The University of Michigan's School of Information emphasizes the importance of community. This is done in many ways, including student involvement with community groups.
Students face the challenge of entering a community as an outsider and gaining the trust of others.
There are many obstacles to gaining this trust, but it is possible to move beyond them and make valuable contributions to the community. As a professional, I've worked with many communities over the years. As a student, I worked extensively on a technology development initiative with a public housing community. I've experienced the challenge of being an outsider, sometimes failing, sometimes succeeding, but always learning. In the following pages, I outline ideas I've found useful in establishing trust.