Community Service Research Articles

The impact of COVID-19 and community services on palliative care unit admissions: A retrospective cohort study

Background Collaboration between palliative care units (PCUs) and community palliative care (CPC) services is key to providing integrated care across inpatient and outpatient settings, in response to local and global challenges. Aim To identify the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and local CPC service changes on admissions, discharges, and patient access to a metropolitan Australian specialist PCU. Methods A retrospective cohort study of PCU admissions was performed across three six-month periods, in 2017, 2019, and 2021. Patients’ demographics and primary diagnoses were assessed for association with CPC service involvement prior to their first PCU admission. Admission characteristics including referral location, indication for admission, length of stay, palliative care phase and place of death were compared between the three time periods. Results There were 707 admissions during the studied time periods, corresponding to 589 unique patients, of whom 89% had a principle diagnosis of malignancy. Non-cancer and haematology patients were less likely to be linked with a CPC service prior to their first admission. Most admissions (51%) were arranged directly to the PCU from the community. Compared to earlier time periods, during the COVID-19 pandemic, patients had shorter admissions, were more likely to be discharged in the deteriorating or terminal phases, and had four times the odds of dying at home. Conclusion COVID-19 had significant impacts on the characteristics of PCU admissions, which has ongoing implications for CPC services. Continuous service delivery evaluation and adaptation are required to ensure equitable access to palliative care during periods of change.

Exploring Artificial Intelligence as a Remedy to the Heavy Teaching Workloads Caused by Massification of Ugandan Public Universities

Universities worldwide, particularly public universities in Uganda are facing a dilemma in which their massification has far outstripped the growth of their academic service delivery capacity, especially their actual teaching staff size. Consequently, most lecturers are struggling with heavy teaching workloads resulting from large class sizes of 100 to 300 or more students created by massification per course unit, especially at the undergraduate level. These workloads have overstretched most lecturers’ ability to teach effectively and limited their career growth by keeping them too busy to conduct research and participate in community service. The dilemma is faced at the time when Industry 4.0 has developed Artificial Intelligence (AI), which can execute different tasks, including teaching tasks in much the same way as human beings perform them. Drawing on the AI job replacement theory complemented by UTAUT and TOE, this study employed a cross-sectional questionnaire survey involving 325 respondents (deans, heads of department [HODs] and lecturers) randomly selected from five randomly selected public universities to analyse awareness of the teaching tasks AI can execute to reduce faculty members’ workload without replacing them, acceptance of AI to perform these tasks, and hindrances to its adoption. Findings from the descriptive analysis indicate that at least 74% of the deans, HODs, and lecturers were highly aware of the teaching tasks AI can perform. Most of these respondents accept AI to perform such teaching tasks that do not involve a human touch as an online search for research and lecture content, lecture dictation, student assessment and evaluation, and grading of marks. They, however, did not accept AI to execute teaching tasks that involve the human touch such as lecture planning, facilitating tutorials and discussions, assessing students’ interpersonal weaknesses that affect learning, and feedback provision. These findings allude to a need to adopt AI to execute only the teaching tasks it is accepted to perform and leave to the lecturers all the tasks they do not accept to perform. Adopting AI this way is bound to relieve the teaching workload allocated to lecturers as massification intensifies. The findings indicate, however, that AI adoption is hindered by different factors, including lack of strategic, ethical, and policy guidelines, and lack of funds and skills required to operate it. These findings point to a need for the management of Uganda’s public universities to adopt AI by lobbying the government for more funding, mobilizing necessary funds internally, training faculty members in using AI, and encouraging all of them to accept it by explaining the role it is capable of playing in reducing workloads and erasing their fear that AI could replace them

ICT Adoption and Improving Service Delivery within the Municipalities of the North-West Province, South Africa

The advent of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) has brought rapid communication transformation from analogue to digital. The digital divide poses a greater threat towards community service and rural development, with the government failing to provide effective and efficient communication strategies for service delivery to rural communities. The study found that the North-West province needs to communicate more adequately with its communities, failing to achieve its objective towards its rural communities. Thus individuals within the development communication process are agents of change, not just recipients of a development initiative but active participants and contributors of knowledge and information. Theoretically, the study pegged on, Information Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) which refers to “theories of Change”, not only implying the designation of technologies and diffusion but a multifaceted, dynamic, and contentious socio-economic and technological process. This study employed qualitative techniques and purposive sampling to gather data, through interviews and questionnaires, for both communication directors and community members. Thematic analysis was employed to reach the conclusion of the study. The study recommends that the use of smartphones and M-technology in all provincial departments would enhance their service deliveries and that the introduction of digital platforms such as the North-West Service Delivery App and the introduction of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) are essential for effective and efficient socio-economic and technological development of the rural communities within the province. The study will provide insight and add to the current discourse on the importance of ICT adoption for rural development. Keywords: M-Technology, E-Governance, Economic Openness, Municipalities, Rural Development, Artificial Intelligence

