Welcome to the Swearer Center, a community of students, faculty, staff and community partners engaged in scholarship and action for just and healthy communities locally, nationally and globally. The Swearer Center is the home of student fellowship programs, partnership creation and stewardship, and faculty support and development that make informed, ethical and meaningful action possible.
Community is a core concept of our work. We believe that healthy and just communities are the fundamental building blocks of healthy and just societies. We also believe that to do the work of building those communities, we must foster a healthy and just environment in the Center and partner with members of the communities in which we work. Thus, community partnerships are key to our work in the world.
As we partner with communities we are guided by two core principles of partnership:
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Community Agency
The idea that community-based organizations are best situated to design, create and deliver programs and services in their own communities and therefore our work is that of capacity building partner, technical assistance and conduit to access other university resources like community-based research.
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Reciprocity
The idea that we are holding present in our minds with partners the relative value of each partnership to ensure that both are receiving the benefits of partnership. This requires a critical consciousness about the power dynamics of the university and community-based organizations and regular and meaningful processes to ameliorate that power difference to the greatest extent possible.
Platforms like BrownEngage allow us to connect the People of the Swearer Center -- students, our 90+ Community Partners, staff, community members and faculty -- to share volunteer and direct service opportunities, track hours, send emails and post notices to unique groups. You can also access a calendar of and RSVP for co-curricular workshops, trainings and events through the platform.
