Contemporary definition of the concept of community
You have recently been employed as a project officer in a government department and have been tasked by your supervisor to develop two sections of a discussion paper, which will go to an oversight committee. The discussion paper informs the oversight committee about trends in voluntary participation during disaster events and strategies for enhancing voluntary activity. The oversight committee includes emergency and disaster management experts, community members, academics and researchers. To support the discussion paper, the oversight committee has asked that the discussion be framed around a local event, that is, the discussion must use a recent emergency or disaster event (of your choosing) and give examples from that event. The two sections that you have been tasked to write are to populate the trends section of the bigger discussion paper and include:
Part 2.1): a discussion, including a contemporary definition of the concept of community, and
Part 2.2): an analysis of the types of voluntary activity performed by members of the community during a recent emergency or disaster event (of your choice), and its alignment or otherwise to a formal organisation or agency. Part 2.2 will consist of the following:
a) name and a brief description of the event,
b) examples of the activity that community members contributed to that particular event,
c) identification of which contributions were part of formal volunteer role and which were not,
d) using the scholarly literature, align the formal and non-formal
Sample Solution
A Discussion of the Concept of Community
The concept of community has been defined in many different ways throughout history. However, a contemporary definition of community is a group of people who share a common identity, sense of place, and set of values. Communities can be based on a variety of factors, such as geography, ethnicity, religion, or shared interests.
Types of Voluntary Activity
There are many different types of voluntary activity that can be performed by members of a community during a disaster event. These activities can range from providing emotional support to those affected by the disaster to providing practical assistance, such as cleaning up debris or distributing food and water.
Formal and Informal Voluntary Activity
Voluntary activity can be either formal or informal. Formal voluntary activity is organized and structured, and it is usually carried out by members of a formal organization, such as a Red Cross chapter or a local church. Informal voluntary activity is less structured and organized, and it is usually carried out by individuals or small groups of people.
Alignment of Formal and Informal Voluntary Activity
The alignment of formal and informal voluntary activity is important during disaster events. Formal organizations can provide valuable resources and support, but they can also be slow to respond. Informal voluntary activity can be more spontaneous and responsive, but it can also be less coordinated and efficient.
Examples of Voluntary Activity During a Disaster Event
There are many examples of voluntary activity that has been performed by members of communities during disaster events. Some examples include:
- Providing emotional support to those affected by the disaster
- Cleaning up debris
- Distributing food and water
- Providing medical care
- Providing shelter
- Providing transportation
- Providing financial assistance
- Providing emotional support to those affected by the fires
- Cleaning up debris
- Distributing food and water
- Providing medical care
- Providing shelter
- Providing transportation
- Providing financial assistance