PENGELOLAAN SDM UMKM DI ERA DIGITAL PADA PULAU HARAPAN, KEPULAUAN SERIBU

Effective and adaptive management of Human Resources (HR) to the development of digital technology is the key to the success of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the modern era. Harapan Island, one of the islands in the Thousand Islands, DKI Jakarta, has great economic potential, especially from the MSME sector. However, limitations in human resource management and the use of digital technology are the main challenges for the growth and sustainability of MSMEs in this region. This community service activity aims to increase the capacity of MSME human resource management on Harapan Island through the application of digital technology. This program includes training and assistance in the use of digital tools for human resource management, the development of basic digital skills for MSME actors, and increasing digital literacy among MSME workers. The methodology used includes workshops, intensive training sessions, and direct mentoring in the field. It is hoped that through this program, MSMEs on Harapan Island can optimize their human resource management, improve operational efficiency, and expand market reach through digital technology. In addition, this program also aims to build awareness and better understanding of the importance of digitalization in business management. Thus, MSMEs on Harapan Island can develop better and contribute more significantly to the local economy and the welfare of the local community.

Audit Sistem Informasi Monitoring dan Evaluasi (Monev) Pada Puskesmas Kecamatan Ciracas Menggunakan COBIT 2019

This research starts from the framework of thinking that auditing information technology governance in monitoring and evaluation (monev) information systems using COBIT 2019 is an important thing to do. In the present and future, it is necessary to align information technology investments with the aim of community services in public health centers. The COBIT 2019 framework provides the benefits of implementing information systems, minimizing risks, and optimizing resources according to needs at the Ciracas District Health Center. In implementing monitoring and evaluation (monev), the factor design from COBIT 2019 can determine which domains must be assessed for their maturity level, so that agencies can know what needs to be improved. In this case, the EDM02 domain focuses on the process of optimizing the contribution of business value, services and IT assets resulting from investment at a cost that is acceptable to the company, while MEA03 ensures that the agency has complied with all applicable external requirements. Based on the results of the inspection, EDM02 has a current maturity value of 4.23 with a maturity level of 5-Optimized, which means that the implementation of monitoring and evaluation (monev) at the Ciracas District Health Center has run according to its objectives, while MEA03 has a current maturity value of 3.98 with a maturity level of 4- Manged and Measureable, which means monitoring and evaluation (monev) at the Ciracas District Health Center has been running well, even data or information has been integrated

PELATIHAN KETERAMPILAN PELAYANAN PRIMA BAGI PEMILIK, PENGELOLA HOMESTAY DAN MASYARAKAT DI PULAU HARAPAN, KEP. SERIBU, JAKARTA

Excellent service has an important role in accommodation businesses such as homestays because it has a big impact on the guest experience and the long-term sustainability of homestays and tourist attractions. This excellent service training aims to increase the knowledge and skills of homestay managers on Harapan Island, Kep Seribu, Jakarta. The method used was training and practice which was attended by 25 homestay managers. Evaluation is carried out by providing a Google form. The test results showed that 96% of participants experienced increased knowledge and skills in excellent service material so that this community service activity could be categorized as successful.

Pengukuran Antropometri dan Penentuan Status Gizi Balita di Posyandu Balita Bina Sejahtera Kadipiro Banjarsari Surakarta

The nutritional status of toddlers is an indicator of health status in Indonesia. Good nutritional status can help children's growth and development process to achieve optimal maturity. Nutritional status can help to detect the risk of health problems early. The role of posyandu is very necessary in efforts to prevent nutritional disorders in toddlers, so it is necessary to measure and determine the nutritional status of babies and toddlers. This community service aims to carry out anthropometric measurements of babies and toddlers and provide counseling to mothers of babies and toddlers about their children's nutritional status. This service activity is anthropometric measurements, namely weighing, measuring height or body length and Lila. Activities to determine nutritional status using WHO Antro. The results of measuring the nutritional status of BMI/U toddlers show that the majority of toddlers are in the normal category, 51 toddlers (80.96%), the nutritional status of BB/U toddlers shows that the majority are in the good (normal) category, 54 toddlers (85.71%). ), the nutritional status of PB/U or TB/U toddlers shows that the majority of toddlers are in the good (normal) category, amounting to 53 toddlers (84.13%), the nutritional status of BB/PB or BB/TB toddlers shows that the majority of toddlers are in the category good (normal) for 52 toddlers (82.55%). It is necessary to explain the results of anthropometric measurements to mothers of toddlers so that mothers of toddlers understand the nutritional status of their children and need to carry out nutritional education to prevent nutritional problems in babies and toddlers.

