University-Community Engagement: Empowering the Community

Abstract

University-community engagement is a critical process responsive to the needs of the
community. It encompasses a wide range of practices including service learning, civic
education, community-based leadership and university-community partnerships with the interest
in sustaining the long-term viability and health of the community. Empowering communities
through community engagement requires inclusive decision making, accountability evaluation,
maximum community involvement and assessment of economic issues that impact critical
health issues. On the other hand, key factors in building and strengthening effective community
partnership include time investment, appropriate listening skills, equitable treatment of
community and research skills sets, engagement goals, task identification, task assignment, and
project monitoring. It is vital to engage communities as valuable members in the community
engagement process and build stable infrastructure within the communities ensure their
capacities to participate. Methods for engaging the community include focus groups, key
informant interviews, community forums, surveys, and community resource inventories. The
university can offer a wealth of educational and professional resources to establish uniform
community engagement practices to facilitate coalition building and engage constituents in
creative problem solving. Effective university-community engagement can significantly impact
community growth and quality of life; and contribute to the health, educational, social, and
economic development of the community and sustainability of engagement efforts