Community+and+Service

Community awareness and understanding Before any useful involvement in the community can take place students must develop an awareness of what a community is. As students should become aware of and understand further the complexities of a community and its different forms. Reflection Meaningful reflection is an essential part of students’ experience of community and service; it encourages better awareness of needs as well as the quality of response. Through a growing understanding of the concept of community, students should appreciate that they are all, individually, the members of various communities, and that with this membership come responsibilities. Students will also come to understand that communities themselves have various responsibilities towards their members. Involvement through service By considering the impact of responsibility on the choices of action, or inaction, that community membership provides, students can consider how they can become positively involved in their communities. In addition, students should consider how being an involved member of various communities will benefit them. __Key Questions__ What needs to be done? What can I do? How is my involvement helping me develop? Which communities does this project affect?

__Central issues to consider:__
 * attitudes—including reflection upon different social patterns and ways of life, showing initiative
 * responsibilities—including the ethical implications of activity or inactivity within the community, using personal strengths to enhance communities, identifying personal strengths and limitations
 * being an active contributor—including showing willingness and the skills to respond to the needs of others, coming up with solutions to actively resolve issues within communities.