Pelaksanaan Baby Gym sebagai Upaya Menstimulasi Perkembangan Motorik Kasar pada Bayi Usia 3-4 Bulan

WHO states that globally, 52.9 million children younger than 5 years old are experiencing developmental problems. Data on child development services in Indonesia shows that as many as 7.5% experience delays in growth and development. One effort to stimulate baby development is to do a baby gym. Baby gym is movement or physical exercise for babies aged > 3 months which aims to stimulate gross motor development. The aim of this community service activity is to increase the knowledge and skills of baby mothers in stimulating gross motor development by carrying out various baby gym exercises and movements. This activity was carried out at PMB Andina Palembang involving 10 activity participants, namely mothers and babies aged 3-4 months. The results of community service activities showed that there was an increase in the average knowledge of activity participants before and after implementing the baby gym education, where the pretest average was 40.2 and the posttest average was 82.0. It is hoped that all parties can work together to increase knowledge and motivation to carry out baby gym regularly.

Experiences and perspectives of individuals involved in Camp Abilities: A scoping review

Camp Abilities (CA) is an educational camp for children and youth with visual impairment (VI). Since its inauguration in 1996, CA has expanded nationally and internationally with three central objectives: (1) to offer a specific summer camp for youth with VI, exposing them to different sports through adapted teaching and modified equipment; (2) to enable young teachers to gain experience in teaching adapted physical activity; and (3) to conduct research on a geographically dispersed population. A first systematic review was carried out to summarize 24 quantitative studies conducted on CA. This second review aimed to identify and summarize qualitative studies conducted at CA ( n = 16 articles). Using thematic analysis, a qualitative synthesis was conducted to identify themes and main findings. Narrative conclusions were extracted from the studies to present the perspectives and lived experiences through the voice of the participants involved, namely, the athletes with visual impairment (AVI), the stakeholders (directors, coaches), and the parents of the athletes with VI. Findings indicated that AVI have reported meaningful experiences enabling them to connect with peers with VI, have experimented with a wide range of sports, outdoor activities, and self-determination opportunities through adapted teaching. The directors reported that CA had enabled them to develop a community service combining teaching and research on adapted physical activity and VI. Finally, parents reported that CA had helped their child overcome barriers to physical activity.

Pelatihan Eksplorasi Mocktail Dengan Sentuhan Rempah Nusantara Bagi Kampung Adat Cireundeu Bandung

Cireundeu Traditional Village is in Leuwigajah Village, South Cimahi District and has a population of 800 people. Most of the people in the Cireundeu Traditional Village work as cassava farmers and adhere to the Sundanese Wiwitan belief. The traditional potential must be supported by development, especially in the field of providing food and drinks that utilize village potential. Spices are a strong potential of the Cirendeu Traditional Village, they can come from various parts of plants, such as flowers, fruit, bark, stems, tubers, leaves and rhizomes. Spices can not only be used as seasonings for cooking, but can also provide taste, aroma and health benefits to various drinks. The Faculty of Economics and Business, Bina Sarana Informatics University Hospitality Study Program will hold community service with the theme "Mocktail exploration training with a touch of Indonesian spices for the Cirendeu Bandung Traditional Village". The community service partners are the Cirendeu Bandung Traditional Village community. This training activity is a solution for the potential of the Cirendeu Traditional Village. Counseling is carried out in 4 stages, namely; Preparation Stage, Implementation Stage, Monitoring and Evaluation Stage. Community service activities run smoothly and there are no obstacles. Several participants provided suggestions regarding implementation time, but considering the participants' enthusiasm for the community service material this time, some felt that the time was still not enough. The participants were very enthusiastic about taking part in the training and showed that they were very interested in making mocktail drinks with a touch of spices. The process of direct practice and reflection carried out by the instructors has helped them understand the correct steps for making mocktail drinks. This training also offers new business opportunities for participants who want to develop mocktail drinks with the added value of spices.

