Abstract
In 2023, the Florida Institute of Education (FIE) partnered with the Center for Community Initiatives (CCI), the Taylor Leadership Institute, and the Office of the Provost to explore innovative strategies that would both prepare UNF students for meaningful careers and address pressing problems through community engagement. Designed to equip UNF students with essential workplace competencies and leadership skills, the UNF Dream Promoters program offers a distinctive blend of experiential learning and community engagement. Through interactive reading mentoring sessions with preschool-aged children, UNF Dream Promoters not only make a meaningful contribution to local early childhood education but also gain hands-on experience that enhances their career readiness. UNF Dream Promoters also receive targeted professional development that strengthens communication, leadership, and organizational skills. Designed with a dual purpose, the Dream Promoters program sought to strengthen vulnerable children’s early literacy and language while simultaneously equipping UNF students with the leadership and workplace competencies that will serve them during their UNF enrollment and throughout their future careers. In this paper, we focuse on the experiences and impacts of the UNF Dream Promoters through their second year as part of the Jax Preschool SEEDS program implementation. Early results from the second-year evaluation and implementation data from the first year confirm the Jax Preschool SEEDS program’s impact. Children are demonstrating accelerated language growth and increased reading engagement, adults are strengthening their conversations and interactions with children, and the UNF Dream Promoters are developing sense of agency and civic responsibility while developing key workplace competencies and leadership skills.
Presenters
Jeffry WillProfessor of Sociology and Director, Northeast Florida Center for Community Initiatives, University of North Florida, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Education and Learning Worlds of Differences
KEYWORDS
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
