Community Health Approaches to Mobilizing Partnerships and Community Based Service-Learning (CHAMPS): Including the Voices of the Community

As an HBCU practicing public health in urban communities, MSU- SCHP uses community based service- learning (CBSL) as a teaching and learning pedagogy with a long substantial history. CBSL integrates community service and reflection with academic study to enrich learning experiences. By using this approach that infuses CBSL with academic curriculum, student learning experiences are transformed and enriched. CBSL projects give students the opportunity to work on real world problems in ways that directly support community resilience. Furthermore, it addresses needs of the community that would otherwise remain unmet. The CHAMPS model emphasizes preparation of students for careers in applied public health practice while meeting community needs and concerns. This reciprocal partnership involves other components that incorporate expertise and the voice of the community and the reflection process. Reflection is the hyphen between community based service and learning. It's the engine that shifts learning and transforms knowledge. Since the inception of the CHAMPS model, many lessons have been learned. When reflecting on action, voices of the community conveyed increased self-efficacy, improved understanding of health equity, increased awareness of key issues, and strategies for building authentic academic and community partnerships. Reflection in action revealed that use of the CHAMPS model in urban public health articulates that CBSL is more than just service. It's a commitment that must go beyond social change; it must advance social justice and pay homage to the voice of those underrepresented and create healthy communities that can promote health minds and bodies.