Lesson 8: Role of Youth in Community Action

Lesson 8: The Role of the Youth in Community Action

The Youth and Community Action

● According to the Youth in Nation-Building Act, the youth is
composed of individuals who are 15-30 years old. They make up
around one-third of the Philippine population.
● There is no universally agreed international definition of the youth
age group. For
statistical purposes, however the United Nations without
prejudice to any other definitions made by Member States-
defines ―youth‖ as those persons between the ages 15 and 24
years.
● ―Youth is the developmental phase between childhood and
adulthood. Typically this starts around the beginning of puberty
and finishes in late teens but for many young people, dependent
on personal, social and economic factors, it can start and or finish
much later.

Factors Affecting Youth Participation in the Community

● The term youth participation refers to the youth taking part or
having a share in the development projects in the community.
● According to Armitage (2010), participation is defined as a
process where the community acts in response to the concerns
of the public, raise their opinions on the decisions that affect them
and thus take responsibility for the changes that affect them and
the entire community.
● The youth participation according to Chappel, (2008) the youth
participation could be as a result of the traditional sense of
powerlessness felt by the community especially the youth when it
comes to participating in the decision making processes in the
government decisions.
1. Education
● Education is central to improvement and to the advancement of
the lives of young people globally, and as such has been
recognized as a priority area in internationally agreed
development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals
and the World Programme of Action for youth.
● Education is important in eradicating poverty and hunger and in
promoting sustained and in advancing, inclusive and equitable
economic growth and sustainable development.

2. Values
● Youth is not only a valuable source of energy, good will and
creativity but moreover the key to our future. In a society that is
so wrapped around ―wants‖ and ―achievement‖ it is simple for
our youth to grow up with a sense of appreciation for what they
have and empathy for the needs of less fortunate around them.
● Volunteering in community services projects and helping other
can be very fulfilling, and if we can show the youth how enriching
it is from a young age, they‘ll begin to create an affiliation
between making a difference to someone else and their own joy.
There are lots of services available locally, statewide, nationally
and even internationally for the youth.
● In spite of the fact that volunteering can be part of high school
graduation requirements and meeting scholarship needs, it needs
to be instilled in youth as a value that is truly appreciated and
pursued with passion.
3. Parental Involvement
● ―Young people look to the adults in their lives for an example of
how to be an adult, how to be involved in the world around them,
and how to be an example themselves.
● Parental support in volunteering regularly or once in a while
promotes bonding, mutual respect, and more profound
conversations in ethical issues.
● Youth whose parents are actively involved in the community are
more likely to become active themselves (Chan & Elder, 1999).
 Youth whose parents do not participate in civic activities may still
become active in their communities; however, a supportive and
reinforcing parental relationship may have a greater contribution
to civic engagement than parental modeling (Fletcher & Van Horn,
2000).

Reasons why Youth Failed to Participate in Community

Activity
a. Insufficient recognition of their abilities and contribution
Among the leading deterrents to youth involvement, not being taken
genuinely, not being asked, not being assigned or having identifiable role
are consistently noted in the research literature (Independent Sector,
2001). Felix (2003) identified other challenges to youth involvement in
communities, including:
● A need of communication and awareness of opportunities
● Turf issues among organizations competing for youth participants,
● Youth fears of speaking out,
● Lack of diversity, and
● Adultism

b. Limited opportunities to become involved in government affairs

Cultivating Attitudes, Values, Mindsets and Priorities

Attitude
o Made up of affective, behavioral, cognitive components.
Values
o Refers to the beliefs or ideals shared by the members of the group. The
values will serve as the basis of what is desirable or not to the group.
Values can also influence one‘s attitude.
Mindsets
o Defined as a set state of mind. The mindset of the youth regarding their
role in their communities can be conditioned by the environment.
Priorities
o Are things that are often regarded as more important than others.
oYouth in Community Change : #NowPH
● - (Not on Our Watch Philippines) a project formed in partnership
of the National Youth Commission (NYC), the Climate Change
Commission (CCC), and the YesPin
● - oy Foundation. Launched in 2015, #NowPH encourages the
country‘s youth to participate in the worldwide movement against
climate change.

Lesson 9: Selected Cases of Community Action Initiatives

Lesson 9: Selected Cases of Community Action Initiatives

Community Action Initiatives

● Are a way of government, along with other organizations, to cater
to the needs of communities. It is anchored by objectives that are
based on specific concerns that groups in the area want to
address.

