objectives:
At the end of this chapter, the student should be able to:

a. define community immersion as a requirement of NSTP;

b. identify and explain the significance of the community
immersion in the purview of NSTP and national development;
c. gain insights on community immersion as a requirement of NSTP; and
d. internalize the significance of community immersion as an effective
tool in addressing concerns of both the NSTP trainees and the
communities served.

LESSON I. COMMUNITY, TYPES OF COMMUNITIES AND

CLASSIFICATION OF COMMUNITIES

In this lesson, we will start the word community from the

different perspective. Community is a social unit with commonality
such as norms, religion, values, customs or identity. This will include
the different types of communities that people share same interest or
passion brought together by geographical boundaries and undertake
the same activities. It also focused on the characteristics of urban and
rural communities and sectoral communities that includes the
voluntary or non-profit sector.

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Lesson Objectives:

At the end of the lesson, the students can:

1. define community from different perspectives.

2. explain the importance and benefits of community immersion.
3. analyze the different types of communities and its
functions to the society.

A Community a group of people with diverse characteristics who

are linked by social ties, share common perspectives, and engage in
joint action in geographical locations or settings.

A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with

commonality such as norms, religion, values, customs, or identity.
Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given
geographical area (e.g. a country, village, town, or neighbourhood) or
in virtual space through communication platforms.

Different types of communities

1. Interest. Communities of people who share the same interest or passion.
2. Action. Communities of people trying to bring about change.
3. Place. Communities of people brought together by
geographic boundaries.
4. Practice. Communities of people in the same profession or
undertake the same activities.
5. Circumstance. Communities of people brought together by
external events/situations.

Types of Communities

Formal Communities. Engage in joint activities and discussion,

help each other, and share information with each other; they care
about their standing with each other.

Examples of formal communities

▪ Eco-villages
▪ Co-housing communities
▪ Co-ops communities
▪ Religious communities

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 Informal Communities. Consists of a set of personal relations,
social networks, common interest and emotional sources of
motivation.

Examples of formal communities

▪Academic communities
▪Recreation communities
▪Retirement communities.

Urban Communities. Large in terms of land area & population,

advanced in science & technology, with favourable physical
environment and & diverse cultures, and the people are engaged in
various occupations.

Characteristics of urban communities

▪ Advancement in science and technology

▪ Many business establishments, recreational centres,
educational and religious institutions
▪ People are crowded
▪ Social heterogeneity
▪ Class extremes
▪ Greater pollution
▪ Many crimes are committed
▪ Family ties tend to be weak
▪ Limited space
▪ Greater impersonality among neighbours
▪ Higher standard of living
▪ Shortage of employment
▪ Informal settlers are rampant
▪ A lot of hazards and dangers
▪ Greater number of separation of spouses and live- in
arrangements
▪ Major occupations are industrial, administrative and professional
▪ Divisions of labor and occupational specialization are very
much common

Rural Communities. Usually produce their own food for subsistence.

Characteristics of rural communities

▪ Greater personal interaction

▪ Deep, long-term relationships
▪ Generally, peace and order exists
▪ Mutual give and take affairs
▪ Emphasis of shared values
▪ Vernacular is usually spoken
▪ Wider area
▪ Influence of blood relationships in decision making
▪ Homogenous type of culture
▪ Belief in supernatural and superstitious beliefs
▪ Relationship is more personal and informal
▪ Less pollution
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 ▪ Few establishments and institutions
▪ Few goods and services `

Global Communities. It is the international aggregate of nation-states.

▪ World Community
▪ Common point of view towards issues of human rights,
global warming and climate change, peace and order,
socio-economic conditions as well as disputed issues such
as territorial conflict.

Sectoral Communities. Include the voluntary sector or non-profit

sector
.

▪ Voluntary, non-profit and non-governmental

▪ Also called third sector (in contrast to public and private sector)
▪ NGOs: Non-governmental organization

Social Space Communities. Based on social spaces

▪ a social space is a physical or virtual space

▪Physical: social canter, gathering place, town squares,
parks, pubs, shopping
▪ Virtual: online social media, websites

Characteristics of social spaces

▪ People gather at information grounds for a

primary purpose other than information sharing
▪ Attended by different social types
▪ Social interaction is a primary activity
▪ Information occurs in many directions
▪ Information is used in alternative ways
▪ Many sub-contexts exist; together they form grand
context

Lesson Summary:

A Community a group of people with diverse characteristics who

are linked by social ties, share common perspectives, and engage in
joint action in geographical locations or settings.

There are different types of communities like those put together

by common Interest, Action, Place, Practice, and Circumstance.
Further, other types of Communities are also present and identified
based on: Formal, Informal Communities, Urban Communities, Rural
Communities, Global Communities, Sectoral Communities, and Social
Space Communities.
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Activity 01

True or False: Assess whether the statements in column A are true or

false. In column B, write T if the statement is true and F if the
statement is false.

A B
1. Communities of people brought together by
geographic
Boundaries
2. Community is a group of people with diverse
characteristics who are linked by social ties, share
common perspectives, and engage in joint action in
geographical locations or settings.

3. Global communities is the international aggregate of

nation-
states.
4. Sectorial communities include the voluntary sector or
non- profit sector.

5. Communities of people in the same profession or

undertake the same activities.

6. Formal communities are consists of a set of personal

relations, social networks, common interest and
emotional sources of motivation.

7. Rural communities usually produce their own food

for
subsistence.
8. Communities of people who share the same
interest or passion.

9. Communities of people trying to bring about change.

10. People gather at information grounds for a
primary purpose other than information sharing.

Essay: Answer the following questions.

1. Describe your community. Why you consider it in such

type of community?

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 2. Study the characteristics of the community by:

a. Gathering information on the history of the community.

b. Gathering information on diverse cultural factors that unite or

divide the community.

LESSON II: UNDERSTANDING THE ESSENCE OF COMMUNITY

IMMERSION IN NSTP

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 The NSTP I have taught you the different characteristics and
skills that a good citizen must possess in order to contribute to
inclusive and responsive nation building like leadership,
volunteerism, and environmental awareness among others. In this
lesson, you will learn the concept of community immersion and its
importance in nation building.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the student should be able to:

1. define community immersion as a component of NSTP;

2. identify and discuss the relevance of community immersion to the
aims of the NSTP;
3. identify and discuss the significance of NSTP community immersion
to the attainment of national development;
4. Identify and discuss the benefits that an NSTP student-trainee can
derive out of initiating community immersion in project and
activities; and
5. Identify the objectives of the NSTP community immersion.

Community immersion is one important requirement of the

National Service Training Program (NSTP) prescribed to students,
male and female alike, in private and public higher education
institutions and technical- vocational schools (RA 9163, Sec. 7). In
essence, it is the practicum-based element of NSTP where lessons
learned and acquired in NSTP 1, whether on a semester basis or as
part of the One Summer Program, are applied in the enhancement of
the trainees’ capabilities, civic consciousness and defense
preparedness in the service of the nation. This practicum requirement
essential to NSTP 2 is not only applicable to the Civic Welfare Training
Service (CWTS) and the Literacy Training Service (LTS) components
but the Reserve Officers Training Course (ROTC), as well.

