Connect with your Community Partner(s)
Our community partners are also facing a disruption in their day-to-day operations. Here are some things to keep in mind when reaching out to them:
- Read their website and social media posts to see what they have already shared about impacts. They may be closed entirely, operating with limited services, limiting outside contacts, etc. Be mindful of the additional burden planning for students might cause as well as the additional support that might be beneficial.
- See what the messaging is going to community organizations from the CDC.
- Reach out to your partner contact (email is likely best at this time, plan for delayed responses). Let them know the current status of classes at CPP. Come with an idea in mind of what may be reasonable for your students to still do. During this time, it may be appropriate for some CEL activities to carry on someone normally. However, for the vast majority involve person to person contact.
- Have an open conversation and respect their limits in hosting your students at this time. What is reasonable on their end? On yours? On the students? Are there other needs they have that are different than your usual involvement that might work for all involved?
Plan:
- Moving forward with students engaged in some way. Again, think of all the parties involved. As you develop a plan with the community partner, factor in the new realities for your students. Check out ideas for ways to get creative with CEL in this time.
- Deciding to suspend temporarily. Set a time with your partner where you will check back in. While CPP is currently slated to be online through Spring Break, that could be extended. Your partner organization may also have shifting restrictions. Decide when you'll check back in and keep plans flexible for shifting impacts for both CPP and the community partner.
- Deciding to connect with a different partner. Consider other community partners and efforts that might need support. Follow the same steps to check in with them and make plans.
- Deciding to suspend direct CEL for the semester.
- Reflect: Use this time with your students to learn about the impacts of the pandemic in community organizations. (more resources to guide reflection)