Ensuring sustainability in a community-based project module

Abstract

Community engagement is a form of experiential learning aimed at accomplishing tasks that meet genuine human needs in various local communities. It focuses on the execution of tasks that serve as educational and learning tools for students to acquire a number of important life skills. It is very challenging to sustain a community-based project module in an educational environment where accountability and evidence-based practice are important. The success of such a module rests to a large extent on the strength of the relationship between the faculty and the community. The successful running of the module also depends on the triad of student, lecturer and community partner. The commitment of all the parties involved in the outreach projects and in community development, in general, is of crucial importance for the success of community-based projects.