Youth as Promoters of Community Well-Being: Practicing Community Geographies in Colombia

Keywords: community geography, youth, action research, pedagogy, Colombia
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Friday
Session Start / End Time: 2/25/2022 09:40 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 2/25/2022 11:00 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 52

Abstract

The field of community geographies emerged in recent years out of growing conversations about the integrative work that scholars in higher education, public institutions and communities do together. Built upon a history of participatory research, social justice education and engagement in public policy, in recent years geographers have reflected upon the ethics of their own practice, considered case studies of participatory research or community projects, and presented results from community-based research projects conducted largely in a U.S. context. In this paper we reflect on the practice of community geographies through a study of FUNDAEC The Foundation for the Application and Teaching of Science (FUNDAEC) based in Cali, Colombia. Over 50 years FUNDAEC collaborators have practiced participatory research in micro-regional contexts as a means of promoting the organic growth of collective action for community well-being in marginalized communities. Through its research process with communities over decades, FUNDAEC has built programs such as a tutorial system for secondary education, vocational training programs for cooperative agriculture and other community economic projects, youth leadership programs and even established a Rural University for Community Well-Being that have served hundreds of thousands of people in Colombia and millions globally. In 2021 we formed an action research partnership between the WVU Center for Resilient Communities and FUNDAEC. This paper explores and presents the conceptual framework that drives FUNDAEC's work, analyses the pedagogical approach of the program for its transferability beyond Colombia, and offers meaningful learning in authentic and sustainable engagement with youth through action research in communities.