Community Action Initiatives Planned by the Government

1. Philippine Open Partnership National Action Plan
○ was created to fulfill and formalize initiatives in reforming
the government
○ The Philippines is one of the founding members of the
Open Government Partnership (OGP), a unique
international initiative aimed at securing concrete
 commitments from governments to promote
transparency, increase civic participation, fight
corruption, and harness new technologies that
strengthen governance.
2. The Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Incorporated
(HPFPI)
○ implemented projects to help those who have lost their
homes due to disasters. It has organized projects to
assist the communities in preparing for and recovering
from disasters.
○ The Homeless People’s Federation Philippines, Inc.
(HPFPI) carries out unique work in one of the most
hazard-challenged countries in the world, impacted by
some 20 cyclones or typhoons every year, and on the
front line of climate change. Around the globe, informal
communities of the urban poor are some of the most
badly hit by climate-related disasters. Makeshift housing
and insufficient infrastructure leave them extremely
vulnerable to natural disasters, and lack of data on
informal settlements makes post-disaster response in
these areas chaotic and ineffective.
3. Community Action Extension Programs in State Colleges and
Universities
○ launched community action extension programs that
involve the use of technology to improve farm
productivity and attaining Livelihood Enterprise
Development to reduce poverty.
○ The ever-growing social inequities confronts most low-
and middle-income countries as many people still have
insufficient access to proper education and training. This
problem results in citizens lacking the necessary skills for
employment or disempowered to engage in
entrepreneurial pursuits. As higher education institutions
(HEIs) are concerned with delivering extension programs
to reach development goals, it is paramount that
academic institutions should also monitor and evaluate
 the outcomes of their community programs at the
grassroot level.
4. Comprehensive Community Initiatives
○ involve partnership conducting several interrelated and
simultaneous activities.
○ A Comprehensive Community Initiative is an effort to
better the lives of children, youth, and families through
systems-change work. People also refer to CCIs as
Community Change Initiatives.
Examples of issues addressed by CCIs
1. readiness for school, and high school graduation rates
2. the disproportionate representation of minority and lower
socioeconomic-status youth in foster care and the justice system
● abuse and neglect
1. suicide, substance abuse, underage drinking, and other self-
destructive behaviors
2. mental and physical health
3. delinquency and violence
TYPES of Comprehensive Community Initiatives
1. UNICEF trainings for health workers
2. Sanayan sa Kakayahang Industriyal (SKIL) which focuses on
technical skills training such as welding, automotive mechanics
and refrigeration
3. Sanayan sa Kakayahang Agrikultura (SAKA) which assists out-
of-school youth from poor families in gaining employment and
livelihood opportunities.

Lesson 10: Gender Equality

Lesson 10: Gender Equality

What is gender equality?
-Similar to sexual equality
-Entails the idea that all human beings, both men and women, have the
freedom to develop themselves in terms of their personal abilities and
choices
-Global Gender Gap Report in the World Economic Forum published in
2016 presented the levels of gender equality in various countries. The
Philippines improved in its rank with regards to gender equality, being the
highest in Asia and 7th out of 144 countries.

Similar to sexual equality

Entails the idea that all human beings, both men and women, have the
freedom to
develop themselves in terms of their personal abilities and choices
The Global Gender Gap Report in the World Economic Forum published in
2016 presented the levels of gender equality in various countries. The
Philippines improved in its rank with regards to gender equality, being the
highest in Asia and 7th out of 144 countries.

Areas explored in terms of gender equality...

1. Economic Participation
2. Educational Attainment
3. Health and Survival
4. Political Empowerment

Forms of Gender Inequality

1. Women work longer than men
2. Ownership Inequality
3. Survival Inequality
4. Gender Bias in the Distribution of Education and Health
5. Gender Inequality and Freedom of Expression
6. Gender Inequality with Respect to Violence and Victimization
Initiatives to fight gender inequality
1. Include gender inequality in the curriculum to address gender
equality issues.
2. Provide strategic interventions at all levels of programming and
policy making in the
country that include reproductive health, economic
empowerment, educational and
political environment.
3. Accept the concept, as suggested by most researches, that
working with men and
women, boys and girls in promoting gender equality will
contribute to achievement of health and development outcomes

What is the importance of gender equality?

Gender equality is intrinsically linked to sustainable development and is
vital to the realization of human rights for all.
The overall objective of gender equality is a society in which women and
men enjoy the same opportunities, rights and obligations in all spheres of
life.

What are the problems of gender equality?

Here are five major challenges still facing women in the workplace.
● - Unequal pay. On average, American women are more educated
than men. ...
● - Sexual harassment. An obstacle that many women face in the
workforce is
sexual harassment. ...
● - Racism. ...
● - Women are promoted less often than men. ...
● - Fear of asking to be paid what you're worth.
What are the examples of gender equality?
Male and female employees holding the same position receive
 different pay, even when other factors such as experience,
education level, etc. are similar.
Asking married employees to leave their ring at home. Asking any
woman to resign on becoming pregnant or not hiring a woman
because she is pregnant.

Lesson 11: Human Rights

What are Human Rights?

