Date of Degree Completion
Spring 2022
Degree Type
Capstone - Open Access
Instructor/Advisor
Melissa Nemon
Abstract
This project sought to understand the best way to integrate non-exclusionary community engagement into Swampscott, Massachusetts. A curriculum that would encourage municipal officials of Swampscott, MA to develop a more inclusive community engagement process was built and presented to local community engagement practitioners, both affiliated and not affiliated with the municipality, for their feedback. The curriculum suggests creative engagement solutions the town can offer to community members throughout a project's timeline, from idea generation to problem definition, to project development, to post-implementation feedback. These methods of engagement, written under the lens of the Transformative Paradigm, were specifically designed to reduce the barriers to participation marginalized populations often face as well as encourage integration by utilizing a Whole Community approach. Findings suggest a curriculum would enhance community engagement as a municipal priority and reduce barriers to participation for hard-to-reach populations so long as there is adequate and passionate staff and sufficient resources to support these initiatives.
Recommended Citation
Zabar, Elana, "This Fence Makes No Sense: Developing a Community Engagement Curriculum for Swampscott, MA" (2022). Community Engagement Student Work. 76.
https://scholarworks.merrimack.edu/soe_student_ce/76
