As educators, CBL helps us connect academic content to the social realities that shape our students’ lives and communities.

Join us in reading��. This recent publication encompasses current literature, practices, and practitioners’ experiences around curricular community engagement.

Together we will:

• Build solidarity and strengthen connections with colleagues.
• Gain new perspectives on community engagement, including framing and grounding the work, best practices, institutional support, and more.
• Articulate the value of community engagement as a high-impact practice that is transformational for students, faculty, and the communities we live and work in.
• Develop ideas that enhance our teaching and learning.
• Discuss how we can tackle the challenges and concerns of integrating CBL into our classes.

About the Book

This timely book addresses assumptions and challenges inherent within community engagement as a catalyst for developing students’ sense of civic responsibility at a time of rampant social polarization.

Promoting academic development and life skills through the high-impact practice of service-learning, the book explores a new ecological framework for reflecting on and improving practice. This book describes new models such as the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps, offers advice on coalition building, and presents the narratives of community-engaged professionals and faculty, offering a sense both of tensions inherent in this work and examples of initiatives in local contexts. Chapters primarily reflect on what action is required for fulfilling our public purpose and what’s holding us back.

This book provides guidance, examples, and benchmarks for best practices in community engagement that are particularly relevant to this time of crises and unrest and will be relevant to community-engaged professionals, higher education faculty, and college administrators.

С��è��ý Students, Staff and Faculty are invited to join in a casual book club, reading Deepa Iyer’s��.

During Spring Term, the book club will provide multiple opportunities for deeper discussion around Iyer’s Social Change Ecosystem Framework. Participants are welcome to attend as their schedule allows. Free copies of the book will be mailed to registrants (while supplies last).

About the Book

Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection, Deepa Iyer’s heartfelt offering to individuals and groups seeking to initiate or deepen their actions in service to social change values. Relying on two decades of work supporting social movements, Iyer introduces a new approach called the social change ecosystem framework, which includes a map of ten roles, from visionary to storyteller to disrupter to experimenter, as well as practices to identify values and strengthen our social change ecosystems. Over the past three years, people and organizations around the world have used the framework to respond to the pandemic, express solidarity during the uprisings against anti-Black racism, and support multiracial coalitions struggling for reproductive rights, immigrant and refugee protections, and climate justice.

Social Change Now goes well beyond presenting ideas and frameworks. It’s also a practical guide that contains detailed descriptions and real-world examples, reflection prompts (with room to write responses), and accessible tips that can immediately be put into action. Social Change Now is a resource that will accompany individuals and organizations not only in times of crisis, but throughout their lifelong social change journeys to build connected communities and equitable systems in our world.

Give your students the opportunity to learn more about themselves and the course you’re teaching by partnering in a unique way with the Learning Garden. Each student who participates will be introduced to the essential human practice of seed-saving and connect this with relevant concepts such as sovereignty, nutrition, beauty, statistics, horticulture, and more. Building on this foundation students will be guided through the research process necessary to discover their own personal connections to seed saving through cultural documents and/or interviews with living seed savers.

At every step, faculty and students will be supported by the learning garden coordinator and the program coordinator for community based learning at С��è��ý. Together, we will work closely with students, facilitating district-wide connections if needed, to ensure student success and the timely completion of deliverables.

Students who successfully complete a Seed Story project will be invited to apply for a year-long, paid internship working with the Learning Garden and select Community Partners. During this year-long commitment students will elect two of their culturally significant plants to grow at С��è��ý for seed, while collecting seed stories for our project partners. As a capstone to the year’s work students will share seeds with Community Partners and bring the seed stories back to share with the С��è��ý community using a method that compliments their initial presentation.

Faculty from any discipline who are interested in this pilot year of the Seed Story Project are invited to register . Funding will be available for Instructors who work with CBL Faculty Coordinators to develop curriculum modules around Seed Stories projects.

As you prepare for the upcoming Fall 2021 term, the CBL Program has provided this . Here is a brief snapshot:

For Instructors who want to offer in person community engagement

The Community-Based Learning Program will be supporting a limited number of instructors who choose to offer in person community engagement activities as part of a CBL assignment/project. Instructors who responded to our survey and expressed interest in offering in person community engagement activities, will be receiving specific invitation/information about setting up their Fall courses for Community-Based Learning.