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 Community immersion is a
As a concept, community immersion strategy of transforming
is a strategy in community organizing that DDU communities and
trainees into self-
is sought to imbibe among the NSTP
sustaining ones as men for
trainees a better understanding and others imbued with good
realization of the different community citizenship values of being:
concerns through exposure on actual life Makadiyos
situation specifically in the deprived, Makatao
Makabayan
depressed, and the under privileged (DDU)
communities. These experiences will allow
them
to integrate with other people who may facilitate them to undergo
certain changes that will make them civic-conscious and socially
responsible citizens.

Corollary, community immersion, as a process, is aimed at

developing among student-trainees, through the training program,
their appreciation of rendering community works which is
quintessential in affording for them the opportunity to experience and
put themselves in real-life situation in the communities they serve.
For this reason, each trainee must have a genuine feel of living with
the people in order that they may understand and relate with
community concerns as they go through a self-transformation and
personal growth at the same time.
In more specific terms, the NSTP trainees are expected to
initiate community-based interventions in the form of projects and
activities meant to address the multi-faceted issues and concerns
supported by needs assessment/analysis study that maps out the
problems there from which impedes the important aspirations of the
community people in the area of service.
The trainees, in their own little way, contribute in the uplift of
the quality of life of the people in the service areas and, at the same
time, develop their ethics of service imbued with the good citizenship
values of makadiyos (godly), makabayan (patriotic), makatao
(humanitarian), and makakalikasan (nature lover) thereby better

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preparing them as reservists in responding to the call of the times.
Community immersion is an approach of developing among the
NSTP student-trainees the concept of service and empowerment
as they

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reach out to deprived, depressed and underprivileged communities,
and the marginalized segments of the society.
The myriad of problems in the community can be addressed by
immersion projects and activities specifically designed to improve the
different aspects of human development like economic, social,
spiritual, etc. these aspects cannot and should not be defined singly
and separate, but must be viewed interdependently and in totality.
However, for purposes of delineation, the economic aspect suggests
financial management while social aspect focuses on people’s
interactions and relationship building. On the other hand, the spiritual
aspect is associated with religion and our relationship with the
Supreme Being, regardless of whatever name we call our God.
Translating the aforementioned aspects of human existence,
NSTP had contextualized the said concepts by determining the
various dimensions of development along the CWTS component of
the program, as per guidelines of the NSTP Law, to wit:
- education;
- health;
- safety and disaster management;
- sports and recreation;
- environmental services;
- Entrepreneurship and livelihood; and morals of citizenry
and other social/general welfare concerns.

Objectives of the NSTP Community Immersion

The community immersion requirement of NSTP is a
mechanism specifically designed to allow student-trainees to:

a. define community immersion as an approach and strategy

of developing projects in serving people and
communities;
b. enrich knowledge and competencies on community
immersion as a process for development;
c. apply the principles and concepts of working in the community
through immersion projects and activities;

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 d. expose NSTP trainees in depressed, deprived, and the
underprivileged communities and marginalized group groups of
our society;
e. appreciate the values of community immersion as a means of
developing themselves as citizens and helping people improve
their way of life and in alleviating their living conditions;
f. enhance civic consciousness and defense preparedness; and
g. develop ethics of service imbued with good citizenship values.

LESSON SUMMARY
In a nutshell, community immersion is an approach of bringing
the NSTP student-trainees to DDU communities and to underserved,
marginalized sectors, providing them the venue where they may
encounter paradigm shifts from being meres spectators of
community action, nonchalant and passive citizens to responsible
and effective change agents who are empowered to touch the lives of
other people.
However, in as much as the principles involved in NSTP
community immersion present a solid foundation for the attainment
of a common goal, the quality of the program implementation from
different institutions and schools may vary depending on the NSTP
implementers’ extent of knowledge on concepts and level of
understanding of the processes and protocols on community
immersion not to mention the level of commitment in realizing the
seemingly lofty yet noble goals of the program.
Moreover, generation of resources must be given an equal
amount of attention and forging of collaborative partnership with the
community and organization is deemed necessary in forgoing a
successful community immersion program for our NSTP students.

ACTIVITY 02
Instruction: Answer the following questions/ statements
comprehensively. Please refer to the given rubric below.

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Substance/ Organization/ Style Comprehensiven Total
Related to Logical and es s of
the Topic presentation of Gramm discussion
ar
ideas
50% 15% 5% 20% 100
%

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1. What is community immersion? Why community immersion is
considered an important component in NSTP?

2. How can community immersion realize the goals and ideals of

the NSTP program and contribute to national development?

3. What are the benefits that an NSTP trainee/ student can

derive from engaging in a community immersion program/
project?

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4. Enumerate and discuss the objectives of the NSTP community immersion.

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LESSON III: Understanding the Concepts and Principles of Community
Immersion

The previous lesson introduced you to the concept and

principles of community immersion. It allows you to have a grasp of
its importance on individuals and the nation as a whole. This lesson
will deepen your understanding of the concepts and principles of
community immersion.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:
1. explain the concepts and principles underpinning community
and community immersion;
2. realize the importance of understanding the dynamics of a
community and community immersion as a way to realize the
objectives of NSTP; and
3. identify and discuss the standard operating procedures and
establish protocols governing community immersion.

Noted community development specialist Arlien Johnson once

wrote that the term ‘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.
To paraphrase the words of Johnson, a community is a
collective of people with similar interests and goals whether living in
the same geographic locality or not. The meaning of community may
actually vary depending on the objectives of a program to be
“A community is a
conducted there collective of people with
at. similar interests and goals
whether living in the same
As per concept, a community may geographic locality or not.”
be categorized as geographical or functional.
The term geographical community is
defined in the
purview of group of persons living in the same geographical location
like in a certain village, town, neighbourhood, district, area or
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territory. Meanwhile, community is said to assume the functional
nature if the aggregate of people though not necessarily based on
living in the same geographical location, is

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bonded by a common end such as fighting for the same cause, having
the same interest and goals. These are people who hold common
values, share common functions or express common interests.
A certain type of community has recently emerged. Some refer
to it as just social movements but its definition points out that it
surfaced out of the two other types or community. It is called a
relevant community that defines a group of people having similar
interests and goals as the communities around them. These
populations have common interests in changing existing institutions
to their advantage in order to achieve redistribution of resources. It is
geared toward organization of the poor.

Elements of a Community
As a trainee, one should
• Demographic (include
be aware of elements of a population distribution and
density)
community in order to
• History (events of the past that
understand the dynamics contributed to the development
of the community)
thereof. The important elements • Culture (ways of living of the people)
are demographics, history, • Economy (income level,
occupation of people
culture, economy, and • Structures (physical, political and
structures. The demographics social structures)

(characteristics of population)
tell a lot about the
movement of the population in the community that you will serve.
History allows you to identify certain patterns of change and people’s
way of adapting to these changes that can be useful in plotting your
activities. Understanding the economy, culture, and community
structures increases the chances of the success of activities since
anyone can provide culture-based and more realistic solutions to
community concerns.
In examples you were able to identify that it floods in a market
area nearby the creek. During rainy seasons, sales are very low
because their merchandise gets soiled by the rain. They have
adapted by using improvised plastic covering to coat their
merchandise but they are not so attractive. What kind of projects do

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you think you can do by learning this information already? By
experience, the architecture and fine arts students training in the
NSTP would usually think of enhancing the features of the
merchandise, covering the stalls to attract more consumers even
during the rainy season.

