Community Advocate Model: Linking Communities, School Districts, and Universities to Support Families and Exchange Knowledge

Abstract

Increasingly diverse communities that reach across traditional boundaries are on the rise in urban communities in the United States. Changes taking place within these communities also affect K-16 institutions that serve them. As the landscape of American neighborhoods evolves, stakeholders collaborate to forge partnerships and programs that value and reflect these changes. The Community Advocate Model (CAM) presents a unique opportunity for establishing reciprocal relationships between parents from historically underserved populations and K-16 educators. By connecting families, school, community resources, and the university, parents are able to exchange information and have direct access to system educators. Similarly, rapidly increasing immigrant populations enhance these neighborhoods and systems with rich and diverse language and cultures, bringing new opportunities and challenges for local schools and higher education to meet their academic needs. Our research indicates the need for platforms where families, communities, and schools share information on access and success in public school in the United States. Among other areas, families cite the need for information on the developmental and social needs of K-12 students and resources on immigration, health services, and employment.

We outside: Modeling equity‐centered, antiracist, community‐driven partnerships in resident education

“…A novel practical approach to standardize the program implementation was outlined by JL utilizing the Social Change Method (SCM). The SCM is a novel method that borrows from various community‐based programs and social change philosophies based in education, collaboration, and advocacy 24–28 . The conceptual pillars of the SCM are action items that seek to create collaborations that value community expertise and knowledge alongside that of institutions and organizations with a goal of bringing about measurable, equitable, and sustainable change 26 .…”

“…The SCM is a novel method that borrows from various community-based programs and social change philosophies based in education, collaboration, and advocacy. [24][25][26][27][28] The conceptual pillars of the SCM are action items that seek to create collaborations that value community expertise and knowledge alongside that of institutions and organizations with a goal of bringing about measurable, equitable, and sustainable change. 26 These concepts were first applied by JL during medical missions in Nicaragua and soon after in poverty relief programs in Virginia.…”