For Instructors who will only offer remote community engagement

Instructors may continue to offer remote community engagement activities that do not include any face-to-face interactions. In order to maintain a low risk of exposure to COVID-19, students must not be in direct or close contact with individuals outside of their immediate household. If this applies to your Fall plans, please complete this��.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns! As always, if you need assistance with developing your CBL component, the��CBL Faculty Coordinators are available for individual consultation.

As a program, we recognize the need to critically examine the origins and practice of curricular community engagement. This year, CBL will be focused on expanding our knowledge sources, unlearning colonial mindsets, and being in a community with one another remotely.

As we challenge ourselves to radically reimagine what community-based learning pedagogy looks like at С��è��ý, we invite you to join us in this process!

CBL Professional Learning Community

An opportunity for faculty seeking to stay engaged and current in CBL/the community engagement field. Join faculty from across the district in exploring current topics related to this high-impact practice.

Our 2020-21 PLC focus:��Examining the Elements of CBL

• Air: Breathing life into our stories and counter-narratives.
• Fire: Keeping the Fire Burning: Sustaining Our Practice/Passion for Social and Racial Justice
• Water: Critically Reflective Practitioner: Our Individual Biographies and Social Change
• Land: Decolonizing CBL: Understanding the foundations of our pedagogy and practice

Each element contains:

• Knowledge sources in a variety of formats (readings, podcasts, webinars, etc…)
• Resources for developing specific CBL components for your course
• Resources for implementation around environmental and racial justice issue areas
  • Place-based community partners and/or projects
  • Course assignment examples and brainstorming
• Virtual community gatherings that will provide space for reflection, discussion, and connection.

CBL 101: Education and Community in Practice

• Friday, November 20, 11am-12:30pm
• Participants will also have 1 hour of individual consultation with a CBL Faculty Coordinator.
• This course assists instructors in understanding the core concepts of community-based learning as a pedagogical technique. It provides a sociological and philosophical context regarding CBL. It offers guidance and practice in developing assignments and assessments for CBL, framing the CBL experience for students, identifying community needs, and connecting with the community partner.

CBL Professional Development Calendar

View our�� calendar for an up-to-date list of events, workshops, webinars, and conferences related to community-based learning and community engagement.

Typically we end each Academic year by gathering to celebrate and recognize our Community of Practice. This year, we wanted to find a way to do that while we are working and learning remotely. We’ve put together a to highlight the efforts of our Faculty, Students, and Community Partners. This slide deck does not come anywhere close to replicating the joy and camaraderie of our in person celebrations. It is simply a way to recognize our individual and collective efforts during this unprecedented time.

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended every aspect of the way we teach, learn, and engage in community. We know that it takes very intentional work to develop and integrate community-based learning. There are always external factors that make implementation “messy,” challenging, or, for many instructors this Spring, nearly impossible. Yet, there were many faculty who pivoted to virtual CBL – in part because of their strong relationships with community partners and/or previous online CBL projects/assignments!

To all of our С��è��ý Faculty, we want to reiterate that the effort it takes to prepare a high impact community-based learning assignment is never time or energy wasted. While the output may vary from term to term, the path to get there is still worth taking. We hope you can see it as an opportunity to unravel an old garment and reweave your own teaching philosophy and practice into something that fits you now, in this moment. Engaging in this kind of inner and outer work requires us to be critically reflective with ourselves and the education systems with which we work. This is meaningful and important work that must be prioritized.

The CBL Program will continue to support you and offer opportunities for professional development. We are re-envisioning what community-based learning at С��è��ý needs to be in order to truly acknowledge and address the systemic inequities that have a disproportionately negative impact on our BIPOC students, faculty, staff, and communities. We hope you will join us during the 2020-2021 academic year!

As you are shifting focus to Spring courses, we wanted to update you on the newest instructional policy for community-based learning.��Any community engagement activities required to complete a community-based learning assignment/project must be 100% virtual/online. This is in line with the decision made to not allow other experiential learning (Coop Ed, Clinicals, and Internships) to run unless there was a way to do it remotely.

We understand that this will impact many of you who were planning on incorporating opportunities to collaborate with mutual aid groups, neighbors, and/or NGOs providing essential services. It is important to consider if virtual/online community engagement is a good fit for your course at this time.

Please let us know the status of the CBL component for your Spring 2020 course(s)��here��or by emailing��hannah.cherry@pcc.edu.

For those of you who are able to incorporate virtual/online community engagement, the Community-Based Learning Program is here to support you.

