Creating Together: Community/University Partnerships Elaine Elliott, Director Center for Community Service-Learning University of San Diego

Benchmarks for Partnerships Stage 1: Designing the Partnership Founded on a shared vision and clearly articulated values Beneficial to partnership institutions Stage 2: Building Collaborative Relationships Composed of interpersonal relationships based on trust and mutual respect Multi-dimensional: they involved the participation of multiple sectors that act in service of a complex problem Clearly organized and led with dynamism Stage 3: Sustaining Partnerships over time Integrated into the mission and support systems of the partnering institutions Sustained by a “partnership process” for communication, decision-making, and the initiation of change Evaluated regularly with a focus on both methods and outcomes

Themes Caring Contextualizing Connecting Co-creating Celebrating

CARING

Care about causes

Care about relationships

CONTEXTUALIZING

What is your context? Key local issues Key conflicts University leadership Faculty expertise Student interests Service support networks Local schools Non-profits Community groups Political leaders Community-based research Community organizers

CONNECTING

Connect student leaders Recruit and motivate student teams Leadership courses Work-study Student government support for service Entrust them with real responsibility Organizing, scheduling, monitoring Leading reflection Creating new programs

Connect faculty and staff Offer stipends for building partnerships Create on- and off-campus events with faculty and partners Work toward faculty teams on projects-- e.g. our micro-finance program

CO-CREATING

CELEBRATING!

Change gracefully! The story of the YES (“Youth Empowered through Service”) group--creation, dismantling, discrete partnerships, reemergence

Conclusion Care Contextualize Connect Co-Create Celebrate Change gracefully!

Community/University Partnerships “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” -- Pericles