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 Based on their assessment of these elements and by working
with the community one can already formulate plan of actions.

Immersion as an Important Approach in Giving Community Service

An old adage says that, “Experience is the best teacher.” Going
through the immersion process and conducting
Through community
community service activities/project will immersion, trainees will
be exposed in further and
enable the trainees to understand how
other realities of life which
the people fell, think, say, and behave as they may or may not
belong to.
dictated by their conditions and
situations in life as a means to
make feel and realize that they are more fortunate than many others
and that the students can do something to improve the lives of the
marginalized and underserved.
As the Holy Scripture tells us, “To whom much is given, mush is
required.” Since students have been given the rare opportunity and
the distinct privilege of being schooled that they are supposed to
better the living conditions of those whom were not as auspicious as
they are. As one of the objectives of this book expounds, trainees will
be exposed in further and other realities of life which they may or may
not be used to.
\After having explained the significance of the community
immersion requirement of NSTP in the purview of the educational and
religious perspectives, let us succumb to the legal basis of such. The
basic questions as “What is the relevancy of the immersion part of
the NSTP?” and “Why would trainees need to study the behavior of
the people in and that which composed the community where they
serve? Answer to these sort of questions is provide for in NSTP Act
and has served as the mandate and of core of recognizing the role of
the youth in nation building. Young people are vested with the
obligation “to defend the security of the State and in fulfilment
thereof, the government may require each citizen to render personal
military or civil service,” (Section 2, NSTP Act of 2001) whether in
times of peace or war. Simply put, aside from becoming socially
aware of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of

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their communities, trainees are believed to possess the qualities and
energies that, if properly channelled and

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directed, will yield results towards arresting, if not totally annihilating,
the innumerable dilemmas of man.
The next question that a trainee is bound to ask is the first step
of the process of immersion is, “Are trainees, young as they are,
capable of responding to the stringent requirements of community
building and meeting the skills and knowledge criteria of transforming
communities?” Definitely, yes. The role of the youth in national/local
development cannot be overemphasized. To reinforce this are the
very words of our national hero, “The youth is the hope of the
Fatherland.”

What is Community Immersion?

Community immersion is an essential strategy in community

organizing work that entails understanding of the
Community immersion is a
different community concerns,
strategy that goes beyond
process, dynamics and lifestyle acquainting us with
community concerns but
through exposure and engaging in make possible our
different activities. It is different from participation in their

the actual organizing work.

Immersion is just one of the strategies in plunging into community
organization. Venture undertaken may be integrated or specialized
activities which entail entering, familiarizing and involvement of the
self in the conduct of the activities for community development.
Community immersion in NSTP is devised as a strategy in
molding and ‘conscientizing’ students just so that they may be
socially aware and responsible to their communities. This manner of
transformation is bent on training the youth to becoming civic
conscious and defense prepared individuals. The nature of immersion
efforts done is along the dimensions of, but not limited to, education,
health, safety education, sports and recreation, environmental
services, entrepreneurship, morals of citizenry and other social
welfare concerns.
In view of the fact that immersion is a major concern in
development work, trainees may find it significant to be guided by

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the following precepts:

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 - Trainees should immerse in actual community life to get to
know the social, political and economic situation of the people.
- Trainees may also undergo certain changes like increase in
knowledge about the social realities, development of good
values, empathy towards other people, and improvement of
socials skills, among others.
- Trainees should identify the community people’s interest and
aspirations.
- Trainees must recognize people’s resiliency and does not rob
them of their right to have community participation and
determination of appropriate courses of action.
- Trainees should be aware of the gain-negotiated sanction –
the acceptance derived from community relations coupled
with the right to conduct immersion activities.
- Trainees must reflect on how their social analysis of the current
situation is concretized in community people’s lives. The
analysis should have as much meaning for the trainees as for
the community.

The following are the forms of integration in community immersion:

- Home visits
- Living with selected families preferably with key informants
- Informal discussions with individuals or groups
- Sharing in household and community activities (cooking
with the community host, clean-up drive)
- Attendance in social gatherings (fiestas, weddings, etc.)
- Assistance in production work (selling, farming, etc.)

Whom Do You Immerse Within the Community?

When one goes to a community, he/she associates with the
people whom intends to work with as partners, allies Community-
based service projects must be premised on the principle of people
empowerment and not the ‘dole-out’ mentality. The parents, youth,
the differently-abled constituents, professionals, members of
people’s organizations, and other formal and informal group, and

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other who can be a potential collaborator of your project

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or activities. We do not just work for and serve the people but rather
we encourage their participation. This practice of enjoining people’s
support is adherent to the Confucian’ philosophy of “give man a fish
and he will live for a day; teach him how to fish and he will live for a
lifetime.” Community immersion is empowering the people towards
development of the locality.

Conditions in a Community Immersion

It is so desired that one fundamental pre-requisite qualification
among those who intend or are tasked to undergo community
immersion is a full understanding of the concepts and theories behind
the dynamics of groups and community. In the same breath, knowing
the very process of immersion is a primordial condition. This is so
because this endeavour requires a great deal of know-how and skills
in facilitating interventions, planning and managing community
service projects, among others.
Training-wise, community developers/organizers and social
workers are most qualified because it is assumed that they have
more or less formal background on carrying out these kinds of
undertaking.
Volunteers in social organizations and movement also
undertake immersions. They undergo professional training in
development work. Such immersion typically proceeds to organizing
work.
As for NSTP, students enrolled in NSTP-CWTS/LTS 2 are
mandated to undergo community immersion for a period covering a
minimum of 54 hours to a maximum of 90 hours as cited from CHED-
prescribed Program of Instruction (POI), 2007 edition.

What Personal Gains from Community Immersion

The community immersion aspects of NSTP will be able to
benefit not only the communities served but more so the student-
trainees who may be accorded with the following advantage:
- opportunity for the trainees to comprehend people’s lives
because of the chance given to them to see real life

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situations, live, identify and associate with the people
therein;

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 - gain social acceptance derived from community relations
coupled with the right to offer services;
- enhance experiences in conducting asset mapping such as
identifying geographic coverage, point out resources and the
use, and the relationships of people with the existing
resources;
- establish rapport and relationship with different people who
may be of help to them at some future time;
- develop their conscientization ability. It helps them realize
issues that will help solve problems in the community. It is
important for them to do something that can change their
situation.
- Acquire first-hand experiences in dealing with community work; and the
- Chance to learn life skills that will enrich and better their persons.

Succinctly, community immersion improves the trainees’

understanding of himself in relation to others. And by understanding
others, the trainees can be able to give a part of himself to help
others.
Most important of all, community immersion is in consistent
with the innate and ultimate intention of helping people as
immortalized in the words that spell the extension creed by Dr. Y.C.
James Yen of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction.

The Extension
Creed Go to the
people.
Live with the people. Learn
from them.
Plan with them. Work with
them Start with what they
know.
Build on what they have.
Teach by showing, learn by
doing. Not by showcase but a
pattern. Not odds and ends
but a system. Not piecemeal
but integrated approach.
Not to conform but to
transform.

