Foundations of Community Building & Engagement
This course introduces four community participation strategies—services, building, engagement, and organizing—and helps you understand their distinct roles in fostering community collaboration. You’ll assess your organization’s current practices and explore how to shift toward more inclusive and empowering approaches. Through interactive discussions, you’ll learn how to align staff and resident roles, address power dynamics, and create a 30-60-90 day action plan to enhance community engagement. Whether you're new or experienced, this course equips you with practical tools to strengthen your community impact.
What You'll Learn
- Compare four community strategies to understand their unique benefits and when to use each.
- Assess your organization’s approach and create a plan to strengthen resident collaboration and leadership.
- Build practical skills to engage, empower, and connect with residents for lasting community impact.
Course Schedule
Come Prepared for the Course
Welcome to this accelerated 4-day faculty-led course which is designed for optimal interactivity and engagement. Days 1 and 3, are each comprised of a total of 4 hours of live online instruction, divided into two sessions with a 1-hour break in between. Days 2 and 4 are dedicated to self-paced completion of all activities and assignments. All required coursework is due by 11:59 p.m. PT on the designated day of class.
Pre-Work & Preparation
Complete all pre-work by provided deadlines
Active Participation
Attend live sessions and engage in collaborative activities
Software Requirements
Microsoft Word, PDF and Zoom proficiency required
Hardware Setup
Dual monitors, webcam, and file management capabilities
Your Instructor
Beckah Terlouw
What Learners Are Saying
Foundations of Community Engagement
The Foundations of Community Engagement micro-credential provides learners with essential strategies, equity-centered approaches, and practical tools to cultivate resident leadership and foster inclusive collaboration in communities.
Courses needed to earn this credential:
- CB105: Foundations of Community Building & Engagement (in-person or faculty-led)
- CB106: Laying the Groundwork for Effective & Sustainable Community Building (in-person or faculty-led)
Ready to Get Started?
Join hundreds of housing counselors building the skills to create lasting community impact