STUDY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION:

Each student will select a real community-based organization in which s/he will actually participate during the quarter. The purpose of the "study organization" is to provide a real-life context and subject for class assignments. Ideally this will be an organization that the student is already a part of or one that the student has worked with or knows a lot about, and one that has some connection to health or a determinant of health. We want this real organization to serve as the context within which the student does the readings, listens to presenters, and prepares assignments. If the student has passion for the mission of the organization, all the better to bring the academic activities to life.

Whatever the student's relationship to the organization, the student needs to pick an organization that lends itself to study through meeting attendance, participation in activities, and observation. Most of the assignments will be based in the study organization.

Here are some suggestions for a study organization:

• a community clinic
• the community council or block watch in your own community
• a school PTA or site council
• a school-based clinic
• any poverty-fighting community-based organization (e.g., Fremont Public Association, Economic Opportunity Institute, Welfare Rights Organization)

The instructors will help students select a study community, if necessary. 

GUIDELINES FOR WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES ON ACADEMIC PROJECTS

In working with communities, academics should:

• Do Active Listening – not filtering what is being said through personal biases
• Engage with community to help them figure out their own problems
• Build/Enhance capacity to leave something meaningful behind
• Be honest– state reason/purpose/needs
• Record information clearly
• Cultivate the community’s voice
• Don’t personalize study in spite of emotional investment in process/ results
• Respect different perspectives and values of the community
• Be inclusive – people you need are at the table and have a voice
• Do what I say I’m going to do
• See that long-term goals are supported by short-term goals

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