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Dos and Don’ts in Community Immersion

It is a basic rule that trainees must be well-versed with the area,

skilled to communicate with community people and disciplined to
keep yourself from responding indifferently towards diverse types of
personalities
Prudence, therefore, orders that community “immersionists”
must be well-informed of the prescriptive and proscriptive norms in
the conduct community immersion.
Hereunder is a guide prepared by Dr. Florida C. Labuguen and
Ms. Emily Rose M. Bautista in manuscript from entitled ‘Essential
Protocols When Visiting Community.’

Essential Protocols when Visiting a Community

Things to Remember Things to Avoid
Before the Conduct of Community Immersion
1. Familiarize yourself with the basic Never forget to inform and get
information and theories regarding the consent of your
community life. At this stage, you parents/guardians about the
must at least have in your mind a activities lined up.
community you intend to immerse
at. Ask around for
information about this community.
2. Secure a waiver from the NSTP Office

prior to the visit and have it signed

by
your parents.
3. Always inform the faculty in-charge

of your destination, time table, and

plan of
action.
4. Be armed with background Do not go directly to the
information about the area for community without
immersion. This will be helpful in determining the background
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 locating resources, and site information about it.
entry and exit points which will make
your travel safe and more
convenient. Background
information will enable you to
anticipate the general
characteristics of people in that
area. In example, there barangays
in manila which are historically and
primarily composed of
Pampangueños. With this
background information, you can
already assess that people in that
community mainly identify with
Pampangueños. To facilitate your
community activities promptly, you
can ask a fellow trainee who have
deeper understanding of the culture
to lead you
on.
5. Pay courtesy call to community
leaders, whether formal or informal.
Courtesy calls may also be done to
officers of a non-government
organization (NGO) where the
project is also directed to. Be sure
that the people who will be helping
you in your project and the key
informants of the community are
informed of your every visit. Provide
them with a copy of the schedule of
your activity. Harmonious
relationship with community
leaders and officers can almost
ensure you of your safety in their
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 support in your projects and
activities. They may be able to
commit in providing security when
you roam around and
familiarize yourself with the
community.
6. Secure documents like a letter of Avoid bringing original copies of
acceptance from the community, signed documents in the
memorandum of agreement, etc. community. It is better to carry
and around original and

other documents pertinent to your certified true copies of documents

stay in the community. to prevent loss and smudging the
document.
7. Bring your own personal provisions However sometimes, community
like water, snacks, and extra shirt. people could be insistent in their
These will be helpful to fill in those hospitality in offering you
hunger pangs while conducting the provisions like food. Try to gauge
immersion. Community people are whether it would be offensive to
often very hospitable. They will refuse their offer. If you think
most likely offer you their food and they will be offended if you beg
water if they see that you are off, you may accept food or water
unable to provide for yourself. This in your plate or glass but do not
is despite that they might already consume it. Especially if you are
be offering their last supply of food. not able to have as much
Remember, you are there in the background information on the
community to assess if you could community you are immersing
help and work with them, so try not at. Avoid consuming their
to be an additional burden to them. resources and focus on your
work.
This is also for your own safety.
Whenever possible, and in a
respectful manner, decline and
tell them the offer that you
appreciate
their hospitality.
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 During the Actual Community Immersion Period
8. Be courteous to everyone. Whether Avoid labelling and naming
it be a vendor or a community people with politically incorrect
official. Remember that you are terms. Try to be more discreet in
there to work your use of words
with the community. to avoid offending other people.
9. Act properly and discreetly. You are

representing your school and your

fellow students. Be responsible with
the words you say. Your actions and
words would easily be generalized
as the behavior of every other
student in your school. In one of our
interviews with community

organizations, they alleged that

some schools wherein their previous
students have not shown proper
behavior will no longer be welcome
to conduct
immersion activities in their area.
10.Depending on the type of entry you Do not show off in terms of
use, (See page 50 on phases of dressing up. You are there in the
Community immersion) wear community to help. Just bring an
proper uniforms and identification extra white shirt if you have to
card. This will allow the community change your soiled uniforms after
to identify who are the trainees who your activities. Avoid drawing
will immerse in their community. attention to yourself. Be as low
This can also promote your school’s profile as possible and avoid
image as you become being identified as a guest in the
“ambassadors” for community community.

service. Depending on the

situation, there may be some cases
where decent civilian clothes are
more appropriate to wear during
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 immersion time especially if you
are trying to be mass-based and
less
formal
11.It
is highly advised to keep your Never bring out your valuable
valuables secured to protect you things like cellphones, jewelry,
from unnecessarily attracting and and monet in public places.
distracting community people, from
possible theft,
etc.
12.Always document your visit. Write

in your record notebook the date,

the narrative of important events
that happened, and your
reflections in each
visit.
13.Always ask for permission from Never promise and commit to a
concerned people when you have task that is beyond your and your
to take pictures. It is best to take school’s capability. Never go
pictures beyond the

that show you “in action” and activities stated in your MOA to
working with the community people avoid false commitments and
as these can best illustrate your dependency of the community.
experiences in the community.
Again, be mindful of your
surroundings and be careful in
bringing
out valuables.
After Community Immersion
14.Validate and evaluate if the
programs and activities were
conducted
appropriately and as planned.
15.Provide copies of your final

documentation output to the NSTP

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Office and to the community where
you conducted your immersion. For
your documentation may serve as a
baseline study for the community
and other batches of NSTP students
in conducting community
immersion. This will avoid
unnecessary repetition of activities
and may be a basis for
enhancement of
other previously conducted
activities.

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 Enjoy your time with the community people. Mother Teresa
puts it, “Love cannot remain by itself – it has no meaning. Love has
to be put into action; and that action is service.”

“Community immersion is vital to the development of the

trainees’ knowledge, skills, values and attitudes in realizing the
penultimate ends of NSTP…”

Lesson Summary

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 Immersion, as a methodology used in the NSTP Training, is a
mode of bringing the NSTP-CWTS/LTS student trainees to the field for
them to have a feel of the real-life situations, living with the less-
fortunate segments of the society and of the people, especially in the
deprived, depressed, and underprivileged communities with the end
in mind of involving them into an endeavour that is envisaged to
alleviate poor and distressed living conditions in the improvement of
the communities and their people. This way, the trainees understand
the plight of the poor and hopeless, learn to appreciate the lowly,
disadvantaged groups and empathize with the predicaments of
those, whom they serve as they conceptualize and implement
projects and activities that will promote the common good
particularly their clientele. Thus, community immersion is a two-
pronged strategy where students serve a community and at the same
time learn from their experiences thus making them a better person.
Community immersion is vital to the development of the trainees’
knowledge, skills, vales and attitudes in realizing the penultimate
ends of NSTP, that is, enhancing the civic-consciousness and defense
preparedness in the youth by developing the ethics of service and
patriotism while undergoing citizenship- centered training. As
prescribed in the IRR of the NSTP law, community immersion efforts
are directed towards addressing issues and concerns along the multi-
dimensional aspects of human existence and development. Corollary
to this, various dimensions of development were identified as the
frame of reference.
This process of community immersion is bound by guidelines
and protocols as a way to ensure that the objectives set are met.

