Community Engagement Report: Analyzing Skills and Personal Growth

This report provides an in-depth analysis of a student's experience with a community engagement project, focusing on skills development and reflective practice. The student utilized the Gibbs reflective cycle to examine their personal experiences, detailing the description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action plan related to the project. The report highlights the acquisition of various skills, including interpersonal communication, time management, and research abilities, and reflects on the application of academic theories, such as Maslow's hierarchy of needs, to the practical experience. The student reflects on the relationship between academic theories and their experience. The report also discusses the challenges faced, such as team management, and the strategies employed to overcome them. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of continuous self-improvement and the development of project management skills for future endeavors. References include various books and online resources.

Community
Engagement

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
TASK...............................................................................................................................................3
Nature and purpose of reflective practice....................................................................................3
Reflection on personal experience...............................................................................................3
Various skills and competencies learned.....................................................................................5
Reflect on the relationship between academic theories and experience......................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERNCES:..................................................................................................................................8
Books and Journals:.....................................................................................................................8
Online..........................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
The report aims to analyse the current skills and abilities in order to accomplish own targets
and objectives. Reflective practice is much helpful in order to focus on self-capabilities and
identify which skills lacks and needs improvement. Therefore, it is helpful to promote growth
and development through engaging in much experiences. Reflective writing is all about judging
all the tasks and abilities done by individuals (Odugleh-Kolev, and Parrish-Sprowl, 2018). This
shows how it went and what feelings it includes. Hence, this report is going to analyse the skills
and self-management efficiency through applying Gibbs reflective cycle. There will be
discussion about overall experiences by working on the project and how does it contribute in
personal growth.
MAIN BODY
TASK
Nature and purpose of reflective practice
Reflective practice is all about learning from own life experiences which occurs most
frequently. It is such practice which require own attention, configuration and focus towards what
has happened and how it went. The nature of reflective practice defines the need for learning
from self-taught factors which can only be analysed by own self. Also, the purpose of reflective
writing is to identify which areas lacks efficiency and how it can be improved. It demonstrates
various skills and knowledge that an individual learn (Wilson, 2019). By analysing all these
skills, it will be easy to look for own strength and weak areas which might impact on the future
growth. By using Gibbs reflective model, it becomes easy to give a detailed description about the
experiences, feeling, analyses and evaluation of the skills. Also, the model emphasises on
showing each and every task and activities which contributes in own growth and taking new
knowledge. An individual could came across with many new skills and abilities that they plan to
achieve. In own practice, there is requirement of key practices to engage on one to one
discussion and evaluation strength. The reflective practices are vital to look for better
improvements for future abilities.

Reflection on personal experience
As per the Gibbs reflective model, it has demonstrated that there is requirement of key
practices which will helps in achieving success and growth. This model helps in giving overall
experiences about the activities and tasks happened (Longo, 2020). This will show that, in order
to bring a positive change in the attitude, knowledge and values of an individual, this reflective
model will play a crucial role. All the stages of this model is discussed below:
Description: This stages defines a whole detailed description about the activities and tasks
happened during an experience. It clearly describes the scenario for which an individual has
worked on. By analysing the people, project aims and strategies, it will be easy to find out the
outcome. In my own practice of working on the project for community engagement, I was asked
to work on this project to analyse the importance and activities present in community
engagement. I had worked on a reputed company i.e. Fujitsu which is a firm believes in
technology to make people lives easy and happy. I had to make research about the company that
how they engage people and promote welfare for the society. At first, I was hesitating in making
interaction with the firm but then I started taking interest in their activities. I have to complete
the project on time and there was a lot of work pending for me. The teachers, peers and the firm
are the key people involved in making my experiences great and effective for enhancing
knowledge and skills.
Feeling: This stage demonstrates the feeling while working and be a part of a project. An
individual is a pool of different feelings and thoughts which keeps on running the mind until
achieve success (Pratt, and de Vries, 2018). Therefore, while working for the project of
community engagement, I was feeling nervous and quite in fear of communicating with the firm.
Before working on the project, I was an introvert personality and I hardly speak to new people.
so, I felt hesitated and low confidence that how will I ask my queries and clearly represents the
project aims. Also, I was afraid of not delivering project on time and engage other peers to start
working hard.
Evaluation: This stage defines the valuation of overall experiences in terms of positive and
negative aspects. Every experiences leaves some moral behind it which an individual focus on
their future working. So, while working on the project, the total experiences was beneficial and
meaningful for me. As it made me do whatever I fear to do. I have made myself clear with my
objectives and goals of the project through which, I chose the correct path. It has evaluated that, I

