Community Engagement Project Research Articles

Instagram vs reality: Exploring local culture through various lenses

Rather than viewing online and face-to-face learning as two dichotomous domains (Kessler, 2018), this study seeks to explore ways that social media can be used to support and facilitate face-to-face exploration and communication in target language environments. It also aims to help English language learners improve their ability to critically evaluate social media by exploring a local community through a critical lens. This study applied the concept of “social media pathways” (authors, 2024) through an experiential learning model to integrate an authentic social networking site, Instagram, into an ESL curriculum for a community engagement project promoting a deeper and multifaceted understanding of the target language community. This study employed qualitative method approach, including seven international students’ reflections, a post-task questionnaire, and focus-group interview data, to investigate how the assumptions made from social media compare with observations made in the field. The findings were then used to establish a “Model for Community Exploration within Virtual and Face-to-face Contexts” that adds to the experiential learning framework the additional stages of experimentation, reflection, and new conceptualization that take place when learners use social media to form assumptions about a community and then use in-person exploration to test those hypotheses.

Using Social Media to Recruit Participants in Health Care Research: Case Study.

This paper presents a case study describing the use of social media, specifically Facebook and Instagram, as a valuable tool for recruiting participants in community-engaged health care studies. Drawing on the experiences of our team during a qualitative study aiming to understand the needs of Indigenous fathers and Two-Spirit parents as they transition to parenthood, we offer an in-depth exploration of our social media recruitment strategy. This strategy encompasses deliberate content creation and online engagement with local Indigenous community organizations and people. Through the implementation of this recruitment strategy, we successfully recruited 18 Indigenous fathers and 4 Two-Spirit parents to our community-engaged project. We learned that social media can be used to enhance recruitment by building community trust, engagement, tailored content for specific audiences, and adaptive strategies guided by data metrics provided by social media platforms. Our journey included several challenges, such as dealing with fraudulent participants, navigating budget and resource constraints, and facing recruitment limitations, which we also describe in detail. Our paper provides essential insights for researchers considering the use of social media as a recruitment tool but we are unsure of how to begin. Health care researchers may find our experience and recommendations helpful for developing and implementing their own effective social media recruitment strategy. Meanwhile, sharing our experience contributes to the broader understanding of the role of social media in participant recruitment.

Construction of Greenhouse for Horticultural Cultivation with Soil Media and Hydroponics

Theneral background greenhouse technology is increasingly recognized as an efficient solution for sustainable agricultural practices, especially in regions with limited fertile land. Specific background In Kedungpeluk Village, where the majority of residents work as fish farmers, there are also unused and arid lands. These underutilized spaces provide an opportunity for greenhouse-based horticultural cultivation using soil media and hydroponic technology. Knowledge gap however, limited knowledge and infrastructure have prevented local farmers from effectively utilizing these lands for sustainable crop production. Aims this community engagement project aims to build and utilize a greenhouse system to cultivate horticultural plants, focusing on optimizing both soil and hydroponic methods. Results the project successfully transformed barren land into productive greenhouses that facilitate the growth of tomatoes, chilies, eggplants, pak choy, and water spinach. The greenhouse structure, designed with transparent roofing, enhances sunlight exposure, promoting optimal plant growth. Both soil and hydroponic methods showed potential for increasing crop yields, with soil cultivation being more flexible but requiring extra care for pests, while hydroponics provided faster results with minimal weed and pest interference. Novelty this project introduces a dual-method approach combining traditional soil cultivation with modern hydroponic technology in a controlled greenhouse environment. Implications the findings highlight that greenhouse farming is a viable, modern agricultural solution for rural communities, offering increased productivity and quality crops, while also addressing the challenges of limited fertile land and changing climate conditions. This project serves as a model for sustainable agriculture in similar settings. Highlights: Dual-method approach: Combining soil and hydroponic techniques in a greenhouse. Efficient land use: Transforming unused arid land for productive horticulture. Controlled environment: Optimizing plant growth through sunlight, temperature, and humidity control. Keywords: Greenhouse, Horticulture, Soil Media, Hydroponics, Sustainable Agriculture

Online and Remote Community-Engaged Facilitation: Pedagogical and Ethical Considerations and Commitments