ACTIVITY 03

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Part A. Essay. Answer the following questions/ statements
comprehensively. Please refer to the given rubric below.
Substance/ Organization/ Style and Comprehensiven Total
Related Logical Grammar es
to the Topic presentation of s of discussion
ideas
50% 15 5% 20% 100
% %

1. What is a community?

2. Why do we consider immersion an important system in

delivering community service?

3. Whom do we immerse in the community?

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Part B. True or False. Write TRUE if the statement is correct and FALSE
if it is wrong. Write your answer on the space provided before the
number.

1. Community immersion is in consistent with the innate and

ultimate intention of helping people.
2. Community immersion is vital to the development of the
trainees’ knowledge, skills, values and attitudes in
realizing the penultimate ends of NSTP.
3. Students/ trainees should not go directly to the community
without determining the background information about it.
4. Students/ trainees should never promise and commit to a
task that is beyond your and your school’s capability.
5. Students/ trainees are expected to always document their visit.
6. Avoid bringing original copies of signed documents
in the community.
7. Students/ trainees must pay courtesy call to community
leaders, whether formal or informal.
8. Students/ trainees should avoid labelling and naming
people with politically incorrect terms.
9. Students/ trainees are expected to act properly and discreetly.
10. Students/ trainees should not show off in terms of dressing up.

References:
1. Labugen F., et.al. (2018). Understanding the NSTP 2. Mutya
Publishing House Incorporated.
CHAPTER II: THE PROCESS OF COMMUNITY IMMERSION

Chapter Overview:

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 The previous chapter presented you the ideas and concepts of
community immersion being an important component in the study of
the NSTP. You have learned that community immersion gives people
the opportunity to reflect on their assumptions, attitudes, and the
knowledge base of their profession and to gain cultural competence.
In this chapter, you will learn the process of community
immersion as you are expected to contribute meaningfully to nation
building.

General Objectives:

At the end of this chapter, the student should be able to:

a. verbalize the process of immersion as a guide for rendering service
to the communities;
b. design a community immersion plan of implementation
following the process; and
c. internalize the importance of carrying out the steps of
community immersion in series.

LESSON IV: PHASE I: PRE- IMMERSION

The community immersion process is a series of interrelated
and intertwined phases which commences with the Pre-immersion
followed by entering the Community, Community integration,
Community Needs assessment, Program or Project implementation,
and Termination of the Project.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

1. identify and discuss the process of community immersion in terms

of pre- immersion; and
2. identify and discuss activities under the pre-immersion; and
3. appreciate the process of community pre- immersion.

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 Community immersion generally takes on different overlapping
phases, similar to performing community organizing strategies called
social preparation phase, integration, social analysis, program
implementation, evaluation and report writing, and termination of the
project.

Phase I: Pre-Immersion
This phase regards the identification of the community where
the students will be immersed at. Trainees will have to prepare
themselves physically, mentally and spiritually for many tasks ahead.
Trainees must have waivers from their parents or guardians stating
that they are informed of the mandate to undergo the NSTP
community immersion. The school also needs to organize its own
manpower, resources and others technical needs. According to many
who have undergone immersion, the activities could be both exciting,
and exhausting.
Aside from preparation of the trainees and the school, the
community is primarily the one to be prepared and informed. With
this, trainees must set up criteria in selection of an area for
immersion.
Area Selection
Factors to be considered in area selection:
1. Select our areas. The marginalized sectors are your
target clients because they are the ones needing
your assistance more than any other groups in the
society. Examples of marginalized groups are the
youth, women, slum dwellers, the differently-abled,
among others.
2. Local partners must be willing to work and support
community project. This goes to say that we should
start with the people and work with the people.
3. Consider needs and resources within the capability of the
students and community partners. You cannot extend
what you do not have in the first place.
4. Place that is not saturated by other agencies. Supporting

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 agencies are probable resources waiting to be
tapped that can provide additional financial
assistance when it

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 comes to projects that are also within their type of
service.
Soliciting their support will also prevent
duplication of services and activities. You have to
identify if their schedule of activities coincides with
yours so that you will not confuse the people with
your separate identity. There is a danger that
people will not support you if the schedules of your
activities overlap with those of an agency that has
long existed in the community before you came.
Through appropriate communications and
relations with these agencies, they can most likely
be the source of other updated baseline of that data
you will need to understand the community.
5. Stable peace and order situation. You have to put into
consideration your own safety when you conduct
your immersion. Some of the salient questions you
need to ask are that. “Are the roads and work area
secured to travel on?” “Am I not putting myself and
other members of the immersion team in danger if
we conduct our immersion in this venue?” “Will I
and my school be compromised if I continue to
work in this area?”
Sometimes despite the community leaders’
commitment to work with the trainees, when the
community in general does not regard their area as
having stable peace and order situation, they
themselves will not cooperate because their
community issues go beyond what you can respond
to.
Remember, you are also a student and that one
of your main objectives is to learn and experience
community living without disregard to your own
safety.

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 6. Accessibility. Successful community immersion also
relies on how quickly and how often you can visit
the community. If you live in Cavite and you
happen to have

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 chosen Bulacan as an immersion area, would it be
easy for you to conduct, monitor evaluates your
projects in the latter area mentioned?
You have to take into accounts how much
time you spend traveling, how much money you
spend for transportation or lodging. There is a
chance that you will spend extra effort on tasks like
carrying training materials on the field, etc. that
could otherwise be prevented if you have chosen a
much accessible venue for immersion.
If you have been able to select an area for
immersion based on the foregoing factors, you can
now proceed to entering the community.

Lesson Summary:

The pre-immersion phase regards the identification of the

community where the students will be immersed at. Trainees will
have to prepare themselves physically, mentally and spiritually for
many tasks ahead. Trainees must have waivers from their parents or
guardians stating that they are informed of the mandate to undergo
the NSTP community immersion.
Factors to be considered in area selection: Select our areas; Local
partners must be willing to work and support community project; Consider
needs and resources within the capability of the students and community
partners; Place that is not saturated by other agencies; Stable peace and
order situation.
Further, remember, you are also a student and that one of your
main objectives is to learn and experience community living without
disregard to your own safety. Hence, we must consider the
Accessibility. Successful community immersion also relies on how
quickly and how often you can visit the community. If you have been
able to select an area for immersion based on the foregoing factors,
you can now proceed to entering the community.
ACTIVITY 04

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Part A. Essay. Answer the following questions/ statements
comprehensively. Please refer to the given rubric below.
Substance/ Organization/ Style and Comprehensiven Total
Related Logical Grammar es
to the Topic presentation of s of discussion
ideas
50% 15 5% 20% 100
% %

1. What is the pre-immersion phase in the NSTP immersion activity?

2. Identify and discuss on your own understanding the

considerations in identifying the areas for immersion?

LESSON V: PHASE II: ENTERING THE COMMUNITY

You have learned on the previous lesson the first phase of the NSTP
immersion. You have identified important factors to be considered
before

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entering a chosen community. In this lesson, you will learn the
important factors to be considered in entering a chosen community.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

1. identify and discuss the process of community immersion in

terms of entering a community; and
2. identify and discuss activities when entering a community; and
3. appreciate the process of entering a community.

