Community Changemaker Lab
The Community Changemaker Lab is a collaborative program run by Engage Winona and the Winona State social work department to address community challenges affecting marginalized populations.
The program engages social-work students in applying community practice skills in two areas: Conducting community-specific research to identify avenues for change for specific populations and issues; and collaborating with populations and nonprofit organizations on leading change through direct action, advocacy, program development, and other strategies.
The program’s backbone is the WSU’s social work community practice class, taught by professor and social worker Jay Palmer; and includes a semester-long internship opportunity at Engage Winona supervised collaboratively by Engage Winona director Brian Voerding and WSU social work faculty.
The program launched in 2018 and has completed several successful projects, including:
Collaborating with recovering addicts in Winona County Treatment Court to tell their stories to community leaders and find ways to get engaged in the community
Resourcing diverse teens at the Winona Area Learning Center to create and publicize personal stories and videos to address racial stereotypes and promote the school
Conducting listening sessions with clients at local mental-health providers to better understand emerging needs for community programming and services
Researching, purchasing and sharing diverse books and programming to area elementary schools to serve Hmong refugees and Latino immigrants
Leading community awareness and outreach efforts for Resilient Winona County to promote resilience practices, educate the community on trauma, and provide resources and tools
Does your organization serve marginalized populations in the Winona area, and could benefit from participating in this project? We’re always seeking new partners! Email us at engage@engagewinona.org and rpalmer@winona.edu.