With support from Logan City’s Community Development Director, Mike DeSimone, Professor Jessica Lucero and 13 of her Master of Social Work (MSW) students in her Human Behavior in the Social Environment: Groups, Organizations & Communities course embarked on a community-based research project that would assist the city in its neighborhood planning efforts for Hillcrest Neighborhood. This asset-based approach for community development is useful for several reasons: (1) it promotes investment from local residents which can lead to more involved collective efforts; (2) it favors local residents’ lived experience in their neighborhood over an outsider’s assessment; and (3) it identifies key strengths in the neighborhood that can be maximized to overcome the challenges already present. The purpose of this project was twofold: (1) to document the unique strengths and areas for improvement as reported by Hillcrest neighborhood residents in order to inform Logan City’s Hillcrest development plan; and (2) to provide MSW students with a real-world community project in which they could apply community theory and develop community-based research skills. This project gave neighborhood residents of Hillcrest a greater voice in the neighborhood planning process, and offered Logan City innovative data and recommendations to inform their continued planning and development efforts. Dr. Lucero concluded; “In social work it is imperative that our students understand the entire system of service delivery, and one major component of this system is city government. Not only were the projects relevant to my course objectives, but they taught my students how to interface with local government officials effectively.”
Read the final student report delivered to the local gov/community partner.
Community Bridge Initiative Contact Info
University Faculty Contact
Jessica Lucero
Social Work
Local Government / Community Contact