The role of the Muslim Student Association at a South African university campus in promoting a sense of belonging, community service and a student-centred environment

The role of the Muslim Student Association at a South African university campus in promoting a sense of belonging, community service and a student-centred environment

Instilling Family Values among Students through the Tradition of Ro'an (Community Service) in Islamic Boarding Schools

This study aims to describe the implementation of the Ro'an (mutual cooperation) tradition at the Sunan Kalijaga Islamic Boarding School in Patianrowo, Nganjuk, to explain efforts to instill family values among students through this tradition, and to analyze the outcomes of these efforts. A qualitative approach was employed, based on interpretive philosophy, to gather in-depth insights. The research findings reveal that the Ro'an tradition is effectively conducted, fostering strong social bonds among students as they work together with sincerity and cooperation. This tradition significantly contributes to nurturing a sense of family among the students, strengthening their social relationships and communal spirit.

Social work with Irish Travellers: Findings from a national evaluation

Summary This article reports on the findings from a national evaluation of a specialist, Irish, social work service for Traveller families and communities. It begins with an historical overview of the service which was established in the 1960s but which has evolved and developed over the past few decades at a time of changing patterns of Traveller lives and social and economic conditions. It was also a period when the role of social work was changing, most notably with the introduction of state regulation of the profession. The article then critically analyses national and international literature on the role of social workers with Travellers. It then describes the mixed research method used to evaluate the service. Findings The findings highlight various, sometimes competing perspectives on the social work role, drawn from administrative data, a survey of social workers interviews with social workers and Traveller representatives. These include views about how the social work role was viewed by social workers and Traveller representatives, informed by theories on anti-oppressive practice, systems approaches and forms of advocacy. Applications The article concludes with a discussion of ways in which the lessons learned from the evaluation can be used to further develop the social work service in ways that can enhance the lives of Travellers, through forms of continuous professional development and the created of a national policy and practice framework.

Pengenalan Sumber Bacaan Sederhana Sebagai Sarana Peningkatan Literasi Baca Untuk Siswa SD

Reading literacy can be defined as a person's ability to understand, evaluate and use information contained in reading effectively. Reading literacy is an ability that must be familiarized from an early age. One of the factors that can improve reading literacy is the existence of simple reading resources that can be tailored to student needs. In this case, the role of parents, especially teachers, is very important to support students in reading activities. through this community service activity, the results obtained regarding the understanding of SDN 2 Bojongmenteng teachers increased. Teachers understand the types of simple reading materials that can improve students' reading literacy. From this activity, teachers are expected to be able to implement simple reading for students of SDN 2 Bojongmenteng.

A HOLISTIC INQUIRY INTO RISK COMMUNICATION DYNAMICS: YOUTH-LED INITIATIVES AND SOCIETAL ENGAGEMENT IN SURABAYA'S RURAL LANDSCAPES

The overarching aim of this community service program is to contribute significantly to the understanding of risk communication dynamics and its profound implications within broader societal contexts. Beyond mere dissemination of information, this initiative serves as a comprehensive study, delving into the intricate web of societal attitudes, perceptions, and the intricate pathways through which information traverses within communities. Central to this endeavor is the creation of educational videos geared towards enhancing community awareness, particularly targeting the youth in rural village settings. These videos, crafted by local youth in Surabaya, encapsulate not only informative content but also culturally nuanced messaging that resonates deeply with the intended audience. Methodologically, the program adopts a multifaceted approach. Firstly, it involves the online dissemination of educational materials, strategically targeting bustling areas in Surabaya, notably Petemon and Kaliasin. Secondly, it encompasses Focus Group Discussions with children, providing invaluable insights into their utilization of smartphone cameras and their perceptions of media content. Lastly, the program includes a hands-on video workshop, empowering children to actively participate in the creation of visual narratives, thereby fostering a sense of ownership and agency. The duration of the research spanned a comprehensive 15-day period, allowing for in-depth exploration and analysis of community dynamics and perceptions. The outcomes of these community engagement activities unveil nuanced layers of perception and understanding regarding COVID-19 prevention programs, particularly the government's vaccination efforts. Notably, there emerges a preference for peer-driven engagement, with individuals opting to involve those within their immediate social circles. Within this communal framework, the created videos serve as powerful tools, employing a blend of straightforward visual storytelling and everyday language to effectively communicate crucial messages, thereby fostering a sense of collective responsibility and empowerment within the community.

