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Social Sciences
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Community Engagement and Community-Based Social Work Practices and Evaluations
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Community Engagement and Community-Based Social Work Practices and Evaluations

A special issue of Social Sciences (ISSN 2076-0760). This special issue belongs to the section "Community and Urban Sociology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 4913

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Carolyn S. Gentle-Genitty

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Social Work, Indiana University, 902 W. New York Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Interests: community; partnerships; society; mutual care; social work; evaluation; practice
Dr. Kara Fletcher

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Social Work, University of Regina, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3R3, Canada
Interests: community-based approach; social work; mental health; substance use issues; practice research
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Every society contains pockets of communities, and the people in these communities want mutual care, want their history honored and their stories told, want to feel seen and see their spiritual journeys documented, and want their relationships championed. In response to these needs, Social Work and its related fields emphasize strengths-based symbolic interaction perspectives and often excel at capturing the holistic nature of these communities in practice and evaluation. Thus, this Special Issue seeks to tell authentic community engagement stories of partnerships that occur through practice, research, or evaluation, and special focus on history, storytelling, mutual care, spirituality, relationships, and community-based work will be emphasized. 

Dr. Carolyn S. Gentle-Genitty
Dr. Kara Fletcher
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Social Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • community
  • partnerships
  • society
  • mutual care
  • social work
  • evaluation
  • practice
  • storytelling

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 649 KiB  
Article
A Collaborative Response to Addressing Family Violence with Racialized and Diverse Communities During Pandemic Recovery in Peel Region
by Sara Abdullah, Serena Hong, Michelle Vinod, Hasha Siddiqui, Cília Mejía-Lancheros, Uzma Irfan, Angela Carter, Ian Spencer Zenlea and Dianne Fierheller
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060347 - 29 May 2025
Viewed by 440
Abstract
Family violence is a social issue that impacts families and communities every day in Canada and around the world. As family violence rates continue to increase there is an urgent need for cross-sectoral collaboration to codesign social work and social service systems, in [...] Read more.
Family violence is a social issue that impacts families and communities every day in Canada and around the world. As family violence rates continue to increase there is an urgent need for cross-sectoral collaboration to codesign social work and social service systems, in partnership with those experiencing family violence. This article will share learnings from a two-year community-based participatory research study that worked alongside survivors and witnesses of family violence, community partners from diverse social service agencies, and researchers, to understand experiences of family violence in racialized communities in Peel region, Ontario, Canada. An intersectional-trauma-informed approach guided the work that included establishing a community advisory board, hiring peer research assistants, Photovoice, and holding a knowledge exchange event (KEE) with survivors and witnesses of family violence, researchers, and community partners to rapidly generate ideas for intervention areas through a 25/10 crowdsourcing activity and codesign preliminary solutions through a mini hackathon. Key findings from the photovoice highlighted systemic failures and gaps experienced by those facing family violence. As we shifted into ideation, this preliminary focus on systems solidified and top ideas identified included barrier-free, culturally aware provision of services ranging from mental health supports, safe housing, financial independence, and accessing wrap-around services. Our work concluded with the collaborative development of preliminary solutions to these ideas and emphasized the need for cross-sectoral partnerships and lived experience engagement to change systems. Centering the voices of those who have experienced FV in system-level change and advocacy is necessary to ensure services and supports meet the needs of service users. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community Engagement and Community-Based Social Work Practices and Evaluations)
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13 pages, 465 KiB  
Article
Democratizing Quantitative Data Analysis and Evaluation in Community-Based Research Through a New Automated Tool
by Jonathan Bennett, Mehdi Hajilo, Anna Paula Della Rosa, Rachel Arthur, Wesley James and Karen Matthews
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 346; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060346 - 29 May 2025
Viewed by 391
Abstract
Data from community-based research offer crucial insights into community needs, challenges, and strengths, informing effective decision making for development strategies. To ensure efficient analysis, accessible and user-friendly tools are necessary for quick and accurate results. While successful tools and programming languages exist, many [...] Read more.
Data from community-based research offer crucial insights into community needs, challenges, and strengths, informing effective decision making for development strategies. To ensure efficient analysis, accessible and user-friendly tools are necessary for quick and accurate results. While successful tools and programming languages exist, many social science researchers struggle with complex analytical tools due to limited exposure during their education, as such tools are often not required. Developing an automated, user-friendly tool for community research can support students, researchers, and data centers by bridging gaps in analysis capabilities and enhancing the accessibility of valuable insights. We developed a new automated tool using the Shiny framework in R designed primarily for analyzing data in community research, which often involves pre- and post-analysis tests. While the tool is specifically tailored for pre- and post-survey data, it can also be easily adapted to provide other statistical information. The findings presented in this paper highlight the efficiency of using this tool for community-based research and emphasize the need for further development to address its shortcomings. Furthermore, this paper is considered the groundwork for developing more accessible, user-friendly, and free tools in the future, especially in an era of advanced and complex technologies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community Engagement and Community-Based Social Work Practices and Evaluations)
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21 pages, 1161 KiB  
Article
Actions That Build Peace from the Voices of Teachers Affected by the Armed Conflict in Colombia
by Luz Adriana Aristizábal and Adriana Inés Ávila
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(11), 597; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13110597 - 4 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1971 | Correction
Abstract
For decades, the armed conflict in Colombia has profoundly impacted across various domains, causing psychosocial, economic, environmental, political, and moral damages throughout the country. One of the most affected sectors has been education, which involves all stakeholders within the educational system, particularly teachers [...] Read more.
For decades, the armed conflict in Colombia has profoundly impacted across various domains, causing psychosocial, economic, environmental, political, and moral damages throughout the country. One of the most affected sectors has been education, which involves all stakeholders within the educational system, particularly teachers who have directly or indirectly experienced this violence. This article, stemming from research on the resignification of armed conflict and peacebuilding, focuses on how teachers have transformed these impacts into educational actions that contribute to peacebuilding. We analysed the experiences and reflections of 412 participating teachers on-site in five conflict-affected zones in Colombia. Four main categories emerged: (1) psychosocial actions, (2) responsible teaching practices, (3) pedagogical actions, and (4) discussion and reflection spaces. These findings reveal insights not only about the actions that foster peace through school activities but also those within homes and, importantly, the work on oneself. While these actions may not be adopted by all teachers and do not guarantee immunity against future violent events, we believe this analysis could greatly benefit humanity. It prepares us to prevent and confront various forms of aggression, while also assisting in reframing everyday events that could nurture a vulnerable society suffering in silence. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community Engagement and Community-Based Social Work Practices and Evaluations)
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Other

