This article documents how an MSW student in an introductory community practice course took her class assignment and over the course of two years revitalized, democratized, and transformed a sclerotic, corporate-run Home Owners Association (HOA). While the community analysis assignment required the student to interview six of her neighbors, the…

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major disruption in higher education, challenging universities to engage with community partners in unprecedented ways. Among them was an accelerated challenge to ways of engaging with surrounding communities and the resulting importance this holds for social change. A common approach has been for the university to…

Responding to an ongoing disconnect between higher education institutions (HEIs) and contemporary challenges communities face worldwide, universities can become a driving force to strengthen communities' capacity toward innovative solutions to the challenges they face. This article introduces an analytical framework that provides a roadmap to…

For some time now, the arts education community has designed for broader outcomes for youth. These programs intentionally foster not only youth achievements within the arts or academics, but also youth and community thriving--through outcomes such as youth civic engagement, occupational identities, and wellness. In this report, the authors seek to…

Servant Research is a new term to describe a framework for research that is grounded in social responsibility and humanistic principles and is designed to specifically and intentionally improve the lives of people and communities. Servant Research can be used to describe research that exists across many different research methodologies, settings,…

The role of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Human Capital Development (HCD) and Lifelong Learning (LLL) is more critical than ever in addressing the challenges of a rapidly changing world. These organisations bridge educational gaps, promote inclusivity, and empower individuals through innovative approaches to learning and employment. The…

This article is an ethnographic case study of the work of two activist groups in Kansas City, Missouri. It discusses how unhoused activists with the Kansas City Homeless Union, through their 13-month on-and-off occupation of city property, worked to reframe access in ways that moved toward what disability justice activists call collective access,…

Tina M. Ellsworth and Toni Gates center their article around stories of Black joy, agency, and resistance of Black Kansas Citians. Ellsworth and Gates' collaboration demonstrates how educators can effectively construct partnerships between schools and grassroots organizations. The authors of this piece will guide educators in ways to find local…

Secret societies and fraternal orders came to America with the arrival of the colonists, bringing ideals that influenced the founding of the United States. As the country grew and prospered, so did fraternal organizations, which exerted political influence, provided mutual aid for health and security to its members, and were instrumental in the…

Educators seek to foster civic engagement among the next generation through social studies. In pursuit of this goal, technology and social media strategies can be effective enticements. This article describes the community engagement demonstrated by students collaborating to present a weekly school news broadcast, making the transition from…

Service-learning is a valuable pedagogical practice for undergraduate students. It provides meaningful community engagement for students and assists in linking theory with practice. This article provides information regarding the planning, execution and outcomes of an undergraduate service-learning project conducted in a law enforcement class. A…

This piece documents the collaboration between a team of four University of Pennsylvania students and seven youth partners from across the Greater Philadelphia area who came together to discuss, understand, and take action toward civic issues impacting their communities. As youth arrived at the Civic Engagement Summer Program, a joint Philadelphia…

Is assessment a top-down bureaucratic mandate, an undertaking that seems to have little to do with improving practice, an inauthentic activity that frustrates and disempowers, an afterthought? Or is it a process embraced and enacted together by all stakeholders as a means to learn and grow and enact change in the world? The authors of the…

Adolescent youth participating in a summer writing workshop drew from funds of community wealth to answer youth-generated inquiry questions about history, political participation, and equity. By turning to community members as expert sources of knowledge, students deepened their inquiry, their connections to the local community, and their…

Engaging youth in citizen science projects has multiple benefits. Yet, numerous challenges, such as lack of alignment between project goal and youth interest, hinder youth wider engagement. In this paper, we suggest a model for engaging volunteers in facilitator roles, warranting positive outcomes for youth engagement in citizen science projects.…