Angelito G. Manalili in his book Community Organizing for

People’s Empowerment (1990), remarked that there are different
ways of entering the community. Similarly, immersion begins with the
initial steps in community organizing. Anchored on Manalili’s
concepts, those planning to conduct community immersion can enter
the community thru:
Ostentatious Entry. Complete with banner and a general assembly
of the people, the community ushers in the people who will undergo
immersion or outsiders. People naturally expect more from the
outsiders because the latter’s identity is boosted.

Banking on the People’s Weakness. Outsiders sometimes enter the

community through catching people’s attention. At times when
community people are in distress, they usually adhere to outsiders,
like during economic crisis, emergency and disaster situations. The
outsiders try to find out which aspect is it that the community will
need them for and through this, they emphasize on how they could be
helpful.

Academic Style of Entry. Communities are often called social

laboratories because they are a place to test the theories learned in
classrooms. Academic institutions field some students into the
community to assist the community regarding its concerns. A
trialogue between the school, the students and the community is

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done to identify the terms to which the community service will be
fulfilled.

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 People-Centered Approach. This approach ultimately believes on
the capacity of the community people to participate and acknowledge
whether outsider assistance is really needed. Users of this type of
entering the community invest on community relations, believing that
both parties are partner to community development. Key to this type
of entry is strong linkage with the people in the community.
When entering the community the members of the community
immersion team must establish good rapport and relationship with
the community people. Gathering information and doing a
background investigation about the situation in the community may
prove to be of great help in pursuing the goal of establishing linkages
in the locality. Ground working can also be an effective mechanism in
knowing the community well. Talk to as many people as possible and
document or record your conversation.
Pay courtesy call to recognized leaders of the community. Make
communications ahead of time of entering the community. Write the
community leader a letter of intention and in turn you should have a
letter of acceptance from them. Whatever type of entry to be used, it
is a must to secure a memorandum of agreement between you and
the community. This will set your working parameters. It is giving due
respect to them and formalizing a commitment of the helping
contract.

LESSON SUMMARY:
Angelito G. Manalili in his book Community Organizing for
People’s Empowerment (1990), remarked that there are different
ways of entering the community. Similarly, immersion begins with
the initial steps in community organizing. Anchored on Manalili’s
concepts, those planning to conduct community immersion can
enter the community thru: Ostentatious Entry; Banking on the
People’s Weakness; Academic Style of Entry; People-Centered
Approach.
Further, when entering the community the members of the

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community immersion team must establish good rapport and
relationship with the community people. Pay courtesy call to
recognized leaders of the

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 community. Make communications ahead of time of entering the
community. Write the community leader a letter of intention and in
turn you should have a letter of acceptance from them.

ACTIVITY 05

Part A. Essay. Answer the following questions/ statements

comprehensively. Please refer to the given rubric below.
Substance/ Organization/ Style and Comprehensiven Total
Related Logical Grammar es
to the Topic presentation of s of discussion
ideas
50% 15 5% 20% 100
% %

1. Identify and discuss the different ways/ methods of entering a community.

2. Discuss the statement “when entering the community the

members of the community immersion team must establish good
rapport and relationship with the community people”.

LESSON VI: PHASE III: COMMUNITY INTEGRATION

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 You have learned from the previous lesson the considerations
in entering a community as part of the community immersion
process. In this lesson your learning will be enhanced, specifically on
community integration.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

1. identify and discuss the process of community immersion in

terms of community integration; and
2. identify and discuss activities during community integration; and
3. appreciate the process of community integration.

Integration is a continuous process wherein the trainees come

into direct contact and become involved with the community people.
This phase is where the immersion phase gets more personal. The
trainees should realize that there is an existing concern within the
community. As the problems of the community become more
apparent, you become aware and validate that you are part of the
circle.

Integration may be done through:

a. Border Style. If provisions allow, the trainees may choose to stay

and live-in the immersion area for a certain period of time. They
may live- in the community to pursue deeper knowledge about
the community. However, the ‘boarder’ or guest status will still
be the regard of the people toward them unless they integrate
themselves fully with community life.
b. Elitist Style. Some trainees tend to say close to key informants
and political players during their stay in the community. Due to
this, their social circle becomes limited and their interaction is
confined to a few people. Immersion activities must always take
into account the involvement of the majority.

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 c. But the best way is the People-Centered Method of Living
with the People.

Lesson Summary:
Community Integration is a continuous process wherein the
trainees come into direct contact and become involved with the
community people. This phase is where the immersion phase gets
more personal. The trainees should realize that there is an existing
concern within the community. As the problems of the community
become more apparent, you become aware and validate that you are
part of the circle.

ACTIVITY 06

Part A. Essay. Answer the following questions/ statements

comprehensively. Please refer to the given rubric below.
Substance/ Organization/ Style and Comprehensiven Total
Related Logical Grammar es
to the Topic presentation of s of discussion
ideas
50% 15 5% 20% 100
% %

1. Identify and discuss the different ways/ methods of community integration.

2. Why do we consider community integration an important

phase in community immersion?

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 LESSON VII: PHASE IV: COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT

You have learned from the previous lesson the importance of

community integration. In this lesson you will learn about needs
assessment. Needs assessment, social analysis or community
diagnosis as others refer to, is a concrete base for the formulation of
programs. It reflects the sentiments, needs, aspirations, and
recommendations of the community people. When it is done
properly, it will reflect also the trainees’ feeling of oneness with the
community. They begin to see that the people also reflect their own.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Define and discuss community needs assessment;

2. Identify and discuss the importance of needs assessment;
3. Identify the types of data collected in needs assessment;
4. Enumerate and discuss the methods in Collecting Data for
Community Needs Assessment;
5. Identify and discuss the Steps in Conducting Needs Assessment

Community need assessment is the process wherein problems,

issues and concerns of the community are identified through the use
of several tools for assessment. It encourages the participation of the
community, as they are the stakeholders, to the finding in the
assessment.

Importance of Needs Assessment

1. Gather information about citizens’ attitudes and options

in order of importance.
2. Determine how citizens rank issues, problems and
opportunities in order of importance or urgency.
3. Give citizens a voice in determining policies, goals and priorities.
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 4. Evaluate current programs and policies.
5. Provide speculations about what people are thinking.
6. Provide speculations about what people really want.

