Higher education institutions (HEIs) fulfil threefold functions: instruction, research, and extension. The third function, extension, is centred on the belief that engagement with the community must be integrated into the academic fabric of the institution. This qualitative study aimed to assess the Children’s Education Welfare Assistance (CEWA), a community extension program of an HEI that operated for more than 15 years, through the lens of the Human Security Approach (HSA). HSA is a framework developed by the United Nations that can be used to evaluate development programs in terms of economic, food, health, environmental, personal, community, and political security. Data were collected from three levels: Sponsored Children (SC), Sponsored Family (SF), and the Program. Evaluation of program documents, two Focus Group Discussions (FGD), and two Key Informant Interviews (KII) were conducted to gather data. Participants were selected using purposive sampling technique. Data were analysed using document analysis and directed content analysis. Based on the findings, 11 sub-dimensions emerged from the qualitative data that were not considered in the original framework of HSA: improvement of socioeconomic status and financial independence for economic security; food literacy, food choice, and supply of potable water for food security; prescription medicine assistance for health security; personal growth and social skills development for personal security; cultural preservation and community involvement for community security; and community leadership for political security. With the emergence of new sub-dimensions, the evaluation of development programs using HSA will be more comprehensive and may be used in developing an HSA measurement model.

Authors:
Blenn Nimer, Notre Dame of Kidapawan College, Philippines

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Blenn Nimer is a University Associate Professor/Senior Lecturer at Notre Dame of Kidapawan College in Philippines

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

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