Pengembangan Potensi Petani Jagung Melalui Edukasi Budidaya Jagung Hibrida Di Desa Kesiut, Kabupaten Tabanan, Bali

Kesiut Village is located in the lowlands area of 266 hectares, with a population of 2,203 people. Most people in the village of Kesiut are corn farmer. The results of the conversation with the chief of the village of Kesiut on May 25, 2022, counseling and outreach were needed as well as direct demonstrations of how to cultivate hybrid corn to farmers in Kesiut Village. The activity was conducted for 3 months, from August 15 to November 17, 2022. The method of integrated community service activities is counseling. Activities carried out to educate how to grow hybrid corn, discuss problems and provide solutions related to hybrid corn cultivation. Initial interviews revealed that 60% of farmers rarely participated in agricultural training activities. Regarding crop failure experienced, 40% often experienced crop failure. The problem often faced by corn farmers in Kesiut Village is the management of downy mildew caused by Peronosclerospora spp. Based on questions by farmers in the activity, farmer in the village of Kesiut already have a basic understanding of hybrid corn cultivation. However, it is necessary to enrich their knowledge about good and correct cultivation techniques, especially seeds requirements, spacing, pest and disease control techniques. Farmers' response to this activity was very positive.

Socialization of Anti-Hoax Strategy for the Success of the 2024 Election in Desa Kesiman Petilan

General elections have become a worldwide phenomenon, where elections are the best way to ensure a peaceful transition of power because elections are a big national party that includes all people who have been registered as permanent voters, during the preparation period there are often hoax news about campaigns. This is because people still cannot distinguish what is true and what is not. The purpose of this community service is to try to invite all generations to help provide Anti-Hoax Strategy Socialization in the success of the 2024 Kesiman Petilan Village Election. The method used is an active participation method, especially socialization, socialization is a communication process carried out with active participation from two parties. This socialization provides an understanding to the people of Kesiman Petilan Village about the importance of conducting elections and reminds people to be more careful in using social media so as not to easily believe in hoax news. The results and conclusions of this socialization have made the public more aware of news spread on social media whose truth is not yet known, and the public has also become more participating in the 2024 election activities.

Building research capacity at a rural place-based community service organisation in southwest Victoria, Australia.

Building research capacity at a rural place-based community service organisation in southwest Victoria, Australia.

E-TuroMo: A Valuable Virtual Community Service Project for Schools Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced schools to adopt online teaching and other alternative delivery modes of education. Since this is an unforeseen happening, most learning institutions are not ready for this transition. This gives birth to a virtual community service project named “e-TuroMo.” In this paper, we describe the e-TuroMo project and assess its relevance. An open-ended questionnaire was distributed to gather feedback from the respondents. The project aims primarily to help schools as they try to shift from traditional classes to online teaching. It offers free services such as webinars for teachers, a course creator account on the e-TuroMo Moodle site, consultation, and technical assistance in establishing a Learning Management System (LMS). Through this project, 51 respondents have created initial online courses as an output of the webinars. Consultation sessions on online course design, delivery, and assessment were provided to some respondents. Two schools availed of technical assistance in the setup of their LMS. The respondents acknowledged the services offered by the project as timely, relevant, and valuable to their work as teachers. Overall, the results showed high admiration and approval for the project. Cost-effective software, efficient structuring of webinars based on literature, and a stable internet connection for both the organizer and participants are deemed essential when implementing a virtual community service project similar to this case.

Edukasi Penerapan Terapi Uap Sederhana dengan Minyak Kayu Putih di Posyandu Desa Karang Malang Puskesmas Gribig Kudus

This community service activity aims to provide education about the application of simple steam therapy with eucalyptus oil at the Karang Malang Village Posyandu, which is located in the Gribig Health Center area, Kudus. Steam therapy is one of the effective traditional treatment methods in relieving symptoms of respiratory disorders such as flu, cough, and cold. Eucalyptus oil was chosen because of its eucalyptol content which functions as a natural decongestant. The methods used in this activity include counseling and direct demonstrations to mothers who have children under five at the Posyandu. The educational material covers the benefits of steam therapy, how to make and use it, and the safety measures that must be considered. The results of this activity showed that participants understood the benefits and how to apply simple steam therapy with eucalyptus oil, and were able to apply it at home. This activity also succeeded in raising awareness of the importance of safe and effective traditional medicine in family health care. The conclusion of this activity is that education and live demonstrations are effective methods in improving people's knowledge and skills about simple steam therapy. The recommendation for the next activity is to expand the scope of this education to other villages and involve more health cadres to ensure the sustainability of the program.