The Stepping Stone Program is composed of three steps: Community Mapping, Community-Based Research and Community Outreach through capacity building programs. This form of Community Based Education will result in strengthening student learning outcomes on the campus while developing leadership and positive change in the community.

Community Mapping

The Community Mapping Project is envisioned as a collaborative network of college faculty and students working closely with community residents and organizations to develop an accurate picture of needs and assets, problems, existing programs and service gaps in the local community. It is a learning, development and planning tool that empowers citizens to take part in creating positive change. Community Based Research (CBR) methods are used to gather and analyze existing information and discover new facts on issues and topics of interest and importance to the community. This information will be integrated into an overall map and web site of the Greeneville/Greene County area providing a body of research used to address immediate concerns and to serve as a catalyst for more specific CBR and outreach and capacity building projects.

Community-Based Research (CBR)

Departments on campus have the opportunity to integrate into their courses mapping projects using CBR that will examine a segment of the surrounding community such as health, education, housing, literacy, government, economy, etc. For instance, the Department of Political Science could research and create an organizational chart of our local governmental structure including decision-making procedures, committee structures, names and titles, processes for community input, and meeting dates and locations and put this on a web-page available to the campus and community at large. The English Department may research issues and assets related to literacy, while the Department of Business could investigate the needs of non-profits or the substantial increase in Latinos in the local workforce and their particular needs. Some of this research and mapping has already begun with youth through the Community of Promise Assets Survey and with local Food Security research through the college's partnership with Rural Resources, as well as ongoing research with other agencies.

Community Outreach

The broad range of community mapping possibilities will provide opportunities for every department and discipline to engage in a variety of research projects providing practical application of course objectives. The process will provide the basic needs assessment and capacity building information necessary for the development of future community based education projects into classes within each major. As a common, collaborative project, the entire campus will be engaged in supporting its Civic Arts mission by providing resources for its own home place of Greene County as a community builder, enhancing the quality of life for all.

Goals

1. Engage students, faculty and community in mapping the resources and current conditions of Greeneville and Greene County by gathering and analyzing existing information and discovering new facts through the process of using Community Based Research.
2. Use emerging technological tools such as Global Information Systems (GIS) to provide accurate maps.
3. Create a web-site, serving campus and community, with accessible information and data about local impacts and issues.
4. Build coalitions across economic and cultural barriers for continued commitment and collaboration.
5. Develop sustainable community building projects through Community Based Education initiatives.