Fall 2017
Partnership News
Front Feature
Front feature image from International Peace Gardens
New Award for Community Engaged Teaching and Scholarship
Written by Sarah Munro
The University of Utah has created a new award to recognize a faculty member whose work integrates research, teaching, and community engagement in a way that shows both academic and community impact. The $5000 Community Engaged Teaching and Scholarship Award, to be given for the first time this year, is a great example of new University support for the work of bringing together University and community resources for reciprocal learning, action, and benefit! Nominations are due November 3, 2017.
For more information visit academic-affairs.utah.edu under Awards & Nominations, University Teaching Committee.
Hartland Building Updates
Written by Amanda Finlayson & Lenn Rodriguez
The new Head Start classroom at the UNP Hartland Partnership Center is complete, allowing
UNP and Utah Community Action Head Start to rekindle their historic partnership. This
effort, with its many meetings, architectural planning, bidding, and finally the actual
construction took nearly a year to complete. Hartland's former multipurpose/community
room has been built out to create a full-service Head Start classroom with its own
fully functioning children's restroom. In addition, an outdoor playground with a bike-riding
path is almost complete. Head Start classes started on September 6, 2017 at full enrollment,
serving 17 families.
The classroom will also serve as a training site for Head Start lead teachers and
assistant teachers. A partnership with the Department of Family and Consumer Studies
is also being developed to create programs to engage University of Utah students studying
Early Childhood Education.
UNP also opened a brand new community room next to the Head Start classroom. This room is now home to the Hartland Youth Center and available to community groups and as a multi-purpose room. Soon, Hartland will also house its very own Our CASA college lounge space neighboring the new community room. Want to see the changes? Contact Amanda for a tour at 801-972-2863 or email a.finlayson@partners.utah.edu.
2017 Community Scholar in Residence & Community Resident in Action Awards
Written by Teresa Molina
The UNP Community Scholar in Residence (CSIR) and Community Resident in Action (CRIA) are two awards offered by University Neighborhood Partners to promote the mission and goals of the organization, and enable university and community partners to engage in the work in a project-centered way. These financial awards support faculty and community residents' involvement in mutually beneficial partnerships that promote systemic change and increase access to higher education for youth and families living in Salt Lake City's west side neighborhoods. Congratulations to the 2017 recipients featured below:
Community Resident in Action (CRIA)
The "Transforming Neighborhoods into Inclusive Communities (TNIC)" project proposed
by David Parker at the Center for Creating Community, and David Derezotes, faculty
at the College of Social Work, received the 2017 CRIA Award. The TNIC project utilizes
dialogue facilitation to create authentic relationships between community members,
service providers, college-interested students, and neighborhood residents. The purpose
is twofold: a) help foster the kind of relationships necessary to bridge the differences
that currently divide neighbors from each other, and to help foster more trusting
relationships and cooperation between residents, local leaders and service providers.
The program uses a developmental model of youth mentoring relationships (social-emotional,
cognitive, identity) with non-parental adults that can influence positive developmental
trajectories. Participant students will be from West High School, Horizonte Instruction
and Training Center, Bryant Middle School, and Social Work and Education programs
from Salt Lake Community College.
Community Scholar in Residence (CSIR)
Jesus Valero, Assistant Professor at the Political Science/Public Administration Department
received this year's CSIR award. His "Understanding and Strengthening the Founding
of Community-Based Organizations by Social Entrepreneurs" project is aimed at investigating
the background, motivation, & leadership of social entrepreneurs, the collaboration
processes between these entrepreneurs and UNP, as well as the factors and conditions
that lead to successful and sustainable startups. This endeavor will engage a PhD
student in the department of Political Science, and MPA students and interns in his
Nonprofit Organizations/Nongovernmental Organizations and Capstone courses, with Community
Based Organizations in the Startup Incubator at Hartland, and Latino Behavioral Health
Services. The specific activities include 1) provide guidance and support through
periodic consulting, 2) participate in and provide faculty supervision of community
engaged learning, and 3) data collection and written and videotape reports. Sustainability
of the MPA program engagement with UNP will be through formal memos of understanding
(MOU) and participation at the startup incubator steering committee.
The Academy of Hope
Written by Natasha Hansen
The Academy of Hope, offered through Professional Education at the University of Utah, is a collaboration between community partners and Continuing Education that offers hands-on training through certificate courses. The goal of the certificate training is to give practical professional training that can be used to support personal and professional success and benefit the wider community.
The Academy of Hope makes four certificates available at no cost to select individuals
in the community who are not able to afford the program and face considerable barriers
to educational and professional opportunity; these populations are identified as individuals
of a refugee or immigrant background, and disadvantaged women. The certificates that
are currently available to applicants are Professional Management, Project Management
Fundamentals, Human Resources Management and Web Design Tools.
In the Spring 2017 semester, five of the New American Academic Network (NAAN) participants completed certificate training through the Academy of Hope. This Fall 2017 semester, two NAAN participants and two participants from Latino Behavioral Health were accepted into the program.
Applicants for the program are sponsored by a community partner from the Utah Department of Workforce Services, University Neighborhood Partners, People Helping People, Women of the World, University of Utah, YWCA, and Catholic Community Services. Applications for the Spring 2018 semester will be made available towards the end of the year. Interested individuals are encouraged to learn more through one of the community partners or online.
Congratulations to the following NAAN participants who have achieved certificates from the Academy of Hope program:
- Jamal A., Web Design Tools
- Mohammed A., Project Management Fundamentals
- Salim H., Professional Management
- Jamal S., Project Management Fundamentals
- Jackson T., Human Resources Management
Staff Spotlight
Farah Ali
This summer, Farah joined UNP as Coordinator for the New American Academic Network
(NAAN) program. She has a history of working with community engagement organizations,
and an interest in social work related environments. Prior to living in Utah, she
worked as a Program Coordinator with USAID-Tijara (Trade) in Iraq which helped hundreds
of youth to establish their own businesses. She supervised four locations, four field
coordinators and four field assistants. She also served with the US Military as a
Recruiter. Farah has a Bachelor in Software Engineering, and a Higher National Diploma
in Business Information Technology.
Farah came to NAAN as a participant interested in a master's degree and was identified
as someone who can be a connector and mentor. As NAAN Coordinator, Farah aims to develop
strategies to help participants navigate the U's employment and academic systems.
In partnership with NAAN, Farah spends half of her time working with the Center for
Research on Migration and Refugee Integration.
Community Corner
BUZZED Coffee Truck
A Rose Park resident with a passion for good coffee thought it was high time to have
access to fair-trade specialty coffee and espresso drinks in her own neighborhood.
Opening a café is a costly venture and a barrier for many, but Trina found a way to
move forward with her vision - literally. After converting an old FedEx truck into
a coffee shop on wheels, the Buzzed Coffee Truck was born. Buzzed offers a wide variety
of coffee drinks including some Nitro specialty brews, and can be found daily in various
areas on the west side. Check out the Buzzed Facebook page to find out where they'll
be each day, Grab a cup of coffee, a chai, or maybe a Mexican Mocha. They also offer
cinnamon rolls and other pastries to enjoy with your drink.
Quinceañera
UNP is celebrating its Quinceañera! Be on the lookout for the 15th Anniversary events, swag, and surprises in 2018! Looking forward to the next 15 years of partnership building!