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many community-engaged practitioners struggled with how to meaningfully and ethically build, maintain or sustain relationships, partnerships, or community-engaged projects, amidst mass upheaval, loss, and uncertainty. Prior to the pandemic, workshops, meetings or community events happened in community drop-ins, social service organizations, or in neighbourhood meeting places. Due to social distancing restrictions, these physical environments abruptly changed to online meeting and messaging applications, phone, and even postal mail. This drastically impacted how community-engaged practitioners approached their facilitation work with communities. This rapid shift also amplified many ethical complexities, like privacy and confidentiality, equitable access, and safety, for those facilitating workshops or programs in non-profit, community-based and participatory research contexts. This article explores findings from a participatory study on how community-engaged practitioners (i.e., community artists, community facilitators, participatory researchers, and participatory visual methods practitioners) across Canada adapted their facilitation approaches to online or remote platforms in the context of COVID-19. We briefly describe our process of doing participatory research online during a pandemic and share findings on how community-engaged practitioners articulated the ethical commitments they brought to their facilitation practice as well as pedagogical and ethical considerations identified for online or remote (i.e., phone, mail) community-engaged facilitation. We conclude by offering reflections on what might be gleaned about online and remote community-engaged facilitation for the present moment. We hope that this article - and the illustrations enclosed - will serve as a guide for emerging and established community-engaged practitioners to reflect on their ‘how and why’ of facilitation when working with and alongside communities for social change.

Iowa’s Integrated Data System for Decision-Making (I2D2): a collaborative approach for responsible and relevant use of population data

Integrated data systems (IDS) bring together people, processes, and priorities in a disciplined approach to generate evidence about child and family needs and service system gaps. In response to pressure for more efficiently coordinated early childhood services, Iowa built an IDS as a collaborative effort between university researchers and government leaders. Iowa’s Integrated Data System for Decision-Making (I2D2) includes an engaged governance approach that has received national attention as a model for ensuring federal and state priorities direct the work, rigorous scientific standards are used, and community engaged users have access to the information they need when they need it. This presentation will describe I2D2’s governance and technology solutions and provide examples of cyclical, community-engaged projects that have informed program improvement. Multi-stage integration protocols ensure individual records from disparate systems in health, education, child welfare, and workforce are accurately matched within a process that attends to equity. Dissemination processes within communities of practitioners, executive leaders, and researchers ensure findings are relevant and used to drive strategic planning. Public facing dashboards and interactive applications display prioritized indicators and support improved data literacy and common language across partner groups. Examples of use will be discussed including the evolution of a statewide strategic planning process using integrated data indicators, evidence-based expansion of home visiting programming to meet the needs of underserved families, and support for sustainable childcare businesses through the availability of real-time vacancy, supply, and demand data and easy to access applications for families to find available care when they need it.

Examining the perception, frequency, and intensity of domestic violence inflicted by Palestinian wives against their husbands

This study examines domestic violence perpetrated by wives against husbands in Palestine, utilizing structured interviews with 53 married participants. Findings reveal prevalent female-perpetrated domestic violence, often involving mutual conflict initiation. External stressors and power dynamics significantly influence behaviors, reflecting situational pressures and control issues. Verbal abuse and emotional manipulation are widespread, indicating covert and challenging violence dynamics. Responses to violence vary, suggesting barriers to accessing support systems. Effective conflict resolution is crucial to address ongoing relationship challenges. The study underscores the multifaceted nature of domestic violence, emphasizing the need to address underlying psychological factors and promote healthier relationship dynamics. Based on the study's findings, actionable recommendations include educational outreach, customized support services, legal advocacy initiatives, community engagement projects, professional development activities, and sustained research efforts to promote positive societal change.

Examining the Impact of Community Engagement Projects as Incentives for Teacher Professional Development

Examining the Impact of Community Engagement Projects as Incentives for Teacher Professional Development

Enhancing community engagement, public involvement, and social capital through researchers’ participation in community dance projects: unexpected outcomes in underserved communities

BackgroundThe Dance and Health project aimed to promote public involvement in health research. Public involvement leads worked with project partner community groups, Aakash Odedra Dance Company and Moving Together, to develop a community engagement project with people living in low-socioeconomic areas/deprivation and diverse ethnic minority groups. Dance and Health included a weekly 60-min dance class and 30 min of facilitated health science discussion, that could either be a public involvement discussion for a research project, an activity about a particular biomedical research theme or ongoing discussions with a visiting researcher. The goal of this paper is to explore the impact of the Dance and Health project on the social capital of participants and provide key learnings on how to engage and build partnerships with people from underserved groups in health research contexts.MethodsQualitative interviews and focus groups were completed which explored participant and dance tutor experiences in community venues. Participants were aged between 22 and 90, most were female and were from Asian ethnic minority groups and White British groups living in deprived neighbourhoods in Leicester. Qualitative data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe responses to the Dance and Health project were positive across all the focus groups. Central themes identified were Feedback on the Project, Motivation to Exercise, Criticism of the NHS, Mental Wellbeing, Engagement in a Post Pandemic New Normal, Accessibility and Inclusivity, Empowerment and Building Social Capital.DiscussionThe focus groups evidenced that the project had broad impact. Participants expressed empowerment and ownership and described a range of social capital enrichment generated through the project including networks and friendships, access to the institutional resource of health science, and the opportunity to engage with a health and leisure activity that was valued and meaningful.