was managed to research about the community engagement and what the organisation do by
preparing a lot of notes and engaging my team for the same (Willson, 2020). This seems good
and effective to promote better facilities and identify the roles and responsibilities. Apart from
this, the negative part of the experience is that I was not much able to manage team and conflicts
was a part of our working.
Analysis: It has analysed from my experience to complete the projects aims and identify
various practices of community engagement, I am grateful to learn much knowledge about the
business and how it contributes in society. It made me curious to research a lot more about the
business support for the people through donation and levees a sustainable image in the market.
During the analysis of the key factors, I made it clear to the team about setting success in project
deliveries. I also learned some skills such as interpersonal, communication and time
management, all these skills have helped me to research for the project, engage people and ask
them out about business contribution and to complete the project on time.
Conclusion: From the overall experience, I came to a conclusion that I need to work more
on building great project management skills (Panke, and Stephens, 2018). I faced challenges
related to researching the most useful information for my project and engaging my peers in the
same. Therefore, I have to be more particular about using my time management skills to
prioritise the activities and complete the work before time. This shows that, I need to mainly
focus on the particular skills set to ensure future growth.
Action plan: this plan will help me to analyse the importance of the key skills which I need
to development and set a specific duration. Also, there will be demonstration of resources which
ensure effective growth and development. I want to improve my interpersonal, communication
and problem solving skills to use it in future working.
Various skills and competencies learned
As per the overall experience of working in the project, I have analysed to make better
projects and use good research skills. I have learned many skills during the project which I
realised is very important for self-development. I worked with team members and we have to
stick to a particular deadline to finish the project (Naidu, and Prose, 2018). So, I had to manage
the work in a systematic manner to achieve the objectives and make sure that no information is
not left out. I came to know that I have learned some of useful skills which I did not have before.
Interpersonal and communication skills was not fine in my case. I was not able to communicate

with new people as I lose my confidence due to being an introvert personality. But the project
has helped in most of the areas to be self-independent and find the answers to own questions.
This shows that, in order to promote better knowledge, I should start working on these skills
more effectively. Therefore, it is required for me to enhance key practices which will help me in
developing these skills. Also, I have developed self-managerial skills through which I become
able to give time for prioritised tasks and activities (Godínez Martínez, 2022). With this
appropriate skills, I can make time for my personal life and work good in academic and
professional working. I become able to make difference between what is right and what is wrong
which develop my sensible attitude towards working. Hence, these skills are vital for my future
to build career in a reputed organisation. In today’s world when community engagement is
crucial for business to have a positive impact on society and brand name. I have to be sure about
engaging community to participate in the business and take decisions by getting united. For that
instance, I also learned some good research and analytical skills which will help me to present
data about market trends, customer needs and wants and promote sustainable culture. In addition,
with this, I need to promote a good culture of working for which interpersonal skills are
important to convenience people and influence them about the business products and services.
These skills could help me in setting my future job role and I will become confident. There are
vital practices in creating better knowledge and influence other by being leader. This skill has
also developed in me while working on this project.
Reflect on the relationship between academic theories and experience
As per the relationship between academic theories and experiences, I need to manage both
my academic and professional life. These theories helped me in creating a relationship among
skills and knowledge which I could use in my professional practice. Hence, I use Maslow theory
of motivation to evaluate my overall experience.
Physiological needs: this need demonstrate that every individual need to get basic things for
which they will work hard. These needs include shelter, food, air facilities. During my
experience of community engagement, I make sure that, there is need to give all these things to
the people who voluntarily work for the business. Also, in order to engage my team, all these
things are taken into consideration while working on the project.
Health and safety needs: These needs are necessary to help in promoting better safety
precaution at the place. It is necessary to ensure people health and privacy factor to engage

community in any programme. I made sure that all the participation of people in my project is
secured and all the information used as per their consent. Therefore, it is necessary to give
protection from any health injuries by using effective equipment and technology for research
about the market.
Social needs: These needs help me in achieving vital factors for the society. It demonstrates
that, people needs to be happy and satisfied with what the organisation do (Fergusson, van der
Laan, and Baker, 2019). In my own experience, I make sure that the all the people are engaging
belongs to different culture and diversity. The people gets motivated with this factor when they
get listened and asked about their preferences.
Esteem needs: These needs show the requirement of appreciation and respect. In order to
engage community, I appreciated every individual who worked hard for the project.
Self-actualisation needs: these needs are never ending which rises with every achievement.
Therefore, I make sure that every team member will get what they deserve the best.
CONCLUSION
The report has concluded that, there is key requirement of the factors which needs to be use
in community engagement. The report has shown own experience of doing the project and there
has been development of crucial skills like communication, interpersonal and time management.
All these skills are effective to promote future growth and to work more on such projects.
Therefore, it is necessary to analyse what society wants the best.

REFERNCES:
Books and Journals:
Fergusson, L., van der Laan, L. and Baker, S., 2019. Reflective practice and work-based
research: a description of micro-and macro-reflective cycles. Reflective
Practice, 20(2), pp.289-303.
Godínez Martínez, J., 2022. Action research and collaborative reflective practice in English
language teaching. Reflective Practice, 23(1), pp.88-102.
Longo, N.V., 2020. Deliberative pedagogy in the community: Connecting deliberative dialogue,
community engagement, and democratic education. Journal of Deliberative
Democracy, 9(2).
Naidu, T. and Prose, N., 2018, September. Re-envisioning member checking and communicating
results as accountability practice in qualitative research: A South African community-
based organization example. In Forum: Qualitative Social Research (Vol. 19, No. 3,
pp. 783-797). Freie Universität Berlin.
Odugleh-Kolev, A. and Parrish-Sprowl, J., 2018. Universal health coverage and community
engagement. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 96(9), p.660.
Panke, S. and Stephens, J., 2018. Beyond the echo chamber: Pedagogical tools for civic
engagement discourse and reflection. Journal of Educational Technology &
Society, 21(1), pp.248-263.
Pratt, B. and de Vries, J., 2018. Community engagement in global health research that advances
health equity. Bioethics, 32(7), pp.454-463.
Willson, R., 2020. A Roadmap for Reflective Practice. In Reflective Planning Practice (pp. 1-
12). Routledge.
Wilson, P.A., 2019. The heart of community engagement: Practitioner stories from across the
globe. Routledge.
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