Now that we've introduced ourselves to each other, maybe we can do a little brainstorming about what we want our pre-conference workshop to do/be/etc?
We've got a 1/2 day--so 3 or 4 hours (I'm not sure which.). I'm imagining that people who attend this workshop want to connect with other folks who are doing/have attempted this type of outreach work, want to learn about from their experiences, and then want to leave with some structure/plans/strategies for how they might get started/continue this work back in their hometowns.
Here are some ideas that I have; they are purposefully general because I don't want to take over:
- We need to tell our own stories of community outreach.
- We should collectively share the challenges that we've had.
- We should complicate the notion of 'community outreach', focusing on ethics of partnerships and mutually-beneficial relationships.
- We need to break up into small working groups so everyone gets individual attention on their own interests.
- We could break up into 'type' of outreach: writing centers, service learning, partnerships, etc.
- We should end up establishing a network for folks to share their stories and ideas after the workshop (like a 'mini-WCenter' listserv).
Thanks very much!
Tif
2 comments:
Tiffany--I think all your ideas for the workshop should be included. It would be wonderful if we could have a partner or two present at the workshop--for example, a community librarian to talk about the centers from their point of view. Or a community participant or two to talk about the strengths and weaknesses of the center.
Great ideas, Tiffany and Carole! I like the plan to divide into small work groups which maybe could allow folks time to draft/revise action plans and get feedback about their plans. I agree that we should discuss ethics and stress the importance of equity in partnerships. (As a side note and an idea for a possible future project, we might think about some of these things within a position- statement framework.) I think another important piece of community engagement is the institutional politics that WCs must consider carefully before and during participating in community projects. Carole, your comments about funding cuts speak to some of the precariousness related to community work. For some, embarking on such projects could be dangerous on both personal and programmatic levels. I have to run to a meeting, but I’ll keep thinking about our workshop. This week is crazy for me, so please don’t think that I’m not excited about this project if I’m slow to respond because I am excited! :)
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