Groupwork with disadvantaged communities in North West, Lokaleng village in South Africa- social responsibility

North West University has in its many community engagement endeavours and projects developed a “We deliver” project to give back to the community as part of its social responsibility initiative. The department of social work used this platform to advance self-help, education, mutual aid, social relief and general development within the community. Generalist approach of Kirst-Ashman, (2002) was particularly used which incorporated multiple levels of intervention. Attempts at improving the life of the disadvantaged involves imparting of knowledge about the manifestation of social problems like poverty, unemployment and self-defeating behaviours like teenage pregnancy, teenage alcohol abuse and drug misuse. Social group work as one of the primary methods was used to reach the community through learners focusing on empowerment and skilling. The latter was provided by the relevant stakeholder Department of Social Development (DSD). The target group which served as a link to the community was high school learners in Lokaleng Village near Mafikeng, North West Province. The results were shared with the leaders of the community who served as gatekeepers and who will ensure sustainability. Keywords: group work, community, disadvantaged, social responsibility, sustainability

Reviewing Co-creation Method in the Context of Visual Arts Co-creation: A Case Study of Usungan Parade Project

In this paper, co-creation through visual art as a form of community engagement is explored and discussed through its definition, origin, method, practice, context, and potential. The Usungan Parade co-creation project at a khatam al-Quran event in Kabong, Sarawak, East Malaysia served as a case study through a qualitative analysis to explore the experiences and interpretations of the community related to the co-creation phenomenon. The study was conducted through participant observation and interviews with a sample drawn from heads of families, usungan craftsmen, and audience members. Six factors were identified in this community engagement project using the co-creation model. Then we elaborated how the participants interpreted the value of co-creation obtained from their activities. The objective was to build a strong argument for an in-depth study of implementing co-creation in a particular community. This research found that co-creation can contribute to reducing the gaps between those who can produce art and society, especially through the participation of ‘non-art affiliated’ communities and artistic excellence.

Pelatihan Inovasi Pembelajaran Berbasis Permainan Edukatif untuk Meningkatkan Karakter Siswa Sekolah Dasar

This activity explores the development and implementation of “Moral Quests,” an educational game designed to enhance the character development of elementary school students at SD Inpres Sero by adapting Indonesian folklore. The significance of this community engagement project lies in creating an innovative educational tool that instills moral values in young learners—an essential aspect of their holistic development. The topic is highly relevant as it leverages cultural heritage, specifically Indonesian folktales, to make learning engaging and meaningful. The community engagement project employs a participatory approach, involving teachers, students, and community members during the design and implementation phases to ensure cultural relevance and educational effectiveness. The methodology includes storytelling, interactive games, and character-building activities to achieve its objectives. The results demonstrate a significant improvement in students’ understanding and application of core moral values such as honesty, responsibility, and respect. These findings underscore the potential of culturally adapted educational games in nurturing desired character traits among young learners. In conclusion, this project emphasizes the importance of integrating cultural elements into educational tools to enhance their impact and relevance, pointing toward a positive future for character development.

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SCIENCE

With the changing IT landscape and shifts in user needs, there is a massive need for a curriculum for education in library and information science that could stay updated and dynamic. This paper would try to propose a basic framework for curricula that would imbibe within its core competencies information management, digital literacy, and critical thinking, as well as house or embrace these emerging trends related to data science, artificial intelligence, and open access. The main emphasis areas are a mix of theoretical foundations and practical applications that may offer ample opportunities for hands-on learning through internships, community engagement, and collaborative projects in preparing graduates to serve diverse populations, advocate for information equity, and pay attention to the evolving roles of libraries in society. The development process of the curriculum involves stakeholders-the academic professional and the practitioner or expert, and the community members-ensuring that it will reflect and respond to the needs of the field. In so doing, by promoting a culture of lifelong learning and innovation, this curriculum should prepare future information professionals for the landscape of the future of library and information services. This approach, therefore, shall not only improve the education experience of LIS students but also add value to this evolving pattern wherein libraries shall be at the centre of knowledge, culture, and community endeavours