In the Philippines, it is defined as the civil and political rights of a person. It
is introduced in the 1987 Phil.Constitution
❖ Human rights embrace moral standards of any member of a
community
❖ Human rights allow a person to live with dignity and in peace, away
from the abuses that can be inflicted by abusive institutions or
individuals. But the fact remains that there are rampant human rights
violations around the world.
❖ In the Philippines, the rights of Filipinos are expressed in Article III of
the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
❖ This is called the bill of rights which includes 22 sections that
present the Filipinos citizen‘s rights and privileges.
❖ The constitution is expected to protect the Filipinos in relations to
these rights
❖ December 4 to 10 of each year is marked as National Human Rights
Consciousness Week via Republic Act No. 9201.
❖ December 10 is also considered as the United Nations Human
Rights Day. It commemorates the day the UN General Assembly
adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

THE 1987 CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES –

ARTICLE III ARTICLE III
BILL OF RIGHTS
Section 1. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without
due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of
the laws.
Section 2. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses,
papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of
whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search
warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be
determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or
affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and
particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things
to be seized.
Section 3. (1) The privacy of communication and correspondence shall be
inviolable except upon lawful order of the court, or when public safety or
order requires otherwise, as prescribed by law.
(2) Any evidence obtained in violation of this or the preceding section shall
be inadmissible for any purpose in any proceeding.
Section 4. No law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of
expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.
Section 5. No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of
religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference,
shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise
of civil or political rights.
Section 6. The liberty of abode and of changing the same within the limits
prescribed by law shall not be impaired except upon lawful order of the
court. Neither shall the right to travel be impaired except in the interest of
national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by
law.
Section 7. The right of the people to information on matters of public
concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to documents
and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well as
to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall
be afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by
law.
Section 8. The right of the people, including those employed in the public
and private sectors, to form unions, associations, or societies for purposes
not contrary to law shall not be abridged.
Section 9. Private property shall not be taken for public use without just
compensation. Section 10. No law impairing the obligation of contracts
shall be passed.
Section 11. Free access to the courts and quasi-judicial bodies and
adequate legal assistance shall not be denied to any person by reason of
poverty.
Section 12. (1) Any person under investigation for the commission of an
offense shall have the right to be informed of his right to remain silent and
to have competent and independent counsel preferably of his own choice.
If the person cannot afford the services of counsel, he must be provided
with one. These rights cannot be waived except in writing and in the
presence of counsel.
(2) No torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means
which vitiate the free will shall be used against him. Secret detention
places, solitary, incommunicado, or other similar forms of detention are
prohibited.
(3) Any confession or admission obtained in violation of this or Section 17
hereof shall be inadmissible in evidence against him.
(4) The law shall provide for penal and civil sanctions for violations of this
section as well as compensation to and rehabilitation of victims of torture
or similar practices, and their families.
Section 13. All persons, except those charged with offenses punishable by
reclusion perpetua when evidence of guilt is strong, shall, before
conviction, be bailable by sufficient sureties, or be released on
recognizance as may be provided by law. The right to bail shall not be
impaired even when the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is
suspended. Excessive bail shall not be required.
Section 14. (1) No person shall be held to answer for a criminal offense
without due process of law.
(2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent
until the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself
and counsel, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation
against him, to have a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet the
witnesses face to face, and to have compulsory process to secure the
attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence in his behalf.
However, after arraignment, trial may proceed notwithstanding the
absence of the accused provided that he has been duly notified and his
failure to appear is unjustifiable.
Section 15. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be
suspended except in cases of invasion or rebellion when the public safety
requires it.
Section 16. All persons shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their
cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.
Section 17. No person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.
Section 18. (1) No person shall be detained solely by reason of his political
beliefs and aspirations.
(2) No involuntary servitude in any form shall exist except as a punishment
for a crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.
Section 19. (1) Excessive fines shall not be imposed, nor cruel, degrading
or inhuman punishment inflicted. Neither shall the death penalty be
imposed, unless, for compelling reasons involving heinous crimes, the
Congress hereafter provides for it. Any death penalty already imposed
shall be reduced to reclusion perpetua.
(2) The employment of physical, psychological, or degrading punishment
against any prisoner or detainee or the use of substandard or inadequate
penal facilities under subhuman conditions shall be dealt with by law.
Section 20. No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a
poll tax.
Section 21. No person shall be twice put in jeopardy of punishment for the
same offense. If an act is punished by a law and an ordinance, conviction
or acquittal under either shall constitute a bar to another prosecution for
the same act.
Section 22. No ex post facto law or bill of attainder shall be enacted.

