Research Assistant for Study about Leadership Programs in Underserved Communities

Faculty Mentor: Stacy Harwood

Title: Professor

College: Architecture & Planning

School / Department: City & Metropolitan Planning

Project description

This research project is in partnership with the Westside Leadership Institute. The Westside Leadership Institute (WLI) is a mutually beneficial community-university partnership that supports Salt Lake City (SLC) west side residents and community-based organizations to enact positive change in their communities. WLI is celebrating more than 20 years of providing leadership training and support to SLC west side residents. To build the leadership capacity of community residents, WLI students progress through a curriculum that builds their capacity as leaders and to achieve social change through meaningful and impactful organized action. However, a need remains to assess the physical, social and economic impacts of WLI graduates.

Research Questions:

- Individual capacity building: In what ways and to what degree do WLI graduates practice leadership skills? (Potential measures: demographics of WLI alumni, skills gained through WLI programs, confidence, attendance at public meetings, leadership positions in the community, employment).

- Organizational capacity building: In what ways and to what degree do WLI graduates organize others around issues they care about (Potential measures: formalized organization 501c3 / nonprofit status, staff or volunteers, hosting events and activities, applying/receiving grants, collaboration with other organizations).

- System change: In what ways and to what degree are WLI graduates connected to decision-making spaces through which they can begin to change the systems that affect their lives? (Potential measures: leadership positions in the community, populations served, service gaps filled, impact of service/events).

The literature lacks evidence for the effectiveness of community leadership programs in underserved communities, particularly at the organizational and systems levels. Documenting the outcomes of WLI’s leadership programs will help demonstrate the importance of supporting and expanding leadership opportunities.

Keywords: community leadership development, community development, qualitative, mixed methods, underserved communities, community capacity building

Student Role: Student research assistants will be part of the data collection and analysis process. This includes analyzing existing data (interviews and surveys) and participating in focus groups and interviews with local west side leaders. Students who stay with the project to its completion will have opportunities to disseminate results in various community spaces, in academic spaces by presenting findings of this work in research and applied conferences, and co-author publications in academic venues.

Student Benefits: Benefits include experience with qualitative research, community-based research, data analysis, also will gain insight into the importance of grassroots leadership, nonprofit and community-based organizations.

Project Duration: This project will last two years. We are looking for student(s) who can work on the project for at least one semester, 5-10 hours week. We prefer student(s) who can work on the project for at least two semesters.

Opportunity Type: Research Assistant

Opportunity Location Type: Hybrid

Is this a paid opportunity: ToBeDetermined

Paid Description:

Volunteer, This is a paid research position, This is a work-study research position, Prepare a UROP proposal, Write an Honors Thesis or Senior Thesis, Earn independent study credit.

Minimum Requirements: Open to students in the social sciences and humanities. Experience with community outreach, interest in grassroots leadership, bilingual highly and from the west side of Salt Lake highly desirable.

How To Apply: Contact Stacy Harwood: harwood@arch.utah.edu