2025/08/02 by Kirk A. Leach, Julien C. Mirivel, Avinash Thombre +1 · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Adult and Continuing Education Topics #Global Educational Policies and Reforms #Tourism, Volunteerism, and Development
paper · doi:10.1080/01488376.2025.2540116
openalex publication_date 2025/08/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/14
Civic and community engagement activities are a necessity in International Non-governmental Organization [INGO] place-based community development efforts. Although civic and community engagement remains needed, more empirical evidence is required to assess the impact of INGOs initiatives on beneficiaries’ civic and community engagement. This exploratory qualitative study examines the impact of Heifer’s Values-Based Holistic Community Development initiatives on participants’ civic and community engagement. Data included semi-structured, in-depth interviews with (n = 102) participants in Central and Northern Uganda, across four time periods of participation: baseline, 6–12 months, 24–36 months, and over 48 months. The interview data were coded and analyzed thematically. We found that participants (a) improved their degree of community and civic engagement, (b) became more active in community development efforts, and (c), over time, saw themselves as agents of social change. The study recommends that INGOs delivering services in constrained contexts should focus on initiatives that facilitate relationship-building among residents and provide support that helps residents realize the positive impact that they can have on their communities. Future research should employ quantitative methods, such as surveys and factor analysis, to examine the impact of VBHCD on various dimensions of civic and community engagement, assessing changes across participants, groups, and timeframes.