Information to be Included in Assessing Community Needs

1. Historical Development – refers to data on how the community

became what it is today and provides insights into the kind of
resources to collect and weed.
2. Geographical and Transportation Information – includes information
on the community’s patterns and population contributions.
3. Political and Legal Functions – includes strategies for
community- based selection [or this may include strategies
that community uses for selecting players in the political
sphere].
4. Demographic Data – includes data on age characteristics,
size, race, and transience of population.
5. Economic Data – refers to the economic base, social, cultural,
educational, recreational organizations. This includes the
values and social pattern.
I. Geographic Profile
(Data source may come from barangay or city/municipal hall)
a. Physical
I. Location/Boundaries (north, east, west, south)
II. Terrain
III. Facilities (like clinic/hospital, schools, recreation
hall, etc.)
IV. Climate
V. Basic food
b. Cultural
I. History of place and people
II. Language being used
III. Peace and order situation
(usual community conflict and/or crime
rate)
IV. Clothing (most applicable to rural setting)
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 II. Social
(Data comes from survey)
a. Total Population
b. Total Number of Household
c. Population distribution by Gender (and Age)
d. Population distribution by Educational Attainment
e. Health and common illness
f. Recreation

III. Economic
a. Age earners in the family
b. Employment
c. Household monthly income

IV. Life Skills

a. Abilities
b. Interests

V. Spiritual Aspect
Number of people with active membership in the church

VI. Socio-Political Aspect

a. Known social programs or projects and other related
community efforts (whether existing or planned efforts)
b. Expression of satisfaction/dissatisfaction towards
current social programs
c. Perceived community problems
d. Recognized community leaders
e. Other agencies, GO’s or NGO’s that are in the area or that
serve the community
Sample of Community Needs Assessment Framework/Design for Urban
and Rural Setting

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Methods in Collecting Data for Community Needs Assessment

1. Focused Group Discussion (FGD) with Key informants. The key

informants of the community are people who hold socially
responsible positions such as educators, public officials, clergy
and business representatives or those who are active in
community events. These are the people who can provide
good information that will guide and give you better
understanding on historical issues needed by the community.

2. Community Forum/Assembly. This involves holding of group

events that may include the entire community. It gives
visibility to the leaders and raises the status of the community
but it requires lots of planning and publicity. This meeting can
be a venue where people can express their needs and be
immediately validated by the rest of the attendees.
Participatory action research effectively uses this method.

3. Public Records. Public records like national census will provide

data for social and demographic indicators of the community.
Data included are age, gender, educational level, locality, etc.
that tend to contribute to library use.
4. Survey. Survey and questionnaires involve asking individuals in
the community about their everyday needs. This can be
implemented through the following:
a. Mailing questionnaires to randomly selected members of
the community
b. Performing telephone survey;
c. Handing out surveys while people are in an assembly; and
d. Posting questionnaires on your public access computer
catalog. An example of this I s the Minimum Basic (MBN)
Form of the DSWD

Steps in Conducting Needs Assessment

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1. Establish a working committee to solicit citizen and community
involvement and develop a plan of action.
2. List important aspects that are needed to be looked upon. This
may also mean identifying the surveyors’ own capability and
strength.
3. Identify the population to be surveyed. This also includes
making communications with community leaders and
authorities of the identified population to facilitate other
procedures.
4. Determine the information that is needed. It may be existing
information which must be collected or it may be information
gathered using a survey. Information like demographic profile
may be readily gathered form the barangay, municipal or city
records office.
5. Select a random sample of person to survey. A good number of
representative populations to be surveyed will contribute to the
validity of the information.
6. Develop and pretest a questionnaire. Afterwards, if the
questionnaire was found to be a valid tool for measurement of
data, proceed to distribution the questionnaire for community
use.
7. Collect and collate the information.
8. Analyze the data. This may be done together with the core
group members of the community. Community participation in
analyzing gathered data is also important so that they can feel
the ownership of the issues and concerns in their community.
9. Go back to the community for validation of information. This
may be done through a community assembly or simple
community group discussion.
10. Finalize the document. Make sure that there are
corresponding recommendations for the issues and concerns
found.

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 The Story of the Lone Community Servant
Once there was community servant who saw that the problem
of poverty in his community was related to the low wages that a big-
shot company was giving to the residents who worked for it. So,
the community

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worker organized a work stoppage until “their” demands were given,
including a wage hike. He was successful in gathering 100 community
people to picket with him. But on the third night of the strike, he was
surprised to find no one behind him in the picket line… apparently the
problem, in the eyes of the community people will not be solved
through strikes but through a round table discussion with the
management. “The community was not consulted of the real method
of approaching the problem and so the community servant was left
on his own in the picket line.”

Community Assistance in Assessing Needs

1. Help identify community groups and citizens to be

involved in the working committee.
2. Facilitate group discussion to identify important issues
and set priorities.
3. Help select the sample to be surveyed and design a system to
identify respondents.
4. Provide tested questions from which the working committees
choose questions that address the issues and concerns.
5. Help design a process to distribute and collect survey
questionnaires, code, enter and analyze the resulting data.
6. Provide summary reports of data.
7. Suggest programs to report the results and strategies
to solicit community involvement.
8. Work with citizens to identify courses of action based
on the information.

Community needs assessment is a means to measures problems,

issues and concerns of a specific locality which could be done by
interested group with sponsors to establish credibility. It involves
steps to follow in order to consider well specific areas which will be
included in developing the instruments. It particularly involves the
population demographic areas, economic and social level. It is also
designed to gather information and help

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determine how best one can respond to the needs of the community,
issues or concerns, and potential areas of intervention.

When the needs are identified the people then must come to an
appreciation that there are needs that exist among them and these
are shared by all of them. They should then visualize their goals and
the ideal life they want to achieve and reflect their dreams in life.
Finally, know and make your case…
Needs assessment are a critical part of community organizing
practice/development work. It is essential to ask the question:
• How do you know there is a problem?
• How do you know there is a need for a particular intervention?
Answering this question entails gathering empirical (objective)
and perceptual (subjective) data.
“A nation is a totality of men
• How serious is the
united through a community of
problem/need? fate into a community of
• How pervasive is it? character.”

• How many people do it affect? Otto bauer

• Who believes there is a problem/need?

• Who is defining the problem/need?
• Why at this time?

Lesson Summary:

Needs assessment becomes significant when it is conducted

through integration with the people. Our analysis and assessment
should be done with the people. Hence, it does not merely contain our
perceptions, but also of the people’s for it to be genuinely pro-people.
Analysis of social situation becomes meaningful if it is used as an
instrument for conscientization. Those immersing in the community
must not just make the people realize their issues but also make
them to act on it. Their realization of the problems should help make
the community realize the relation between their local

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condition and situation of other communities around them. It is
important that the people realize that they can do something to
change their situation for the better. Assessing the needs of the
community is a prelude to effective program offered to clients. This
will ensure solutions to problems, issues and concerns of the people
in the locality.

ACTIVITY 07
Part A. Essay. Answer the following questions/ statements
comprehensively. Please refer to the given rubric below.
Substance/ Organization/ Style and Comprehensiven Total
Related Logical Grammar es
to the Topic presentation of s of discussion
ideas
50% 15 5% 20% 100
% %

1. What is community needs assessment? Why is it important to

conduct community needs assessment?

2. Identify and discuss the types of data collected in needs assessment.

4. What are the methods in Collecting Data for Community

Needs Assessment? Discuss each.

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5. What are the steps in Conducting Needs Assessment? Discuss each.

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LESSON VIII: PHASE V: PROGRAM/PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

You have learned from the previous lesson the concept of

community needs assessment and how it contribute to effective
and efficient community immersion. This lesson will introduce you
to the community program/ project implementation.

Lesson Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. discuss project implementation;

2. identify the considerations in implementing the program/ project; and
3. appreciate program/ project implementation.

