Notre Dame Virtual School’s Theme for June-July-August is Community Engagement & Participatory Action. This description refers to inclusive processes that empower communities to actively shape decisions, actions, and solutions that impact their lives. We will also be reflecting and acting on our Gospel Call to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves and to listen to and act for all of creation.
DEFINITIONS:
Community Engagement involves building relationships and trust with members of a community through dialogue, collaboration, and mutual respect.
Participatory Action is a method that encourages people, especially those most affected by an issue, to be co-researchers and co-creators of solutions — not just passive recipients.
KEY PRINCIPLES:
1. Inclusion: Valuing of all voices, especially those marginalized.
2. Empowerment: Helping people realize their own power to create change.
3. Collaboration: Shared leadership between professionals and community members.
4. Reflection & Action: Ongoing cycles of learning, acting, and reflecting together.
Community Engagement and Participatory Action remind us that sustainable transformation comes not from top-down charity, but from grassroots collaboration, dignity, and shared hope.
Videos & Talks
Community Engagement and Community-Based Participatory Research (An informative session on approaches to community engagement research) youtube.com
Participatory Methods of Community Engagement in Practice (Demonstrates practical applications of participatory methods in community settings) youtube.com
Collective Impact Forum – Participatory Action Research (Explores how community members lead research initiatives to drive social change. collectiveimpactforum.org
The internet is flowing with resources on Community Engagement & Participatory Action. We provided an overview as a tool to help get a conversation started with your students.