Tuluyang Bahaginan: A Community Engagement Project Assessment as Basis for Continuous Improvement

Tuluyang Bahaginan: A Community Engagement Project Assessment as Basis for Continuous Improvement

Recipe for a scenario: Moving from vision to actionable pathways towards sustainable futures

In this paper we present an overview of future-oriented research in sustainability science and place-based research and offer a tool for researchers and community partners to use to guide participatory scenario planning activities that result in actionable steps toward achieving sustainable futures. Within place-based community-engaged research projects, future-oriented methods, such as visioning and participatory scenario planning, have been increasingly utilized as an approach to integrate diverse voices and foster positive change. However, this emerging literature contains some overlapping concepts and approaches that require clarification before adoption. We review common definitions of scenarios, visions, and participatory scenario planning; benefits and challenges of conducting a participatory scenario planning process in place-based research; and three actionable frameworks (Three Horizons, Nature Futures Framework, Sustainable Futures Scenarios) that can inform participatory scenario planning. We then highlight gaps in the literature regarding how to conduct a participatory scenario planning process and introduce a tool named “Recipe for a Scenario” to guide the facilitation of scenarios workshops and co-create actionable pathways towards desirable futures. Our tool (and accompanying workbook that structures a scenarios workshop) supports cross-disciplinary community-engaged projects focused on bringing about positive change in a medium-term timeframe (approximately 20 years) to support more sustainable human-environment dynamics.

University students facilitating hip hop in a community engagement project: experiences and perceptions

ABSTRACT Hip hop is the most popular music in the US and remains on the fringes of the music education profession as both under-integrated, researched, and utilised. The purpose of this project was to investigate the experiences and perceptions of undergraduate music students who facilitated a hip hop project with hip hop experts in a local youth arts organisation located in the southeastern region of the US. As a qualitative investigation, analysis of these data revealed four themes associated with undergraduate music student experiences, which included (1) adaptability, (2) connection, (3) discomfort, and (4) impact. These data suggest direct influences on participant understandings related to hip hop with implications for the field of music education to include hip hop experiences in democratic and learner-led classrooms.

Community engagement around scrub typhus in northern Thailand: a pilot project.

Scrub typhus is highly endemic in northern Thailand yet awareness and knowledge are low. We developed a community engagement project to improve awareness in communities at risk of contracting scrub typhus. We conducted a series of engagement sessions with healthcare workers and community health volunteers so they would, in turn, engage with their communities. We evaluated our activities by assessing the increase in scrub typhus knowledge, using a series of Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. Three to 6 months after the sessions, participants were followed up to collect their experiences training community members. Of 134 participants who took part in eight sessions, 87.3% were community health volunteers. Disease knowledge increased substantially after the sessions and was well maintained for up to 5 mo. Satisfaction was high and, through participant feedback, engagement materials were improved to be more useful to the communities. People with higher education had higher scores and retention. Community engagement was shown to be an effective tool to develop and carry out health-promoting activities in a culturally and context-appropriate manner.

Working on needs assessment of youths and subsequently developing curriculum for leadership development initiatives

In contemporary society, addressing the evolving needs of youth is paramount for fostering resilient, empowered, and capable leaders of tomorrow. The process begins with a comprehensive needs assessment, which serves as the cornerstone for developing effective curriculum tailored to their unique requirements. This review delves into the intricate process of conducting a needs assessment for youths and subsequently crafting a curriculum for leadership development initiatives. A needs assessment for youths entails a multifaceted approach that encompasses various dimensions of their lives. It involves understanding their socio-economic background, educational aspirations, career goals, interpersonal skills, and community involvement. By employing qualitative and quantitative research methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observation, stakeholders gain insights into the diverse needs, challenges, and aspirations of youths within their specific context. Upon completion of the needs assessment, the gathered data serve as the foundation for designing a targeted curriculum for youth leadership development. The curriculum aims to address identified gaps and empower youths with essential skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for leadership roles. It integrates elements such as communication skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, teamwork, and cultural competency, tailored to the developmental stage and cultural background of the target audience. The curriculum development process involves collaboration among educators, youth advocates, community leaders, and relevant stakeholders to ensure its relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability. It follows a systematic approach, including curriculum design, implementation strategies, resource identification, and evaluation methods. The curriculum is designed to be interactive, experiential, and engaging, fostering active participation and ownership among youths. Key components of the curriculum include leadership theories, self-awareness exercises, goal setting, conflict resolution techniques, ethical decision-making, community engagement projects, and mentorship opportunities. It embraces a holistic approach that nurtures youths' personal, academic, and professional growth while instilling values of social responsibility and civic engagement. The curriculum is adaptable and responsive to the evolving needs and dynamics of youths and their communities. Regular assessments and feedback mechanisms enable continuous improvement and refinement, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness over time, the curriculum is designed to be inclusive, accommodating the diverse backgrounds, abilities, and perspectives of all participants. Working on needs assessment for youths and subsequently developing a curriculum for leadership development initiatives is a multifaceted and dynamic process. It requires a deep understanding of youths' aspirations, challenges, and contexts, coupled with collaboration, innovation, and adaptability. By empowering youths with the necessary skills and opportunities, such initiatives contribute to building a generation of capable, empathetic, and visionary leaders poised to address the challenges of the future.