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22 pages, 268 KiB  
Project Report
Community Based Participatory Research and Peer Mentorship in Higher Education: Supporting a Sense of Belonging Among Independent Students
by Erin Boyce, Miguel Huerta, Payge Wyman and Mildred Sandoval
Soc. Sci. 2025, 14(6), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060340 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 664
Abstract
Students who enter higher education as independent students do not bring with them the financial and familial support that their dependent counterparts experience. When these needs are not met, their likelihood of graduating is decreased. One method that has shown promise for addressing [...] Read more.
Students who enter higher education as independent students do not bring with them the financial and familial support that their dependent counterparts experience. When these needs are not met, their likelihood of graduating is decreased. One method that has shown promise for addressing support that promotes belonging and well-being is peer mentorship. The following study presents data collected from students at a western, urban, Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) who participated in a program designed for supporting financial, academic, and emotional needs of independent students. A community based participatory research (CBPR) framework was implemented to design the peer mentorship model, develop the evaluation plan, complete data collection and analysis, and guide dissemination. We used a mixed methods design collecting both survey and listening tour data simultaneously regarding students’ support networks, sense of belonging, and perspectives of the peer mentoring model. While the evidence for the efficacy of peer mentorship is abundant, the inclusion of a CBPR framework in higher education has not been well explored. Key findings demonstrated that the use of a CBPR framework for development and evaluation of peer mentoring increased the mentor’s sense of belonging and increased engagement with their community. Similarly, mentees identified that peer mentorship increased their sense of belonging, particularly when their mentor had a shared identity, beyond that of student, that allowed for an unspoken understanding of lived experience. Recommendations for higher education to support the emotional well-being and sense of belonging among independent students will be presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community Engagement and Community-Based Social Work Practices and Evaluations)
1 pages, 169 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Aristizábal and Ávila (2024). Actions That Build Peace from the Voices of Teachers Affected by the Armed Conflict in Colombia. Social Sciences 13: 597
by Luz Adriana Aristizábal and Adriana Inés Ávila
Soc. Sci. 2024, 13(12), 631; https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13120631 - 25 Nov 2024
Viewed by 486
Abstract
In the original publication (Aristizábal and Ávila 2024), the Acknowledgement section was not included [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Community Engagement and Community-Based Social Work Practices and Evaluations)
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