Addressing the urgent need for a shift in community-university collaborations within writing studies and offering actionable steps to move beyond surface-level approaches, participants engage with a transformative community-led design framework that prioritizes the visions, strengths, and assets of community partners. Preregistration is required.

This workshop introduces participants to community-led design - a transformative approach that places the community at the heart of the design research process. Throughout the session, we will delve into the core principles of community-led design, with a strong emphasis on fostering active citizenship and driving community engagement initiatives. This workshop aims to equip you with the tools and insights needed to harness the power of community-led design, enabling you to champion inclusivity, equity, and genuine community ownership in your projects, programs, and partnerships.

In this two-hour interactive workshop, we will explore the transformative potential of Community-Led Design in teaching and research practices. Through real-world examples from the Beautiful Social Research Collaborative and hands-on co-creation activities, participants will gain insights into successful Community-Led Design projects and discover how to transition from working for communities to working with communities. We will envision a future where our projects, programs, and partnerships actively contribute to capacity-building, promoting social justice, and meaningful long-term partnerships within the community.