Community Engagement Tips

Whether you are doing your community engagement work in person or remotely, this page will guide you through effective and meaningful engagement with your community partner.

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Steps to Connecting with Community Partners

Before beginning your community engagement internship/projects consider the following:

  1. Talk to your professor or the CEC to determine the best placement site.
  2. Connect with your partner and tell them you’re a student interested in completing your course-based or volunteer internship with their organization.
  3. Complete any clearance, application, interview and/or hiring requirements before starting.
  4. Confirm weekly availability & scheduling for the semester (or year) with your organization. Make sure to include start and end times and holidays.

Etiquette and Communication

There are a number of things to consider when working with community partners:

  • Ask for their preference in how they would like to be addressed (pronouns, pronunciations of names, etc.)
  • Respectful greetings and introductions.
  • Have patience and consideration when communicating with staff members.
  • Take the initiative to follow up.
  • Be on time.
  • Let your professor and site contact know as soon as possible when you are unable attend (if you are sick or have a personal emergency)
  • Dress appropriately for your partner site
  • Copy your professor on correspondence with your partner.
  • If you experience an emergency or issue on site, please contact your professor, site supervisor, and CEC contact via email immediately.
  • Active listening is important in meetings, whether in person or remote (attentiveness, body language, etc.)
  • Take notes, set calendar appointments.
  • Document your work and share updates with partners.