Community Engagement in Health Promotion: Results from a Realist Multiple Case Study

Community engagement (CE) has long been endorsed by policy makers and health practitioners. However, uncertainties remain about the workings and outcomes of CE. This study aims to provide in-depth insights into them. In a multiple case study, we investigated three participatory health promotion projects for families in vulnerable situations in the Netherlands. We adopted a realist approach combined with a theory of change (ToC) model. We then analysed the qualitative data for context–mechanism–outcome (CMO) configurations to refine this ToC. Results show that CE can strengthen social networks, empower families, and increase perceived health. However, specific contexts in combination with CE project approaches may or may not trigger positive responses. Participants may feel that they matter when asked to actively contribute to a project, which in turn can enhance their self-confidence. In another context, we found that families were overwhelmed by the responsibilities given to them in the project, leading to feelings of stress and withdrawal from the project. We present a list of CMO configurations and refine the ToC accordingly. Our main conclusion is that flexibility is key when CE is implemented in health promotion. Also, our findings question physical health outcomes as a realistic ambition for CE projects with groups in vulnerable situations.

Student Dropout: The Case of Government Schools in South Ethiopia Region

Attainment of targets set to control dropout was by far behind in the government schools in Ethiopia. Thus, this study was designed in order to address student dropout experienced in the study area. The study employed mixed research method and parallel convergent design. Data were collected from students, teachers, parents and related stakeholders. The quantitative data were analyzed using mean, independent samples t-test and pearson’s correlation, whereas the qualitative ones through narration. The study revealed that the overall dropout status was moderate yet varying with the types of the community’s economic activity. Factors of dropout among the pastoralist community and that of agrarian and cash crop production areas also vary accordingly. Thus, developing community engagement project involving essential collaborators was suggested for intervening with the challenges identified. Further rigorous studies need also be conducted to intensify and scale up the impact.

Nurturing Natural Beauty: Empowering MAN 1 Model Bengkulu's Female Students with Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) Cosmetics Crafting Workshop

Introduction: The use of lipstick, blush-on, and various colored cosmetic products is highly popular among teenage girls. However, the adverse effects of hazardous colorants in cosmetics include respiratory irritations, skin irritations, eye injuries, gastrointestinal toxicity, and carcinogenic properties. Red Dragon Fruit contains a significant amount of red anthocyanin antioxidants, making it a viable natural colorant for food, cosmetics, and textiles. This community engagement project aimed to enhance the understanding of teenage girls, especially students of MAN 1 Model City of Bengkulu, regarding illegal cosmetics containing harmful and prohibited ingredients. It also aimed to improve the girls' skills in crafting natural Lip Tint and Blush-On preparations from Red Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus Polyrhizus), promoting a return to nature in cosmetic choices. This initiative was expected to inspire creative ideas among teenagers for designing alternative economic activities centered on producing natural and halal cosmetics made from herbal ingredients. Methods: The project involved educational and awareness-raising activities about the dangers of forbidden cosmetic ingredients, followed by workshops on making Lip Tint and Blush-On formulations. These workshops were led by faculty members from the School of Medicine and the School of Pharmacy, with assistance from students of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Bengkulu. Results: Evaluation results showed that workshop participants experienced a 63.2% increased in knowledge and gained the ability to independently create Lip Tint and Blush-On products from red dragon fruit. Conclusion: The workshop successfully produced natural Lip Tint and Blush On and the project also heightened the students' interest in the Pharmacy Program.