FSOS2107: Preparation for Family and Community Engagement

This course will focus on preparing students to work with families in a community context. Central themes of the course include strategies for family and community engagement, understanding how families interact with community organizations and institutions, how to mobilize family and community assets, and collaborating with families to create systems change and build positive community resources. The course will pose questions for students about the roles of family professionals in supporting families in community contexts. The course will utilize readings about best practices in family and community engagement, both from the family studies literature and from cutting edge community-based organizations. Students will participate in a community project with a community organization that focuses on supporting families. This will enable them to attend community meetings, shadow family/community liaisons, and better understand the interface between families, community organizations, and institutions. Class assignments will allow students to engage in reflective practice and pull learning from their community-based experiences. They will learn concrete skills like meeting facilitation through a workshop format.

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