University-community partnerships for sustainable health: insights from public health school’s community day of service

Purpose This study aims to examine how university-led volunteer initiatives, such as Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s 2024 Community Day of Service, promote sustainable health and community well-being by addressing social determinants of health within the voluntary and community sector. Design/methodology/approach Thematic analysis was conducted on data from semi-structured interviews with 18 stakeholders (12 volunteers, 5 organizers and 1 recipient), supplemented by participant observations and event documentation, to explore motivations, impacts and sustainability challenges of the 2024 event. The analysis aligns with the territory, intervention, proposal (TIP) model to frame participatory university–community engagement. Findings Volunteer activities, including assembling winter kits and harm reduction kits, mitigate health disparities, enhance social cohesion and empower participants, supporting sustainable development goals (SDGs) 3, 4 and 11. However, sustainability issues, such as limited long-term engagement, persist. Recommendations include leveraging digital tools for sustained partnerships and integrating service learning with virtual education strategies to enhance scalability. Research limitations/implications Limited to a single case study, findings may lack generalizability; future mixed-methods research could enhance robustness. Practical implications Higher education institutions should adopt flexible, recurring volunteer programs and embed service learning in their curricula, potentially supported by digital platforms, to maximize community health impacts. Social implications Strengthened university–community ties reduce isolation and health inequities, fostering equitable, resilient urban societies. Originality/value This research underscores volunteerism’s contribution to sustainability education, offering a novel integration of the TIP model and digital approaches to foster resilient communities through co-learning and experiential learning, aligning with SDGs.