Facilitating assets-based development in rural communities through service-learning.

This article examines the use of service-learning (SL) as a participatory, assets-based approach to foster rural community development in three Italian rural areas. Engaging six local organizations and sixteen university students, the study implemented a two-phase Rural Participatory Process that involved assessing community assets and co-designing SL projects addressing local needs in agro-environmental, socio-economic, and anthropo-psychological domains. Findings indicate that SL facilitated collaboration between universities and rural communities, enhanced community members’ recognition of internal resources, supported organizational development, and empowered students as agents of change. The study highlights the potential of SL to strengthen rural development through bottom-up participation and recommends integrating such approaches into rural policies to address economic, social, and psychosocial challenges.