Partnerships, Placements and Projects - Overview


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Partnerships, Placements & Projects


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Well-developed community partnerships are necessary for creating change within our local communities, nation, and even world. The Bonner Program rests on a commitment to meaningful, long-term service commitments to the partners and communities with which we work. These relationships are intended to be intentional and reciprocal. Each campus program develops a long-term approach, working with key partners year after year.  This dedication to our partners promotes more significant change, resource development, and capacity building in our communities—as well as allows for personal and professional growth for each volunteer.

 

Levels of Community Partnerships


For the purposes of the Bonner Scholars Program, “community service” is defined as service provided to individuals or communities to meet social, educational, or environmental needs. This service may be provided directly or indirectly through a student-initiated project or a project sponsored by a non-profit or government agency.

 

Since the Bonner Program rests on a commitment to meaningful, long-term service relationship to the partners and communities with which we work, the following are different levels of partnerships. For each level, it is recommended that you include the annual completion of the Opportunity Forms and Accomplishment Forms.

 

Level 1: 1x Service Project Partnerships

 
Level 2: Regular Service Partnerships

 
Level 3: Project-based Partnerships

 
Level 4: Deep Partnerships

 

 

Types of Community Partners


 

Because of the long-term nature of partnerships cultivated by the Bonner Program and campus centers, the schools, nonprofit and government partners can count on having a range of different supports including:

 

 

The chart below captures how this work might also be conceived up in a developmental progression.

 

 

 

A partner for the Bonner Foundation could be not just one organization, but an organizational partnership. For any organization, working in a organizational partnership  can be difficult, costly and take more time than working in isolation. There are many ways of working in a organizational partnership with others organizations:

 

 

 


Although cross-sector participation is widely present in collaborations, it may not always be found in the first steps of this continuum. Cross-sector collaboration is a key factor in addressing complex problems as hunger, poverty or education. Being part of a cross sector organizational partnership will help Bonners have a wider vision of  the causes that generate poverty and social injustice, while understanding the implication of different stakeholders (e.g. private sector, public agencies, non-profits, communities or schools).

 

Communication to Community Partners


Community Partners are gaining access to motivated, trained, students that serve ten hours per week for multiple years. It is important that as your campus forges partnerships with community organizations they understand that they also serve an important role as co-educators for your Bonner students. The developmental model, campus calendar, gold tracking, and accountability measures are all helpful components to communicate every time a student begins working at a site.

 

Communication to Students 


Whether students are placed with community partners or if they have the opportunity to choose them, it is important as administrators to articulate the expectations of each site. Through a sound orientation in conjunction with community partners, students will understand what is expected of them and whom to reach out to should any concerns or problems arise. Students should also be made aware of the student development model, accountability measures, goal setting expectations, and advising opportunities. Establishing this from the beginning will aid in student feeling supported and confident in their work with community partners. 

 

 

Through Bonner Programs around the nation, Bonner Scholars and Leaders are engaged to work with non-profit, governmental, and education partners. Additionally, centers and programs engage other students, faculty, and stakeholders from across campus in addressing the unmet needs of local community partners and assisting in their organizations’ programs. Because students can be involved with the same partners for multiple semesters and even years, they can take on a variety of roles and projects. These capacity-building roles often involve more complex program, organizational, and project development functions, such as curriculum development and resource development. This resource guide provides some useful steps and resources to help you expand these opportunities for your students and community partners.