University investment in not forprofit effectiveness to enhance practice education

Transcription

1 University investment in not forprofit effectiveness to enhance practice education Lesley Cooper Wilfrid Laurier University Canada and Janice Orrell Flinders University SA

2 The context Universities espouse an intent and a mission to engage with their communities and industry via research, education and service. Cross-sector conversations, building universitycommunity engagement, civic engagement, partnerships and reciprocal agreements are essential for quality practice education. We seek to develop models of partnerships with the NFP sector based on reciprocal relationships and mutual benefits that link educational improvement and community economic development.

3 The Question is What are the features of good and effective models of responsible and mature University and Community partnerships?

4 A Parable of Engagement

5 The Problem Human services are frequently asked to place students in the notfor-profit (NFP) sector for practice experiences. Many NFPs are lean, financially staved, lacking infrastructure and barely functioning as organizations. Staffing arrangements prevent workplace supervisors reaching a comparable standard to supervisors in other agencies. The outcome is insufficient placements opportunities for quality learning experiences. Quantity, quality and relevance are major concerns. NFP organisations complain that academic involvement is episodic, conducted by research-focused academics with inadequate understandings of NFP organizations or communities with whom they seek to place their students.

6 Who should carry the burden?

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8 Strategies for achieving mature responsible partnerships requires, Review of the philosophical nature and responsibilities of universities Consideration of strategic responsibilities of senior administration Appointment of senior leadership with responsibilities to manage relationships with NFPs; Alignment of community engagement mission with that for research and education Generating criteria for recognition of community engagement in tenure/promotion policies, Peer review similar to that of research and teaching, Ensuring research and teaching outreach are productively aligned to local communities.

9 Community engagement: are we all in this together? A cultural shift is required: Boyers : Scholarship Reconsidered advocated a move beyond traditional roles of modern universities to: go beyond discovery to integration and the connection across disciplines; application of new knowledge to be applied to the social issues of our times in a way that generates new theory and practice; a scholarship of teaching that not only transmitting knowledge but also reforms, transforms and extends it and integrates it in the scholarship of engagement. We are advocating for community engagement to address social and practice issues with partners on an ongoing basis (breaking down barriers, investing, capacity building in the university and the NFP) to enable long term change not just in the community but with the community beyond service to engagement and coproduction.

10 Academics View Point Adapted from Report of Community Engaged Scholarship in Health Professions 2005 See references) Teaching community based teaching, practice based learning, service learning Research Community based participatory research, practice base research Service Community service, academic professional practice, community oriented care

11 Student Affairs, student learning in community Education Engaged academic units and practice based education Engaged university and community partnerships Research grounded in community research opportunities External Relations with alumni, funders, foundations, donors, and communities

12 Dimensions of an engaged Relationship What are the dimensions of this engagement? Mission of the university Philosophy of Community Engagement Purpose of community engagement Institutional commitment and leadership Supportive Infrastructure, Policy and procedures Student engagement Academic engagement

13 Mission of the university Community, and community engagement are valued in the mission; some universities have this as part of their charter (University Act), universities Strategic vision and objectives that values reciprocity and the importance of the community in knowledge development and in professional education

14 Philosophy of Community Engagement A shared vision that is supported by local leaders. Underscored by professional ethics and commitments (do no harm and do good; be careful of paternalism) A commitment to long term engagement with the community. Opportunities for adaption and flexibility Power differentials between the university and the community are attended to. Reciprocity Trust building Co-production of knowledge Capacity building

15 Purposes of community engagement Advancement of student learning Engagement of students in civic life as volunteers Involvement of external organizations in educating for practice especially in professional programs Community determined priorities or client based concerns Contributions by the university and the community in new knowledge production with an anticipated value for both partners Curriculum transformation as new professional/societal problems emerge and are incorporated into theory and practice

16 Institutional commitment and leadership Provide direction, leadership and outreach in the management of partnerships Assembly of a strong, mission focused university leadership team Generation of authentic, evidence-based, outcomes focused frameworks, policy and procedures for mature university community partnerships A strategic approach in which teaching, research, student services, athletics and advancement and alumni relations are coordinated and partnerships leveraged Initial/primary focus on partnerships which flow on to individual academic and community work Leadership in local and regional activities and to engage relevant faculty and community Foster social inclusion Provide training on capacity building in the sector to enable them to respond to complex issues Strengthen knowledge and resources to foster social entrepreneurship within the institution and externally

17 Infrastructure, Policy & Procedures Infrastructure A university community advisory committee to oversee engagement and based on philosophy Provision of university facilities and general public access and use of space for community events Tangible and explicit contributions from the university and donors Incentive grants for faculty to enable them to engage with community in research or capacity building Provision of personnel to undertake coordination of resources for supporting engagement activities Mechanisms for dissemination of knowledge

18 Infrastructure, Policy & Procedures cont.. Policy Recruitment and retention of community engaged faculty Tenure and promotion policies that reward engagement; A peer review process to assess the quality of faculty outreach Community engagement co-equal to research and teaching Recognition of community-engaged scholarship through awards and assistance in research, publicity, Policies to ensure systematic evaluations of community engaged activities Provision of Honorary Higher degrees for community partners

19 Infrastructure, Policy & Procedures cont.. Procedures University community engaged audit to identify areas of strength and weaknesses Curriculum flexibility to enable modification to facilitate community requirements and input Measurement of the success of engagement at an institutional level Intentional management of internal barriers that prevent development of good partnerships (e.g. payments of accounts, ethics reviews)

20 Student Engagement Involvement in a community of practice to enable development of professional skills and competencies Opportunities for learning practice inside and outside the classroom (little or no separation) so that theory and practice are enhanced reciprocally Engagement in high risk activity, problem based, critically reflective and self evaluating Student exposure to challenging practice with hard to reach groups (marginal populations) Students learn to become engaged and informed citizens Development of leadership skills with an understanding of team work and multidisciplinary, inter-professional collaboration

21 Academic Engagement Use of academic and professional expertise in community engaged research Outreach scholarship Practice and theoretical knowledge generation and transformation Established engagement between the academic activities and university mission and community activities Formation of pathways for long-term commitment to community engagement through research and education

22 A new parable

23 References Calleson, D. C., Jordan, C., & Seifer, S. D. (2005).The scholarship of community engagement: Is faculty work in communities a true academic enterprise? Academic Medicine, 80(4), Gill, S.K. (2012) Higher Education and Community Engagement Innovative Practices and Challenges across ASEAN and Asia. Higher Education and Community Engagement (p31-41). Gill S K, Gajaseni N (Eds). Higher Education & Community Engagement: Innovative Practices and Challenges Across ASEAN and Asia Penerbit UKM: Bangi. Goggins Gregory A, Howard D (2009) The Non-Profit Starvation Cycle. Stanford Social Innovation Review. Fall Savage, M (2013) Campus, Community and Progress: The Way Forward. Address To the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, February 20, 2013 Delta Ottawa City Centre Hotel. Characterising modes of university engagement with wider society, A literature review and survey of best practice.final Report, 10th June Office of the Pro- Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) Newcastle University Newcastle upon Tyne United Kingdom Report of the Commission on Community-Engaged Scholarship in the Health Professions. Commission on Community-Engaged Scholarship in the Health Professions. Linking Scholarship and Communities: Seattle: Community-Campus Partnerships for Health, 2005.