• 1-on-1 assistance
  • �ճ����CBL Team is available for brainstorming, community partner connections, and other CBL-related support
  • ��what kind of assistance you need for virtual/online community engagement
• Updated Online Resources
  • , including the page for Distance Learning and Virtual Volunteering
• Connecting with community partners for virtual/online community engagement
  • Let us know your community engagement ideas and we can put a call out to community partners or help search for existing opportunities
  • ���پ�������������to search for virtual/online community needs and opportunities for collaboration

Now is a good time to reach out and connect with our С��è��ý CBL Community of Practice. Our�� is one way to share ideas, ask questions, and just provide each other support. Please reach out! Let us know what you need or even just use it as an opportunity to connect as we all work remotely.

– The CBL Team

How to check if your course is designated as CBL:

1. Navigate to�� and log in.
2. In the top right corner, click “My Activity”,
3. From that drop-down menu, click “Classes” (If you do not see this menu option, none of your courses are designated as CBL)

Any courses you are teaching with a CBL component will be listed. If you do not see your course, please complete the request form:

The Community-Based Learning Program would like to reiterate the need for flexibility and accommodating student needs when it comes to your CBL projects/assignments. In striving for reciprocal partnerships, it is important that we also take into consideration the impact��this situation is having on our community partners. Please keep in mind that organizations/groups may have limited capacity to interact with our students in person or virtually as they address internal immediate needs and concerns around COVID-19.

We encourage you to reach out to your community partners to discuss their current needs and what capacity they have to engage/support students. There are many things students can do that do not require direct service (organizing and/or analyzing data, creating marketing materials, political advocacy, online advertising campaigns, creative fundraisers and/or drives, creating materials, etc…). Feel free to reach out to��our team of Faculty Coordinators��to discuss ideas and brainstorm.

If your students are feeling uncomfortable going out in the community, please refer them to��С��è��ý’s webpage for resources on tips and prevention. It may also be helpful to consider preparing flexible accommodations for populations that are more vulnerable to COVID-19. Please also keep in mind С��è��ý’s statement regarding xenophobic reactions to COVID-19:

“In some cities around the world and locally in Oregon, there has been a xenophobic reaction to COVID-19, directly associating the virus with community members who are perceived to come from China or regions near Asia. С��è��ý stands with members from all affected communities, and students of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds. There is no single profile for those who have been exposed to COVID-19.�� Xenophobia has no place in our community. Discrimination or bullying of any kind is not in line with С��è��ý values and will not be condoned or tolerated. A community member who experiences discrimination in any form is encouraged to��report the incident��immediately to the College for the appropriate team members for follow up, harm mitigation and resource referral.”

For this current Winter term, alternative assignments may be necessary due to students’ concerns about exposure and/or due to organizations/groups suspending their volunteer programs. It may also be helpful to consider preparing flexible accommodations for populations that are more vulnerable to COVID-19. As with any community engagement that may not go according to plan, critically reflecting on the experience is still the best method for students to make connections to your course’s learning objectives.

It is our hope that we continue to strive for working in collaboration and community, especially in these challenging times.

– The CBL Team

Service Learning for the Public Good
Friday, May 29 – Saturday, May 30, 2020
Salt Lake Community College
4600 South Redwood Road
Salt Lake City, Utah 84123

��This dynamic and relevant event is an opportunity for community college faculty, staff, and administrators to network and learn about promising practices in the field of service learning and community engagement (SLCE). The National Community College Conference on Service Learning and Community Engagement at Salt Lake Community College will feature nationally known presenters, local students and community-based organizations, interactive workshops, and extensive networking time.

Theme and Speakers

The conference theme, Service Learning for the Public Good, speaks to the importance of the work that community colleges do every day. Join the conversation to ensure service learning benefits the public good, in both curricular and co-curricular settings. Conference participants will discover and share the value of service learning in giving students real-world experience that helps to build their academic skills and commitment to their local communities. Speakers and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

Registration

Online registration is now open.��Register online.
The conference rates include breakfast, lunch, and breaks each day. Individual rates are as follows:

• College faculty/staff/administrators: $335
• Community partners: $200
• Students: $100

Conference refund policy: If you are unable to attend the conference, you can either send a substitute or request a refund. All changes must be submitted in writing. Substitutes: Transferring your registration to another individual is allowable at no cost. Contact��sean.crossland@slcc.edu��with complete contact information about who will attend in your place. Refunds: If you cancel your registration by April 17, 2020, you will receive a refund, minus a $75 administrative fee. Unfortunately, SLCC cannot offer refunds for cancellations received after April 17, 2020. Contact��sean.crossland@slcc.edu��if you need to request a refund.