Lesson 12: Partnership Building with Local Groups

Lesson 12: Partnership building with local groups

What is Partnership?
● - key towards effective management
● - leads to different people and organizations working together
and addressing common
interests and concerns.
● - A community partnership is a collaborative relationship
between willing entities formed to
address shared objectives.
● - Effective partnerships leverage the strengths of each partner
and apply it strategically to
the issue at hand.
● - It might take more work, and it might take longer, but strong
partnerships build the
relationships, shared understanding, and collective focus to make
lasting progress on issues related to community and economic
development.
What are the characteristics of effective community partnerships?
Among those that stand out are:
Leadership
Aligned Vision
Roles, Responsibilities and Accountability Framework for
Culture and Values
Communication
Four Stages in Developing Partnership
1. FORMING
2. STORMING
3. NORMING
4. PERFORMING

POSSIBLE OUTCOMES ONCE PARTNERSHIP IS ESTABLISHED

1. There will be more efficient use of financial resources.
2. A spirit of sharing and cooperation is attained.
3. More creative ideas.
4. There is a distribution of tasks.
5. There will be wider support to meet the community‘s objectives

CHALLENGES THAT MAY ARISE IN PARTNERSHIP

1. It takes time, skills, and effort to be able to build a successful
management in partnership.
2. It will take effort and patience to maintain the motivation and
enthusiasm of the group.
3. Communication with partners should be strengthened and
maintained

STRATEGIES TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP

● It is important to involve the right people.
● The members of the community should have initiative and be
responsible.
● The group should have clear and attainable goals.

WAYS TO GATHER INFORMATION ON LOCAL GROUPS

1. Media
 2. Libraries
3. Interview/informal conversations
4. Telephone surveys

Lesson 13: Community Profiling

Community Profiling

COMMUNITY PROFILE
● presents an overview of the community at a certain period of
time..
● shows characteristics of the community by involving the local
people and working with partner groups.

Elements of Community Profile

1. Community Profile must be comprehensive.
2. A community profile include the resources in the area
○ Under-utilized Resources-available resources that are
not being used by the residents in their fullest potential.
○ Potential Resources– resources that are not yet useful
at the moment but can be developed for future use
(abandoned structures or vacant land)
○ Intangible Resources– sources of strength of the
community (qualities and skills of members, families,
community organization etc.)
3. A community profile presents the needs of the community
○ the needs of the community are the bases of decisions in
the allocation resources
4. The community profile details active involvement of its
members.
○ This pertains to the cooperation and involvement of the
members of the community to implement an action plan.
5. The community profile presents an action plan.
 ○ Describes the action that will be formulated and applied
by the members to improve the life of the community.

Gathering Information
● Maps
● Survey Questionnaires
● Talking to people
● Other method
● (media, internet)

SAMPLE QUESTIONS
● Brief summary of history and description of the area covered
by the plan
1. Is your local area a village, town or city?
2. Is your local area urban or rural or a combination?
3. Is your community population declining in general?
4. What are the physical characters of your local area?
● Population
1. What is the total population of your local area?
2. What is gender breakdown?
3. What is the average age of the population in your
community?
4. What is the general state of health of the population?
This may only be a rough indication (generally good or
poor)
5. What proportion of the population has a disability?
6. What proportion of the population is working?
7. What is the breakdown of the population based on
income?
8. Are there changes taking place that may affect the size
or makeup of the population
SERVICE PROVISION
 1. Which of the following services are provided within the local area?
If not available within your local area, how far is it from the
available service?
● police station
● fire station
● post office
● library
EDUCATION
Which of the following facilities are available within your local area?
● pre-school facility
● primary school
● secondary school
● further education
2. Is provision made for preschool and after school childcare?
3. Is provision for childcare before and after school adequate for its
purpose?
4. Is there a library service available in your local area?
5. When the facilities identified above are not in use, are you aware
of their use for other community activities?(fitness classes)

WORK ECONOMY
1. Where are the main concentrations of employment located within
your local area?
2. How many people are employed per industry/business/economic
activity?
3. Where do most people who work in your local area live?
4. What is the level of unemployment in your local area?
5. Is the community’s economy generally vibrant or are many shops
closing?
6. Would you be able to complete your weekly shopping with the
local area?
7. Is out-of-town shopping available?
8. 8. Do you have a means to obtain cash or pay bills?
TRANSPORT
1. What public transportation services are available in your local
area?
● bus, train, jeepney, taxi, tricycle, others
● Is the frequency of service adequate?
2. Do the public transport services serve all parts of the community?

LEISURE/RECREATION
1. Do you have a leisure center?
2. Which of the following leisure/recreation facilities are available?
● Children’s play area
● community hall

CRIME/NUISANCE
1. What is the perceived level of non-violent crime in your area?(lots
of incidents, a few incidents, very occasional incidents, don’t
know)
2. Are there perceived issues relating to antisocial behavior in your
area?
3. Are there specific areas where crime levels are perceived to be
concentrated?
4. Are you aware of what the police or community safety teams are
doing to tackle crime issues in your area?