ISSUE PROFILES AND BRIEFSWHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

THE BIG PICTURE

Bonner Scholars and Leaders did 284,165 hours of community service in 2008-2009

We worked in schools, shelters, soup kitchens, parks, art centers, youth centers, and many other non-profits

How did we make a difference?

OUR WORK IS A MOVEMENT

Bonner Programs at 80+ colleges & universities

Each one works with 10-100 students

Each has 10-200 community partners

We work across common issues to make a difference

PRESSING, COMPLEX ISSUES

Arts and Culture

Criminal Justice and Violence Prevention

Economic Development

Education - Adult and ESL 

Education - Early Childhood

Education - Elementary

Education - Middle and High School

Environment

Health and Mental Health

Homelessness and Hunger

Immigration and Refugees

Poverty Reduction

Youth Development

LOTS OF ACTIVITY IS HAPPENING

On a campus, many different individuals and groups may be working on projects that can help communities and address these issues

Students

Faculty & Departments

Clubs & Organizations

Partners, Alumni, Families

Administrators

IN MANY FRAGMENTED AREAS

The work can happen in many settings and take many forms.

Community service

Course based

projects

Forums

Resource DevelopmentInstitutional

Policies

HOW CAN WE BRING IT TOGETHER?

What if we work to understand the pieces of our work and their interconnections?

What if we go deeper to find out how we might make a long-lasting and systemic difference?

What could we achieve if we collectively take action to address these issues?

FIRST, LET’S MAP WHAT’S HAPPENING ON CAMPUS

Campus Profile

Types of Service

Academic Work

Education & Training

Campus & Organizational Capacity Building

Research, Policy Analysis & Deliberative Democracy

NEXT, FOCUS IN ON ONE ISSUE & TOPIC

An Issue Brief Topic

Discuss ideas with community partner

Focus on a program model or a related set of policies

Get input from Bonner staff

Narrow and make a decision

NEXT, FOCUS IN ON ONE ISSUE & TOPIC

The Topic Should Be:

Real

It matters to someone (a partner, agency, individual or group)

Use feedback

Besides the issue brief, what will be the products?

Forum or Town Meeting Improving a Program

Public Education or Advocacy Developing a Proposal

NEXT, DO POLICY RESEARCH

Use the resources

Visit http://policyoptions.org

You can post your topics and notes on Davidson Working Group Page

Check out other examples

NEXT, DO POLICY RESEARCH

Use the resources

Detailed Research & Writing Guide

Divide up the work

Make a research plan that fits your timeframe

WHAT RESEARCH TO DO

Who to Consult

Community Partners & Experts

Professors & academic departments

City and local government

Sources of Information

 Internet Searches

 Library Research

 Interviews 

Keep a Bibliography 

Phone call interviews with topic experts

Face-to-face meetings on and off campus

YOUR ISSUE BRIEF CAN BE SHARED ONLINE

You’ll be able to:

Share research with others addressing a similar topic

Have multiple editors

Help build out our collective knowledge of this work

SO NOW WHAT?

Let’s share questions, ideas, strategies....