Abstract

The increase of extreme events caused by climate change has lead no only to the local need for strengthen the coping and resilience capacity at a community level, but also, to rethink about the suitability of the university study programs in order to develop competent professionals in the face of these new emerging risks. In this context, the objective of this study was to assess the implementation of a community needs assessment process before a climate disaster through the methodological implementation of the Service-Learning strategy (ApS) in a course of psychology students in Chile. To do so, we selected a representative case study of community management in the face of a climate disaster in the north of Chile, using a participatory action research design (PAR). The data were produced using an inter-method triangulation of six techniques, creating a four areas scheme of the learning process results. These areas were: i) theoretical-conceptual, ii) methodological, iii) practical and iv) ethical-political. The results showed the use of ApS in the teaching-learning process of the community assessment, identifying both advantages and limitations in the development of disciplinary, transversal and professional competences, as well as those competences related to the service provided. This study concludes that it is important to integrate horizontal, participative strategies, and use them in the process of professional training and education, according to the integral type of university education required to face the complex psychosocial problem of climate change.