The next phase of the CEP credential: Critically examining value, access, and opportunity

Abstract: The service learning and community engagement field has been calling for a credentialing program for community engagement professionals. While one notable credential opportunity exists, a critical review and needs assessment could determine whether it is adequately meeting the needs of the field. In this round table discussion, participants will explore questions around access and inclusion in the existing program, the role research should play in the content of credentials, their value in the field as a whole, and opportunities for collaboration across organizations for applicant preparation. As part of a larger needs assessment process, participants in this round table discussion will serve as a focus group, contributing their valuable insights as the next phase of the community engagement professional credentialing program is developed. Conference participants who have engaged with Campus Compact’s credentialing program are encouraged to attend and share feedback about their experience.

Narrative: This round table session is intended to facilitate a topical discussion among participants about how research in the service learning and community engagement (SLCE) field can strengthen a credentialing program for community engagement professionals (CEPs). As one piece of a larger needs assessment process, this session will serve as a focus group to address several key questions:

To what degree is a CEP credential valuable and needed in the field?
How and where are credentialing programs delivered, and by whom? What are the implications for questions of scale and access?
Where are the gaps and opportunities in access to spaces for CEPs to develop competencies that are included in credentialing programs?

The results of this round table discussion will contribute to the development of a research-informed, needs-based CEP credentialing program. This program will support the professional growth of individuals and enhance the professionalization of the field as a whole.

The broader review of the program and needs in the field are guided by the framework outlined in the Community Needs Assessment Workbook (Wambeam, 2016). This includes assembling a work group representing stakeholder interests, identifying research questions, collecting data through focus groups and surveys, analyzing data, reporting results and recommendations, implementing programing, and evaluating outcomes. This round table discussion will serve as a key focus group in the data collection phase of the process.

The conceptual framework guiding this discussion will be the community engagement professional competency model (Dostilio, 2017). Dostilio’s work identified the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are central to supporting effective community engagement practices between higher education and communities. The core competencies included in the model are grounded in empirical practice literature and supported the development of one notable credential opportunity in the SLCE field.

In 2019, Campus Compact piloted a credentialing program guided by the community engagement professional competency model (Dostilio, 2017). Five years later, the program is well positioned for a critical review to determine whether it is equipped to meet the needs of the dynamic SLCE field, which has surely evolved as a result of many impactful societal events in recent history.

Campus Compact currently offers nine credentials aligned with the community engagement professional competency model (Dostilio, 2017). An applicant receiving six of the nine credentials can then receive full certification. Since 2019, 98 credentials have been awarded to 70 individuals, only one of whom has received full certification. With this in mind, questions about participation and value exist.

Do all applicants have equitable access to opportunities for learning and demonstration that are necessary to receive the credential?
Who should be the target audience for the credentialing program and are they being reached?
Is the structure and content of the program aligned with the intended goals?
Does the service learning and community engagement field place value in credentials and certification for CEPs, and if so, in what ways?

The strong conceptual framework and the participation data from Campus Compact’s CEP credentialing program provides a foundation from which to explore these questions, and others, in an effort to design and deliver a research-informed, needs-based program for the SLCE field.

When Campus Compact set out to create a CEP credentialing program five years ago, there was an established need in the field. If this remains true today, an assessment of the first five years of the program paired with insights from the current scholarship of engagement and leading scholars and practitioners in the field, could further strengthen the opportunity for CEPs. Recent scholarship, professional associations, and active practitioners in conversation with one another could point to existing gaps in professional development, new competencies needed for the future of the SLCE field, opportunities for increased access and inclusion, and successful models and practices that could improve the existing structure.

The first ten minutes of the round table session will begin with participant introductions and the goals of the session. The discussion leaders will spend the next 15 minutes presenting the conceptual framework for an exiting credential program, its method of delivery, and the participant experience. The next 35 minutes will be spent in discussion with participants using several guiding questions. In the final five minutes, facilitators will wrap up the discussion, thank participants for their contributions, and share next steps in the process.

Key words: credential, professionalization, access, community engagement professionals