Project implementation deals with the actual execution of the

plans. This phase of project development includes, making the final
arrangement with the target clients/community partners, officials
involved in the activities, right schedule of each event, day to day
activities, and needs of the clients, manpower each day of the
program, monitoring and evaluation plan and other requirements like
social and recreational activities, and the culminating activities of the
project.
It must be remembered always that the needs of the clients will
be the dominant consideration throughout the conduct of the
projects.
To ensure the success of the NSTP community service projects
performed by the trainees during their “… needs of the clients
immersion time, the following will be the dominant
considerationthroughoutthe
must be considered:
conduct of the projects.”
• program must be responsive
to the needs of the clients;

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 • contribute to the upliftment of the living conditions of the clients;
• maximize the resources available in the community;
• tap the potentials of the clients and give due recognitions;
• objectives must be SMART with tangible results that touch the
lives of the clients;
• project must be done systematically to ensure significant
contributions from pre-planning, planning stage,
implementation, and evaluation;
• complete documentation must be observed as basis for
reporting and for future studies;
• project must be within the capacity and concern of the trainees
that will allow them to gain the knowledge, skills and encourage
reflective action; and
• develop shared commitment among the trainees.

Projects must promote civic consciousness imbued with good

citizenship values of pagkamaka Diyos, pagkamaka tao, pagkamaka bayan
and pagkamaka kalikasan.

The following flow of activities will guide NSTP trainees in the

implementation of their project:
a. Pre-immersion - of Projec proposa based on
t l
Preparation
community
- Approval of the proposal
- Once the project is approved, the trainees
will prepare all immersion requirements.

- Letter of request regarding their

immersion to the community or the
partner agency signed by the
trainor/coordinator and approved by the
NSTP director.

- Community responds to the request by

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 signifying their acceptance through a
letter.
- Trainees, based on the identified needs,
submit a project design to the community
for approval.

- Once approved, trainees will submit a

detailed program schedule of action.
- Based on the detailed program approved,
the NSTP trainees will implement the
specifics of the activities as designed. The
actual immersion time will last for 8-10
meetings with the clients or partner
community. It may also depend on
the design of the project.
b. Actual - In the course of the actual work,
communi coordination, monitoring and evaluation is
ty done to give immediate action to problems
immersio encountered and make necessary
n adjustments if needed.

- During this stage, trainees are required to

make and complete their journal of events
which serves as a reference in finalizing
their tasks. Pictorials are also required to
support the
activities udertanken.
c. Presentation - Each group of trainees will make a narrative
report. The presentation of documents
of community during the port evaluation of the program
service is about the community service activities
outputs conducted during
the immersion time.
d. Monitoring - Continuously done to measure
effectiveness of
Activity
e. Evaluation - Each group will be rated as part of the

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 final rating given to them.
- Implementation of the project ends by the
time
all requirements have been satisfactorily
done.

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Lesson Summary:

Project implementation deals with the actual execution of the plans.

It must be remembered always that the needs of the clients will
be the dominant consideration throughout the conduct of the
projects. To ensure the success of the NSTP community service
projects performed by the trainees during their immersion time, the
following must be considered: program must be responsive to the
needs of the clients; contribute to the upliftment of the living
conditions of the clients; maximize the resources available in the
community; tap the potentials of the clients and give due
recognitions; objectives must be SMART with tangible results that
touch the lives of the clients; project must be done systematically to
ensure significant contributions from pre-planning, planning stage,
implementation, and evaluation; complete documentation must be
observed as basis for reporting and for future studies; project must be
within the capacity and concern of the trainees that will allow them to
gain the knowledge, skills and encourage reflective action; and
develop shared commitment among the trainees.
Further, projects must promote civic consciousness imbued
with good citizenship values of pagkamaka Diyos, pagkamaka tao,
pagkamaka bayan and pagkamaka kalikasan.

ACTIVITY 08
Part A. Essay. Answer the following questions/ statements
comprehensively. Please refer to the given rubric below.
Substance/ Organization/ Style and Comprehensiven Total
Related Logical Grammar es
to the Topic presentation of s of discussion
ideas
50% 15 5% 20% 100
% %

1. What is project/ program implementation in NSTP immersion?

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2. Identify and discuss the things to be considered in program/ project
implementation.

3, How does project/ program implementation in the NSTP

immersion contribute to nation building?

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 LESSON IX: PHASE VI: TERMINATION OF PROJECTS

You have learned from the previous lesson the implementation

phase of the NSTP project/ program as part of the immersion process
in NSTP. In this lesson, you will learn the termination of NSTP projects
and programs and how and why it is done.

Lesson Objectives:

1. Define the termination of projects/ program in NSTP;

2. Identify and discuss the process of terminating NSTP project/ program; and
3. appreciate the process of terminating an NSTP project/ program.

NSTP trainees are expected to complete their projects in the

community in the span of 50-90 hours as prescribed to the CHED-
endorsed Program of instruction for it to be credited in the training
course. Right at the very start the trainee implementers must
apprise their target participants of the particular of the projects
undertaken especially in terms of time frame. This will enable their
clients or partner community to prepare for any eventualities should
the implementers will terminate the project.
Trainees are advised to inform them with due respect of the
status of the project and other details as may be deemed necessary.
Nevertheless, the trainees may decide to continue with the project if
the endeavour proves worthy of continuation, follow-up or
replication. If the proponents and implementers have decide to
pursue and push through with their venture, they can seek the
assistance and support of the school’s extension services/community
outreach unit just to sustain the project.
If in case trainees lack hours of community immersion or did not
perform well, they are bound to receive an unsatisfactory rating;
more so, failure of compliance must be noted. If trainees go beyond
the required number of hours in the community in their conduct of
the project for failure to
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conform or comply with the requirements of the plan of action
formulated, then a similar ‘poor’ rating should be accorded.
As trainees, one must learn how to work within the allotted time
frame given, for their convenience and also for the community’s sake.
If one stays in the community beyond the agreed time, the action can
be construed by the community for something else like, extending
more help (intensified volunteerism) to them or that they could still
ask for their help even beyond their capability. This might also
encourage their dependency on the implementers.
However, it is not really a problem if trainees want to extend
their community services in the community. In fact, NSTP encourages
trainees to continue their community work. This time, their services
will already be regarded as their personal commitment to doing
voluntary work, separate and distinct from the NSTP-initiated
activities. In step with enjoining NSTP students to eventually
becoming volunteer workers, the school may establish volunteer
corps either under the auspices of the school’s NSTP unit or extension
services office to ensure the continuity of the immersion program
for volunteers.

Lesson Summary:

NSTP trainees are expected to complete their projects in the

community in the span of 50-90 hours as prescribed to the CHED-
endorsed Program of instruction for it to be credited in the training
course.
Trainees are advised to inform them with due respect of the
status of the project and other details as may be deemed necessary.
Nevertheless, the trainees may decide to continue with the project if
the endeavour proves worthy of continuation, follow-up or
replication. If the proponents and implementers have decide to
pursue and push through with their venture, they can seek the
assistance and support of the school’s extension services/community
outreach unit just to sustain the project.
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Activity 09
Substance/ Organization/ Style and Comprehensiven Total
Related Logical Grammar es
to the Topic presentation of s of discussion
ideas
50% 15 5% 20% 100
% %

1. Why does a program/ project terminated in NSTP immersion process?

2. How can a project/ program be terminated?

3. Is project/ program implementation the end of volunteerism in

NSTP? Why Why not?

References:

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1. Labugen F., et.al. (2018). Understanding the NSTP 2. Mutya
Publishing House Incorporated.

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