Project
Bruff Grange Meanus (BGM) Community Council established in 2006, is a democratically elected Community Council in Bruff, Grange and Meanus. It played a key role in the development of the local area and was nominated for an Irish Pride of Place Award in 2015. Our aim is to work more collaboratively across all areas to, thereby, having greater social, economic and educational impact in addressing needs in our community and progressing the social-economic future of our Parish.
Bruff, Grange and Meanus (BMG) Community Council is in existence since 2006. Other local organisations are in existence longer and have been established more recently. All of these groups are doing tremendous work for our rural parish, but more effective local development could be achieved with better collaboration between the existing organisations and a more cohesive approach to working with state and semi state bodies and. A first step towards building social capital and cohesion would be to highlight (through newsletter and social media) community activities in progress, scope areas for collaboration and invite suggestions for activities/projects for future development.
BGM Community Council CLC, local voluntary organizations and groups, local businesses and schools.
The project is overseen by an Academic supervisor and community facilitator. A key objective is to give community groups and organisations the opportunity to access resources in their local university. We support our community partners to effectively engage with faculty and students. Community members are provided with information and resources. Evaluation of their experiences of engaging with UL faculty and students and meeting project expectations is undertaking at specific timelines throughout the practicum. Community Evaluation of the project is designed into the project from start to finish. As part of their assessment, students present a briefing to their community partner setting out the outputs and outcomes of the project.
Learning
As community cohesion is the desired result of the project, liaison with all existing community organizations would be required. Activities will include collating the work been undertaken by existing community organizations and groups in the local area, developing a social media strategy for information sharing and collaborative working for all existing groups and organizations, producing a template for a local newsletter and assisting with the organization of a revised all-inclusive community committee.
This practical experience enables students to learn how to evaluate the needs of a local community and develop a communication strategy through relevant mediums interviewing, people skills, resource production and learning teamwork and professional skills required in a variety of different roles. This placement also offers a learning platform which will enable students to focus on self-development and self-assessment of personal and professional skills and graduate attributes. Students will also be supported to articulate their ideas to a range of audiences within different cultural frameworks and setting and be provided with opportunities to make substantial and positive contributions to a local community.
Practicum students undertaking this project will work with BGM Community Council officers, businesses and members of the local community.
Both formative and summative assessment methods will be used. Assessments will be designed to complement the interactive teaching and learning approaches. In particular, methods conducive to workplace assessment will be employed. These will include weekly reflection diaries, a group presentation, a reflective assignment and self-assessment activity. Students will be expected to produce a community briefing report and present their project outputs and outcomes to their community partner.