Justice and Equitable Participation in Community Development
In September of 2018, the college co-sponsored the Participate! conference, held at UIC in partnership with the UIC College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, and Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Hochschule Luzern).
The conference brought together a variety of perspectives on creating inclusive public spaces and increasing equitable participation for the promotion of social justice. Conference participants hailed from U.S. locations as diverse as Atlanta, Chicago, Miami and Nashville, and international locations including Brazil, Canada, England, Ethiopia, Germany, Ireland, Serbia and Switzerland.
Dean Hairston and Dr. Ulrike Sturm of Hochschule Luzern
JACSW Professors Alice Butterfield and James Swartz, and Assistant Professors Karen D’Angelo and Jack Lu presented on their experiences with community participation and development:
- Asset Based Community Development: A Community Partnership and Engagement with Children in Ethiopia, presented by Alice Butterfield
- Lessons Learned: Implementing a Multi-Faceted Community-Based Intervention to Reduce Methamphetamine Use and Promote Health among MSM, presented by James Swartz, and
- Improving Health Equity through CBPR: Complex Considerations Involving Community Participation, presented by Karen D’Angelo and Jack Lu.
Dr. Jack Lu and Dr. Karen D'Angelo presenting at the conference
Conference participants also visited Chicago community organizations, Pilsen Alliance, Austin Coming Together and the Westside Health Authority, the latter two of which are partners of the college. During these visits, conference participants learned how these community organizations have successfully engaged residents in community planning and improving quality of life.
Conference participants in Chicago's Austin neighborhood
Presentation given at Austin Coming Together
If you're interested in community development, you may be interested in the Organization and Community Practice (OCP) specialization of our MSW program.